Provision in the Dry Places

(part 2)

Sometimes the dry places of life can prepare us for bigger battles we will face. In 1 Kings the prophet Elijah had prophesied that there would not be any rain for a time period because of the wickedness of the people of Israel’s sin. This lets us know that when we deliberately choose to walk away from the will of God consequences will follow, but for our own good. Discipline is to teach us self control, responsibility, and personal growth.

During the time of the drought God had informed Elijah that his needs would be provided for down at the brook Cherith. God had commanded the ravens to feed him morning and evening and he would quench his thirst in the brook. Elijah was obedient and did according unto the word of the Lord and “after a while the brook dried up.” This lets us know that even the place that God may lead us to for a time will supply our needs for that time period until He is ready for us to move on to another place.

At this point being in a dry place will cause us to see that we are to “move on.” There are times when things may be going good and we become content when God wants us to go to another place to be a blessing to others. This leads him to the widow who God had commanded to take care of Elijah. This would have been interesting because in that time typically a widow would be the one who would need taken care of. Elijah goes to her and she tells him she has only very little. Basically just enough for one more meal and she was going to fix it for her and her son and then they would basically starve to death. Elijah encouraged her to “Fear not,” or not to be filled with anxiety over her situation, but to trust in God and He would provide. The widow had been in a hopeless situation, but agreed to do according to what Elijah had spoken. She chose to trust versus continue in hopelessness. As she did she realized her dry place was going to be taken care of by having just enough oil in her earthen vessel until the rain came again.

The key word in that is “until.” God was supernaturally going to supply their needs until He sent the rain back and then things would go back to how they normally sustained themselves. In some of our dry times of life God will still care for us through our obedience, but we are never to think that when God does supernatural things for us that means He will continually do it that way. Through these experiences Elijah went through was also preparing him for a bigger battle he would soon face with the “evil king and Jezebel.” So if you are currently in a dry place stop to think about how God can use the situation to prepare you for something bigger you may face and how through your trust and obedience will lead to provision even in the midst of a dry place.

12-14-25 ~TRS

Listening To Wise Counsel

Rays of Hope ~ Tim Stockton

Have you ever regretted a decision that you chose to do and can even hear a memory of someone saying, “I told you that was not a good idea.” I would have to say that if someone holds a bad decision over us and continually reminds us of a time we may have lapsed in good judgment, that is not a positive thing. That is not a good friend and though they may have offered wise counsel at one time to be negative towards us continually and to throw it up in our face is not a wise thing to do.

However, most who are willing to give wise counsel are probably not ones that will rub it in your face if you don’t heed to their advice. There are times in our lives that it does us well to seek out wisdom from others who have what some say, “been there, done that.” Sometimes experience is better than gained knowledge and a great Biblical example is from the book of Acts chapter 27 when we can read about the time Paul was being transported by ship to Rome.

On the journey there the winds began to get contrary and from 2 Corinthians Paul later wrote that he had been in 3 shipwrecks already. From these experiences of being tossed to and fro in a ship in a tumultuous sea and even once for a night and day he had “spent in the deep.” Acts 27:9-10, “By now much time had passed and the voyage was already dangerous…Paul gave his advice and told them, “I perceive that this trip is headed toward disaster and heavy loss, not only of the cargo and the ship but also of our lives.” Paul was telling this advice based on his past experiences, not from a “revelation or vision” he had as he did have in the past; or like he did have about the situation days later. Instead of listening to Paul the owner of the ship, the Captain of the ship and the Roman soldier in charge of delivering the prisoner to Rome dismissed Paul and agreed that it would be okay to continue sailing on.

They set sail and at first everything seemed alright, but before long a “fierce wind” took control of the ship for 2 weeks those on board were tossed around and sea sick and had come to a point of losing all hope until Paul was able to share with them again a vision that he had now had about their situation. In Acts 27:21 Paul encourages them, “You should have followed my advice, but now I urge you to take courage because there will be no loss of lives, but only of the ship.”

We can learn from this story of how important it is to get and then follow wise, godly counsel and that if we decide not to, there will be consequences. In the book of Proverbs 1:5 it reads, “A wise person will hear and increase learning, and a person of understanding will attain wise counsel.”

