Thank God for the Challenges

You can call them whatever you want, but they are part of our lives and the life of the church. Some view them as grave problems. Others see them as insurmountable obstacles, certain defeats, or reasons to give up, but when viewed through the eyes of faith they are simply challenges on the road to heaven.

Thank God for challenges because they teach us to rely on Him. Every reader has one of the “insurmountable obstacles” in his life now or one which will soon be there. We never want them, but they are simply part of life. We need to have an appreciation for them because they help us realize just how weak we are. If we were stronger, we could “fix” them and they would cease to be problems. However, the truth is that such trials force us to admit our weakness and turn to God. Perhaps Paul said it best, “Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Cor. 12:10). That last phrase sums it up best—when I am weak, then I am strong.

Thank God for challenges for they strengthen our souls. The strongest oak is not the one which is nurtured in a greenhouse environment, but one that grows in the open where it battles against the storms around it. The same is true of Christians and the “storms” in their lives. Here is the way God describes trials, “The testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing” (James 1:3-4). The way to full maturity (perfection and completion) is to travel the road of adversity.

Thank God for challenges because they give us a sense of certain victory. We may not win every individual skirmish but the bottom line is that we are winning. Each of us has come a long way in our walk with the Lord and though it has at times been trying, we are better people now than we were before. This is because we are overcoming our encounters with adversity. Look back at your life. You are winning! There are challenges ahead, but you have been winning and with God’s help you will achieve victory!

Now think about the challenges around us and how God is working through us to become victorious. Our latest victory was the lectureship this past weekend. It was the finest we have ever experienced! If you want to know the primary reason, then read David’s article this week. Our finest days and greatest victories lie before us!

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Our Impersonal World

Heaven recognized that the written word can bring joy to those who read it. John had personal knowledge about Jesus and wrote about the joy it brought him. “That which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us . . . And these things we write to you that your joy may be full” (1 John 1:3-4). John wanted others to share in the joy he had because of his personal knowledge of Jesus and wrote to them so that their joy might be full.

However, even John realized that there was a higher level of joy. When he wrote his second epistle it was much shorter. At the end of it he gives an astonishing revelation about a greater joy than one which comes from simply reading his words. “Having many things to write to you, I did not wish to do so with paper and ink; but I hope to come to you and speak face to face, that our joy may be full” (2 John 12). He made a conscious choice not to write words that might bring joy, but to wait until he could speak with them face to face realizing that greater joy would result.

This is a principle Christians must not overlook in our world filled with technology. Think of how much of our communication with others is impersonal. Be honest, how do you feel when you are phoning to get personal attention and you are confronted with “Press one” or “Press two”? When you press the appropriate number you hear another set of instructions about other numbers to press. Whatever happened to talking to a human being!

The same situation is found in widespread use of answering machines. You leave a message because the opportunity is there, but you never know if it is received or more importantly if it is understood.

Then consider how much communication is centered around text messaging and e-mails. Is there anything more impersonal than a message sent via these methods, especially if you know it may have been sent in a similar form to others?

I am thankful for all that we have to assist us using technology—for example, this very bulletin! Such advancement has changed our world. However, it has removed the personal touch from many relationships.

Now think about what John said about a higher way to bring joy to others. Christianity, by its very nature, is personal and we must make sure that we bring greater joy to others, personally.

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The Presidential Secret File

I suspect that almost every American believes that in the deep recesses of the Oval Office is a top secret folder prepared by the outgoing president to be given to the newly elected one. No one knows about it but we suspect it exists and is marked “For President’s Eyes Only.” In it is found secret information about all the plots from foreign lands to destroy America. There is probably information about the Kennedy assassination, the truth about Area 51 in Roswell, and a host of information about other trivial matters.

Of even greater importance would be the information about how to govern this great land. There would be information about how to make wise decisions which would guarantee the glorious future of the land we love so much. Think for just a moment about the awesome responsibility a new president has! Think of his need for wisdom and guidance in leading our nation!

The kings of Israel had this same need for wisdom and information about how to lead God’s chosen people. Hundreds of years before their first king was crowned God prepared His “secret folder” to be used by the new king. Fortunately, that folder is not secret. We can read it.

