Sunday: The Lord's Day: Learning not to Judge

Growing up with a mother who works at a large church, I have experienced all the politics that go on behind the scenes. Yes, you heard me right. Even churches often act like businesses with the politics of the haves and the have-nots. No one and nothing comes without flaws.

Romans 3:23For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

Should strife and earthly conflicts take place inside the church? No! After all, we are supposed to shine as a light to the world. But we cannot completely avoid these things. The key comes in doing your best to follow Christ’s example and praying regularly for the church community. We cannot help messing up here and there. We are human and messing up comes with human nature. However, we know that Christ redeems us and forgives us for the things we do wrong. He also admonishes us against allowing what we witness to control how we act and think.

More than once, I have allowed my own feelings to take over and control my actions and thoughts. I became bitter towards those involved in the politics of the church and wanted to rebel. God still had a thing or two to teach me. I tried continually to respect authority and keep a healthy attitude about things. Then the other day, I read something that changed my outlook forever. I read Philippians 1:15-18, mentioned in Max Lucado’s book, “Every Day Deserves a Chance.”

Philippians 1:15-18 It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. The latter do so in love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.

Before I go any further, I have to give you a little background from my experience with prejudice. One time, my church discovered that a pastor there had covered up an old sin. The elders offered him counseling and a probationary period in a lower position, but he refused. Although he seemed to have repented of the original offense, his pride kept him from taking his lumps. Instead, he quit and started a new, competing church. Many in the congregation split off to follow him.

At first, I hated the man. I believed such a man should not pastor a church. I failed to realize that God can bring good out of the bad. Although the politics continue in both his church and my church, the important thing is the fact that Christ is preached. Does that make what he did right? No! But it does mean that Christ is now preached to more people!

When Paul wrote Philippians, he was in prison. He had experienced prison and worse in the past and, now, supposed brethren were doing things just to hurt him. He did not let the trials and persecution get him down. He knew God was in control and that God was using him to preach the gospel. He knew that the important thing was that Christ was preached.

In verse 15, Paul mentions that there are some who preach the gospel only for their own gain and with the wrong motives, but in verse 18 he says,

What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached, and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice.

No matter what the politics are behind the scenes, I should rejoice that Christ is preached. Let God judge; I am here to be a light to the world.

Personal Monday: Faith, Music, Segways, Trips to the Doctor's Office, and More

Now Listening to: Spamalot (I know it’s dirty in parts, but I can’t help but enjoy it, the music’s so hilarious. I don’t mind the gay stuff because it makes fun of gay men, not that I would ever make fun of them myself. Plus, we all know Lancelot will leave the prince for Guinevere.)

I have way too much to talk about today! I don’t know how I’ll remember everything. So stick with me on this. It’s going to be a long post.

I got up early this morning (around 3:30 AM) to go lay in my front yard with my dad to watch the stars. Why so early in the morning you ask? Because that is the best time to watch a meteor shower and reflect on God's glory while doing so. It was amazing. There was a about one meteor per minute for an hour straight. Most of them weren't very bright, but every once in a while there were some real good ones! I love watching the stars and listening to the crickets! It's my favorite activity other than going out in the morning to sit and read in the park and to watch the sun rise.

I’ve started reading my Bible every morning and it’s helping me keep a positive outlook throughout my days. I am reading Proverbs and Jeremiah right now. If anyone has any favorite passages, feel free to post them as comments. You have no idea how much of a difference it makes reading your Bible every morning until you actually start doing it.

The Bible says to meditate on God’s word daily.

Joshua 1:8
Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.

Psalm 1:2
But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.

Psalm 119:27
Let me understand the teaching of your precepts; then I will meditate on your wonders.

I don’t often pay attention to verses like these. I can be lazy that way. I find that I only read my Bible when I’m on an emotional high peak. I want to change this. I know God wants me to spend more time with Him during good and depressing/stressful times.