~TRS 11/16/25

Getting the Gift of Grace

This past Sunday was a church Fall Festival with the theme, “His grace falls on us.” Festivals are a fun time for people to get together and fellowship and for the kids and kids at heart to do some fun activities. Being a pastor now too I remember one of my former pastors saying when you get a big group of people together there is no better time than to preach truth. We had several youth who did awesome jobs of singing and then I had an opportunity to share about what grace is.

Since that was part of our theme I took the word grace and made it into an acronym; G.R.A.C. E. as a way to understand a bit more about what it means. The G stands for Gift; the grace of God cannot be earned and we will never deserve it. Grace is simply offered as a free gift. Ephesians 2:8-9 lets us know that “For by grace we have been saved when we believed and we can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.”

The R stands for repentance. This is the only thing that becomes our choice. We have to realize that we are a sinner and that there is none who are truly good and that we all need the grace of God and through repentance and “turning” from our own will and submitting to the will of God will we then receive the grace of God. In other words; no repentance, no grace. For those who do not choose God and submit to Him will not be covered by His grace.

When we have received Christ then we can trust in 2 Corinthians 12:9, “My grace is sufficient for you…and the power of Christ may rest upon you. This power is the A which equals the anointing of God. Once we have the anointing of God upon our lives we can be moved with what the C stands for and that is Compassion. The Bible teaches in Hebrews 4 that Jesus became our High Priest who was tempted in all ways, yet without sin, but that He in all ways understands our weaknesses. Therefore, we can come boldly before His throne of grace. When we have received the grace of God and experienced His compassion it will guide us in being moved with compassion towards others. Even those we may think in our minds that they don’t deserve it.

Even greater is what the E stands for and that is for “everyone.” God’s grace is for all people according to Titus 2:11-14. We are all one human race created by Him. We are all God’s creation, but we are not all God’s children until we do the R (repent). Through repentance is the process of being “born again” to becoming a child of God. So as this Fall season has started just be mindful of the grace of God. It is there ready to be taken if only we are ready to submit and change our ways through the process of repentance.

10-12-25 TRS

The Misplaced Being Found

I am sure I am not the only one who has ever “misplaced” something and spent lots of time looking for the item we label as lost. I had to for the purpose of this article and my own curiosity to know the difference between something being lost or something being misplaced. The online detailed breakdown for losing something is, “the owner loses possession without intending to do so and has no idea where the item is.” When something is misplaced is when “the owner deliberately puts the item down intending to retrieve it later, but forgets where the item has been placed.”

I had a specific folder that I had used before with information about a 3 day retreat for youth I have been involved with for the past 25 years. I had written in one of the manuals that I thought I had turned back into for someone else to use. It was going to be my turn to need the manual again and the main manual is white with a logo on the front. In my mind this is what I was looking for. I looked and looked and searched and searched with no luck of finding the folder.

Days, weeks, and even months went by and I had still not found the folder I was going to be needing soon. Then one night on my night stand I have several books and folders and I wasn’t looking for the manual I had “lost” but I picked up a plain red folder and just so happened opened it up and looked inside. It was the manual I had been looking for. What was lost or misplaced was now back in my possession. I was relieved yet a bit frustrated that what I had spent so much time looking for when it was just a couple feet from where I sleep every night.

It made me think of how God is always around us but if we are not truly seeking Him He won’t be found. Some may think God is a “certain way,” like me thinking the folder I was looking for was white with a logo, when actually it was a plain solid red folder. When I had finally stopped looking for what I thought it should be like then I found what I was really looking for.

It also reminded me of the story in 1 Kings where Elijah had an encounter with God. Elijah was told to look for God and he soon realized that God was not in the mighty wind, the earthquake, nor the fire, but in a still small voice. We often look for God in the big things they may happen in our life and miss Him in the times he is the closest in the small things going on in our everyday lives.

Take time to be still and recognize when God is possibly the closest to you. Just like the famous poem Footprints in the Sand, Jesus is often carrying us during the tough times of life when we think He is far from us. Jesus too is still looking for the lost. He knows all things, but He is like my red folder. He is close by, but it is not until we realize that we are the one lost that then we can be found.

Acts 17:27, “That they should seek the Lord, and perhaps they might feel their way toward Him and find Him; though He is not far from any one of us.”

~TRS

When You Feel Worthless

Insignificantly Significant

Something that is insignificant means to be unimportant, trivial, or of little consequence. It can also refer to small things, or things that are inadequate, or lacks distinction. It is quite amazing that the Creator of the Universe and time would choose to most often use the things, nations, or people who by human standards are insignificant. The Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 2:1-3, “And when I came to you, I came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you, except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. And I was with you in weakness, fear, and the awe of God.”