“When he sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself a copy of this law in a book, from the one before the priests, the Levites. And it shall be with him, and he shall read it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the LORD his God and be careful to observe all the words of this law and these statutes, that his heart may not be lifted above his brethren, that he may not turn aside from the commandment to the right hand or to the left, and that he may prolong his  days in his kingdom, he and his children in the midst of Israel” (Deut. 17:18-20).

Now imagine a new king, like David who had been raised to be a shepherd, ascending to the throne. Imagine the impact of his making his own handwritten copy of the Bible. Imagine that copy being at his side as he governed the people. Imagine him reading it every single day with the intent of carefully observing all that God said. Imagine these words keeping his heart from being lifted up with pride and humbly following God’s teaching and prolonging his days.

In just weeks we will have a new president. Let us pray for him as he governs us. Let us pray that there will be the copy of the Bible by his side and that he will spend time every day letting God lead him and give him wisdom. Pray!

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Following the Footprints of Jesus

We often sing songs about following the Master. Who has not sung “Where He Leads Me I Will Follow” or “Footprints of Jesus”? Sometimes I imagine how wonderful it would have been to follow Him up the mountain and listen to that sermon delivered there. Or think of how thrilling it would have been to have followed Him to the shores of Galilee and heard that sermon He preached from the boat. Let’s take a moment to follow His footprints when He worshiped.

His “worship footprints” began early in His life. The details of His trip to Jerusalem at age 12 are well known. He had traveled from Nazareth some 70 miles and arrived at the holy city. It is important to note that Jesus did not go to worship because His parents made Him go. This is emphasized by the fact of where He was when His parents found Him. He had been lost for three days, yet He was still in the temple! He could have been anywhere in the city, but His response to His parents indicated that the temple was the first place where they should have looked for Him. He was at the place where God was worshiped and His desire to be there was because it was where He found the things of His Father!

There is another incident in the life of Jesus which shows His attitude toward worship. Read Mark chapter one, where the word “immediately” is found eight times. The most significant is in verse 21 where Mark records, “They went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and taught.” His first action in entering the city was to worship!

Shortly after His baptism and temptation in the wilderness Jesus returned to His home town. “So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read” (Luke 4:16). Don’t overlook that key phrase “as He custom was”!

His “worship footprints,” which began early in His life, were there to the very end. In Gethsemane, He said, “I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize Me” (Mark 14:49). Day after day, He was there in that house of worship!

What about you and your footprints? He longed to be in the house of God, even spending three days there at one time. His first action in a new city was to worship! Worshiping God was His custom. He loved to worship God, even every day. You might check your footprints!

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He Offered, but They were Not Willing

Heaven had so much to offer the Jewish nation. The prophets of God were in its midst and delivered the precious words of the Bible to them (Rom. 3:1) for a thousand years. Even more than this was the fact that God longed to dwell among them, but they rejected Him in His holy temple. Finally, Jesus came and vividly illustrated all that God still had to offer them. “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem . . . How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing” (Matt. 23:37)! The picture of distressed chicks finding shelter and warmth under the hen’s wings is what God wanted so often, but the Jews “were not willing!” If Israel had listened to the Scriptures they would have known what was found under His wings.

There is loving kindness found under His wings. David said, “How precious is Your loving kindness, O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings” (Psalm 36:7). There is no doubt about the fact that His loving kindness is infinite. There is no doubt where it is found—under His wings. The tragedy is that though He longed to give it, they “were not willing!”                 There is a place of refuge under His wings. The heading of Psalm 57 shows that it was written when David was hiding in a cave in order to escape from the armies of angry King Saul. His prayer begins, “Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me! For my soul trusts in You; And in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge, Until these calamities have passed by” (Psalm 57:1). Put yourself in David’s place and sense his dire circumstances. Instead of being distressed, he saw His only hope was to hide himself under the wings of God and find refuge “until these calamites have passed by.” This same place of refuge was so often available for Israel but they “were not willing!”

There is joy found under His wing. “Because You have been my help, Therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice” (Psalm 63:7). It makes no difference what happens outside His wings, those there can rejoice because of the help found there. The joy was available for Israel, but they “were not willing!”

There is a place for YOU under His wings. God’s nature has not changed. What He offered Israel He offers to you—and even more! He so often offers the shelter under His wings.  Hear His invitation and find His loving kindness, His refuge and His joy. Make sure YOU are willing!

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