Two recent events sparked these thoughts in my mind. First, I have spent a lot of time worrying about college lately. I didn’t want a roommate, but I got one. I have no transportation, so I am worried about that. I worry about making friends, doing well in classes, and getting a job. I cried and whined about all of these things and then I woke up and realized I cannot snap my fingers and make my problems go away. Neither will God snap His fingers and make things better; I must wait on Him. In His own timing, He will answer my prayers, and He won’t always answer them the way I want them answered. He knows what I need and will provide that much. I must put my faith in Him and count on His own good timing and purpose. I plan on posting a short devotional that expands on what I’ve learned from this some time in the future.

Second, some family friends came through town the other day and I had lunch with them. They were very encouraging and one of them kept telling me I should start memorizing scripture. I find that the few times I see them during the year they lift me up spiritually. They live out their faith. I look up to them as role models. Talking about college with them got me thinking about how much faith I really put in God. I need to trust God more with my life and pray more often from my heart, not just out of selfish wants and desires. I selfishly want my own dorm room and I selfishly want some reliable mode of transportation for college.

I have found partial solutions to some of the things that have been stressing lately. Have you ever heard of a Segway? It’s a battery powered transportation vehicle that goes about 12 miles per hour and can be used on sidewalks (I’ve included a picture of one). It seems a good option for transportation during college, but comes with a large price tag (anywhere from $2,000 to $5,000). On the bright side, it saves money compared to a car (I have yet to get a driver’s license – speaking of which, I’m very nervous about my driving test this Thursday seeing as how I haven’t practiced much). Still, I have a feeling that I don’t need a segway. I sure want one, but do I really need one. You still get exercise. You have way more fun. But I just have a feeling that I am being selfish in wanting and asking for one. I don’t want to let the segway control me. On the other hand, it might help me get a sign twisting job for a place like Little Caesars’s.

Transferring to a new college requires an even more stressful, time consuming health evaluation that I have been working on with my doctor all summer. Today I got a TB shot and will have it tested on Wednesday. This is my third shot this summer (I also got Hepatitis A and Whooping Cough shots) on top of numerous needles piercing my skin to take my blood for tests. Not that it hurts any. The only hurt came when I got a week long fever from the Whooping Cough shot. It’s just a lot of hassle in a short time. I should have had my health form in to my college long ago, but now I have to wait until I get there to turn it in.

I must have been to the doctor’s office at least ten times in the last few months (I might be exaggerating a little). The worse part of going to the doctor’s office for me is talking about my weight. They just love to lecture you. Luckily, I’ve been doing fairly well. I’ve lost a pound a week, going for about six pounds total this summer. Eating healthier and eating smaller portions isn’t easy, I’ve splurged one too many times, but I seem to lose weight anyway. Not a lot, mind you. Besides, once college starts up I’m sure I’ll gain the freshman 4-15 or whatever it’s called when you gain weight from all the cafeteria food. I do want to become healthier. I want to represent God well with my body. It also helps not being fat if you want a segway (a segway can only hold 300 pounds max, which I’m pretty close to). From what I’ve read, if I get one I’ll get a rude remark from time to time (“Walking’s Healthier!” – But segways do take a lot of exercise; plus they’re certainly healthier than driving a car). I won’t worry about that right now, though. I know I can handle one. I took a tour of Angel Island on one last Friday and had a great time. Besides, I am slowing learning to take things day by day and to not become anxious about the future.

On one last note, I’d just like to recommend a couple of movies. First, “Fat Like Me.” It’s a Lifetime TV Channel Original Film about a skinny girl who wears a fat suit to see what it’s like to be fat. She finds that it’s a lot harder than it sounds. People make fun of her and treat her like an animal or monster when she’s in the fat suit. It’s a good movie, although I did not like the ending. The only way I know of to get it is through itunes, but I’m sure there are other ways.

The second film I wanted to recommend is “Hairspray” is still in theatres. I loved this film. It’s taken me way too long to get around to posting on it. It’s about a big girl making her dreams come true despite her size. The only problem I have with plots like these is that the obese characters show pride in their size. I see no problem in showing pride in who you are and what your abilities are, but I do not think it right to take pride in your size when you should make every effort you can to be as healthy as you can. I do have one short complaint about “Hairspray” and that is that the main character’s mother is played by a man, John Travolta. The scenes with the mother and father made me smile and laugh, but then I would remember that the mother was a man in a fat suit and I could not enjoy it any more. I find cross dressing just disgusting. I won’t judge those who choose that lifestyle, but I will never support the lifestyle itself along with the homosexual, bisexual, and sex change life styles.

