Three Truths

1)  Feeling Weak?

Philippians 4:13 “For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.”

Everything.  All things.  Every single thing.  There is nothing coming your way today that God can't get you through.  Feeling sapped of your strength?  That's actually good... because it means that you'll need God's.  And He has plenty.


2)  Feeling Afraid?

Psalm 27:1  “The Lord is my light and my salvation—
    so why should I be afraid?
The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger,
    so why should I tremble?”

Feeling scared today?  Why?  What is coming... you'll be ready for.  When you need God... He'll be there.  Who you're worried about... God is already working in their heart.  Don't let the stress of what might happen rob you of the victories that are already here.  Live in the moment and not the maybe.


3)  Feeling Alone?

Joshua 1:9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

You can't outrun Him.  You can't push Him away...even though you may think you can by what you said, felt, or thought.  He is a faithful companion...a loving Father...and a trustworthy Friend.  God loves you more than you'll ever know... and it's because of that love that He promises to stand by your side forever.  You aren't alone. Ever.


When the enemy tries to make you feel weak, afraid, or alone... claim these truths from scripture.  They are yours.  Keep them close to your heart.  And when you need them, claim them.  And then tell God how much you appreciate His neverending love for you.

Know that you are in my thoughts and prayers... Pastor Troy

Immediately

“Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves.  About three o’clock in the morning[a] Jesus came toward them, walking on the water.  When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, “It’s a ghost!”

  But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!”

  Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.”

  “Yes, come,” Jesus said.

   So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus.  But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted.

  Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?”

  When they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped.  Then the disciples worshiped him. “You really are the Son of God!” they exclaimed.”  Matthew 14:24-33

If we are going to accomplish great things for God... we have to get out of the boat and trust Him.  Peter experienced something the other disciples didn’t... simply because he trusted his Creator enough to step over the side and trust.   Today, I want you to go back to this verse and look at one simple word that teaches a powerful lesson. 

That word?    

Immediately.

The passage says that Jesus “immediately reached out and grabbed him.” 

I love that!  Many times when we think about this passage (or we see a picture of the scene), we see Jesus several yards away from His young pupil... beckoning him like a parent does to a toddler just learning to walk.  That’s simply not the case.  When Peter takes his eyes off of Christ and starts to sink... the Bible says Jesus is one arms length away.  Let that sink in a second...  Jesus was right there.... Ready to immediately catch him.  Never leaving his side.

Do you know what?  When you decide to climb out of the boat... to take a risk... to go after becoming the person God’s created you to be...

You’ll be one arm’s length away from Christ too.  

He’s not going to have to run to you when you call... He’s not going to sit back and watch you struggle...or fail...or cry.  He will be right there alongside you.  He’ll save you if you start to slip.  He’ll never let you out of His sight.  You are in good hands.  

Be bold.  Step out.  Have faith.  You are safe.

Full Sacrifice

“This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”  John 15:12-13

   

     The cruise ship, the Costa Concordia, struck rocks off the west coast of Italy and began to take on water.  Chaos ensued.  Passengers screamed, people began to fight over life jackets, men pushed past women and children, and many tried to launch the lifeboats half-full.   In the turmoil, a crew member by the name of Manrico Giampedroni, 57, had a decision to make.  Stay on the ship and help the passengers or save himself.   Valiantly, Manrico searched for passengers in the wet and cold hallways of the ship... returning time and time again to places where people screamed out in terror.  One by one, he led people to the safe arms of those in the life boats.  Before long, the skies grew dark and visibility fell to zero.  In an effort to rescue even more passengers, Manrico slipped and fell in the rising water and broke his leg. 

 In scripture, Jesus teaches us to love others the way He loves us.  

Completely...sacrificially...wholly.  We are to love others with a type of love that is unique and unconditional.   One, that when displayed, makes others see the reflection of Jesus Christ.  The King of Kings and Lord of Lords paid the ultimate price for those He loves... you and I.   He willingly carried His cross, was nailed to it’s beam, and gave up His life.  For us.  For you.  God gave His one and only Son so that we could better understand the extent we are to go in loving others.  Today’s verse says there is “no greater love” than this... sacrificing self...putting personal needs second to the needs of others...giving it all... for those that God puts in our path.  How far would you go to show love?

    

Mother Teresa once said “I have found the paradox, that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love.”  I think that’s true.  Love knows no end.  When we give of ourselves and sacrifice fully for others, we simply find the ability to love more deeply.  

36 hours after the accident, rescue workers found Manrico Giampedroni.

Alive and well.  Shaken and in pain, but alive.  

Who needs you to love them at that level today?  Who needs you to sacrifice for them... to boldly step into their life and rescue them... regardless of the danger or possible turmoil?   It’s my prayer that you would not only discover that person but would have the courage to love without limits.

