DARK DAYS ARE FOR HIS GLORY!

(by E. H. Maze)

 

Before we get to the introduction and first chapter of this work, I want to make some things perfectly clear.  One, this is not a finished work - neither is the book finished, nor am I finished.  I offer it online hoping, 1) it will help someone, and 2) as a sort of therapy for avoiding the rejection slip from publishers.  I would certainly appreciate your comments, but would prefer it to be, to you, like a sermon or lecture that you can listen to then walk away from.  Secondly, although this is not a truly published work, I would still like to offer a dedication.  I want to thank my wife, Darcie, because she is the only one who not only believed in me from the beginning, but stuck with me through those times when others no longer believed in me.  Of course, I believe in her, too, so we're even. (Smile!)  Finally, I want to thank the God of My Dark Days who has this wonderful way of being there in and through the darkness.  I want to thank Him for holding my wife's hands while she waited for me in the darkness.  Neither of them waited on the "daylight" side of life for me to emerge, but, rather, stood with me there in the darkness.

 

 

Introduction

 

My favorite book in the Bible is John. 

 

When I gave my heart to the Lord, I really didn’t know what happened.  I didn‘t know that I was becoming a Christian.  I had bowed my head, told God (whoever God was) that if He were real He would have to show me because I didn’t really believe in Him.  I said it just like most people do:  “Lord, if you are real, you need to show me because I’m not sure I believe any of this stuff.”  It seems like a cheap prayer now, unworthy of Him, but He honors those kinds of prayers, sometimes more than the big wordy ones.  At that exact moment – my head on my arms stretched across the back of the chair in front of me - He touched me on the shoulder (you can’t take that away from me).

 

Moments later, Pastor Dewey Morrow, came down to talk with me.  He must have known what was going on in my head.  The touch on my shoulder was from the Lord and I knew it, but as I looked up to see the Pastor approaching me, I also looked around to see who had sneaked up on me and touched my shoulder.  There wasn’t anybody anywhere near me. In fact, the rest of the church people were down at the altar, praying and singing and speaking in tongues – that “tongues” thing was one of the main reasons why I had my head down – it was embarrassing and I wanted to go home.  

 

I don’t know why I looked up to see who had touched my shoulder because I knew it was God – again, you can’t take that away from me.  The Pastor asked me if I had thought about giving my heart to Jesus.  “Well,” I answered (my eyes must have been as big as a basketball) “I was just telling God that I wanted to know if He was real.”  The Pastor took me by the hand, lead me down to the crying, praying weirdoes at the altar and lead me in the sinner’s prayer.

 

I followed the Pastor to the altar to receive Jesus as my Savior.  I was scared and nervous.  My sister-in-law Millie recognized that I had made the decision in my head and with my mouth, but that I hadn’t really made the decision in my heart.  After the service ended, Millie told me to go home and start reading the Bible, beginning with the book of John, if I really wanted to know what it meant to be saved - to be a Christian.  It was in bed that night that I came to know what the decision to be a Christian meant and what had really happened to me.  I read the book of John in its entirety – it seemed like it took only an hour, but, it also seemed like an eternity.  While I was reading, the truth of The Word of God lit up like a spotlight.  By the time I had finished that wonderful book, I knew I had been born-again.  I had an instant personal relationship with Jesus; felt the passion of His life; believed His love for me; understood my need for Him.  Fell in love with His Word.  Even today, I still cannot read any passage in the bible without being able to glean some new truth from those great pages.

 

So, you can see why I have such a fondness for that particular book.

 

But, although John is my favorite book, of the four gospel writers (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) my favorite male character is Luke, the Physician.  He is the only Doctor who ever made me feel comfortable.  I take (and give) quite a bit of advice from Luke, the third book in the New Testament. 

 

Having said all that, I feel it is necessary to let you know that I don’t intend to enlighten you with any great wisdom in this book that I offer.  You should not expect to get any medical advice from me.  Knowing, as you will learn, that I don’t have a PhD, you should not hope to walk away from this book with a bigger, better brain.  Furthermore, I love books, but I don’t read enough for you to expect to discern and collect great thoughts from the great thinkers of all time.  In fact, the best I can offer you is a mere spewing of this “epiphany” (my son loves to use that word against me whenever he can) from my heart to yours. 