Just to show you how long it took me to write this post, I am now half way through the soundtrack to “The Pirate Queen.” It has some nice songs, but the show was boring and lacked character development. You don’t feel attached to the characters when you should (rather like the movie “Eragon”). Still, it’s a good soundtrack with a good cast, even if it is too similar to “Les Miserables.”

Creative Thursday: The Free Iccee Man

This is somewhat spiritual, considering it's introduction and ending, but if you read the story by itself, it's a short story. I based this one on a dream that I recently had. I know, I speel iccee wrong, but whatever.

The Free Iccee Man
My life is like a bed sheet or blanket. No matter how hard I try to straighten it out, there is always a wrinkle. Sometimes big, sometimes small. Big wrinkles are the worst. They make me feel like God isn't there. I think Satan likes to play with my mind. How do I get rid of Him? How do I resist temptation? Does God still love me even when I do the same wrong thing over and over again? What about when I do it so much I don't even feel guilty any more, I just feel empty? Every time I ask forgiveness, but then I turn around and do it again. I don't want to be a bad person. It's like this:

There once was a young girl. She loved icee cones, but they were never free. Not until this one man came and put on a contest for a free iccee. As it turned out, He was only going to choose a few out of many to get that free iccee. And those few would have to take good care of their iccee. They couldn't spill it, or drop it, lest they should lose the wonderful taste of the iccee. So, the time came for the man to chose the winners. The young girl wanted an iccee so bad. She just had to get that free iccee. She didn't have enough money to buy one from the other vendors, and even if she did, she knew the other icees were not nearly as tasty as the free ones. They were fake and icky tasting. The young girl knew this very well. Her stomach growled. She was hungry for an iccee all right. But how was she going to get it. Not everyone would get chosen. She had little chance. But low and behold her name was the first to be called when it came time to give away the free iccees. She jumped for joy. To think that she had been called, out of everyone in the entire area. And she knew that her iccee would be delicious. She slowly walked up to the man who was giving away the free iccees. "Why are giving me a free iccee?" she asked Him. "Because I love all the children of this playground," he replied, "And I would sacrifice everything to see them all smile. But they had to come to me first. They had to put their name in my box so I would know they sought my free iccees. Then they could win no matter what. You did that. You gave up everything else on that playground and all those other iccee stalls to come and receive my iccees. Now take you iccee and go. Tell the other children about me. But be careful. They may want you to get another vendor's iccees. They may want you to play on the playground when you have not yet finished your iccee. Take care of your iccee. Do as I say until you have eaten all of that iccee and then I will return to give you more when the time comes. That will be your reward." So the little girl went along on her way and sat down on a bench for a bite of her free iccee. It was delicious. She wanted to gobble it down fast, but she knew that would give her a brain freeze. She slowed down a bit. Across the way she saw another child with an iccee from one of the other vendor stalls. The other child called out to her to join him. "Come and try my iccee, it will be better than yours," he said. The girl knew better than to listen to the invitation, but the temptation was strong. A bit of another iccee couldn't harm her. She would still have her own iccee if she needed it. So, she went over to the boy. His iccee was good. The boy could tell she liked it, so he let her have some more. The second bite was even better. In no time the two had devoured the iccee together. The girl still had her free iccee in her hand. She hadn't eaten any more of it since her first bite. It was starting to melt. Another boy came over and said hi. He asked her if she would play with him on the playground. Well, this did sound tempting. The boy was very cute, and the playground looked like fun. So, she forgot she had the free iccee in her hand and she began to walk over to the playground. On her way over she tripped and the free iccee got all dirty when it hit the ground. The girl began to cry. She had forgotten how much she had wanted that free iccee. An iccee was starting to sound good again. She picked up the dirty iccee and began to study it. Slowly, but surely, the dirt disappeared as she picked it off with her fingers. Even still, there were some spots on it in the end. She tried her iccee, but it was even more melted now and the dirt had turned the flavor somewhat bitter. Not knowing that she could have just scraped off the top to find a fresh new layer, she sat on the ground, crying. The two boys from before and a few other kids came over to find out what was wrong. She told them. They tried to comfort her with their smooth voices and funny jokes, but nothing helped. She still felt empty. One child asked her to play on the playground. "It will make you forget your troubles and burdens," the child said, "you can be a beautiful princess and I'll be your prince charming." The young girl smiled. Being beautiful did sound nice. Maybe pretending to be a princess would make her forget how ugly she was. So, she went along with all the other children to play with them on the playground. But when the end of the day came, everyone had left and the young girl was all alone again. The next day came and went with no free iccee. The girl just sat there feeling empty inside. She tried different things in the following days, but none of them made her feel better. Then, one day, she remembered the kind man's words. He said he would come back, and she could have another free iccee. But she couldn't remember where in the park he was located. She searched for days and days until she finally gave up. The children of the playground invited her back. She tried that, but she just knew she would never find happiness in the playground. She had to search again. It was a big park, but she found that kind man and his iccee machine. He told her he had been wondering where she had gone. She confessed everything. To her surprise, he forgave her and gave her another free iccee. She knew she had to take good care of it this time. But temptation came again and she fell. She went back again and again to the kind man asking his forgiveness. One day she finally asked him, "Will the iccees ever taste as good as they did the first time?" "That's up to you," he replied. "I've been so bad," the young girl said, "and for so long. I'm no longer young, but am a young lady now. Can I ever change myself to be good again?" "That's up to you," the man said, "You must learn to have faith in me, and to no longer fall to temptation. You must turn from your sins." "Was I ever saved?" she asked him. "From the very beginning I chose you," he told her, "So, you figure it out for yourself. Remember, though, I am always here with my free iccees. You just have to come to me. Now go, and tell the others about my gift to them."

