Category: Book Excerpt

(Excerpt from Pastor’s book, ‘How to Get a Grip on God’s Promises”)

The promise of a son was spoken the Shunammite woman.  The next thing that happened was the promise came to pass.  God’s Word worked because that Word was spoken.  By a miracle of God a child was born to a couple who had been unable to have children.  The promise was given and the promise came to pass.  I would like to stop right there and be able to say that they lived happily ever after, but I must give you the whole story.  In Second Kings 4:18-22, “And when the child was grown, it fell on a day, that he went out to his father to the reapers. And he said unto his father, My head, my head. And he said to a lad, Carry him to his mother. And when he had taken him, and brought him to his mother, he sat on her knees till noon, and then died. And she went up, and laid him on the bed of the man of God, and shut the door upon him, and went out. And she called unto her husband, and said, Send me, I pray thee, one of the young men, and one of the asses, that I may run to the man of God, and come again.”

How could a promise from God come to pass and yet end up being stolen?  A thief became involved and the promise was stolen because their son dies.  There are a lot of things being stolen in lives today.  There are probably some areas in your life where the enemy has tried to steal from you.

When you hear some people talk, God gets blamed for everything bad. God gets blamed for tornados, car wrecks, cancer, and for all kinds of catastrophes.  In fact, people blame God for the most terrible things that happen on the face of the earth.  Let me share some truths with you, from John 10:10.  Jesus said, “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” Many people become disillusioned when the thief steals from them, because when something good gets stolen from them, they begin to doubt God.  We can relate to people who have bad things happen to them.  We do not doubt the sincerity and faith of someone who goes through difficult times.  We need to keep it straight in our thinking that the devil is the thief, not God.  God is the one who gives life.

We came home from church one night to our former house.  My wife, Joy, had been speaking to the ladies and I was out running errands.  When we came home, there was an unfamiliar odor in our house. That was not the only thing that was different, when I entered the kitchen I saw two cans of beer and I knew that something was wrong.  Joy looked at me and I looked at Joy, and I said, “Somebody has been in our house.”  We went through our house and everything was upside down, drawers were emptied and everything of value was gone.  It is a strange feeling when your home has been broken into.  Men take these things differently than women do, we want to get revenge.  We want to do something.  We want to help God, but in Romans 12:19 it reads, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.”

We had a couple with us that night and they said, “Well, let’s just praise the Lord!” My flesh did not like it, but I knew it was right.  I knew we needed to thank God that no one was hurt and things can be replaced.  I was not in the mood to praise the Lord, but I did it anyway.

There is something more important than protecting your valuables and that is protecting the blessing of God on your life.  Even when it looks like the thief has stolen your blessing, keep a grip on God’s promise.  In 2 Kings four the promised son died but the Shunammite woman kept hold of her faith, refused to act in fear, and she saw her son returned to life.  When this woman’s blessing seemed to be unraveling, she had to get a grip on the promise of God.  Satan wants to steal your gifts, your visions, your dreams.  If you have a business, do not be naïve about it.  Satan would like to steal the business.  You do not have to let him do it.  Do not turn loose of your faith and you will come out on the high side of victory.

(Excerpt from Pastor’s book, ‘How to Get a Grip on God’s Promises”)

I am standing here today because a promise was given in Romans 10:13, and I have stood on that promise: “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”  Some people get in such deep theological discussions such as:  I just wonder who is foreordained to be saved and who is foreordained to be lost?  The Bible says in 2 Peter 3:9, that God is “. . . not willing that any should perish . . .” so there is no reason to go any further with that.  God is “. . . not willing that any should perish . . .” People are willing to perish, but God is not willing for them to perish.  It is not the will of God that some be saved and others be lost.  John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”  According to this verse God loves the whole world and the promise of God is salvation for “whosoever believes.”  You can trust God’s Word.

