Political correctness is found in verse 1. We are to pray for everyone. Our leaders be they kings, presidents, parents or queens. We are instructed to pray for them and in so doing pray for peace. We live in a world of unrest, where nations are rattling their sabers in contempt and threatening war. Brutal dictators are killing innocent people. Terrorists are killing innocent people in the name of religion. The world appears to be on a collision course with doom and gloom. Economic uncertainty is in every corner of the world. Employment for many is non existent or a day to day proposition at best. Large corporations have stolen retirement funds from people leaving a wake of broken lives and shattered futures. Many are asking: “Where is God in all of this?”

In all honesty there have been times in my life when I’ve asked that very question. I’ve blogged about how it seemed my prayers left my lips to fall to the floor to be trampled on, unheard by God. It is easy to wonder what we did to bring discomfort to our lives. When we review our circumstances in a negative way depression can easily follow. We are told in scripture that all things work together for good. When we are in the heat of the fire it is difficult to live in this belief standard.

Malachi 3: 14 – 18 “You have said, ‘It is futile to serve God. What did we gain by carrying out his requirements and going about like mourners before the Lord Almighty? But now we call the arrogant blessed. Certainly the evildoers prosper, and even those who challenge God escape.’ ” Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the Lord and honored his name. “They will be mine,” says the Lord Almighty, “in the day when I make up my treasured possession. I will spare them, just as in compassion a man spares his son who serves him. And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.”

I encourage you to not give up hope. God is Faithful and True. Stand in your faith and know that the Lord does hear you. He cares and is listening to you and the many others who are finding life difficult right now. I wade through the quagmire of problems frequently myself. Everyone does. Our efforts in dealing with problems needs to be prayerful and respectful. Know in faith that God knows our every need. For those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ their hope and future is eternal.

Job is a book in the Old Testament. The book is about Job.  God gave Satan the approval to try and turn Job against Him. Satan attacked Job with everything he had. Satan took away the life of Job’s children, his wealth, his health and then Satan tried to use Job’s wife against  him. Job stood firm in the Lord but was caught up in listening to friends who thought the problems stemmed from something Job had done wrong. Although Job remained true to the Lord, he complained and wished he were never born. God listened to the counsel of the friends and all the complaining and then after a long while He Spoke to Job.

Job 38: 2 – 3 Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge? Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you will answer me.

How would we answer God if he were to ask us this question? Would we be proud of our behavior and thought pattern? Would we stand up nice and straight and be proud of all the time wasted in wonder and complaint?

God allows circumstances to surround us for correction, growth, maturing in faith and many other reasons.  We need to take the position of faithfully looking to Jesus and knowing He is always with us. He knows our every need before we ask. He knows the future and is preparing us for just that. I need to stand as a man and be counted now. Lord what are you teaching me today and how might I learn the lesson of this circumstance. Lord, this is going to take a lot of practice but please guide me.

Father – please help us gain a better disposition and behavior – we believe you work all things for good because that is your promise for those who love you. For those who are called according to your purpose. We believe you are working out patience and humility in us. Please help us learn and grow by the circumstances we experience. Amen.

I can imagine the smiles on the faces and perhaps the tears of joy on our cheeks when the Lord looks into our eyes with His perfect love and says “My beloved – you have persevered under trial!  You have stood the test!”  And as He presents you with the crown of life, He says “Well done, good and faithful servant!  Well, done!”  At that moment, I imagine we will realize the promise of James 1:12 “Blessed (happy) is the man or woman who perseveres under trial.”  Let’s pray.

Lord:

Thank you for your Word and for revealing to us that as we strain at the oars due to various life storms, we can take courage knowing that you see us and you are with us working good through the difficulties and we do not need to be afraid.  Please help each of us to have a willing (not hardened) heart to let you into the boat with us so that we may have calmness and peace.  Please provide us with wisdom of your will and understanding to see the good you are doing through our trials and help us to be able to consider it pure joy and count it as one of your many blessings upon our lives.  We give thanks to you in all things.  In Jesus’ name, I pray.  Amen

-Matthew 5:14 – Jesus tells us we are the light of the world.

-2 Corinthians 1:3-4 says “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.”

-Sometimes God uses people in my life that never say a word to me or do anything for me.  Just seeing their godly example or hearing of their faith and perseverance in the midst of a trial encourages me and helps me to keep going even though the going may be quite difficult. In the midst of my trials, I aspire to have the same attitude as:

1)  Paul in Philippians 4:11-13 – “I have learned the secret of being content in whatever the circumstance, in any and every situation.  I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength (or sufficient grace).”

