Do What?!

Right now a lot of people are experiencing big changes and facing huge challenges. Kids, young people, and young adults are starting a new year at school. Some are going to College for the first time. They are getting ready to tackle new subjects and learn new information. Some are seeking employment, while others are starting, or even restarting new jobs. I, for one, am going to take on secular employment while continuing to pastor in Edwardsville. This is the first time I have had to do this in over 25 years of full-time ministry.

I am thankful for a God who knows our limitations and is able to help us in all of life's trials and challenges. Even when the task seems as big as building an Ark that is bigger than a football field, and as tall as a 4 story building, God is able to see us through gloriously.

With all that I have been seeing and even experiencing, allow me to offer these few tidbits of advice - advice I am reminding myself of.

First, have faith in the Lord! (Matt 21:21-22 Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done. 22 If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.") Go forward believing that whatever is before you is not too big for the Lord to accomplish through you. Through faith in the Lord, the mountains in your life can be moved, or climbed over, or tunneled through! There is nothing that you are going through that God isn't already prepared to take you through.

Second, be positive, which comes with faith. (Phil 4:6-7 "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.") Ask the Lord to give you a good, optimistic and positive attitude towards life, the challenge you are facing, and the people around you. This really does make a difference. Negativity is usually due to exaggerated thoughts and unconstrained words that have been allow to dream up the worst possible outcome in the situation you are facing. Be warned, what you think and say can have a self-fulfilling way of becoming reality. Fortunately, things seldom turn out as bad as you first think. Being positive and optimistic really is more realistic, more often than not. Why get yourself all upset unnecessarily?

Third, determine to influence others with your faith in God and your positive attitude. (1 Thess 5:11 "Therefore encourage one another and build each other up.") Be a contagious person. Help those around you to have faith and be more positive and optimistic. Faith filled, optimistic, people are able to encourage others without hardly even trying. Be determined to build others up. Encourage them to trust the Lord. Shower them with warm smiles, and optimistic ways of seeing things. If you look carefully and with eyes of faith, you will see the good in things and in others. Then help others to see what you see, and what you have faith for. Remember Heb 11:1
"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."

Situations can seem bigger than life. But God is WAY bigger, and nothing is impossible when God is with you. Have faith, be positive, and influence others.

Enjoy this humorous and fun video clip about Noah and his wife.

Mephone

We all need to ask this question: "What is important to me?" Think about it, longing for the things of the world is foolishness. It just doesn't make sense. The things of this world are all passing away. In other words, they fail, rust, fall apart, and are destroyed or stolen. And, they are all a part of a temporary world and a temporary life. Why not be much more concerned about eternal life and the things of life on the other side? Why not accumulate for yourself treasures in heaven where rust and moth do not destroy, and, where you will live forever to enjoy them? Matthew 6:19-21 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

And don't think that you can have both. . . . The Bible says that you cannot serve both God and money, or God and the things of this world that money can buy. (Matthew 6:24) But if you make the right choice and pursue the things of God, God will bless you, even with the things of this world. The things of this world, like cars, houses, computers, etc, are not evil in and of themselves, it is the love of them that leads to selfishness and evil. Furthermore, if you have set your heart on things above rather than on things below, whatever God gives you is more than you expected and better than you thought.
1 Timothy 6:6-10 ? "But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9 People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs."

Enjoy this humorous video. It is called, "Mephone."