Advertisers make great promises but cannot always deliver on them.  For this reason you cannot believe every commercial.  If you think you can believe everything that you see on television then I have some property in Florida I would like to sell you.  It is a little under water right now, but it will get better.  Of course, I do not really have any property for sale, but the point is that you have to consider the source.  You can trust the promises of God for everything from salvation to provision because God is faithful.  The Word simply says in Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”

(Excerpt from Pastor’s book, “How to Get a Grip on God’s Promises”)

In 2 Kings 4 there is a story about a woman who provided a room for the Prophet Elisha.  She furnished it with a candlestick, bed, and a desk.  You hear this sometimes referred to as a “prophet’s chamber.”  The room was a place for the prophet to stay when he came through the land.  The Word of God says that she perceived that he was a holy man and that she wanted to help him.  By providing Elisha with a room the woman positioned herself to receive a blessing.  The idea that we can position ourselves for the blessing of God is a truth that is becoming stronger in my heart every day. You do not have enough money to buy the blessings of God, but we position ourselves by our giving, by our faith, and by our obedience to God to receive God’s best.

For this reason, Elisha had it in his heart to bless her.  One day Elisha sent his servant to find out if there was anything that the woman needed.  Do you need me to speak to the king for you?  What kind of a favor do you need?  She did not express any specific needs to him, but the prophet found out that she did not have any children.  Then the prophet of God said in 2 Kings 4:16, “About this season, according to the time of life, thou shalt embrace a son.  And she said, Nay, my lord, thou man of God, do not lie unto thine handmaid.”

At that point in her life, the idea of having children seemed preposterous to her.  It is another one of those stories like Zachariah and Elizabeth or Abraham and Sarah, couples who were unable to have children.  Her husband was old and when she said, “. . . do not lie . . .” she was not making fun of the prophet of God.  She just said, “Prophet of God, you do not understand how impossible this is.”  But the Bible said in verse 17, “. . . the woman conceived, and bare a son at that season that Elisha had said unto her, according to the time of life.” 

Your Bible is a book of promises.  When I was a boy in Sunday school we used to sing “Every promise in the Book is mine; every chapter, every verse, every line.”  It was a song that appealed for us to have a simple childlike faith.  Somewhere along the way, someone may have told you, “You cannot believe like that.”  I want to tell you that every promise in the Book is yours – every chapter, every verse and every line.  And if you will believe it and if you will obey it, it shall come to pass.

(The following is an excerpt from Bob Nichols’ book, “How to Change Your Destiny.”)

What God is calling for is character, not perfection.  When I think of the name, Billy Graham, I think about integrity and purity. You have to admire the man.  He has never had a scandal.  He has kept his life clean. The man goes out of his way to operate in integrity and moral purity and God has honored him because of that. Even if you have the strongest resolve, Satan will still try to get you to sin. I am telling you, sin always has the same M.O. – no new wrinkles.  It is the same old, dirty, brown sack.  Satan just puts a new ribbon on it and says, this is new and improved. Satan says, “You can compromise and God will forgive you so it does not make any difference.”  Do not believe it!  Character is what you do when no one’s looking.

I am going to hit something else here, it is impossible to sit and watch immoral movies and stay the person that God called you to be. It is impossible! It would not hurt us to get back to the Ten Commandments, not to be saved, but to stay on the track. They spell things out plain and simple: Thou shalt no other gods before me.  You are not to covet anything that someone else has. Thou shalt not steal. I do not have to steal, God will give to me everything I need. Thou shall not bear false witness.  God wants us to tell the truth the first time even if does not seem to matter.  Tell the truth. If you cannot do something and tell the truth, do not do it. It is just so good to live clean and put your head on the pillow at night and say, “Praise be unto God, here comes another good night’s rest.”  Everything is okay. There is nothing between your soul and your Savior.  No wonder the man, Jabez, said, if I am ever going to break out of this negative mold that I was born into, keep me from evil and the grief that it brings.

No single circumstance in your life has to determine your future.  You do not have to become what anyone else says about you.  Go with what God says about you.  Before you were born God called you valuable and precious and wrote out a bright future for you. You are not a mistake going somewhere to happen. God placed you on this earth on purpose and He has a good plan for your life.  Where and when you were born, the parents God gave you, your personality, and everything else about you was orchestrated by God for a purpose.  You can be like Jabez and overcome negative circumstances through prayer.  Change your destiny today through faith in God.

