DEALING WITH REALITY...Cont.
Hebrews 11 lists men and women who are heroes of faith. Some were noted for what they accomplished while others suffered persecution and endured incredible hardships. These passages confirm that Christians are not excluded from experiencing both good and bad times in life
David, the man after God’s own heart, experienced times when life was really good. He also mentioned times when his enemies attacked him and life was less than pleasant. David knew what it was like to face both the good times and the bad times of life. How did he do it? How did he stay positive? David said that “in the day of my trouble I will call upon thee” with the assurance that God would answer him (Psalm 86:7). David also acknowledged God for the good times and said, “thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee” (Psalm 63:3).
As Christians, we may well be facing the most difficult times we have ever experienced. I am praying that will not be the case, but there is no promise to the contrary. Regardless of whether the times will be good or bad, Peter wrote, “Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:6,7). Paul said, “Rejoice evermore” (1 Thess. 5:16) or as we sometimes say, “Praise the Lord anyhow!”
If you place a piece of clay in the sunlight, it will soon become rock hard, but place a wax candle in the same sunlight and it will become pliable and melt. In each case, the result is not so much from the sun as it is from the make up of the clay and the wax. The clay resists the effects of the sun and becomes hard and unyielding. The wax, on the other hand, yields itself to the rays of the sun and melts in its warmth.
In bad times, we can rebel against the Son and become hardened like clay, or we can yield to the Son and melt like wax in his warmth. If we are called on to face difficult times, which will you be...clay or wax? Will we become hardened and bitter or yielded and pliable in God’s hands? The decision is ours.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
DEALING WITH REALITY
Regardless of whether one is saved or unsaved, he finds life is made up of good times as well as bad times. Most people accept the reality that there will be bad times in their lives, and sometimes you hear a person say, “Oh, I take the good with the bad.” Then you wonder how serious they are about that statement. You wonder, do they really?
Realistically speaking, one of two things usually happens when the bad times come. One is, a person will become bitter and start to ask why God isn’t doing something to relieve the situation. With the economic downturn, the evaporation of savings and the gloom and doom forecast of a deep recession, you are apt to find many Christians looking to heaven and saying, “God, why are you letting this happen?” Some in intense bitterness, throw up their hands and say, “What’s the use? What has serving God gotten me?”
Or the other thing that can happen is that in difficult times, dedicated Christians will draw closer to God. They realize that a wise person is one who recognizes where and in whom his strength and safety lies. Bear in mind that Christians are not promised a life of satisfaction but rather one of contentment. David asked when would he be satisfied. He answered his own questions by saying, “when I awake, with thy likness” (Psalm 17:15). On the other hand, Paul wrote, “I have learned...to be content” (Phil. 4:11). We see that contentment is learned in the present, while we attain satisfaction in the future.
Like Paul, we should understand that on the road of life, there will not always be green lights and blue skies. Rather, life runs the gamut of experiences from bad to good and these are common to everyone. Paul describes these experiences with the words of contrast— abased (humbled, brought low) / abound (buoyed on and up); full (supplied in abundance) / hungry (to crave); abound (to have a superabundance) / suffer need (to be destitute). Paul said there were times when his life was really good, and then would come times when things were really bad, but through it all he had learned to be content regardless of how life flowed. How could Paul possibly say that? Here’s how. He said, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Phi. 4:13). He could not do it on his own.
(To be Continued)
Regardless of whether one is saved or unsaved, he finds life is made up of good times as well as bad times. Most people accept the reality that there will be bad times in their lives, and sometimes you hear a person say, “Oh, I take the good with the bad.” Then you wonder how serious they are about that statement. You wonder, do they really?
Realistically speaking, one of two things usually happens when the bad times come. One is, a person will become bitter and start to ask why God isn’t doing something to relieve the situation. With the economic downturn, the evaporation of savings and the gloom and doom forecast of a deep recession, you are apt to find many Christians looking to heaven and saying, “God, why are you letting this happen?” Some in intense bitterness, throw up their hands and say, “What’s the use? What has serving God gotten me?”
Or the other thing that can happen is that in difficult times, dedicated Christians will draw closer to God. They realize that a wise person is one who recognizes where and in whom his strength and safety lies. Bear in mind that Christians are not promised a life of satisfaction but rather one of contentment. David asked when would he be satisfied. He answered his own questions by saying, “when I awake, with thy likness” (Psalm 17:15). On the other hand, Paul wrote, “I have learned...to be content” (Phil. 4:11). We see that contentment is learned in the present, while we attain satisfaction in the future.
Like Paul, we should understand that on the road of life, there will not always be green lights and blue skies. Rather, life runs the gamut of experiences from bad to good and these are common to everyone. Paul describes these experiences with the words of contrast— abased (humbled, brought low) / abound (buoyed on and up); full (supplied in abundance) / hungry (to crave); abound (to have a superabundance) / suffer need (to be destitute). Paul said there were times when his life was really good, and then would come times when things were really bad, but through it all he had learned to be content regardless of how life flowed. How could Paul possibly say that? Here’s how. He said, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Phi. 4:13). He could not do it on his own.
(To be Continued)
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Our 14th annual Faith Promise Missions conference is over, and what a great series of services we had. Our speaker. pastor Allen Hagood, was top notch with to-the-point messages about missions and about trusting God to supply our Faith Promises. On Thursday and Friday nights, Tommy and Sherri Drewett blessed our hearts with music and then their ministry was further enhanced when they were joined by their son Shawn on Saturday for a Drewett Family reunion. Jim Slocumb lead our singing with his usual gusto. Then to top it off, on Sunday morning our Faith Promise Commitments totaled $85,880. For those who doubt the effectiveness of Faith Promise giving, last year at the end of our conference we received $65,000 in commitments and during the year God provided us with almost $75,000 in offerings.
The only downer during the conference was the problem with the Drewett’s vehicle. Apparently, the in-tank fuel pump went out. The church voted to have it repaired for them. However, we don’t know how long it will take to have the vehicle repaired and get Tommy, Sherri and Shawn back to Louisiana. I will tackle that tomorrow (Monday). For now, I am enjoying the blessings of today.
The only downer during the conference was the problem with the Drewett’s vehicle. Apparently, the in-tank fuel pump went out. The church voted to have it repaired for them. However, we don’t know how long it will take to have the vehicle repaired and get Tommy, Sherri and Shawn back to Louisiana. I will tackle that tomorrow (Monday). For now, I am enjoying the blessings of today.
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