That's what my life is like. I know the truth and the facts that support the truth in my head, but my heart does not feel saved. I believe in my head but I feel like my heart does not believe. I feel empty. I know I shouldn't rely on my feelings, but what do I do? Even when I search I have trouble finding the Kind Man (God/Jesus). What should I do? Does God forgive me?

Woman at the Well Video

I know how it is to want to be loved. To want people to know how I feel and realize only God can truly understand who I am. I'm a plus sized girl. I want to be beautiful. I've nver had many friends. I like to brag sometimes when I do well on something or to talk endlessly about something because it makes me feel special.

That being said, I found the following video at http://emergingwomen.blogspot.com/2007/07/woman-at-well.html. The video is so amazing! The poem is wonderful but what really got me were the questions at the end. Just beautiful and thought provoking. I've been reading a book called Redeeming Love that deals with this too, based on Hosea. I'll post a review of that book next wednesday.



Do you remember who you were when you found Him?

Who are you now?

Personal Monday: Act of Faith in Prayer

Dear Lord,
I meant to post one thing yesterday (Monday) and ended up posting another thing. Although I still feel the way I did then, I admit that I let my emotions run wild and control me. I cried desprately, even though there was no fix at the time. Lord, help me to put my trust and faith in You. Help me to realize and to truly believe that You are in control. Let Your will, not mine be done. May I be humbled by this experience. Show me thy ways, Lord, and I will follow. I will prepare for what seems to be coming, and when the time is right you will answer my prayers or use me for something I could never imagine. Thank you for your providence, Lord. Thank you for your beauty.
In Jesus name, Amen

Grandma's Verse: Isaiah 41:13

Every once in a while I'll have a small surprise waiting for me in the mail: a letter from my great grandma. I love reading her letters because they're so simple. She talks about her daily life and every day ordinary things. What grandma does not like to talk? She always leaves me with a verse to think on, so I've decided that whenever I get a letter from her I'll post her verse on this blog. Today's verse is Isaiah 41:13.

"For I, the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee." Isaiah 41:13

Sunday: The Lord's Day: Trials and Temptations

Just a quick side-note: this is a long post (I don't post long posts very often) so if you want to skip ahead and read other posts I suggest using the archive or labels. Thanks, and I'm open to your comments (I wrote this with my dad's help in 10th grade for Bible class).