Prayer

Lord, the prayer Jabez prayed to You, is my prayer today.  Lord, bless me indeed, enlarge my coast, keep your hand on me, keep me from evil and from causing pain to others. I will not listen to the lies anymore.  I can be what You have called me to be.  I can do what You have called me to do.  I know You will keep me, because I desire with all my heart to be kept by You.  Jesus, be the Lord of my life.  Take my life and make me a blessing to others.  In Jesus’ Name, amen.

(Excerpt from Pastor’s book, ‘How to Get a Grip on God’s Promises”)

This woman had long-haul faith.  She was not easily moved; her faith was focused.  The New Testament gives us some examples of those whose faith was not so steady.  Matthew 14:22-33 is the story of Jesus walking on the water in the midst of a storm.  When the disciples saw Him they cried out.  Jesus told them not to be afraid.  Eventually Jesus told Peter to come walk on the water.  Unlike the Shunammite woman, Peter started out strong but allowed the circumstances around him to move him off his faith.  Peter began to sink and cried out to Jesus for help. Jesus reached out his hand and then said to Peter, “. . . O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?”  Do you remember in Luke 22:32, when Jesus prayed for Peter?  He said, “. . . I have prayed for thee, that your faith fail not . . .” Let me tell you the kind of faith Peter had.  Peter had what I like to call “burning rubber” faith.  That is how we describe when a car takes off quickly and leaves black rubber marks on the road.  Peter was good for about a block or two, then something would happen and he would explode and all you would hear was the screeching of tires and there Peter goes again.  Then he runs out of gas or his motor comes apart.

Years ago, the transmissions in some of the old cars we used to drive would suddenly stop working.  It was kind of embarrassing when it would malfunction in front of your girlfriend. You are showing her how your car will run and it lasts about a block or two and then it would stall.  That was like Peter.  I can identify with Peter because at one time I was like that. His heart meant well.  I mean this guy would cut off somebody’s ear to help Jesus.  But Jesus prayed that his faith would not just be short-haul faith; Jesus desired that his faith would be steady for the long-haul.

(An excerpt from Pastor’s Book, “How to Make Your Life Count for God”)

I am sorry to tell you that I spent too many years in the ministry without understanding what giving to God was all about.  I knew tithing was right; my wife Joy and I both came from tithing families.  We knew that we needed to tithe, but any offerings above the tithe were a big, big deal.  At that time we did not have the full revelation of worshiping God with offerings above our tithe.  There we were, preaching the Gospel and wondering how we were going to pay our utility bills.  We were suffering from what I call financial friction.  Let me tell you Joy and I understand friction very well.  Friction means two back payments rubbing up against each other.  Friction is a symptom of poverty.  Poverty means not having enough.  We have probably all been there.  Your seed will meet your financial need and the harvest will affect your entire life.  Paul said, “…my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory” (Philippians 4:19 emphasis added).  We discovered your seed will meet more than your financial need.

I am not saying that the blessings of God can be bought.  However, I am amazed at the things that I have seen God do for people who give to Jesus.  He meets their need on every level of life.  Joy has said it more than once since our daughter has needed around the clock nursing care.  A gift has been given to us much greater than money could ever buy; in the precious caregivers that have given of their time to come and help.  We could have never orchestrated this on our own.  But God has supplied the need.  We are so grateful for the seed that is being sown by these precious caregivers.

There are people who prospered by giving tithes and offerings, but once their harvest started to come in they decided they stopped giving. They decided they did not need to give those tithes and offerings anymore.  That is a very dangerous position.  Whatever it took to get you blessed is what it is going to take to keep you blessed.  Everyone knows the only way an airliner can stay at thirty-thousand feet is to keep the power on.  If you turn the engines off you will be able to glide for a little but eventually you will crash into the ground.  In the same way if you stop sowing seed you will cut off your harvest.

