CIRCUMSTANCES #I: The sum of its parts!

"And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose."

Romans 8:28

TEENAGE GRANDSON: “Grandma nothing is working in my life!”
GRANDMA: “How do you mean?”
GRANDSON: “You know! At school, at home, my friends, my girlfriend … you know!”.
GRANDMA: “Would you like some of the cake I’m making?”
GRANDSON: “Sure!”
GRANDMA: “Here, have a ¼ cup of cooking oil.”
GRANDSON: “Yuck! I can’t drink that!”
GRANDMA: “How about a couple raw eggs?”
GRANDSON: “Gross, Grandma!”
GRANDMA: “Would you like a cube of margarine! Or some flour? Or maybe baking soda?”
GRANDSON: “Come on Grams, those are sick! I want some cake!”
GRANDMA: “That’s right, they seem bad by themselves. But when you put them together in the right way and slowly bake them in an oven, they make a great cake!”

This is how God works in our lives. We often wonder why he lets us experience hard times; taken by themselves they seem difficult. But God knows what He is doing. When all the ingredients are together and allowed to bake in His time, they always work for our good!

Someone said,

“God is crazy about you. If God had a refrigerator, your picture would be on it. If He had a wallet, your photo would be in it. He sends you flowers every spring and a sunrise every morning. Whenever you want to talk, He'll listen. He can live anywhere in the universe, and [yet] He chose your heart. [Consider] the Christmas gift He sent you in Bethlehem; not to mention that Friday at Calvary. Face it, He's crazy about you.”

Christianity, Circumstances,
Illustrations, Religion

SOVEREIGNTY: The Pro up there!

Then Moses said to God, "Behold, I am going to the sons of Israel, and I will say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you.' Now they may say to me, 'What is His name?' What shall I say to them?" God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM"; and He said, "Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.'"

Exodus 3:13-14

In his book Walking Through The Darkness, Neil Anderson tells the story of an amateur pilot caught in a fog without instruments. When the tower told him to do exactly as he was told he responded angrily, “Hey, you aren’t dealing with a seasoned pro up here!” The controller replied coolly, “No, were not! But you are down here!” [paraphrased]

Like the controller to the pilot, we can’t see God; yet we know he’s there, because we can hear His voice. We must simply trust and obey, for we’re dealing with a Professional up there.

Christianity, Illustrations,
Religion, Sovereignty

PERSEVERENCE: Shake it off!

"Count it all joy, my brethren, when ye fall into manifold temptations; Knowing that the proving of your faith worketh patience."

James 1:2-3 [ASV]

A parable is told of a farmer who owned a mule who accidentally fell into an old uncovered well. After carefully assessing the situation, the farmer decided neither the mule nor the well was worth saving; so, he called his neighbors to help haul dirt to bury the old mule in the well.

At first, the mule was hysterical. But then it occurred to him that every time a shovel of dirt hit his back he could shake it off and step up. So, he did – shovel full after shovel full.

“Shake it off; step up,” he repeated to himself. “Shake it off; step up.” It wasn't long before the old mule stepped triumphantly over the top to safety. The dirt he thought would bury him turned out to be a blessing.

Whenever life throws dirt on you, do what the old mule did ... “Shake it off and step up.”

[Laughlines by Skai Rusis; 11/13/99; edited for publication)]

Christianity, Illustrations,
Perseverance, Religion

TRIALS: We Need More Problem Solvers; Fewer Problem Reporters!

"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you …"

Isaiah 43:2f

"No temptation has befallen you …"

1 Corinthians 10:13

"… count it all joy …"

James 1:2-4

"… draw near unto God …"

James 4:8a

"… an anchor of our soul …"

Hebrews 6:19

An old Bulgarian proverb says, “God promises a safe landing, but not a calm passage.”

Someone else once said, “The world has so many problems … if Moses [were to] come down from Mount Sinai today, the two tablets … would have been aspirin.”

[Robert Orbin in Quotable Quotations (Wheaton, Illinois.: Victor Books, 1985) Lloyd Cory, compiler, 304.]

If you’re like me, problems are unwelcomed guests; many seem so ill-timed they appear to have demons in charge of them. To a great extent, how we handle problems reveals how much enjoyment we can expect to receive from life.

Most of what we call problems, though, are actually symptoms. To solve a problem we must first identify IT, not its symptoms. Symptoms come back, again and again; whereas a solved problem is history. In the real world, problem solving is both an art and a science, each with a requisite spiritual component.

A general rule of problem solving is: if you can “directly” affect the outcome of a solution, then the problem is yours, alone.

Another is: if you can only indirectly affect the outcome of a solution, then you have a shared problem … you must have the help of other responsible parties to fix the problem.

Another is: if you can’t affect the outcome of a problem, then you have no business shouldering responsibility for it …it’s not your problem. This can free many people from a lot of unnecessary stress.

None are exempt from life’s trials [James 1:2-4], and problems serve a purpose: they instruct us, they strengthen us and they straighten us! Someone said: to appreciate the worth of an anchor, we must feel the storm. God often uses life experiences to draw us to Him; Satan, on the other hand, uses them to destroy us (see Job).

In any river, on any beach, you’ll find smooth stones, abundantly; but stones in sheltered places, and those on dry land will be rough, dirty, and jagged. All over our town, people use those smooth stones to accent their homes, to cover chimneys, porches, and patios. Even David used smooth stones to slay Goliath. We don’t have much use for rough or ugly stones.

Let me encourage you with this reminder: we’ve a personal love relationship with God; His response to our problems will be personal and loving … you can count on it!
God doesn’t want His children burdened and heavy laden.

Jesus said: "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and YOU SHALL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. For My yoke is easy, and My load is light." [Matthew 11:28-30]

Recognizing that fact removes the motivation to carp and complain about our problems and circumstances. And remember: God is faithful …but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also … .

Christianity, Illustrations, Religion

FELLOWSHIP - No Lone Rangers!

SET APART TOO FAR! [1 John 1:6-7; Sanctification, Trials, Unity]

Some time ago, Harry Pidgeon sailed around the world … in a 14 foot sloop … ALONE! After the trip a reporter asked Pidgeon, “What is the most dangerous thing for a lone sailor on the open sea?”

He told the pundit:

“It’s not the storms or other vessels which endanger the solo sailor, but the clear, calm weather accompanied by a gentle breeze. The sailor loses focus and becomes careless under such conditions.”

So too the Christian. It’s the calm of the Christian walk which poses the greatest danger to the lone believer, causing a loss of focus on things above and careless living.

Perhaps that’s why the Lord’s brother, James, admonished us to “consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.” [James 1:2, 3]

And perhaps that’s why the writer of Hebrews tells us to “consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together … encouraging one another; and all the more, as you see the day drawing near.” [10:25, 26] There is little room in the Body of Christ for fear ridden Lone Rangers … members who go it alone.

Yet in the midst of our foolish pride all believers have His promise, “lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." [Matthew 28:20] We are never truly alone!