 

This book is not about those who have witnessed (or merely like to talk about) miracles.  This book is about the miracles the Lord has done in my life.  These are not the common miracles.  I haven’t been delivered from a dreaded cancer, or malaria, nor have I had a lost limb grow back.  Those are, to me, the easy miracles.  In fact, I am sure that the Pope will not recognize the miracles the Lord has done in my life as miracles at all.  But, I recognize them as such – and, I am confident that as you read this book you will discover that you are able to “receive” these miracles for yourself.

 

Since I have not had an original thought since Bible College, I will take the privilege of blaming this book (and the progressive nature of my life) on the Holy Spirit.  Anything good that you glean from this will be to God’s glory.  I understand it all perfectly clear – I especially understand how difficult it is to walk out these discoveries in real life – and my only hope is that you will find a way to give God the glory for working into you what He has worked out in me. 

 

Let me say just one little thing about miracles.  The Church doesn’t know much about miracles today.  That is because we don’t expect miracles in the uncommon places.  I haven’t seen a physically manifested miracle in years.  Have you?  Yes, I have seen them before and experienced a couple for myself.  Have you seen the lame leap, or the blind see?  When was the last time you heard a testimony from someone who God touched in a miraculous way?  When was the last time you spoke to someone whose life had been changed in such a way that it could only be described as - well, a miracle?  Sunday after Sunday, we sit and listen to the Word being preached by a, sometimes, distant voice - that is, the Pastor who we don’t really know that well, and who doesn’t know us at all, most likely.  It goes in one ear, bounces around, finds a place to rest in the mind, but seldom finds its way to the heart.  [The heart is where miracles happen, you know?]  This, by the way, is not the Pastor’s fault.  His pulpit ministry was not necessarily designed to bring about the miracle that you need.  His main job is to equip the saints for the work of the ministry.  Our Pastor is one of the best.  But, you should never look to this Sunday’s sermon for a miracle.  It is hidden in there somewhere, but only your heart can discover the miracle there.

 

Finally, to the point:  I know that God still does miracles!  In fact, this entire book is about one big miracle - Me!  If you have been hungry for a miracle, I have come to offer you the recipe - guaranteed.  That sounds bold, I know, but I am convinced that God has chosen me to do a miracle in your life.  If you knew me very well, you would recognize that for me to make that kind of statement is, in itself, a miracle - because for many years I never believed He could use me at all.  Not me!  In addition, if you did know me, you would know that if God needed to do a miracle for anyone, it would be for me.

 

He created me for this purpose:  Ephesians 2:10 - For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

 

Will you come with me as we lay out the path for your miracles?

 

 

Chapter 1

 

Miracles Begin to Develop During the Dark Days

 

This writing is mostly about my Dark Days!  Dark days are not uncommon, they are about the struggles of normal Christianity.  Struggles that, as you know for yourself, accompany normal Christianity.  Some teachers want us to believe that we should live struggle-free as Christians.  Well, good for them.  But, for most of us, we find that the best lessons of life are discovered in-process.  For me it has been about discovering the truth about myself and, eventually, abandoning that truth “about me” to discover the truth “about Him.”  These have turned out to be real life miracles!  Miracles were waiting for me to discover them in the dark days of life.  That is how I discovered that “Dark days are for His glory!”

 

The Apostle Paul said, “Follow me as I follow Christ.”  That is, was and ever shall be good advice.  All I really have to offer is to suggest that you “learn from my mistakes.”  It is a good place to start.  Since (and before) my beginnings, God had planned for me to be like Him.  In that process He has shaped and formed me, broken and remolded me, taught and re-taught me until who you have before you is, well… someone who needs to go through it all over again.

 

I have discovered my place.  Not the place where people have wanted to put me.  For years, I lived with the dreaded feeling that everyone wanted to put me in my place – their place, actually.  It seems that people love to offer their advice on how we should act and feel.  I suppose that I have done my share of “offering” help to people who haven’t really asked for help.  You may not be asking now.  If, however, you will read further, you may thank me for taking the chance at putting you in your place - your rightful place, that is.

 

What is that place?  Actually, the better question is, “Where is that place?” or "Where do you belong?" or "Where do you fit in?"  The answer is so simple, but, like most simple things, it seems to require living a very complicated life until you figure it out.  Throughout this book, I will highlight the “miracles” that helped me discover the secret of “who I am, where I belong, where I am going and how to get there.”  But, those highlights will mean nothing if you are not willing to do the one thing required to accomplish these goals.  That one thing is, “Trust God in these Dark Days!”  In the dark places are hidden nuggets – I call them miracles because, although they seem to be common sense realities about life, I found them, not by accident, but by listening to God in the quiet places – the dark places.

