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Feeling Good from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo.

The Lord speaks to us in ways we can comprehend. For example, He wouldn't speak Hebrew to someone who doesn't understand Hebrew. That is why the Apostle Paul said this:

(1 Corinthians 14:18–19 NKJV)  I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all; yet in the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I may teach others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue.

His goal is to build up, instruct, and encourage you so He speaks in ways we can understand. Often, He will use images, dreams, and visions that are language-independent. A picture is worth a thousand words. 

I have been a lifelong musician, and the Lord often speaks to me through music. For example, once, I was praying about some difficult questions I had. That night, I saw my older brother, who is in heaven now, in a dream, and he was in church singing an old hymn: 

Farther along, we'll know all about it. 

Farther along, we'll understand why. 

Cheer up, my brother, live in the sunshine.

We'll understand it all by and by.

I immediately understood that now wasn't the time, so I put those questions on the back burner and moved on. Sometimes what we think is so important, isn't. I could share a dozen examples like this where the Lord has spoken to me through music.  

While praying about a message for the new year, I suddenly heard: 

"It's a new dawn. It's a new day. It's a new life for me, and I'm feeling good." 

I recognized the voice as Michael Bublé, but it was the Holy Spirit speaking. Scriptures started coming to me where people who had nothing to live for, who were on the edge of despair, were suddenly given a fresh start, renewed hope, the next stage of life, and it was beautiful. I understood so much in those few words, and I will share some of it with you.

Too often, we lose hope right before our breakthrough comes. We are on the edge of something great when we give up and say, "What's the use?" Then we take another lap around that mountain and repeat the past. If we could hold on a little longer and not turn back to our old way of life like Peter with, "I am going fishing," then we might see something new. We might find God at the end of our rope. Many before us have. Here are a few examples, two from the Old Testament and two from the New.

Joseph was a young man given a dream by God, but thirteen years later, it hadn't come to pass, and he was sitting in prison for a crime he didn't commit. He began life as his father's favorite son, but by seventeen, his brothers were so jealous they sold him into slavery. Joseph was thrown into a pit, sold to some Ishmaelites as a slave, then falsely accused of sexual assault by Potiphar's wife, and sent to prison. His life seemed to grow progressively worse, but behind the scenes, he was getting closer and closer.

Joseph had every reason to be angry. He hadn't done anything wrong that was worth noting in his whole life. Yet, here he was, sitting in jail while his brothers, who had started this, were out raising families. Joseph clung to God and used his God-given gifts to interpret dreams for Pharaoh's cupbearer and baker. Two years later, Pharaoh had his own dream, and the cupbearer remembered Joseph and told Pharaoh about him. 

So, at thirty years old, Joseph suddenly went from zero to hero, and from prison to the ruler of Egypt. His dream had been a slow train coming, but suddenly, by the next morning, it had arrived. Hanging on to God one more day, using the gifts he had been given, brought Joseph's dream to pass. 

(Genesis 41:39–41 NKJV)  Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Inasmuch as God has shown you all this, there is no one as discerning and wise as you. You shall be over my house, and all my people shall be ruled according to your word; only in regard to the throne will I be greater than you." And Pharaoh said to Joseph, "See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt."

Joseph could now sing, "It's a new dawn. It's a new day. It's a new life for me, and I'm feeling good," while riding in his shiny new chariot. Today is the first day of the rest of my life, and oh, it's going to be a good one.

Jonah was a man who knew what God wanted him to do but chose to do the exact opposite and bought a ticket to travel 2,500 miles away from where God wanted him to be. But as so many of us find, it is really difficult to outrun God, for He will be waiting for you at your destination. 

Jonah boarded a ship to Tarshish, but a great storm soon overtook them, and they began to sink. They threw the cargo overboard, but it wasn't enough. The storm was raging, so they began to pray. When it looked like everyone would be lost, Jonah stood up and told the ship crew that the storm was because of him and if they tossed him into the sea, it would stop. It took some convincing, but they did. When they threw Jonah overboard, the storm ceased. 

Jonah thought he would drown, but the Lord had prepared a "great fish" for the occasion, and it swam by and swallowed Jonah whole and alive. Remember, when you are the Creator, you can create fish any size you want them. He could create a fish large enough to swallow a cruise ship with a word. So, after spending three days in his custom fish hotel, Jonah came to his senses, and he began to pray. Jonah prayed hard.