Trials and Temptations Sermon
Trials and temptations (Based on James 1: 1-12) Copyright Harmony

A. My message on trials and temptations comes from James 1:2-18, which we’ve already read.

1. With recent events such as 9-11 and a tsunami in the Indian Ocean, many people are asking: Why?

2. Why do we have trials?

3. How do we get through them?

4. What attitude & response should we have?

B. Body

1. Before we can answer this question, we must first define what a trial is.

a. The NAS NT Greek Lexicon defines a trial as:

· the test of a person's fidelity, integrity, virtue, constancy

· a temptation, whether arising from desires or outward circumstances

b. Biblically, we must understand that:

· Satan is the Tempter; he, the corruption in the world, and our own, sinful desires create trials, or the testing of our faith.

c. We must also understand that there are different kinds of trials:

· unfortunate circumstances tempt you to lose faith

· uncomfortable duty tempts you to disobey

· good circumstances tempt you to sin

· something good tempts you to pass up the best that God has for you

c. Example

· When I went to France last summer, I expected the best. However, I found myself in a quite different situation. Peers and adults pressured me to drink and smoke, I had to defend my faith, and I had to get through hard circumstances.

2. Attitude

a. We need to look at our trials with Joy.

· James 1:2 says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds”

b. When we do not have this attitude of joy, we ask “Why,” and often blame God.

i Example

· In France, I found myself questioning God, asking why He brought me there, why I even wanted to go there in the first place. I was placing blame on God that should have been on my self, even though it was my choice to go there. I was not looking at things with joy.

· I John 2:16 says, “For everything in the world, the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes, and the boasting of what he has and does comes not from the Father, but from the world.”

· ii. This “selfishness” of our desires tempts us to stray from what God has planned for us.

Example

· Greg Knapp: Had a sailboat that provided relaxation and family time that he really needed. After becoming a Christian, he realized that the time required to go sailing kept him from going to church. He was tempted by what seemed good in the world’s eyes, but he chose God’s best by selling the boat so he could go to church.

c. God always provides relief from temptation and trials.

i. God provides a “right” decision; you always have a choice.

· 1 Cor. 10:13 says, “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”

ii. God will help you see the right decision.

· James 1:5 says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.”

iii. Under hard circumstances, God will help you get through. He can provide the smallest ways to bring relief.

d. Example

· Once again, I recall my experience in France. Even though I had questioned God, I found the strength to put faith in Him. When I was tempted, I said no. When I was homesick or just plain sick of the circumstances, God provided ways to cheer me up. Twice, I saw Christian groups performing in the streets. My parents found a church that I was able to go to. The people at the church were good to me: they gave me rides and invited me into their home for dinner. Finally, the night before my flight home, I could not get a ride to the airport. I tried calling the pastor of the church to get the number of a lady who I knew would give me a ride; but when I went to call her, my phone would not work: I was out of minutes! By this time it was nearly midnight. You can imagine my panic. I gave a final prayer and headed out the door to find a pay phone. As soon as the door close behind me, my phone rang. It was Dorcus, the woman I was trying to call! She drove me to the airport and I got home safely. The Lord provided for me and got me through my trials.

3. God has a purpose for trials.

a. Trials lead to perseverance and maturity. In the end, rewards await us in heaven

i. God can use temptations to test us to confirm the strength of our faith and the sincerity of our love for Him. When the heat is on, we reveal who are and what we truly believe.

ii. Painful situations produce character the same way regular exercise tones muscles. As they say, “No pain, no gain.”

· James 1:2-4 says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

b. God uses trials to correct and train, because he loves us.

· Hebrews 12:5, 6 says, “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.”

c. example

On December 26, 2004 an Indian Ocean tsunami caused destruction, suffering, and death along the shores of Africa, India, southern Asia, and islands of the Indian Ocean.

i. Why?

· Gregory Boyd, author of Is God to Blame? says, “Because the first humans sinned, the laws of nature have been corrupted and don’t all operate now the way God originally intended them to…. If it wasn’t for the angelic and human rebellion, we wouldn’t have tsunamis or hurricanes or AIDS or anything of the sort.”

ii. God won’t fix the problem of evil because separating good from evil would end the current world system early.

