One of the men that God has used to bless me through their books is Bill Johnson, pastor of Bethel Church, Redding.  You may not know him, but you may have sung songs that came out of Bethel Music, one of them is Goodness of God.  Bill just lost his beloved wife, Beni, co-pastor of the church, to cancer on July 13.  In his message after her passing, Bill put matters into perspective by saying this, “The backslider’s heart will always judge God by what He didn’t do.  But those who run with tenderness for who He is, will always define Him by what He’s said, by what He’s promised, by what He’s done.” 

Last Wednesday right after we finished prayer meeting, our brother Yusdar passed out. Thank God he could reach and hold on to the table and sat down before he lost consciousness.  It was his wife, Sien, who held him and tried to wake him up.  The paramedics came and took him to hospital where he is still receiving treatment for pulmonary embolism—blood clots—in his lungs and legs.

From the beginning, every time I spoke with either our sister Sien or our brother Yusdar, what came out of their mouths were nothing but praises to God.  They gave thanks to God that he did not fall; they praised God for the help that they got right way; they thanked God for the medication that is doing its job clearing the clots from his lungs and legs; and they thanked God for the prayers and care.

Those with backslider’s hearts—hearts that have turned away from God—will always judge God for what He did not do.  They find fault with God and blame Him for not doing what He’s supposed to, as if God works for and owes that to them.  But those whose hearts turn to Him will always see—and remember—what God has said and done.  Consequently, they have much to thank God for.

Pastor Paul