Pop Test

Today I heard of another court case about someone taking a stand for their Christianity and praying in school. I thought the same thing I usually think, how ridiculous, you can't stop people from praying in school or anywhere else. God hears silent prayers, the courts can't hear those. What are the courts going to do to silence silent prayers? Even if prayers aren't spoken out loud, as long as there are pop tests in school, prayer will be there also.

Speaking of pop tests, did you know God gives pop tests sometimes? He uses all kind of things to see how faithful we are to Him. I found He might even use things He has created to test us. When I was young I was taught to always blow three kisses at red birds and make a wish as they flew away. Why red I didn't ever know really, I think blue birds, or any color would probably have worked just as well. I continued this and other crazy superstitions well into my adult years. I thought this and other things would help me to obtain the happiness I was constantly searching for. After I came to know Jesus Christ personally, and was filled with God's Holy Spirit, I learned where true joy comes from. He will give me the desires of my heart if I believe in Him and follow His commandments

Psalm 37:4    Delight thyself also in the LORD: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. I don't have to wish, all I have to do is ask Him.

James 4:2   ...yet ye have not, because ye ask not.

I sometime think of all the time I wasted blowing kisses and making wishes on red birds instead of praying to my God in heaven in the name of Jesus Christ.

Last week God showed me that He uses things from my past, even crazy superstitions, to show me how far I have come. He set a little red bird outside my window one morning when I was feeling just a little down. As the little bird popped his head up right on my window seal I heard a voice say," Go ahead blow the kisses, make the wish." I didn't. Instead, as the bird flew away, I looked up and thanked God for using something so seemingly silly from my past to test me, and to show me who I now am in Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:17   ...old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

The next time some sort of test, no matter how small or large pops up from your past, remember to thank God for giving you the strength to resist the temptation, pass the test, and thank Him for how far He has brought you. You can even thank Him silently, He will hear you.

Judy Parker