On Trusting the Precious

Can you think of a time when your father purposefully hurt you, either physically, or emotionally? I mean these things happen in our humaness, but purposful hurt? Perhaps you're a father or mother, can you fathom being cruel to your children? Would you allow them to take a life path to their hurt or destruction? I am sure top side of the earth that there are some that may have, but this is very far from ordinary. I cannot imagine a parent that would lead their children to a cliff.

I am reminded of tradegies each day. A work associate and friend dropped an email; her teen nephew was struck by a motorist as he was riding his bicycle. One second he was alive, the next he was gone...just like that. A dear friend goes through a life shattering event and another is diagnosed with a life-threatening disease. We struggle with financial difficulties due to loss of work or through external factors that eat away our investments. I am reminded at my office of the suicide rate of returning soldiers from the war. Having been a member of that small fraternity I can understand their internal struggles. I can honestly say that my faith in the Lord and His Person has provided a deep well during these barren times. I am sustained, because He sustains me.

Friend, God loves you. You may not be able at this time make any sense of your hurt or you may find yourself with more questions than answers but God knows your pain. I think of the prophet Jeremiah who was called to tell the people of Israel of their pending judgment. Forty years he prophsied and never won a hearing; he was beaten, cast into a miry pit, mocked but he never lost faith in the Lord. Listen to his words in Jeremiah 17:15-17: "Behold, they say unto me, Where [is] the word of the LORD? let it come now. As for me, I have not hastened from [being] a pastor to follow thee: neither have I desired the woeful day; thou knowest: that which came out of my lips was [right] before thee. Be not a terror unto me: thou [art] my hope in the day of evil." He waivered not because he knew that the Lord waivers not! If you are a child of God, let me ask you, would your Heavenly Father lead you to the cliff? Would He purposely hurt you or trick you into a place of destruction?

Let me ask you, do you trust Him? Would you stop, wait, listen, meditate on His Word? I love the song "Bow the Knee" by Chris Machen. Consider the words of the chorus,

Bow the knee;
Trust the heart of your Father when the answer goes beyond what you can see.
Bow the knee;
Lift your eyes toward heaven and believe the One who holds eternity.
And when you don’t understand the purpose of His plan,
In the presence of the King, bow the knee.

Listen to the song presented beautifully by the Stoneybrook Church on this You Tube link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Ek5LZYYOQ0

Blessings for Hope!

Hid in Christ!

Col 3:3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

Much is made in this day and age of finding your passion; why you are on the earth. The career gurus and spiritual peddlers are pressing you to explore your strengths and capitalize on finding these passions for riches and fulfillment. They desire to take you through visualization exercises, take you along some journey of discovery. They encourage you to write your goals down and focus on them.....burn them into your soul where you will realize your potential.

Perhaps these desires may be laudable, but they are fleeting. If you are born again you need not pursue these methods. First, these are recycled new age mysticism, eastern philosophy inspired from the pits of hell. Most importantly the Apostle Paul exhorts us to "set our affections on things above, not on earthly things" Col 3:2. Notice here that the Apostle explains that we are dead; our lives are hidden in Christ. People should not see us, they should see the exalted Savior. Gal 2:20 says "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me."

I believe that God cares very little of our vocation. If you're in the Will of God minister where God put you. If you desire to be a minister that is good...if you're in His Will, you and your ministry will be blessed. Stay in the Will of God and magnify Him with your life. Significance is the crowns you lay before the Almighty! That is the only purpose you need!

My Father's late Faith

Life with my father as a young man was not a pleasure filled experience. The fact was that my father was a drunk; there were many times that he took his drunkeness out on our small family in physical and mental ways. I do not want to dwell on these things as the Scripture exhorts us to dwell on things true, honest, pure...Phil Chapter 4.

The fact is my daddy was an abusive and cursing, angry man; but that all changed. Just a few brief months before he passed away with heart failure, my father was miraculously saved. Our Pastor shared Christ with him as I had heard our previous pastor do. I watched as this cursing, angry drunk would pray with tears and cries of great grief in pentitence over his sinfulness. I witnessed him give up cigarettes and alcohol instanteously. I saw the power of the Holy Spirit change him.

If you have lost hope for a loved one, dont give up praying! God can break through the toughest people's hearts and bring abundant life! Now, that is the Dunomos (power) of the Gospel! With Blessings. Sherrell