Professor Thompson announced, “All of the semester’s assignments that have not been turned in must be in my box by ten o’clock tomorrow morning.” That deadline gave just twenty-four hours to find the music I had lost the fourth week of the semester.

Elijah responded to God’s voice rather than to the wind, earthquake, and fire, and so will those for whom we pray. Yet, we tend to use calculated words (wind), force (earthquake), or passion (fire) to convince others to change, but when God gently speaks in His quiet way, what happens?

Jesus gave us an almost unbelievable promise in John 14:10, 12:

“The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work...I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing.”

Many years ago, when Chuck Swindoll’s children were still in school, his wife Cynthia stayed home with them while he flew to Canada for a full week of ministry. He was exhausted by Friday night, so he grabbed a hamburger at the hotel café and headed back to his room.

Jesus told the disciples to go into Jerusalem and wait for the promise of the Father. (Luke 24:49)

As we wait, God shows us our hearts. Generally, we do not see ourselves as He does. We must depend upon the Spirit to show us our selfish ambition and arrogant attitudes.

One afternoon during the early ’80s when the Women Alive (now better known as Come to the Fire) organization was being formed, I had an hour break between a draining planning session and our neighborhood Bible study. One lady invited a visitor, so I felt a special need to be prepared and refreshed. Instead, I felt drained. I think I'll have a cup of coffee and relax a bit, I thought. But then I had another idea. Why not kneel and relax in God's presence?

In her book Open Heart—Open Home, Karen Mains remembers the time her back door opened and a grubby boot threatened to descend in ruinous contact with her white kitchen floor. Her impatience was about to brim over, but then an inward voice spoke first, “Be careful what you say. Look into those eyes. Don’t you see that Christ has come into your kitchen?” She recalled Jesus’ words: “Anyone who takes care of a little child is caring for God who sent me.”

In The Lost Art of Disciple Making, Leroy Eims told of a missionary who noticed that the churches that were miles away from the city in which he lived seemed to be more dedicated, active, and growing than the church he ministered in regularly.