when the answer is no

If God says no, you can be confident that there are times when you need to say no too. — Kevin Harney, No Is A Beautiful Word God No by Kevin Harney, from No Is a Beautiful Word Sometimes God says no. Let's look at two examples. The first is silly and the other quite serious.   In the movie Bruce Almighty, Jim Carrey plays the title character, Bruce, who encounters God in the form of actor Morgan Freeman. God has decided to delegate his responsibilities to Bruce for a short period of time. As you can imagine, Bruce experiments with his unbounded power as he deals with an unending stream of prayer requests from billions of people around the globe.   Bruce attempts to manage the tsunami of prayers by setting up a filing system and then linking it to a database on his computer. In utter exasperation at the sheer number of requests, Bruce decides to hit the yes button and affirmatively answer every prayer request flooding his computer and his mind.   This would seem like a good idea, except thousands of people now win the lottery on the same day. They are expecting millions of dollars, but because the payout is split among all the winners, they end up with just enough money for a modest dinner out, leading to disappointment, riots, and mayhem.   Behind this humorous scene is a serious point.   God is not really concerned with whether we win or lose the lottery. He says no on a daily basis to the self-centered barrage of requests we make for easy money without work or responsibility. God is the wisest and most beautiful being in the universe, and He does what is best for us, even when we don't understand why. God does not always say yes to our prayers. He is far too loving to give in to self-centered prayers that cause more harm than good.   There is a fascinating account in the Bible of a day in the life of Jesus. It is found in Mark 1:21–39. Here we get a glimpse of how Jesus lived and loved. As the day begins, Jesus goes to a local place of worship and preaches. His power and authority amaze the people. Right in the middle of His message, a man who is spiritually tormented begins shouting out questions and making wild statements. Jesus silences him and speaks to the demon terrorizing the man.   The man convulses, screams, and is set free.   After the worship service, Jesus walks with some of His friends to one of their homes, where a woman is sick with fever. Jesus goes back to work again. He shows love, care, and compassion by healing the woman.   That same evening, when the Sabbath time of rest is over and people can move about freely, a massive crowd descends on the home where Jesus is staying. This leads to a spontaneous time of compassionate service, during which Jesus heals the sick and frees those who are locked in the chains of spiritual bondage. Sickness is defeated and demons are sent running for the hills!   Very early the next morning, Jesus wakes up and takes a walk. He finds a quiet place where He can talk with His heavenly Father, but some of His disciples track him down to let Him know that there are people looking for Him. The disciples request that Jesus return to town and do more miracles and heal even more people.   Jesus says no.   He is crystal clear in His response.   Jesus knows there are still needs He could meet. He knows the people want Him to stay and offer what only He can give them. He is profoundly aware that many will be disappointed if He does not come back.   But Jesus is committed to His mission. And His primary focus is not healing. He has come to be a teacher and a preacher. So Jesus says to His disciples,   Let us go somewhere else — to the nearby villages — so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.  — Mark 1:38, emphasis added   His response to the request is clear, simple, and mission driven. And it is an emphatic no. In His wisdom, Jesus — who is God in human form — says no to the urgent requests and needs of people so He can say yes to something greater, something better.   When we look back on our lives, I believe, all of us will be thankful that God said no to some of our prayer requests. I dated a couple of nice girls before I met my wife, Sherry, and there were times when I asked God, "Could this be the woman I will spend the rest of my life with?" God said, "No!"   When I finally met my wife, I looked back and thanked God for His kind no. His no was preparing me for a better yes!   Jesus was "God with us" (Matthew 1:23). It was in His power to say yes to every request, yet there were times He said no. And if God says no, what does that teach us about the need for us to say no as well?   Take a moment to reflect on your life. Has God ever said no to something you wanted? Are you able to see wisdom in that no today?   If God says no, you can be confident that there are times when you need to say no too. Excerpted with permission from No Is a Beautiful Word by Kevin Harney, copyright Kevin G. Harney. Your Turn   Do you feel like no is a bad word? Is no a mean word and yes a kind word to you? What might happen if you started staying no (just as Jesus did) when a yes would take you off mission? Come share with us on our blog. We want to hear from you! ~ Devotionals Daily   COMMENT Share this devotion with someone who needs it today. DON'T MISS THIS DEAL   Save 50% off No Is a Beautiful Word by Kevin Harney   If a person has extra time, nothing to do, and finds themself looking for ways to fill their empty days...this book is definitely not for them. Paperback, Regular: $16.99 Sale Price: $8.50 (50% off) eBook price: $9.99 + free U.S. shipping* on orders $30 or more SHOP NOW If a person has extra time, nothing to do, and finds themself looking for ways to fill their empty days...this book is definitely not for them.   No Is a Beautiful Word is designed and crafted for people whose plate is full, whose margin is thin, and whose life feels overloaded. They are looking for help, relief, and wisdom to navigate the countless options that life offers on a daily basis.   This book is needed by people who: Go to bed with a "To Do" list that never seems to get totally done. Kindly say, "Yes" and secretly regret it five minutes later. Feel pain and live with guilt when they have to say, "No." Were taught that "No" is a dirty word. Believe that saying "No" is a sign of weakness. Feel trapped by unwise past commitments. Want to say "Yes" to what matters most in life but are too exhausted. Know that their life is out of balance and are seeking to fix it!   It will be valuable for: Leaders who have a tough time making the hard decisions because they fear hurting someone's feelings. Executives who feel over extended and pressed to the edges of their capacity. Parents who feel overworked and under appreciated. Students who are trying to balance the intensity of school, work, and their relational world. Retired people who find themselves saying, with subtle humor but aching regret, "I am more busy now than I have ever been!" Single people who go to bed at night exhausted because the day left no margin and offered no oasis of peace. Married people who love their life but secretly dream about time to play, space to relax, and taking a nap. No Is a Beautiful Word is designed to be read briskly, chewed on thoroughly, and acted on practically. The chapters are brief by intention. They range from one paragraph (that's right, some chapters are only a few sentences long!) to four pages.   The goal of this book is give people clear concepts, paint a picture of what it looks like to live out the idea, and then move on to the next thought. The vision is to help people learn to say "No" to the things that don't matter (or don't matter as much) so they can say "Yes" to the things that bring life, hope, peace, and lasting meaning. What People Are Saying "Really helpful for someone having trouble setting boundaries!!!" — Linda, reader   "Really enjoy reading that book. Learned a lot about important in life. I highly recommend this book absolutely to everybody." — Alina, reader   Learn More and Save Looking for more from Kevin Harvey?   Save 50% off Finding a Church You Can Love and Loving the Church You've Found by Kevin Harney   Finding the right church home can be a huge challenge, and also a lot of fun. Paperback, Regular: $9.99 Sale Price: $5.00 (50% off) eBook price: $0.99 + free U.S. shipping* on orders $30 or more SHOP NOW   *Sale prices valid through 6/30/2021, ending at 11:59pm EST, excluding eBooks and audiobooks.  eBooks and audiobook purchases are fulfilled by our partner, Glose.  Free U.S. shipping on orders over $30 valid through 06/30/21, excluding Alaska and Hawaii Devotionals Daily ~ our mission is to help you grow and share your faith. Did you receive this message from a friend? Sign up to start receiving Devotionals Daily. Copyright © 2021 HarperCollins Christian Publishing. All Rights Reserved. 501 Nelson Place, Nashville, TN 37214, USA Privacy Policy | Terms and Conditions  *Manage Your Email Preferences or *Unsubscribe    Subscription Information This email was sent to Webmaster220 Bible Study Blog  *the blog owner has deleted the hyperlink intentionally