John 16:33(New King James Version)

33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

One promise that we are all given as Believers but don't often lay claim to or talk about is trouble. It comes to all of us whether we like it or not; it's just a simple fact of life. We live in a fallen world. In the last part of Matthew 6:34, Jesus tells us "Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof". On some days, truer words could never be spoken.

Galatians 6:9(New King James Version)

9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.

Like it or not, it's the tough times that define us. It's what we do when we don't FEEL like it, when we're not MOVITIVATED, or just don't give a rip any more. We have to reach down into the well of our soul and try to find something to sustain us. In other words, we need to persevere. I John 4:4 and I John 5:4 are verses that encourage us that God is with us, in us. He is unshakable, He will never leave us, He is committed to the end. We can't overcome on our own; we need God's help, His strength, His guidance, and we also need one another.

Galatians 6:2(New King James Version)

2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

If we're going to be successful, we're going to have to become vulnerable to the Spirit of God, and also become vulnerable to one another. We're so afraid of being judged by someone because of what's going on in our lives; so we just hold it in and intensify the pressure. Be real with God, and be real with your true friends. Learn to distinguish attacks from the devil and character building issues. Remember that God gives us what we NEED before He ever gives us what we WANT. Wouldn't any good parent do that? Sometimes the medicine just doesn't taste too good.

If we go back to our original text in the first part of this entry, one thing we can extract from it is that life isn't just about US. I know it's difficult, but we need to get to the place where we stop asking the Lord the "what about me???" question. "When does it get to be MY turn?" Stop comparing your situation. Help comes when we realize life is bigger than "us". Take the focus off yourself and become an ambassador for the Kingdom of God. Find someone that needs help. Luke 6:38 is not a verse that is just about money (like most Pastors use it), in fact, money is not even mentioned in the context of that passage: Give and it shall be given unto you, good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over shall men give into your bosom. It's about sowing and reaping. The Kingdom of God is all about sowing and reaping. Sow what you need in someone else's life, and you'll reap it. In the process, you'll take the focus off of yourself and you'll see God come through and change you in ways you never expected or thought possible.

Don't quit. Don't give up. Don't stop believing God for what He has placed in your heart. Don't think the Lord has abandoned you or forsaken you. Your BEST days are ahead!

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In many ways for me, 2008 was a tough year. It was one of those "character building" years; the type of year where you are given plenty of opportunity for growth and change. 2008 did change me. Through it, I realized first hand it is the tough times that change us, for the good, or for the bad- ultimately, it's our choice.

I have talked to a number of people (believers) that have experienced a similar year in 2008. Many are worn out, battered and confused. As I sought the Lord for a message for our bible study last week, this message was birthed in my heart.

It began in Matthew's account of the Last Supper, in chapter 26. In that account, (paraphrased) Jesus tells his followers that all of them will betray Him. Peter promises that though everyone else may, he will not. Later in the same chapter, in verses 69-75 after Peter HAS fled with the other apostles, he is confronted three times and denies knowing Jesus to the point of cursing, and Jesus' prophetic statement becomes a reality. Into chapter 28 of Matthew (v 1-7) the followers approach the tomb of Jesus only to find it empty. In Mark's account in chapter 16, verses 5-7 reveal something specific that Matthew's account does not reveal.

Mark 16:5-7(King James Version)

5And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted.

6And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him.

7But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you.

 Did you notice that? The angel said "Tell the disciples AND PETER".. he specifically names Peter. Why did he do that? Peter had to be at the place where he was completely detached from the Lord by reason of his denial. He must have been a spiritual and emotional wreck. Surely he thought his "service to the Lord" would no longer be required. But God is a God of restoration. Even when we feel at our lowest point, He hasn't given up on us, He hasn't left us. He didn't do it in Peter's case, and thank God He is no respecter of persons.

In John chapter 21, Jesus returns and offers Peter a chance to repent. He lovingly confronts him face to face. Jesus wants to be SURE that Peter understands that  the love of God is still being extended toward him and that God still has a plan for his life.

As I studied these passages, I heard the Lord say a few things in my heart:

Don't give up. Don't quit.

Don't stop believing God for what He has placed in your heart.

Don't give up on your faith.

Don't think your life doesn't matter, doesn't count, isn't important, or isn't having a positive effect.

Don't think that God has forgotten you, forsaken you, or doesn't care.

This was His admonishment; to me, to those in our study, and to Believers everywhere. Peter probably had similar thoughts that came against him.  Stay tuned for the second half.

I’ve taught from revelation, and I’ve taught from experience. I can tell you, there is a huge difference between the two.

