Freely Given: Seeing God's Wisdom in Everyday Situations

By Marquis D. Jones

Freely Given is the first companion book to Whispers from the Father, which the author published in 2013. The author highlights a series of real-life situations and adds insight to those situations by relating them to scripture. As you read each story, you will be transported to the scene as the author describes it in vivid detail. His ability t

• Language: English
• Publisher: Stratton Press
• Release date: May 25, 2021
• ISBN: 9781648954177

Marquis D. Jones

Marquis (Marc) Jones is known as an engaging, dynamic teacher, speaker and minister. Marc believes each person comes equipped with purpose hidden within us. For over 40 years, Marc has worked to help others find and fulfill their purpose. Additionally, he is the Founder and Executive Director of Ebenezer's Refuge, Inc., a 501 C3 nonprofit organization that seeks to support and strengthen the community by providing supportive services to people who are homeless in the Metro Atlanta area in a manner that restores dignity, hope and honor. Marc's mission is to inspire, enrich, and motivate others to pursue the good life that God intended for them to live. For Marc, the good life consists of doing those things that bring you joy, peace, and a level of happiness that money cannot buy. The good life is about renewal, redemption, and revival of one's God-given, God-breathed, and God-ordained right to a better quality of life. Marc has ministered for over 40 years in the Southeast. He and his family reside in the metro Atlanta area.

Book preview

Foreword

People often ask me, where does your wisdom come from? I explain to them that it is not my wisdom, but wisdom comes from God. The Bible records in James 1:5, If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives freely to all, and upbraids not; and it shall be given him.

I decided many years ago to follow God because I recognized that He was much smarter than I. After praying and asking God for wisdom, I committed myself to Him. I told Him if He would speak, I would write, and this book is the result of the conversation I hear when He speaks.

We may not always understand God or even when He is speaking to us. But understanding becomes easier and clearer the more we walk with Him. Hearing from God is not relegated to a chosen few but is available to all His children. God primarily speaks to us through His word, and if we are going to successfully live this Christian life, we must read His word daily.

Too often we complicate our relationship with God. Unfortunately, some have had a tumultuous relationship with their earthly father and have mistakenly equated God, the heavenly Father, as being like their earthly father. God is not like man. He deserves our honor and respect, as our heavenly Father.

My prayer is that you experience God as you read the pages of this book. Allow the stories to come alive as you walk each journey with me. Place yourself in the setting of each story, and see God’s wisdom unfold for you, just as I did. It brings me great joy to share these moments with you. I hope you find inspiration, edification, and restoration as you allow the Father to speak to you.

In His Grace,

MJ

Don’t Talk Too Long

Nearly twenty-seven years ago, one week before my father passed, he embraced me, told me how proud he was of me, and told me he loved me. He then whispered in my ear and said, Don’t talk too long. He knew that he was dying and that I was to do his eulogy, although we had not formally talked about it. He had eulogized his mother, Sallie, and his father, Deacon Ross Jones, so it stood to reason that I would eulogize him. It was not until today, almost twenty-seven years later, that I realized what he meant. My father lived his life, and his funeral, every day. Although not perfect, he lived his life. When it comes time to die, words should not have to be spoken over you as much because each day you live should be your testimony of the life you live.

My aunt Beatrice Payne used to sing a song in our choir saying, May the works I’ve done speak for me. What will your works say about you when it is your time to depart this life? Or will the minister have to spend precious time searching to find kind words to soothe your family? Unfortunately, many live like hell and expect to enter heaven on a technicality. Well, he was a good person. She was always nice to me. He loved people. She always helped everybody she could. No matter how much good one does, the ultimate price for a ticket to heaven is to accept Jesus as your savior. Nothing more, nothing less. Do not hope you make it to heaven, be assured. No one is saying you must live a perfect life. Thank God, perfection is not required. If it were, none of us would make it. Salvation is about acceptance, not about behavior or performance. All of us have a date with the other side. I pray the minister won’t have to talk too long over you.

Do What You Can

For the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

—James 2:26

Every morning when I arrive at the walking trail, I meet an elderly woman walking. For a few days, we passed one another, and we would wave cordially to each other. One day, I decided to speak to her.

She smiled and spoke back, but as she was walking away, she said, Two rounds are about the best I can do.

I chuckled as we parted company. I marveled because she appears to be in her late seventies/early eighties, yet she faithfully walks along the trail twice each morning.