2)  Jesus who said in Luke 22:42 “Father, not my will, but yours.”

3)  My friend Ann who would hold out her life to God like holding out her hand with an attitude of “God, you put into it or take from it whatever you see best.  I trust you!”

When we have this attitude, we are able to faithfully persevere and God gives us these promises for doing so: Revelation 21:3-4 tells us “There is a day coming when God will wipe every tear from our eyes.  There will be no more death, mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things will have passed away.”

Luke 6:21 says there is a day coming when we will laugh!

James 1:12 gives us this promise in trials:  “Blessed (happy) is the man or woman who perseveres under trial because when he or she has stood the test, he or she will receive the crown of life that God has promised for those who love Him.”  In other words, God will not forget our faithfulness in trials.  He will “bless” us for it.  The Bible tells us there will be a reward!

The disciples struggled with this too and the Bible gives us an example of how their hearts were hardened because of their lack of understanding about what was happening

in their lives.  This event takes place immediately after Jesus fed 5,000 people with 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish.  Let’s look at Mark 6:34-52.  Jesus told the disciples in their terrifying experience and we can apply this to our lives as well that in the midst of a trial to “take courage” and see that He (the Lord) is in the midst.  He said “Do not be afraid.”  In Proverbs 3:5, God says to “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.”  In Isaiah 55:8, the Lord declares that His thoughts are not our thoughts, neither are our ways His ways.   We think with a limited-in-knowledge, sin-tainted, earthly perspective and God thinks with an all-knowing, perfect eternal perspective.  That’s quite a difference, wouldn’t you agree?

The Bible tells us that trouble sometimes comes to us through the exercising of our own freewill and making our own poor choices in life and sometimes we are the victims of someone else’s poor choices.  Like the trial in Paul’s life, other trials are a part of our lives as well.  Like the disciples, if we let God into the boat of life with us, He can bring calmness or peace.  He works in the midst of our trials or life storms in three ways:

1)  To reveal His glory – His power to do what is humanly impossible.

-We see this in the feeding of the 5,000 with 5 loaves and 2 fish

-We see this with Jesus walking on the water and calming the wind

-We can see this in our own lives – “Everyday holds the possibility

of a miracle (Elizabeth David).  In Matthew 19:26, Jesus said “all

things are possible with God.”

-The Lord told Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:9 that God’s power was made

perfect in Paul’s weakness.

2)  To work “good” in our lives –

-Paul said the “thorn in his flesh” was to keep him from being

conceited because of surpassingly great revelations (2 Cor. 12:7)

-Paul also says of his many hardships in the province of Asia that

they happened that they might not rely on themselves but upon God

(2 Corinthians 1:9)

-Trials prepare us for eternity.  James 1:3 says “The testing of our faith develops perseverance.  Perseverance must finish its work so that we may be mature and complete, not lacking in anything.”

2 Corinthians 4:17 says that “our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.”

-When we walk in sin, God disciplines those He loves to redirect us toward godly living which is His best for us.  (Hebrews 12)

-If it were not for trials in my life, I would not have sought God, the Creator.  I was pursuing fulfillment through the pleasures of what He created.

Isn’t it interesting how the news media has been reporting that people are beginning to go to church.  Our church has seen an increase in people lately.

-Romans 8:28 tells us “in all things, God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.”

Part 3 will continue this thought pattern

What comes to mind when you hear someone say “Count your blessings!”

A blessing is “a thing conducive to happiness.”  To be blessed is to “pronounce happy!”

It is pretty easy for most of us to build a list of things that bring us blessing or happiness in our lives, but maybe you are thinking over your life at this moment and you see a glaring aspect of it that is difficult and frustrating.  You don’t understand it.  It does not make you happy at all!  In fact, you may be quite angry about it.  If that is you, I would like you to know that you are not alone.

• I can personally relate to you.
• If you have been listening to the news over the past few months, you are

aware that many Americans are experiencing great difficulties right now.

• There are also many Biblical examples of people who throughout history have

struggled and experienced great trials in their lives.

• Even Jesus struggled to carry out the cup given to Him in His life.  We see this

in Luke 22:42 when He cried out “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me.”  Jesus sympathizes with us.  Scripture also tells us Jesus weeps with His

people and He prays for us.  This thought has been a great comfort to me in my own personal struggles.

• The apostle Paul also understood life difficulties – In 2 Corinthians 12:7, he says

“there was given to him a thorn in his flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment

him.”  (Paul’s language indicates that it was physical, painful and humiliating.)

You may be thinking “I thought we were talking about blessings and here we are talking about life difficulties.  I don’t get the connection!”

