2 Thessalonians 1:4 11/28/2017*25*

“Therefore, we ourselves speak proudly of you among the churches of God for your perseverance and faith in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure.”

The holidays can be tough.  Especially since according to Facebook everyone else’s life is flawless.

Social media would have you believe that Christianity, is all about comfort, affluence, and the perfect life.  But according to this verse it is really about perseverance. 

God wants distance runners. 

Paul didn’t speak proudly of the Thessalonians perfect life…he boasted of their endurance.  He highlighted their faith when times were hard.
  

Our lives are not easy.  They’re not supposed to be.  Endurance comes when you trust God with that fact, and set out to help others.  A distance runners goal is not to avoid pain, it is to keep running through it.

In the midst of your “persecutions and afflictions” …endure.  Then take it a step further and “count your trials as joy” knowing that “spiritual weightlifting” will make you stronger.

God proved His love for you when He gave the first Christmas gift. 

Trust Him.

There will be trials…but Christmas means you will not face them alone, and the empty tomb means they will not defeat you.

… Keep running.

“The first virtue in a soldier is endurance; courage is only the second virtue.”
- Napoleon Bonaparte

Romans 1:9 11/21/2017

“God, whom I serve in my spirit in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you in my prayers at all times...”

Whose salvation did you pray for today?   At least one name should pop into your mind when you read that question.   

Are you so invested in the people God has put in your path, that you constantly remember them in your prayers?  Or is your prayer life more about jobs, money, and personal problems?

If we diagramed your prayers what percentage would be about God’s Kingdom, and what percentage would be about yours?

Paul had not yet visited the church at Rome, yet they are constantly in his prayers. Even though he was being imprisoned, attacked, beaten, and shipwrecked, Paul prayed unceasingly for these strangers in Rome that God had laid on his heart. 

Can we be that focused?  Can we be so undistracted by day to day concerns that we pray unceasingly for the people God puts in our lives? 

There will be distractions, people who resent you, those who don’t want you to succeed…but can you ignore it all and focus on the job God has set before you?  Can you “seek first the Kingdom” and allow the other things to be added?

You have a mission today.  God has put people in your path who need to know Him.  Pray for them specifically this morning, and talk to them intentionally this afternoon.  There will be obstacles, but trust God and focus on increasing the Kingdom.  That is why you are here; everything else is just details.

“Evangelism is not a professional job for a few trained men, but is instead the unrelenting responsibility of every person who belongs to the company of Jesus.”
- Elton Trueblood

Psalm 119:105 11/14/2017*10/14*

“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”

If you are looking to the government, educational system, or our culture to give you direction you are wasting your time.

Even if they knew the way, they would not be allowed to tell you for fear of offending.  Because as long as we are all in the dark, and no one can see us, we are comfortable…lost but comfortable.

Shining a light in the darkness changes that.  The problem with light is it exposes things…it makes us aware of defects.  If we are on the wrong path it disturbs our sense of well-being.

That is what scripture does.  It shines a light on our path and by it we can clearly see the good and the bad in our direction.  It illuminates right and wrong, destroys the argument for relative standards, and upsets those who would rather die in the darkness, than live in the light.

God has provided a compass.  It is authoritative, and it is intended to change your course.  You cannot ignore the light in God’s word.  It will impact you.  It will reveal whether you are a moth or a cockroach because you will either fly to the light, or run from it.

Fly to the light.  Let God’s Word illuminate your path.  Follow the Creators design and you will experience what Jesus meant when he said, “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10)

"We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light. "
- Plato

Philippians 4:7 11/7/2017

“And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

How can “the peace of God” surpass understanding?

Isn’t understanding the very thing that produces peace? 

 

We are a people of proof.  We want things defined, explained, and clarified.  How can we have peace without a comprehension of the solution to the problem we face?

The peace of God may not come from understanding the problem. It may come from understanding something greater than the problem.

 

Peace, without a solution to your situation, comes from understanding the love of God. It is a result of knowing that God, who has carried you this far, will continue to defend, and provide for you.

It is a change of focus.  Instead of staring at the threat, you stare at your protector.  Instead of desperately looking for an escape, you trust that God once again will deliver you. It is the difference in trusting your abilities, and trusting God.

If you are anxious today.  If you long for real peace.  Stop trying to manipulate the situation. Stop trying to understand and explain everything.  Quit looking at the obstacle, and gaze into the loving eyes of the Father.

Choose to rest in the abundant peace that is available, not from understanding the problem, but understanding the One who provides the solution.  According to scripture, that will guard you heart and provide true, unshakable peace.

“Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God”
- Corrie Ten Boom