This morning as I watched her walk her final time, the teacher gave me a revelation. Here’s truth: Many prayers go unanswered because we expect God to do all the work. Prayer is not your giving orders to God and expecting Him to obey—prayer is a dialogue with God who comes alongside you to help you. When someone gives help, it means that you do a part, then they do a part. Help is not that the helper does all the work. When you do what you can, God steps in and does the part that you cannot do. God will never do what He has gifted or equipped us to do. He will always make up the difference.

Here is the practical application of this truth found in James 2:26: If I want the job, I must apply. I cannot expect God to give me the job if I refuse to apply. Yet this is precisely how we treat God. We expect Him to do what is in our power to do. If I want the college degree—I must apply, take the classes, and the tests, then I can graduate. If I do not study, I will not pass the tests. If I do not attend the class, I will have no knowledge. God will not bring to my remembrance what I have not studied. My part is to study, His part is to remind me of what I studied—then pass the test and get the degree. If I do not have the money to pay the tuition, His part is to provide me with the opportunity to get the money—either he gives me a job, or moves on someone’s heart to donate to me so the money is there. But I had to do my part so He would do His part. Many of the promises of God are conditional. If/then is common when reading the promises of God. It is not that God does not want to do great things for you—it is that you are violating certain non-negotiable principles that He will not break.

Starting today, do what you can, then watch God do what you cannot. Walking with God is a relationship—not a dictatorship. It is back and forth, give and take. But here is the sweet part—in many cases, you only have to make the step in the direction of God—believe Him, move toward obeying Him, and watch Him reward you for your efforts. Mother is walking rather than wasting—God is extending her days because of it. Do what you can!

My Job

This morning as I entered the office, I overheard two gentlemen talking in the hallway.

One gentleman said to the other, It’s my job to get dirty, not yours.

As I turned the corner, I saw that the man speaking was the maintenance man, and the man to whom he was speaking was an associate who was helping him move some tables to an alternate location. Although the maintenance man understood his role, he needed the help transporting the tables to the new location.

The teacher immediately gave me a parallel to what I had just heard. Too often, we step over into God’s lane and try to do what is assigned to Him. Some things are better left for God to handle—for example, vengeance. God tells us that vengeance is His and He will repay, yet we often find ourselves trying to get back at others for what they do/did to us.

We (children of God) only have two (2) jobs: (1) believe and (2) do. We must believe (have faith) because without faith, it is impossible to please God. We must do because faith without works is dead. However, we cross the line when we try and take over those things that God holds responsibility for doing.

Many times, we get into trouble because we step into God’s role. We both have roles to play. Here is truth—if you will concentrate on your role, you will not have time to play God’s role. (Collection plate passes.) What are you presently doing that God should be handling? It is not your job. When God says, Trust Me, your role is to trust Him and allow Him to work out the details—not for you to intervene. Learn to lean on Him and allow Him space to do His work. When you fully understand that the battle is the Lord’s, you will gain a level of peace that is unprecedented. Do your job and let Him do His.

The TEAM

This morning as I took my daily walk, two young girls ran past me. As I watched them run, the teacher began to show me a secret to success—teamwork. I knew they were a team, first, because they were dressed alike—they had on a uniform. Secondly, they were together. Although one would get ahead of the other, periodically, she would slow up and allow the other one to catch up with her, then they would go together. They ran the entire span of the park (over 1.5 miles) together, always having each other in sight.

Oftentimes we fail, not because we do not have desire, we fail because we do not have help. We all are part of a team, whether it is a church or business, whether it is on your job or in your home. The successful teams are those who work together. There is an old acronym for TEAM—Together Everyone Achieves More, and it is true.

When we work together, we achieve more. The Bible bears witness to this by stating one can chase 1000, and two can put 10,000 on the run if the Lord is with you (Deut. 32:30). God is calling us to unite and be a team. As a TEAM, we are able to go into the enemy’s camp and take back what he has stolen from us! As a TEAM, we can help prevent misfortune in the lives of others. As a TEAM, we can change the trajectory of countless lives. Can God count on you?

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?

And I said, Here am I. Send me! (Isa. 6:8) Now, I ask you—will you?

Nested with Conditions

As I laid in bed this morning, my mind would not allow me to be the lazy person that I wanted to be today. I kept hearing, Get up and get back on your walking regiment. I ignored it as much as I could, finally, I could not take it anymore, so I got up and made my way to the park.

As I made the second mile around, the teacher said, Look up, what do you see?

I responded, A nest in the tree.

He then began the lesson of the day: nests are built to hide eggs from predators, to shield them from the sun, to keep them from being scattered, to provide safety, and to provide a place for