Giving It All

John 15:12-13 says, “This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”  

Liza was suffering from a rare and serious disease. Her only chance of recovery appeared to be a blood transfusion from her five-year-old brother. The doctor explained the situation to her little brother, and asked the boy if he would be willing to give his blood to his sister. He hesitated for only a moment before taking a deep breath and saying, ‘Yes, I’ll do it if it will save Liza.’  As the transfusion progressed, he lay in a bed next to his sister and smiled, seeing the color returning to her cheeks. Then his face grew pale and his smile faded. He looked up at the doctor and asked with a trembling voice, ‘Will I start to die right away?’  Being young, the boy had misunderstood the doctor; he thought he was going to have to give her all of his blood.  He was willing to lose everything to save the one he loved.

Sacrifice, selfless generosity, full commitment... these are the things of love.  Real love.  The love that Christ showed on the cross for mankind... and the type of love He asks us to demonstrate to those we call family or friend.   Are you willing to lose everything for the sake of another?  You may never be called to... but it’s this kind of dedication and devotion that changes the world. 

Balance?

Many see life like the croaking of a frog.

RIBBIT  -  rest  -  RIBBIT   -  rest.  -  RIBBIT - rest

Perfectly metered...equally paced.  Off, on, off, on.   Work, home, work, home.  A perfect    blend. This is NOT life.  You may hear this in a swamp but you won’t see it in your neighborhood.  We get into trouble when we feel like our lives should live up to this unrealistic expectation.  It simply isn’t possible or necessary.

Life is much more like the song of the bird.  Music... loud, soft, long rests and short blasts.  Melodic...flowing...pausing...restarting.  It isn’t loud crescendos all the time... often it’s calm melodies... thoughtful passages where great focus is placed on the benefit of the entire piece over one grouping of instruments.  Sometimes it gets very loud and stays there... only to give way to a necessary silence.  A time to catch your breath, turn the page, and continue playing.  Unequally paced...intentionally asymmetrical.

The key to a fulfilled life is seeking Christ in all things... realizing that we should be focused on His rhythms over the hard cadence of what the world deems to be healthy.

I love the way this verse from Matthew talks about it.

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”  Matthew 11:28-30

Recover your life.   Unforced rhythms of grace.  Real rest.

Only through Christ.
Jesus didn’t try to balance His ministry... spending equal time with His disciples and those He came to serve.  Instead He knew that He had a limited time to make an impact for the Kingdom...

He gave His all to fulfill His purpose...
Intentionally poured into His family when He was with them...
Involved those He loved in what He was doing...
Stayed connected to God through honest communication in prayer..

It wasn’t balance He was after... it was rhythm.   The world may have said He wasn’t balanced... and they would be right.  He wasn’t going for parity.  He was fulfilling His purpose.

We should do the same.

Thrive where you’re planted... make the most of the season you’re in... and dance to the perfect rhythm of life by following Christ.  Give up the pursuit of balance and embrace the ebb and flow of God’s timing and mission for your life.

Let the frogs croak... you weren’t meant for the bog anyway.  

Smile!

It’s been said that laughter is like changing a baby’s diaper... it doesn’t permanently solve any problems, but it makes things more acceptable for a while.   So true!  When we are upbeat, positive, and keep our sense of humor... good things happen.  Doctors tell us that happy people decrease their chances of heart attack, high blood pressure, and hypertension.  And those are just the medical benefits!  

The Bible reminds us in Proverbs 17:22 that “A joyful heart is good medicine”  But how can we remain happy throughout our trying days?  Psalm 16:11 answers that by saying that we can find joy in God’s presence.  So that’s the key!  Stay close to God... and He will give us the joy that allows us to laugh when others are anxious and have peace when the world seems dark.  When we deliberately stay in God’s Word, talk with Him consistently through prayer, and worship Him through our actions... we draw closer and become filled with more joy in the process.   Want to be happy and healthy but find yourself stressed and worried?  Get closer to the One who gave you both the reason and ability to smile!

Making Things Right

The bewildered family removed and read the mysterious note from the envelope left at their door... it read: “I am truly sorry for any pain or heartache that my actions may have caused your family.  I hope you can find it in your hearts to forgive me.  As an adult, I realize how sentimental items like this can be.  Sincerely regretful, a dumb kid who wants to right a wrong.”  Inside the envelope was four gold rings that had been stolen from the family 15 years before.  Long forgotten.  

A letter from a remorseful thief that was a decade overdue...  Although the act of returning the rings brought closure... why the delay?  Far too often we act the same way... we wait before we seek forgiveness.  Sometimes too long.   The Bible tells us in Matthew 5 that if we have something hanging over our heads, we should reconcile the situation quickly.  Offer the apology... seek forgiveness...and then move forward.  Don’t let too much time pass between the offense and the opportunity to make things right.  Not only will our conscience be clean... we may save or even strengthen an existing relationship!