The connection is found in James 1:2.  God’s Word tells us that we should “consider it pure joy whenever we face trials of many kinds.”

Joy means a source of happiness or blessing; something in which to

rejoice, to have gladness in, to view as a benefit or for profit.

I don’t’ know about you, but this is not always easy for me and even Paul struggled to have this attitude – it says in 2 Corinthians 12:8 that he pleaded with the Lord three times to take away the thorn in his flesh that tormented him.  Paul’s understanding of his situation was obviously different from God’s because we see in verse 9 the Lord answered Paul’s pleading with “My grace is sufficient for you.”

I read the final chapters of John which tells the story of how Mary Magdalene, on the third day after Jesus was crucified, went to the tomb where Jesus had been laid and found the stone rolled away and the tomb empty. She went and told the disciples and they went and found the tomb empty also. Mary then lingers at the tomb and when she looked into the tomb she saw two angels. John 20: 13 – 16 They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?” “They have taken my lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. “Woman,” he said, “why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher).

The price for sinful man had been paid in full. Jesus had paid for all sins. It is up to us to either accept or reject the action of Jesus. Such a large gift is ours to enjoy. The giver of the gift was God the Father. The gift was Jesus and the plan was perfect.

In that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. It took me years to determine that life without Jesus was a waste. I made a mess of life for me and for others. I still have moments of Doug where I fall short and where life seems confusing and at times, just not fair. Sin still is at hand and mistakes are made. Jesus paid for it all. I need to recognize the need for repentance and Gods action of forgiveness.

My prayer is that you also recognize the gift and the giver. May your Easter be blessed.

” ‘ As surely as I live, ‘ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bow before me; every tongue will confess to God.’” So then every one of us will give an account of himself to God.

Today is Good Friday. This day represents the day that Jesus was crucified on a cross for the sins of the world. (John 3: 16)Your sins and mine included. The sins of the past and the present and the future. The cross however, was not the final word concerning Jesus. Appearances on the day of the crucifixion were that all was lost. Jesus physical body died and was placed in a borrowed tomb. For three days the Spirit of the Living Jesus was on duty leading the captives free and fulfilling the work of eternal salvation for those who believe. The physical body of Jesus was lifeless and laying in a tomb. God on the third day placed the spirit of Jesus back into his body and raised him from the dead.

Easter Sunday we celebrate the risen Jesus. The Savior of the world. The sacrificial lamb who, on the Friday before that Sunday, laid down his life for you and for me but was miraculously raised from the dead on Sunday. What a statement of Love! The God of the Universe sent His Son to die for my self-centered sins. Praise the Lord!

May I never tire nor fail to tell this story of love and faithfulness. Thank you Father for Easter and the significance of the miracle you provided for us. Humbly I kneel before you and declare you Lord of my life. In Jesus name, Amen.

What came to me was the truth of what it meant. Jesus was headed toward his trial, beating and death. There is a chance that many did not understand the real meaning of hosanna. In ignorance they were proclaiming the future position of those who believe on Jesus. His action of death burial and resurrection would save and sustain all who believe. Later as he would breathe his last breath he would say, “It is finished.”

Satan and hell would momentarily celebrate  what appeared to be a successful triumph. Within moments of Jesus’ death Satan and hell would realize the battle of eternity was lost. A clear path to God the Father was blazed in the Blood of Jesus. Hosanna had meaning for eternity as we could now be saved and sustained.

The act of crucifixion in the Roman Empire was a symbol and warning. Rome demanded  all to adhere to Roman rule. Crosses were placed along the pathways leading into towns. Those who violated Roman rule could or would be crucified as a warning. Both empty crosses and occupied crosses were a sign of mandatory behavior. To me the empty cross that Jesus hung on is a warning to me. A warning that I should review my actions and life, surrendering myself to seek forgiveness. Knowing that it is the act of Jesus upon the cross that saves.

Another thought was how sinful acts bring all people beneath the cross. We can be in one of two positions beneath the cross. We can be standing in pride and trampling the spilled blood. Arrogant and callous with little or no regard for the sacrifice. We can be on our knees then on our face before the Father in repentance. Broken in heart and pride with the Fathers forgiveness cascading over us in waves of love. Scripture is clear that every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord.

The prayer that came to me during these thoughts: Life’s sins – past faults – have brought me, kneeling humbly, beneath the cross of Jesus. Beneath the cross where His Blood did fall for me. Jesus, you bled and died that I might be cleansed by calling upon your name. Forsaking my past, cleansed eternal and born anew. Thank you Father for the gift of your son. Might I proclaim Hosanna with reality of meaning. Amen