Hello.
I’m Excited. This is one of my stops for the Virtual Book Tour That Was Then,
This Is Now, This Broken Vessel Restored. This virtual book tour is organized
by Write Now Literary Book Tours. This tour runs September 28, 2017. Follow the tour
here. Book your own tour here WNL
Genre: Christian Non Fiction
Kindle ASIN: B073VCY1L5
About
the Author
In addition to being an award winning author
of Completely Whole and Secret Places Revealed, Paulette is an inspirational
speaker, as well as a writing workshop instructor. Her literary works have been
spotlighted in a growing number of publications, including CBN, Real Life Real
Faith Magazine, The Sacramento Observer and Black Pearls Magazine. She has also
appeared on numerous local and online radio shows.
Paulette resides in Northern California.
About The Book
HOW
COULD GOD HAVE A PURPOSE FOR ME AMIDST THIS MESS?
WHY DO SUCH BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE?
If you've recently asked yourself these questions,
Paulette Harper's That Was Then, This is Now has the answers. Struggling to
recover from a broken marriage and disappointed dreams, Paulette Harper gropes
for meaning and understanding. And through her searching, God reveals Himself
to her in ways she never before imagined possible. By sharing her struggles
with transparency, she illustrates how a heart attitude of surrender allows God
to use a broken vessel for His ultimate plans of glory.
That Was Then, This is Now, minsters to hurting hearts
in every season in life, reminding them that God restores shattered lives,
intent on using them for His sovereign purposes.
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Chapter
1
Built
to Stand Through it All
Have you ever wondered how a building that was being
erected would be able to withstand the elements of weather—earthquakes,
tornados, hurricanes, and the like? A building must also be able to withstand
the weight of the occupants. If you and I are not contractors, we may not have
the complete knowledge of what goes into the development and restructuring of a
building. But what I do know is this: first, there are the building plans,
which must get proper approval from the building planner and city before any
work can be started.
Once you get the approval, the next step would be to
secure the engineers, general contractors, electricians, plumbers, surveyors,
and all those who will be part of this development. Knowing that each person is
unique in his field of expertise, you would never hire someone unskilled to do
a job he is not qualified for.
Next, the foundation must be laid. Building the
foundation of the house is one of the most important tasks. If the foundation is
not properly laid, then the entire edifice will be unstable. A well–laid
foundation is absolutely essential for a house. Once the proper foundation has
been laid, we can now start building our house.
Now let’s examine what the Bible has to say about our
foundation. First, it must be settled that our foundation is Jesus Christ, the
Son of God and the Word of God.
Therefore
thus says the Lord God, Behold, I am laying in Zion for a foundation a Stone, a
tested Stone, a precious Cornerstone of sure foundation; he who believes
(trusts in, relies on, and adheres to that Stone) will not be ashamed or give
way or hasten away in sudden panic. Isaiah 28:16 (TAB).
Because Jesus is our foundation and the Word comes to
equip and bear us up, we are well able to handle all the elements that life
will bring our way. Your flesh and the devil will tell you otherwise. Here is
what Jesus says about our spiritual house:
Therefore
whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise
man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came,
and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was
founded on the rock. But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not
do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the
rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and
it fell. And great was its fall. Matthew 7:24–27 (NKJV).
In the above passage, Jesus is doing a comparison
between two types of houses or people. Both will experience the same elements
in life: storms, rain, floods, and wind, which represent testing, trials, hard
times, and tribulations. We will all face hard times, no matter who we are, no
matter how much money we have, no matter what our status in life, what
occupations we hold, how many degrees we have, and so forth; we are going to
have bad times. The difference between these two builders is their ability to
hear the Word and obey.
Jesus said the rain, floods, and wind will come to
beat on the house, but if you hear and obey His saying, your house will be able
to withstand it all. However, if you hear and don’t obey His sayings, your
house will not stand, and Jesus said great would be your fall. Your spiritual
ears should only listen to what God is saying; all other opinions, ideas, or
suggestions do not matter. Real sheep hear and obey His voice; no other voice,
that of a stranger, will we listen to.
The New Living Translation says the rain comes in
torrents and the floodwater rises. Torrent, in the dictionary, is described as
roaring, rushing, impetuous, violent stream, and heavy. Because your house is
built on the solid rock of Jesus Christ, your house will not collapse no matter
how fierce or strong the elements.
If you know these things are coming (tests, trials),
you have time to prepare to fight off any attack that would come to snatch the
Word. These things will not have the ability to uproot you because your roots
are growing deep in Christ. The Bible says, “Be strong in the Lord and in the
power of His might.”