The plan of salvation was known before creation as it is referenced in Revelation 13:8, “The Lamb was slain before the foundation of the world.” God made a way for all to come to know Him personally. He first chose an insignificant nation at the time who was smaller and weaker than others to ultimately show and model justice, love, and worship to the world. Israel was chosen for a specific purpose not to exclude other nations from God, but to be used as a means of extending God’s blessings and salvation to all people. Israel’s role and purpose was to provide the human line through which the Messiah would come. Again God chose to come through the “insignificant” to become the most significant, which is the quality of being worthy of attention and importance.

Jesus did not come into a “royal, well to do family.” He was born in a stable around animals to a working class family. He wasn’t raised by a Pharisee or Sadducee, the religious elite of the time. He was raised by a carpenter, not a king or a soldier. He was humble and walked or rode on a lowly donkey. Though He will be returning as a warrior-king riding a white horse to destroy one thing specifically that He created, which is time.

Time is significant. It is something that stops for no one. When God started the clock it continues to move forward until He stops it and it will be no more. There is no time in eternity. Though our own time is temporary on this earth. This again makes time very important. We can become either so busy that we don’t even savor the time we have, or be so lazy that time is wasted. We need to be thankful for the times we have had that are now in yesterdays and cherish what time we have in the moment, and have hope for the time we may be blessed with in the future. But, the most important and significant thing we can do in the time that we have is understand what the plan of salvation is that came through the most insignificant ways. Though it came about through insignificant ways it is very significant that there is no other way. As 2 Corinthians 6:2 says, “Now is the accepted time, behold now is the day of salvation.”

Originally written for the Wayne Weekly June 2025

~TRS

Taking Responsibility

Take Responsibility; Pay the Price

In times past many would quote a definition from Webster, but now it is a simple thing to type in a word online and get many options to choose a definition from. I wanted a simple explanation of what many even from a kid should know about so I chose to use the definition from talkingtreebooks.com with a “simple definition for kids” for the word: responsibility, which means “you do the things you are supposed to do and accept the results of your actions.”

For many of us at various times in our lives I am sure we may have experienced a time when we did something that did not turn out quite the way we wanted it to and did not want to admit and/or accept the consequences of the actions that we chose to do. It is a parent/caregiver’s responsibility to teach their children about responsibility and to hold them accountable for their choices. Often people will make bad decisions based off of the negative life experiences they have tragically had to endure such as abuse, trauma, or being raised in a home of an addict, narcissist, or witnessing domestic violence. However, if a person then chooses to make negative decisions also and blame it on their own past there has to come a point that they take responsibility for their own current choices. Unless there is something drastically wrong with your mentality everyone has the capability to change.

Changing to become a “better person” is an option every single person has the ability to do. Our choices impact others, therefore we need to be held accountable and take responsibility if some form of harm befalls others from our decisions.

In the OT book of Joshua chapters 6 and 7 explains a situation when the children of Israel were told not to do something and that if that thing was done; specifically to take plunder of things accursed death would be a result. This lets us know that we typically know in advance what we should or should not do. We hopefully are taught from a young age not to commit crimes. Even if a child was raised in a home with thieves at some point in their life they are going to be told that is a crime and jail time will be a consequence. This lets one know that once truth about a matter is known it becomes a choice to continue in it or change.

In Joshua chapter 7 the man named Achan took those “accursed things” and hid them in his tent. When he was found out or “caught” he could have tried to lie his way out of it, but he at least even knowing the consequences he took responsibility and admitted it. He explained that he coveted the things; which basically is like having an itch you just feel you have to scratch. His choices not only impacted him, but his family and was a direct link to 36 others dying. When you make a choice once or especially if it is a continual choice you are making, know the time may come to pay the price.

~TRS 5-25-25

Grace Appears To All

The concept of salvation is synonymous with deliverance which is the action of being rescued or set free. It is unfortunate yet mostly true that for many people we never see the need for deliverance unless things become very unbearable. This still does not mean that some will take the way out even though it will be offered. According to Titus 2:11, “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to everyone.”

