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Tuesday, February 6, 2018
One could hardly shoo away a squirrel with this innocent face.
(Photo by Ester Weber)
"The Trial Shot"
One could hardly shoo away a squirrel with this innocent face.
(Photo by Ester Weber)
"The Trial Shot"
Message summary: James does not say "if" but "when" referring not to the possibility but to inevitability of trials! Trials are not an elective, but a required course in the "school of Christian faith"! Trials then are an expected/guaranteed element of the normal Christian life.
Listen to our
message on your
audio player."Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. But endurance must do its complete work, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing" (James 1:2-4). "Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass" (Psalm 37:5).
Every joy or trial falleth from above,
Traced upon our dial by the Sun of Love;
We may trust Him fully all for us to do.
They who trust Him wholly find Him wholly true.
Traced upon our dial by the Sun of Love;
We may trust Him fully all for us to do.
They who trust Him wholly find Him wholly true.
At this time of year a common question posed by medical people is,
"Have you had your flu shot yet?" Well, as a matter of fact all three
of us in the Weber household have had our flu shots and presumably are
well protected.The flu shot is somewhat misnamed although we are so used to it we probably don't think about it. It's really a flu prevention shot. We don't get the shot so we can get the flu but rather to prevent it.
I was talking to Jeannette, a human resource director we work with, about having our flu shots and we considered the question of what if there was a "trial shot"; that is, a shot we could get to prevent us from ever having trials. Now that would sure be popular but Jeannette pointed out that we would need a lot of booster shots!
Of course there is not a "trial shot" and a maturing view of God's ways recognizes that trials are ultimately a part of God's plan in our lives. May the Lord give us the perspective of James who wrote, "Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. But endurance must do its complete work, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing" (James 1:2-4).
Note carefully James does not say "if" but "when" referring not to the possibility but to inevitability of trials! Trials are not an elective, but a required course in the "school of Christian faith"! Trials then are an expected/guaranteed element of the normal Christian life.
Bible teacher Warren Wiersbe writes, "Our values determine our
evaluations. If we value comfort more than character, then trials will
upset us. If we value the material and physical more than the
spiritual, we will not be able to ‘count it all joy!’ If we live only
for the present and forget about the future, the trials will make us
bitter, not better. We must keep in mind that all God plans and
performs here is preparation for what He has in store for us in heaven.
He is preparing us for the life and service yet to come. Nobody yet
knows all that is in store for us in heaven, but we do know that life
on earth is a school in which God trains us for our future ministry in
eternity. This explains the presence of trials in our lives for they
are some of God’s tools and textbooks in the school of Christian
experience."Committing and trusting is God's will at all times but especially during times of trial and transition. All of us will experience this numerous times over our lifetime. One who awaits the results of a series of medical tests; a friend waiting for the "Yes" (or "no") in regard to an exciting career opportunity; a loving grandma praying for a rebellious grandchild; a spouse praying for reconciliation, and you can add your own trying situation as well.
In the New Testament the word translated "commit" has a very interesting background, meaning to "deposit as a trust or for protection". I find it necessary for this to be a present tense type of experience as I have a tendency to withdraw the deposit with my own hands! That's why trusting is so important as we look to the One who is ever trustworthy. Let us commit our way to the Lord and trust in Him this day. May we also experience His peace as we realize He will indeed bring His perfect will to pass in our lives.
Stayed upon Jehovah, hearts are fully blest
Finding, as He promised, perfect peace and rest.
Finding, as He promised, perfect peace and rest.
Be encouraged today.
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily prayer: Father, we
want to place our full confidence in Your sovereign plan for our lives.
We recognize that trials are included in the school of faith helping us
to grow and mature. It also helps us to feel the pain of others who
will undergo similar trials prompting us to undergird them with prayer.
When we overcome trials in life we also provide positive example to the
godly as well as the ungodly. So, Father, we pray for the joy
that comes with knowing that You are working Your purpose in our lives
through not only the blessings we enjoy from day to day but also the
trials we endure from time to time. We thank You for Jesus who helps us to endure and overcome. Amen.
Today's
Suggested Music and
Supplemental Resources
"Like A River Glorious" Video The Smucker Family
"There is Nothing Greater Than the Grace of Jesus" Video Marshall Hall
Finally today:
Mollie is watching the squirrel carefully. But she is surely frustrated as the squirrel is protected by the fence that divides them.
Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne
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Scripture references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. © 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. and the King James Version.
Personal Mission Statement: "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity."
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