The Word has been given to do things you cannot. It
will enable you to be stronger than what you face; it will cause you to endure
the pressures of life, and give you the ability to rise and stand firm on God’s
power, ability, and might. It is imperative, as believers, that we study the
Word and know the Word for ourselves.
A wise builder applies what he learns and hears to his
life. He takes the scriptures, meditates on the Word, and does the Word. The
Amplified Bible describes the foolish builder as stupid. He is one who hears
the Word but does not do the Word.
Why would you go to church Sunday after Sunday, hear
the Word, and not practice what you’ve heard? No one in the Kingdom can
effectively operate in his or her full capacity without hearing, obeying, and
practicing the Word of God. James says,
Anyone
who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at
his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately
forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law
that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forget-ting what he has
heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does. James 1:23–25 (NIV).
The enemy knows where you are in your relationship
with Christ and the Word, and he will make sure you are inoperative,
ineffective, and unfruitful in all you do. The only way we are able to stand
against everything that comes is by taking the Word of God and using the Word
when we are faced with hard times. Here is what God has to say about the
Kingdom you are part of, “Therefore, since we are receiving a Kingdom
which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably
with reverence and godly fear” (Hebrews 12:28, NKJV).
Do not be ignorant of the devil. He is crafty, but God
has put him under our feet. However, if you do not take the Word and practice
with authority your rights, the devil will continue holding you captive to do
his will. Isaiah brings us the good news of how God has dealt with our enemy:
A
Fortified House
When the storm came my way and my life began to
crumble, I allowed the enemy to rape me of my identity in Christ. Instead of
standing on the Word, I wanted to escape the pain by contemplating suicide.
I felt my situation was extremely difficult for me to
overcome but I had to face my challenges, knowing that God was with me. I
didn’t think I had the ability to make it through, but I realized that God was
giving me strength every day to endure.
Escaping
on God’s Terms Only
No
temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is
faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but
with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to
bear it. 1 Corinthians 10:13 (NKJV).
Allow or suffer, in Greek, means to give up, to leave,
to allow one to do as he wishes, to let alone. Bear means ability to endure,
and able means to be capable of handling. We are constantly being built up so
we can become a people fully developed and able to stand. He will not put more
on you than you can handle. The Word is going to be tested and tried, but if
you hear, do, and apply the Word, you will endure. Be a wise, prudent, and
practical builder.
Although the storm came to wipe me out, God would not
allow that to happen. God was using every situation to cause me to become a
fortified house whose structure would stand. God was building me even when it
didn’t seem as though my foundation was holding me up.
I was a house under construction, whose builder and
maker was God. The only way we are able to stand up against all the elements of
life is by building on our foundation through the study of God’s Word. When
everything else ceases to exist and vanishes away, the Word of God remains. God
will never design something with the intent of that building crumbling,
falling, or being demolished. Here is His promise to you, “Who are being guarded
(garrisoned) by God’s power through [your] faith [till you fully inherit that
final] salvation that is ready to be revealed [for you] in the last time” (I
Peter 1:5, TAB).
Chapter
2
Don’t
Get Bitter, Get Better
Our enemy often tries to use the disappointments and
setbacks in life to cause us to become bitter with God and with those that hurt
us. From my own experience, I persuade you to use what has happened in your
life as a stepping stone to propel you to a new level in growth and to a place
of faith and determination in God. Remember, setbacks in life are opportunities
that God will use to show you how faithful He is. “Let all bitterness, wrath, and
anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you with malice”
(Ephesians 4:31, NKJV). “Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of
God; lest any root of bitterness springing up troubles you; and thereby many
are defiled” (Hebrews 12:15, KJV).
The Hebrew word for bitterness is pikria, which is
translated as extreme wickedness, a bitter root and so producing a bitter
fruit, hatred. Malice, in the dictionary, is a desire to harm others; to see
others suffer, spite. Defiled means to make filthy or dirty; to profane;
corrupt.
In the book of Ephesians, chapter 4, the Apostle Paul
is warning believers not to revert to the “old man” when faced with testing,
trials, and tribulations. The amplified version of the scripture tells us to
“strip away” the old, unregenerate man. Your “old man” is deceitful and corrupt
and walks under the sway of the enemy.
Some of the characteristics of the old man are anger,
lying, indignation, fury, polluting language, rage, and resentment. When you
are facing the difficulties of life, don’t allow the circumstances to control
how you are going to act or respond, especially when you have been hurt. We
feel that we have the right to retaliate against those that hurt us, but the
Apostle Paul says:
Repay
no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If
it is possible as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved,
do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written,
vengeance is Mine, I will repay, say the Lord. Romans 12:17–19 (NKJV).