One phrase we hear from people that have experienced a measure of success from time to time is this: I never forget where I came from. When we think about it, there are really no more successful folks in the entire earth than Christians. What are some things you can remember about your life before you got saved? (Spare some of those details). I can easily think back to times of rejection, severe depression, anxiety, fear, hopelessness, outbursts of anger, etc.

I’ve found myself (admittedly) looking down my nose at folks that display those same tendencies once I got saved. I’ve distanced myself from them. I don’t want to be near them. I’ve perceived them as “dirty people”.I've forgotten what it's like to walk in their shoes.

I remember some neighbors my wife and I had in the past that I completely despised.They were "awful people"; hell to live next to. They were slobs,drunks,dope smokers, and sex addicts. They played horrible "music" loud and often. If you saw these folks, you would ask "how much do you charge to haunt a house?" They even (for a time) parked a HEARSE out in front of their house. They sat in it and smoked pot. All I could do was pray that they would move FAR FAR away...when maybe God had them next to me to show them an alternative to life. But I failed to endure; I failed the test. I think far too often, we center our lives around "church people". Now that we've gotten ourselves out of the world, we want nothing further to do with it. If that's the way I was looked upon when I needed salvation, I would probably still be sitting in the stink of my sin. Jesus was often chastised by none other than the religious folks for "hanging around the dregs of society". He proclaimed "it's the SICK that need a doctor".

Let’s look at Matthew 5.

Matthew 5:13-16(New King James Version)

Believers Are Salt and Light

13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.
14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

We are light. Light shines BRIGHTEST in darkness. The world (and those in it) are darkness. We will shine brightest when in the MIDST of that darkness. What is attracted to the light outside of your door in the summer? BUGS.We were once bugs.

I believe every day we have opportunity knock on our door. We don't SEE it as an opportunity, but that's what it is. We think the devil rang our doorbell and ran after lighting a bag of crap on fire and leaving it outside on the stoop.But in reality, the Lord is the one who left it there. It looks one way to us, but to Him it just looks like a person in need of Him- much like we once did. This is where Godly Testing comes into our lives. We meet folks face to face that are just like we used to be: depressed, angy, hopeless. Yet instead of recognizing their plight, we're often repelled by them. We're not willing to put up with their attitudes, their foul language, and their ignorance. We don't want to get our hands dirty, we don't want them throwing up on us anymore. But when we look into their eyes, we MUST see ourselves.

We must be able to recognize the signs of someone crying out from their soul for hope, crying out for change, crying out for life. The problem is for us that the signs we see are often criticism, anger, or worse. I have been as guilty as anyone concerning this. It took the Lord to inspire this entire thought process. Like I said earlier, it is not IN AND OF MYSELF TO THINK THIS WAY. Honestly, in my thoughts, I have probably thought “to hell with them”. Sad, but true. I could look at someone and think, “THEM receive the Lord??!!! THEM???!!!!! Yeah right !!!!!!!!!!”

Has anyone had a similar test?

About a year ago this time we had a major snowstorm. In fact, there was so much snow that as I went out the next morning to survey the damage, I found that there was no way for me to get my car from my garage, down the driveway, and onto the street. I was snowed in. I shoveled what I was able to shovel. I made paths for the dogs to get out and take care of their business, I cleared the stairs, and that was about all I could do.

Then as I stood at the garage opening, and looked down the driveway, (we have a very long driveway) a foolish thought entered my head. It was the same thought that entered my head several times before. It was a thought that got me into trouble in times past. The thought was simply “I can make it. If I get the car rolling fast enough, and stay on the driveway, I can make it to the street. I know I can”. More than anything, it was the thought of being stranded until someone could come and plow the driveway. It was a week before Christmas, it was my last day off, and I HAD to get out and shop. My friend Eric usually plows my driveway when we have a significant snowfall. I knew he had his hands full with plowing his usual accounts, and my snow blower was in its usual state: broken.

There was one thing that was different this time. Somehow, common sense was present. I thought, “I’ll put my boots on and walk down the driveway and get a TRUE perspective of the situation”. I put my boots on and began to walk down the driveway. It took no more than four steps when this message was birthed in my heart. It exploded all at once. As I began to take those steps down the driveway (and the snow got almost up to my knees) the Lord began to show me how we gain a different perspective when we walk in someone else’s shoes.

Hebrews 4:15(New King James Version)

15For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.

Jesus is our example. He knows what it’s like to walk in our shoes, because He came down and walked in them. The scripture says He is able to sympathize, because He experienced what we experienced.

Did Jesus experience disappointment? Did he experience loss? He wept at the tomb of Lazarus. One of his inner circle denied he even knew Him. Another sold Him out for 30 pieces of silver. Was Jesus ever sick a day in His life? Let’s look at Isaiah 53.