This verse lets us know that it is the “grace of God” that brings deliverance to those that believe. Salvation is only received by those who confess and believe that Jesus is God who came in the flesh, dwelt among people preaching the kingdom of God, healing the sick, raising the dead, and casting out demons. Then being betrayed was crucified, died, but resurrected. Historical evidence verifies with “many infallible proofs” that He was raised from the dead and ascended into Heaven with the commission of His followers at that time to preach and proclaim Him to the area they were in and then expand to all nations.

Two thousand years later many are still being saved by the Truth of His message. Whatever we may face in this life or obstacles that may come our way are nothing in comparison to the grace that brings salvation. This grace does appear to all at some point in our lives and we then have a choice. Some will accept it, but some will not.

Even the one who say they are an atheist at some point even if it is for a brief minute will KNOW the Truth for it has appeared unto all however, they will have choice to repent or rebel against the Truth. For those who do accept the grace that is freely offered then will be taught what the other verse of Titus 2:12 states, “(the grace of God)…teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly desires, we should live soberly (in our right mind) doing that which is right, and Godly in this present world.”

In our time, the present we can find the deliverance that we need from those things that will cause us to be enslaved. To name a few from the verse just listed are when we choose to live in ungodliness and seek worldly desires, addictions, and doing things outside of the will of God. Continue to dwell in these things and if not already you will be enslaved and in need of salvation.

It is good to know 2 Corinthians 6:2, “For he said, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I delivered you; behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” So whatever you may be facing in this present time know that if you are still willing to see the grace God offers you can be set free.

This is a combination of a messaged I preached Feb. 9th and today 4/27. Over the years many if not most of my “preaching messages” also became an article for The Outlook and now The Wayne Weekly. Those are newspapers “which are printed weekly publications consisting of folded unstapled sheets and containing news, feature articles, advertisements, and correspondence.” 🙂 Many who get their news from online sources may have never known or forgotten what a newspaper is. LOL. I was honored and surprised not too long ago when a gentleman (in appearance much older than I) saw me in a parking lot and came and told me that he appreciated what I had been writing over the years and that he too was a preacher and had often used examples from my writings in his messages. Being an Op-Ed (opinion columnist) means that what I write about does come from my beliefs and my opinions that not all will agree with. Just like my writings and my messages I try to keep it mainly focused on what The Word teaches. My opinions hopefully can encourage and inspire, but the Word gives life and deliverance. ~TRS 4/27/25

Coincidence? I Think Not.

People can choose to believe whatever they want to believe. However, just because you believe a certain thing does not make it so. I could believe that I am the ancient King Tut reincarnated and attempt to get others to believe it too, but that fact is there would be no truth in it and no facts to verify it. Some may say that most or all things good or bad happen for a reason and some may not believe that at all.

As I sit down to write this article for The Wayne Weekly, to meet my deadline for this coming week’s edition which also will become a part of my blog (timstocktonraysofhope.com) my mind has been racing of what to write about. My family at the encouragement of my wife wanted us as a family to read through the entire Bible this year. We were doing good keeping on track back on the “snow days” but as time moved forward and our lives being involved with other things in it did not always get priority. One day missed turned into 22 days missed.

A few weeks ago it was planned by us to attend church with my wife’s sister’s family in Bowling Green. On our drive down we decided to get as much “caught up” as we could with the Bible reading. With all the modern technology we can plug the phone into the vehicle’s speakers and have someone else “usually with an accent” read it to us.

We were in the Gospel of Luke after having completed Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Matthew, and most of Proverbs and some Psalms.

In the Gospel of Luke we heard tell of the great faith of the friends who had a sick friend they let down through the roof to where Jesus was. This was one of the times when Jesus claims His true divinity that He IS GOD.

He does this by telling the sick man that his sins are forgiven first before healing him. The “religious leaders” who heard this were distraught and “reasoned within themselves…who but GOD can forgive sins. Jesus “knowing their thoughts” (yes, He knows what we think) explained the reason He spoke that statement. This leaves only two options to believe; 1. You can believe like the religious leaders and think Jesus is crazy and blasphemous, or 2. You have to agree with Him and believe what He claims about Himself.

As we had listened to this true account of Christ being read on the way to a church that we had not visited for over a year the entire sermon was about this same story; even though the pastor read it from the Gospel of Mark. The definition of a coincidence is, “events that happen at the same or close in time by what some call chance or luck.”

If we had been “on time” reading our one year Bible plan or chose a different day to visit the church it “wouldn’t have worked out.” I choose to believe God “appointed” it to happen which led me to write this article which I believe will be a confirmation for someone else who reads it. As ol’ man Ripley would say, “Believe it, or not.”

~TRS 4/6/25

Making Changes Last

When things seem to be going good in our lives or we are at least content with our circumstances we rarely would see a need for change. The simple definition of change is to alter or make different, usually with the intent to make better or improve. Stop for a moment and reflect on what in your life you wish was different. What in your life could be improved? What do you wish was better?

In most support groups one may hear a portion of a prayer from Dr. Reinhold Niebuhr referred to as, “The Serenity Prayer.” Within it one asks God for the peace to accept the things that cannot be changed, the courage to change the things that are within our power to change and then for the wisdom to know the differences of what we can and cannot change.

We have to know and realize that we will never change another human. We can encourage, influence, maybe even persuade but ultimately it is up to each individual of whether they make the changes in themselves that maybe we wish they would. Maybe we have been in a similar situation as a certain person and we know that if they did X, Y, and Z their life would show some improvements, but until they get to the point of being willing to make those changes on their own nothing will happen.

Working as a counselor and now a pastor too, I have heard many “rock bottom” stories. Rock bottom is that symbolic place that people often refer to where they finally start the process of changing.

In the late 70s and early 80s James Prochaska and Carlo DiClemente came up with The 5 Stages of Change Model. Within this model one can look at the different stages to see where they may be in regards to making a change. The first stage is Pre-Contemplation which is basically the stage that you still feel no need to change. You believe that there is no problem and no reason for a change, even though others may see it. In this stage you will reject any advice or help because you see no need in it.

Then 2nd stage is Contemplation; this is where you actually start to think that it is in your best interest if you do start to make a change. This leads to Planning or what some call the “brainstorming” stage. You think of all possible options that you can do in order to make change happen. You may have many ideas, but the next stage is to pick a plan and put it into action.

The Action stage is where other people will also see a difference. There will be evidence that you are making a change. It will be seen in how you act which will be a direct result from your thoughts and beliefs changing. As the change happens and others see the differences and improvements the last stage is Maintenance. Once at this stage the change has happened and you continue doing what is necessary to make the changes made last.

March 16, 2025

~TRS

Come What May

Rays of Hope ~ Tim Stockton

Writing poetry has been something that I have enjoyed doing since the early 90s. I sat down tonight to write a column and was not sure at all what to write about. I typically keep a notebook next to my bed so that when I have an idea I will jot it down or most of the time will continue to keep writing until it is finished. I picked up the notebook and flipped through some pages and came to a poem dated November 16, 2024 entitled, “Come What May.”

This then made me think of what my family had just read in our nightly devotions from the book of Job. If you know anything about the Bible or not most may have heard of the suffering of Job who the Bible declares was a righteous man, yet he had great troubles, trials, and tribulations to the point that his wife basically told him to “curse God and die.” Then his best friends came to support him and console him but ended up basically telling him that he must have done something really bad in order to have all of this “bad stuff” keep happening to him. In a quick snapshot basically Job had been so blessed with riches, family, respect, wisdom, and integrity that Satan challenges God stating if God removed all of the blessings Job would curse God and not follow Him.

My kids used to watch a show where the brother was presented with an obstacle of sorts, but his motto would always be, “Challenge accepted!” I am not saying this is what God said to the devil; but in essence He did. He gave the devil permission to cause all of the bad, traumatic, grief-causing events to take place in his life. The way it reads basically all in a matter of very short time he lost his wealth, all his children died at one time in a storm that destroyed the house they were in. Then eventually Job’s own body was impacted with what is described like boils and sores, that covered his entire body, causing immense pain and discomfort. He also was under great emotional and mental health distress with the death of all his children and possessions. Job did get discouraged and at times seemed to wonder where God was in all of this.

However, “come what may” Job would never curse or blame God for what had happened, but he did get to a place he did not understand why he was having to go through all that he had. Nevertheless, he never turned to the point he lost his faith in God. Back to the poem some of the verses say, “Even when times get rough, believing I am never enough. Walking through valleys, eyes blinded to truly never see, yet…Come what may, being filled with doubt. I know His light will lead me out. Come what may. I will trust in the Lord. Come what may. I will seek out His way. Come what may.”

~TRS 2-3-25