When you take it upon yourself to inflect hurt onto
others because they hurt you, you are standing in the position as a god. God
does not need our help in dealing with people that have hurt us. Retaliation
comes from a wounded spirit, and a wounded spirit is liable to do anything and
say anything. When you respond out of a wounded spirit, there are consequences
to your behavior. You cannot justify yourself, nor can you escape the
correction God will bring to you. The Bible gives us the answer on how Christ
deals with a wounded spirit, “But He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him;
and with His stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5, KJV).
Paul is addressing Christians, born again believers,
the people of God, because he is aware of the struggles we face with the flesh
and how we deal with those that have hurt us. Since you are a child of God,
your behavior should reflect the nature and lifestyle of God.
Did Christ retaliate against His enemies? No, He did
not—He died for them; He blessed them; He prayed for and loved them. Scripture
records that Christ opened not His mouth (Isaiah 53:7). Although Christ was
innocent of the charges against Him, He refused to yield to the will of His
enemies.
When we allow bitterness into our hearts, the
scripture says that we are defiling our temples, and God will not dwell in a
dirty temple. God is taking account of how we treat our brothers and sisters in
Christ, and He will deal with us accordingly.
The truth of the matter is everybody is not pulling
for you. Some people want you to fail. They will not celebrate your victories
with you; they want you to suffer because of something you did to them. They
are praying that God does not bless you; they want to see God punish you, and
they want you to stay in bondage. However, regardless of the actions of others,
you are to maintain your Christ like disposition. Devastations, hard times,
troubles, and disappointments will come and people will hurt you, but whatever
life brings you, don’t allow it to cause bitterness to spring up in your heart.
If the test you’re facing is one of the hardest and
you’re still standing, rejoice and again, I say rejoice. The next test you’ll
face will cause you to stand even stronger, and it will not move you out of the
position you are in right now. Through it all, allow the tests,
Are
You Bitter With God?
In the book of Ruth, chapter 1:20–21, here is what the
scriptures read:
And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me
Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me. I went out full, and
the Lord hath brought me home again empty: why then call me Naomi, seeing the
Lord hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me? (KJV).
The Message Bible reads like this:
But she said, “Don’t call me Naomi; call me Bitter.
The Strong One has dealt me a bitter blow. I left here full of life, and God
has brought me back with nothing but the clothes on my back. Why would you call
me Naomi? God certainly doesn’t. The Strong One ruined me.”
If you have never read this story, here we have a
woman whose life was drastically changed. First, she and her husband,
Elimelech, and their two sons left Bethlehem because of a severe famine.
Looking for a better life, they journeyed to Moab. While in Moab, Naomi’s
husband, Elimelech, dies, and ten years later, her two sons die, leaving her to
care for her two daughters–in–law. Naomi decided to return to Bethlehem, but
upon returning she has no husband or sons, instead a bitter heart.
Naomi, meaning pleasant, changed her name to Mara,
meaning bitter. Her name reflected how she felt toward God. She was angry with
God because He allowed her to lose her husband, whom she loved and who was her
provider, and her two sons. Naomi went from pleasant to bitter because of her
circumstances.
Have you changed your name because of your
circumstances? Are you so angry at the way things turned out that you blame
God? Although Naomi could not see the big picture, God had a wonderful plan in
restoring her and Ruth’s life.
The
Bigger Picture
God allowed her husband and both sons to die in order
to get her and Ruth back to Bethlehem so Ruth and Boaz could meet. Ruth and
Boaz had a son named Obed, who was the father of Jesse, and Jesse was the
father of David the King, who was the father of Solomon. After a lineage of
forty–two generations, we get to Jacob, who was the father of Joseph, the
husband of Mary, who birthed Christ. God caused Naomi to lose everything she
loved so that He could get her into position of receiving more than she could
ever have gotten in Moab.
With some of life’s experiences, you will go through
sorrows and times that seem so overwhelming and God will even begin to break
you during the most difficult times in your life. He will also allow those
close to you, family and friends, to come against you. You must remember God’s
plan for your life is to get you to a place of stability in Him.
We may never understand why God allows things to
happen the way they do, but sometimes God’s plan may or may not include those
you love. Don’t look at where you are, look at where God is trying to take you.
No one knows the battles you are facing, what sorrows
or setbacks you have experienced. Maybe you are going through a divorce or have
just come out of one. Maybe some relationships have been torn and you feel you
have hit rock bottom, or maybe your Cinderella story has come to an end.
Whatever you are going through, be encouraged; better days are ahead.
Tell God whatever happens, good or bad, “It is well
with my soul.”
