KEY THOUGHT: TRIAL and DIFFICULTY do not have to
chip away at our faith... we can GROW and FLOURISH.
We have been speaking about this key
thought drawn from James 1:2 - ". . . when troubles come your way,
consider it an opportunity for great joy."
The truth is, at some time or another,
we are all going to be tempted to believe that this verse must mean something
else! This is especially true when we face "trouble" in
the early stages. Today I want to challenge each of us to step into the
truth of God's Word when facing trouble. We can trust Him...my God knows
BEST and He would not and will not lead us down a dead-end street. If you
are experiencing a season of trouble do not let it dictate how you will
live. Recognize, as did James, that it's an opportunity to see God in a
way that we can't without the trouble. Remember the trouble and danger
are real, but so is the rescue!
If you are struggling today, determine
to think differently and to exercise the faith God has given you by believing
God instead of your worst fears. Psalm 34:4, 6, 8. "I prayed to
the Lord, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears...6 In
my desperation I prayed, and the Lord listened; he saved me from all my
troubles... 8 Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys
of those who take refuge in him!"
This coming weekend we are working
through the passage in James 2:14-26. The passage starts by asking a question,
"What good is it?" It's a great question!
Investigate a little or a lot on your own before Sunday morning, and see how
you might answer the question yourself.
We can hardly wait to join with you as
we celebrate the goodness of our God, catch up with friends and pursue the heart
of God together.
Pastor Craig, Becky, Seth, Hannah and
Riley the dog
P.S. You may have experienced some
parking issues lately. This is due to high attendance at our services and
wow! What great issues to work through! We are working through them
and will be communicating to our church about solutions in the next week or
two. "Consider it an opportunity for great joy."