The harvest that your seed produces is more than money.  You may have a need that cannot be met by money.  You may need a physical healing, help in a marriage relationship, or your children may have needs.  Your giving is not just for you as an individual; you are planting seeds for your children and grandchildren.  Sure, you will get blessed in the process but that is not the end of it.  I am planting seeds for all of my family.  It is not just about Joy and me.  I plant seeds on a regular basis for my grandchildren and great grandchildren.  They will never have to look back and say, “Granddaddy was tight with God.”  I want my family to know that Joy and I were givers to God.  I want them to know that we did not stop giving once our financial situation was better.  Giving and believing God for a harvest is a way of life for us.

(An excerpt from Pastor’s Book, “How to Make Your Life Count for God”)

It is important to obey God and live a pure life in order to fulfill God’s plan.  Because of this, I want to live clean and pure.  The further I go in the ministry purity becomes more of a passion with me.  I have come too far to throw away my reputation.  I want to do the right thing.  I want to be a pastor that my congregation does not have to be ashamed of.  I want my faith to be an example that others can look to.  Keep the stream of faith pure.  Faith will always require obedience and sometimes the people around you will not understand you.  Sometimes members of your own family will criticize you.  If you are going to make your life count for God you cannot let what other people say deter you from being obedient to the voice of God.

There are some other things that I think God wants us to see.  In Mark’s account Jesus says, “She hath done what she could.” Notice that Jesus did not rebuke her.  Jesus will never ask you to do what you cannot do.  That might have been her only valuable possession.  The ointment was precious to her but she decided to give it.  When you cannot do everything you want to do, doing what you can is a powerful principle.

How do you really make your life count for God?  There are people of great wealth who say, “Well I will build a hospital or a library and they will put my name on it.”  That is admirable.  There is nothing wrong with that, but that is not how you make your life count for God.  People build these monuments to themselves so that they will be remembered.  In the Kingdom of God it is not so much what you get, but what you give that makes your life count for God.

If it had been me I might have looked at the expensive ointment said, “God is not asking you to do that.”  Believe me, you do not know how many times I have said things like that, when people took a step of sacrificial giving.  Many years ago there was a woman who went to our church here in Fort Worth who did a similar thing. Her deceased husband had left her a small pension from his work for the railroad which included a few benefits. She was a dedicated member of the church, a consistent tither, and a generous giver. One day she came in and handed me an offering of several thousand dollars, something that she had never done before. “This is my entire savings account, pastor,” she told me. I had an idea of how much she made with her pension. It would have taken her a couple of years to save up for an offering of this size. I would never encourage anyone to give away their savings, unless they are directed by God.  I would think this type of giving would be foolhardy without God’s direction.

“Now sister, this is just too much! You don’t need to give this.” I told her, but she was not moved. She looked me square in the eye and said, “Bob Nichols, you take this offering. You have been teaching about giving and I want to give this as a seed.” See, this is the attitude of people who are operating by faith in their giving. They are not moved by what anyone says to them. So I took the offering, believing that she would receive a harvest.

A couple of weeks later she testified that someone had asked if she was aware of some unpublicized pension benefits.  He informed her that she would have to sign up for them or they would be lost. This was the first that she had heard of it.  She signed up and received double the amount of money per month than she had been receiving! When you sow a seed in faith the result is a harvest of multiplication!

One day the woman with the alabaster box said, “I do not care what anybody says, it belongs to me and I am going to give it to Jesus.”  She did not bring a sick lamb or a lame donkey, she brought the most expensive thing she had.  She did not ask anybody about it because it would not have been their business anyway. So, she broke that alabaster box and poured the ointment on Jesus.  The moment she did, all monetary value was gone.  It was not coming back and that is why the world said it was a waste.  They said, if you wanted to do something noble, you could have sold that and given the money to the poor.

Jesus went on to say something else.  “Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her”(Matthew 26:13). This woman’s gift became international.  Her worship and giving were actually recorded in God’s Word.  When Jesus said, “Verily” he meant that you can count on it.  Even today the story of this gift is preached all over the world.