 

I am confident that this book will communicate to you what God has communicated to me:  Christ in the Dark Days!  Jesus was (and, still is) the greatest communicator ever.  His Word, as it opens up to you in the “everyday” world, will come to life for you.  You will discover how to feel better about yourself as a Christian.  My own personal trek (scattered throughout this book) through these years has taught me how to do just that.  It will work for you, too – if you are willing to open your heart and discover what God has hidden for you - your miracles.

 

Here is a List of Miracles that are Hidden in this Book

 

1.    Time Does Not Heal All Wounds – God Does!

2.    Your Skeletons should be “Under the Blood” not in the Closet!

3.    God Has Made You Good Material to Work With!

4.    God Hasn’t Called You to Handle Those Things That Weigh You Down

5.    God Invented Dark Days to Declare His Glory! 

6.    The Past Has No Future Unless You Give it One!

7.    Stop Limiting What God Can Do By What You Have Already Done!

8.    The Beatitudes Can Become the Beautitudes – Just Add “U”!

9.    The Broken Wing of Your Past!

10.   He is Saving a Seat for You!

11.  Jesus is Crazy About You!

12.  There is a Specific Date (and time) When God is Going to Break This Thing Off of You!

13.  You Are Not Responsible for Other People’s Baggage!

14.  For Every Fly Caught in a Web There Was a Spider with Intentions!

15.  Charles Atlas was a Phony!

16.  This Place is for the Birds!

17.  No Matter What a Person is Going Through, it is Always Time to Seek God!

18.  Do I Want to Live According to What Makes Me Tick or According to What Makes Me Ticked?

19.  Expect a Miracle In Your Life Whenever You Need It!

 

 

May I offer a definition of what I mean by "Dark Days?"  I am sure that you have had them.  Dark days are those times when, for whatever reason, you can’t see what lies ahead.  Dark days are usually caused by either some mistake you had made in the past or some fear about the future - Either you can’t let go of the past or you can’t catch hold of the future.  The inability to let go of the past causes darkness, not as if there is no light, but rather because you have to turn around to pull the past with you - in other words, the way seems dark because your eyes are pointing in the wrong direction.  The inability to catch hold of the future, on the other hand, is caused by the fear of opening your eyes even while you are walking forward.  That is because something (usually that terrible past) blocks your view - it is so close sometimes that you can’t see anything else - it is right in front of you; so close that it covers your face - it can even be suffocating at times.  It is like squinting your eyes shut while pulling on something heavy - the weight takes all your energy, especially your sight.

 

In the next few chapters you will discover the secret of the everyday miracle – the lifestyle you have heard about and hoped for (and thought you had to earn) is waiting for you.  If you go through tough times like I do, then you have spent many sleepless nights, lying in the darkness, waiting for a miracle.  You, like me, wait for that miracle to happen when the sun comes up the next day – only to find the same disappointment because “Dark Days” walked out in the daylight are still dark days.  The truth is, the miracle is right there in the darkness, ready to be uncovered.  The miracle of God is always “right now, according to your faith” - not tomorrow.

 

His will has brought you to this bed of darkness for a reason.  That darkness that we discussed earlier, needs to be exorcised from your life.  It will take a miracle.  Now, in this dark place, He has prepared a miracle for you; the breakthrough of Isaiah 60:1-2 is whispering like the small beginning rumble of an earthquake:  “ Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee.  For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.”  Later, we will discuss how the first day of creation, when God said “Let there be light!”, can be a miracle that will scatter the darkness/chaos that you may have been going through lately.  But, for now, let’s get going with the miracle of how to deal with your past.

 

Don’t get up in a panic, yet.  Lay here for a while and listen – you’ll be safe.  And, you will be better in the morning.  The Dark Days, my friend, are over.  Miracles you never imagined would even be considered miracles are before you - you can’t see them in the darkness, but they are there.  So, before you can get up and begin to walk in this new light, you need to reach out (through these pages) and grab hold – of your miracles.

 

 

Here is Miracle #1

 

You must realize that your past doesn’t want to be your friend.

 

Your past doesn’t want to go with you.  It is not your soul mate.  The hold that it has on you is not its fault.  You are the one that is dragging it along.  Your past would prefer not to go into your future with you.