Soon, the giant fish spat Jonah up on a beach, and the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time:

(Jonah 2:10–3:2 NKJV)  So the LORD spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land. Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the second time, saying, "Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach to it the message that I tell you."

Jonah thought he would die, but instead, he lived. He could now sing, "It's a new dawn. It's a new day. It's a new life for me, and I'm feeling good." This time, he traveled to Nineveh to deliver the Lord's message, knowing he was right with God and doing His will. There would be no more running from God. Today is the first day of the rest of my life, and oh, it's going to be a good one. 

David was a man who once lost everything meaningful to him. When he and his men returned home to their camp, they found it had been raided by the Amalekites. All their families had been captured and taken away, and the city burned to the ground. His men were so heartbroken, they thought of killing David. 

(1 Samuel 30:6 NKJV)  Now David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God.

David prayed, and God said go after them. Seventy-two hours later, David had recovered all. He had lost it all and, three days later, recovered all. David was feeling good. 

(1 Samuel 30:18–19 NKJV)  So David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away, and David rescued his two wives. And nothing of theirs was lacking, either small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything which they had taken from them; David recovered all.

Peter in Acts 12, was having a dark night, locked in a jail cell chained to two guards with two more guarding the door. It looked hopeless. King Herod had the Apostle James, the brother of John, beheaded. Then he arrested Peter and put him in jail, intending to kill him as well. At the time, that was shocking because the church thought the twelve Apostles were under divine protection.

(Acts 12:1–4 NKJV)  Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church. Then he killed James the brother of John with the sword. And because he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to seize Peter also. Now it was during the Days of Unleavened Bread. So when he had arrested him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of soldiers to keep him, intending to bring him before the people after Passover.

The Apostle James had been beheaded, and it appeared as if Peter would be next. But right when it looked hopeless, an angel showed up, and that changed everything. The angel woke Peter up and apparently put the guards to sleep, or they fainted. He led Peter out of the prison.

(Acts 12:9–11 NKJV)  So he went out and followed him, and did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. When they were past the first and the second guard posts, they came to the iron gate that leads to the city, which opened to them of its own accord; and they went out and went down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him. And when Peter had come to himself, he said, "Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel, and has delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Jewish people."

Peter thought he would be killed like James, but God had other plans for him. Oh, Peter could sing now, "It's a new dawn. It's a new day. It's a new life for me, and I'm feeling good." The Lord had set him free from his chains, and he would preach the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.

Paul in Acts 27, was being transported by ship to Rome to stand trial in front of Caesar Nero. They were hugging the coastline, but not long after they set sail, a powerful storm called a "nor'easter" pushed them far out to sea. The howling winds drove the ship before it for fourteen days. That had to be terrifying for the 276 people on board. Luke describes it like this:  

(Acts 27:18–20 NKJV)  And because we were exceedingly tempest-tossed, the next day they lightened the ship. On the third day we threw the ship's tackle overboard with our own hands. Now when neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest beat on us, all hope that we would be saved was finally given up.

An angel appeared to Paul and gave him great details about what was coming. Paul encouraged everyone to take heart and not give up hope with these words:

(Acts 27:23–26 NKJV)  For there stood by me this night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve, saying, 'Do not be afraid, Paul; you must be brought before Caesar; and indeed God has granted you all those who sail with you.' Therefore take heart, men, for I believe God that it will be just as it was told me. However, we must run aground on a certain island."

Well, run aground on a certain island they soon did, and everyone lived. After weeks of being driven before a hurricane-force storm, the Apostle Paul stood on a beautiful beach in the sunshine, and, oh my, did he feel like singing:  "It's a new dawn. It's a new day. It's a new life for me, and I'm feeling good." 

The Lord had delivered him. Not only that, but a revival broke out on the Isle of Malta after Paul healed all the sick and diseased. He made such an impact there that there is a statue of Paul on the island of Malta today.

God knows how to deliver those who are in trouble. He knows how to bring back the outcasts. He knows how to help the fallen get up. He knows how to bring your dreams to pass in His timing. So hang on one more day. 

 "It's a new dawn. It's a new day. It's a new life for me, and I'm feeling good."

You can pray this with me if you like: 

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You so much for taking care of me. Help me see time through Your eyes and get in tune with what You are doing. Please make what is important to You important to me. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen!