A Bottle for Your Tears

A Bottle for Your Tears

Psalm 56.8

Imagine that every time you shed a tear in fear, worry, despair, and concern that you would collect them in a bottle. You probably have no such container of terror, but you do carry the wounds don’t you? Scars from battles waged and struggles into seemingly insurmountable odds.

What if I told you that even though you do not collect your tears that our Father has them? Supernaturally, mystically if you will, He has a collection of every terrified tear that ran down your cheek. You did not know that He cared that much for you did you?

David faced the opportunity of sudden ruin and death at the hands of his father-in-law Saul or the potential of complete humiliation, scorn, and slow tortured disembowelment from Achish the Gathite. Now this is the definition of a rock and hard place. (You can read all about this in 1 Samuel 21-22). Amazingly David knew he had a better option available to him.

You must understand that we always have another option open. Oh, it may look like things are grim; we may even experience horrific things upon this earth that no one would choose to endure. However, we can do as David did and cry out to the Lord in faith. You may not know how the Father will come through but have faith he will.

How do I know He will come through? David wrote, “You number my wanderings; put my tears into Your bottle; are they not in Your book? When I cry out to You, then my enemies will turn back; this I know, because God is for me…In God I have put my trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” (8-9, 11).

So go ahead cry – He will catch the tears. Sob and He will record them. But whatever you do please remember to believe that He can – and He will.

Always Enthusiastic,
Dr. Rusty Newman
(Re-print from several years ago - I hope this is a blessing to you all).

A Challenge for 2012

Allow me to challenge you to grow in grace this year. A great place to start in 2012 is to begin with a great plan of reading through the New Testament. If you have never read all through the Scripture it seems like a daunting task. However, it is actually rather easy as you break it into a manageable reading plan. In fact, it is so simple that you can read through the whole New Testament in just 30 days.

As you begin this plan do your best to stick with it. You will be amazed at how simple it is and how much you grow through the reading of the Bible. The blessings and fellowship with the Lord will set your year right. It would not be surprising if this plan does not stir you to revival.

 Read through the New Testament in 30 days:

1.      Matthew 1-9

2.      Matthew 10-15

3.      Matthew 16-22

4.      Matthew 23-28

5.      Mark 1-8

6.      Mark 9-16

7.      Luke 1-6

8.      Luke 7-11

9.      Luke 12-18

10.  Luke 19-24

11.  John 1-7

12.  John 8-13

13.  John 14-21

14.  Acts 1-7

15.  Acts 8-14

16.  Acts 15-21

17.  Acts 22-28

18.  Romans 1-8

19.  Romans 9-16

20.  1 Corinthians 1-9

21.  1 Corinthians 10-16

22.  2 Corinthians 1-13

23.  Galatians - Ephesians

24.  Philippians - 2 Thessalonians

25.  1 Timothy - Philemon

26.  Hebrews

27.  James - 2 Peter

28.  1 John - 3 John

29.  Revelation 1-11

30.  Revelation 12-22

31.  Catch Up Day

How big do you want it?

We’ve been looking at blessings. I’ve asked you to pray every day for God to bless you!

Now let’s take a look back into the event of 1 Chronicles 4 – remember Jabez…

1 Chronicles 4:9-10

Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez,

saying, “I gave birth to him in pain.” 

Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, “

Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory!

Let your hand be with me,

 and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.”

And God granted his request.

Four part prayer request: (1) bless me (2) enlarge my territory

What does this mean historically and spiritually for Jabez?

Historically – time of the defining of the bonders for the people of Israel – he must have been surveying his property and looking at the boundary marks - I wonder if he had a vision for what he could do with just a little bit more…more means he wanted more influence, more responsibility, and more opportunity to make a mark for the God of Israel. I wonder if he thought, “I was born for more than this! – “Everything, you’ve put under my care, O Lord – take it, and enlarge it.”

Spiritually – glory of God (this is where we get into trouble…we want for our glory – but we get when its for His glory)


An Exciting Prayer – O God and King, please expand my opportunities and my impact in such a way that I touch more lives for your glory. Let me do more for you!

Advancement – a vision for more territory for the Glory of God

Appointments – when you pray in faith for more ministry amazing things occur – as your opportunity expands, your ability and resources supernaturally increase – people will be placed in your path who need something from God – I call these divine appointments (Wilkinson calls them Jabez appointments).

Availability – God is looking for followers who want to do more for his glory (sadly, most followers shrink from living the blessings and influence of God)

Example: when we consider the size of our territory we do some mental math…

My abilities + experience + training + my personality and appearance

+ my past + the expectations of others = my assigned territory

We hear that God want to work through us – but we think that means by or in association with.
God said – “Not by might nor by power but by my Spirit, says the Lord of Host” (Zechariah 4:6)

God’s spatiality is working through normal people to be extraordinary – he’s waiting on one thing – Availability

My willingness and weakness + God’s will and supernatural power = my expanding territory

When you take little steps you don’t need God – you don’t need directions – you don’t need a compass!
You are not designed for little steps! You are created with more in you than that! There is more to this life than all this!

“Everything, you’ve put under my care, O Lord – take it, and enlarge it.”


(Sunday's Worship Gathering notes from True North Church January 23, 2011. Seed thought for this message is The Prayer of Jabez: Breaking Through to the Blessed Life by Bruce H. Wilkinson)