 

Your past has no power in itself to haunt your future, so why does it seem to have so much power over you?  Because you drag it along, that’s why.  It kicks and screams declaring that it does not want to go along - it is perfectly happy to be in the past (that is why it is called the past).  But, you insist that it tag along!  It is like making someone go somewhere they do not want to go.  You make your past go with you everywhere you go.  You throw it in the backseat and all it does it get carsick and throw up all over the place.  Your past stinks.  Why do you take it with you everywhere you go?

 

Did you know that your past wants to be left alone?  Your past is perfectly happy back there.  It is a miserable monster that only wants to be left alone.  Quite frankly, you bug it to death - (but it never dies).    So, beware!  When it is hungry, it only wishes you were there so it could feed on you again.  Your past does not believe that the two of you are “soul mates.”  It hates you.  You cling to it and it tries to shake free, but you keep insisting that it go with you.  It just wants to be left alone - so, leave it alone.  Let it be.  You and the past have no future together.  This marriage won’t work.  You can pretend it’s not a bother, but it won’t let you – because, if you drag it along it will be there to bother you.  All it knows is “what happened” in the past.  It doesn’t know about tomorrow.  It can’t survive “today” unless it feeds off of yesterday.  It will just go and on about yesterday – that awful yesterday – and, not the good times and the good moments either, but the ugliest past it can conjure up.

 

The past is the past - it has no future unless you give it one.  Your relationship with your past must be over.  You need to cut all ties with your past.  The freedom you long for will not come until you break all relationship to your past.  It doesn’t matter whether your past was your fault, your sin, someone else’s doing – whatever!  It is better to go it alone than to try to get on with life with a haunting past.  Your past has no future with you and you have no future with your past.

 

Believe me, if you leave your past alone it will leave you alone.  It doesn’t mater that sometimes you are helpless to escape your past simply because others love to remind you of your past - they like to hunt you down and, when they have found you, throw your past in your face.  You scream in fear as if an octopus has attached itself to your face.  Your past was lying perfectly content back there somewhere, but someone came along and picked it up - it has no forward mobility on its own - and threw it in your face.  What can you do about that?  Well, first of all, let me say; don’t be so claustrophobic!  Take a deep breathe, it will be okay.  It is just the past; its sting is only temporary.  Rebuke the past, in Jesus’ Name.  There is power in that Name – you know it is true!  If need be, rebuke the person who brings up your past.  Remember this, as well, friends who like to remind you of your past are, most certainly, not friends.  So, rebuke the hell out of them!  Kick them and your past out of the car and let them hitchhike home.

 

All it will require of you for Your Miracle is to believe (trust and obey) the two scripture sections below.

 

 

The opening story of the Bible declares the power of God to chase away the darkness and create light.  Darkness was everywhere - biblical scholars understand the words “without form and void” to mean “chaos” and we all know what chaos is!).  God, of course, created the darkness, because before there was anything there was just God.  His process in creation began with creating the earth without form and without light.  Don't ask me why, I don't know.  No one knows.

 

So, in the beginning, after God created the earth (and other stuff), everything was dark.  I have often wondered why He didn’t say “Let there be light!” from the beginning.  Why did He start with creating the vast darkness?  What is it about God’s creative nature that starts with darkness, then makes light?  Even a baby starts with eyes that can’t see.  The human embryo is a dark place where no light of the day can penetrate.  But, it is there that life grows.  Even the seed of the earth must be hidden in the dark underground and grow through the soil before it can ever reach the point where the sun nourishes it the rest of the way.  Darkness must have some importance to God.  He starts with darkness.  Then, He makes light.

 

*******  Does that sound familiar to you?  Isn’t it easy to see that our lives before Christ were much like the young earth?  We all started in darkness.  The Bible makes it clear that “... light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.  For every one that does evil hates the light, neither comes to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.  But he that does truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God." - John 3:19-21.  When a person comes to a saving knowledge of Jesus life gets easier because “He is the way, the Truth and the Life” and “He is the light of the world.”

 

Not all Dark Days originate from the past, but I dare guess that most of them do.  The truth is, however, that it doesn’t matter whether your Dark Days are due to your attempts to escape the horrible reminders of your past or your attempt to simply face another day of feeling useless, lost, hopeless, desperate or lonely - it is still the same:  The days are dark.