Isaiah 53:3-7(New King James Version)

3 He is despised and rejected by men,
A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.
And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him;
He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.
4Surely He has borne our griefs
And carried our sorrows;
Yet we esteemed Him stricken,
Smitten by God, and afflicted.
5 But He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
And by His stripes we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray;
We have turned, every one, to his own way;
And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted,
Yet He opened not His mouth;
He was led as a lamb to the slaughter,
And as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
So He opened not His mouth.

What happened to Jesus wasn’t fair. He did nothing to deserve what happened to Him, yet He chose to embrace it for the sake of someone else. (Mat 26:53) shows us that Jesus could have put a stop to everything, but He didn’t.

I’m not saying for a minute that we need to fully embrace every bad thing that comes across our path; I’m just saying we can choose to learn from it.

Have you ever had someone say to you, “I know how you feel” and you knew they didn’t have a clue? How can you possibly relate to someone when you have never experienced what they have experienced? I think that’s one reason why Jesus was so often able to be “moved with compassion”; at one point, He had “been there”.

How many of us have suffered sickness? How many of us have suffered the loss of a loved one? It’s never a positive situation. We CAN however, use the power of remembrance when we see it happen in someone else’s life to be able to really IDENTIFY with the loss or the pain they are experiencing. We can then use it to allow compassion to overtake us for someone else and minister to them as only someone that has experienced what they are experiencing. There’s really no substitute for experience.

More to come.

1 Timothy 1:2(New King James Version)

2 To Timothy, a true son in the faith:

Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.

Paul brings this greeting (inspired of the Holy Spirit) for a number of reasons. There is nothing more important to us in our lives than our relationship with God. Jesus spent His entire earthly ministry attempting to convey that message to the religious people (who thought THEIR “relationship” existed only because of their righteous works) and to the gentiles (non Jews) alike.

If we’re honest, we often find ourselves “wondering” how things are between us and God. You know, are we “good”? We SAY we walk in faith and believe the best, but we can become so tied to our feelings and emotions that they can over-ride our current status of faith. Maybe we’re struggling with a type of sin, maybe we said something we shouldn’t have, perhaps we judged someone, or acted selfishly, or maybe we even feel that we have been distant from the Lord lately.

If we read into this particular letter (to Timothy) we do see that Timothy has his spiritual hands full. In our lives we can be pulled in many different directions. We can have a lot going on at once, just like Timothy did. We can often find ourselves over-whelmed and wondering which thing we need to give our attention to next.

But as important as those things may seem, and as important as they were to Timothy, Paul starts his letter by bringing what’s most important back into focus. The thing is, if our focus is wrong, and we get off center, we’re unable to function in life. Through some of our friends , I’m often reminded (thankfully) how important to God (and to us) the SIMPLE things in life were intended to be. How often we neglect them! The simple truths in life establish us.

Honestly, how many times have (even us “FAITH” people) had the thought come to us that “the reason we’re experiencing these horrible things is that somehow we deserve them, or it’s because we did THIS or didn’t do THAT”? How many times have you heard folks say that the reason “x” happened is because God is “trying to TEACH THEM SOMETHING”?

The truth is, no matter how strong in faith we are, we need encouragement. We need the Word, and we need each other. We do however; always need to be reminded that our relationship with God (our primary focus) remains in good standing – not because of what we’ve done or haven’t done, but because of WHO GOD IS.

SO, when we come to God, we need to understand how we are received, and Paul is re-iterating that to us here. We know that in Hebrews 4:16 that we’re told to come BOLDLY to the throne of Grace, whether we feel that way or not. Paul is telling us here, that when we approach the Father, to say hello, to ask for something, or WHATEVER IT MAY BE, before anything comes out of our mouths, His extended greeting to US initially, is GRACE MERCY and PEACE. Stop and say that to yourself out loud. Go ahead. Let it sink in.

I’m reminded of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15. Before he could ever utter a word out of his mouth, his father had already forgiven him. If you look at the passage, we’re told the father noticed the son “while he was a long way off”. The father’s extension toward the son was already decided. The father had extended GRACE, MERCY and PEACE. The father had extended HIS hand to the son before the son could say a thing. I don’t know about you, but that humbles me. I know that I do not deserve that. I don’t need to be reminded about all I’ve done wrong, or fell short of. I’m well aware of those things. Reminding me of those things doesn’t really bring me closer to God (and don’t expect it to do so for anyone else either). The father didn’t do that to the son in Luke 15, and we should expect no less from Him. God’s attitude toward me in WHATEVER state I am in (emotionally or otherwise) when I approach Him, is GRACE MERCY and PEACE.

Any thoughts? I'll follow up in the days to come.