 

Do you recall my earlier story about the night I read the book of John?  That “night” God turned on the “light” in my heart.  It was like switching on a light in a very dark room.  Instantly, I knew that I could see how it was – that my life was important to God – that He had saved me from the dark ways of my life and transformed me (instantly, in the twinkling of an eye) into His kingdom.  [Note:  I don’t believe that salvation happens as a process – rather, I believe that it is instantaneous.  Was it in John chapter 1 or chapter 23 when I “knew” it?  I knew it then, but I don’t remember now because it is not important for me to recall the exact moment.  But, I know it was at an exact moment.  What I mean is that God turned on the light.  I didn’t make a conscious decision to reach up to Him and grope around for the light switch.  While I was reading in the dark, God said (to me) “Let there be light” and there was light.

 

Jump with me, if you, will, from that “light” experience to 25 years into the future.  Dark days surrounded me again.  The light had faded until darkness invaded my life and I was, again, blinded by yet another struggle.  It wasn’t sin as much as it was just the old nature – the Bible says “men love darkness more than the light.”  I don’t think Christians are exempt from that truth. That is why we are told to “walk in the light even as He is in the light.”  Unfortunately, we don’t walk it out very well, do we?  Even as a Christian, I seemed to still be walking in darkness – and, my life seemed to be going nowhere - void of purpose, if you will.  I found myself groping, again, in the darkness.  I found myself living in dark days.

 

Later, I will detail those events.  Until then, I want to assure you that I can still say, "Thanks be to God!"  Those dark days, just like the preceding dark days, were His design!  I didn’t know I was walking in darkness, of course.  In fact, I was smugly skipping along like a kid with a stolen watermelon.  I didn’t even know I was skipping in the darkness until I tripped and smashed the watermelon all over the place. 

 

 

Has darkness had its moment in your life?  Did you know that in that darkness God was there.  It wouldn’t be fair to suggest that He created the darkness that has surrounded you – for that you are mostly responsible.  But, the time has come to receive the light.  Listen, and you can hear Him speaking softly, “Let there be light!”  Watch how His light invades the darkness of your light and causes it to scatter – to disappear – to be chased away. 

 

Don’t try to hide from His light, you can’t fight it any longer.  He has shown up at this moment and divided the light from the darkness.  Your darkness has been revealed by His presence.  Nothing is hidden any longer.  And, here is the glorious part – He has shown up to give you light so that you can go on with your life.  The light will destroy the darkness in your life, but it won’t kill you.  He has given you the light to see the path (before you) not the past (behind you).  You are loved, forgiven and crowned by the King of Light – who can stand against you?

 

He has given you the light to see the path, not the past.

 

Never forget:  The Past Has No Future Unless You Give it one!

 

This gives new meaning to the scripture; “If God be for us who can be against us?”  What does it matter anymore if the enemy surrounds us with accusation and our past lies wallowing in its personal pity party?  We are surrounded by His glory! 

 

John 8:36 - “If the Son, therefore, shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”  

 

We spend too much time wallowing in self-pity and pain!  We should spend as much time rejoicing in our deliverance.

 

God’s restorative powers can be compared to how you feel on the first day outside after being cooped up inside from a bad flu.  The air has a freshness that delights the nostrils.  The sun and clouds work together to make you feel that the day was designed just for you.  Doesn’t it feel good, that first day after being sick?  Well, after you receive this miracle (if you haven’t already) you will wonder why you ever let the clouds roll in.  Maybe no one else will see the smile on your face, but all the sniffles of the dark (flu) season will be dried up.

 

We spend so much time making ourselves sick - we should give Him time to make us well again.  During the dark days, God is there administering life, preparing a special light just for you.

 

We spend so much time making ourselves - we should give Him time to unmake us.  When He says, “let there be light!” you will feel like a new man (or woman).  The old-man will pass away and, “behold!  All things will be new!”  I promise.

 

Remember:  No Matter What a Person is Going Through; it is Always Time to Seek God!

 

end of chapter 1

Please take the time to read each chapter prayerfully -even if, especially if, you are going through the darkest days of your life.

Please let me know if you have read (and enjoyed) this chapter by sending me a quick email to:  ehylandmaze@aol.com

end of Chapter 1 (click here to go to Chapter 2)- if link is not active, the chapter is not yet ready.  Check back later, please.

bless you.....................................Eugene H. Maze

This chapter and all chapters related to this website book entitled "Dark Days" (copyright 2004) was written and published by Eugene H. Maze.  No portion of this book may be copied, sold or distributed either by electronic or other means in any fashion whatsoever without the expressed written permission of the author.  Permission for distribution may be obtained by contacting the author at ehylandmaze@aol.com.  Links to this and all previous and subsequent pages of this book entitled "Dark Days" may be distributed freely without permission.

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