- Judging good and evil before the Second Coming would be like choosing the winner of a ten-mile race after only nine miles.

- God would no longer get to show how He can bring good out of evil

- God’s children would no longer grow

- God’s children could no longer earn rewards

- No one would be left for God to save

· In the Parable of Weeds, found in Matthew 13:29-30, it says, “No, he answered, because while you are pulling the weeds you may root up the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time, I will tell the harvesters, “First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.”

· Author John Blanchard says, “In short, if God tweaked the laws of nature billions of times a day merely to ensure everybody’s freedom from trials, we would never know which physical laws were operating from one moment to the next.”

iii. In the end, God will judge evil, Christ will come again, and the righteous will be rewarded.

· James 1:12 says, “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.”

iv. There are many reasons that we could never understand. It is not up to us to decide what we should and should not know.

· To know exactly why, we would have to know the mind of God

o I Corinthians 2:11 says, “In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.”

C. To summarize:

1. You will be tried.

a. Bad circumstances will test your faith

b. You will need to do things that you don’t want to do

c. Desire for good things will tempt you to sin or will keep you from the best that God has for you.

· 1 John 2:15 says, “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”

2. Choose the right attitude when going through trials and temptations: Joy!

· I Peter 4:13 says, “Rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ so that you may be overjoyed when His glory is revealed.”

3. Resist wrong attitudes

a. Realize that our desires can be evil and destructive

b. Don’t blame God

c. Don’t expect to know the Big Why

c. When you fail -- and you will -- don’t give up. There is always a way out.

· Matthew 26:41 says, “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.”

4. Persevere

i. You will grow stronger and more mature,

ii. You will gain rewards in heaven

iii. Going though trials won’t last forever.

· In closing, James 5: 8, 11 says, “You, too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.”

A. My message on trials and temptations comes from James 1:2-18, which we’ve already read.

1. With recent events such as 9-11 and a tsunami in the Indian Ocean, many people are asking: Why?

2. Why do we have trials?

3. How do we get through them?

4. What attitude & response should we have?

B. Body

1. Before we can answer this question, we must first define what a trial is.

a. The NAS NT Greek Lexicon defines a trial as:

· the test of a person's fidelity, integrity, virtue, constancy

· a temptation, whether arising from desires or outward circumstances

b. Biblically, we must understand that:

· Satan is the Tempter; he, the corruption in the world, and our own, sinful desires create trials, or the testing of our faith.

c. We must also understand that there are different kinds of trials:

· unfortunate circumstances tempt you to lose faith

· uncomfortable duty tempts you to disobey

· good circumstances tempt you to sin

· something good tempts you to pass up the best that God has for you

c. Example

· When I went to France last summer, I expected the best. However, I found myself in a quite different situation. Peers and adults pressured me to drink and smoke, I had to defend my faith, and I had to get through hard circumstances.

2. Attitude

a. We need to look at our trials with Joy.

· James 1:2 says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds”

b. When we do not have this attitude of joy, we ask “Why,” and often blame God.

i Example

· In France, I found myself questioning God, asking why He brought me there, why I even wanted to go there in the first place. I was placing blame on God that should have been on my self, even though it was my choice to go there. I was not looking at things with joy.

· I John 2:16 says, “For everything in the world, the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes, and the boasting of what he has and does comes not from the Father, but from the world.”

· ii. This “selfishness” of our desires tempts us to stray from what God has planned for us.

Example

· Greg Knapp: Had a sailboat that provided relaxation and family time that he really needed. After becoming a Christian, he realized that the time required to go sailing kept him from going to church. He was tempted by what seemed good in the world’s eyes, but he chose God’s best by selling the boat so he could go to church.

c. God always provides relief from temptation and trials.

i. God provides a “right” decision; you always have a choice.

· 1 Cor. 10:13 says, “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”

ii. God will help you see the right decision.

· James 1:5 says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.”

iii. Under hard circumstances, God will help you get through. He can provide the smallest ways to bring relief.

d. Example

· Once again, I recall my experience in France. Even though I had questioned God, I found the strength to put faith in Him. When I was tempted, I said no. When I was homesick or just plain sick of the circumstances, God provided ways to cheer me up. Twice, I saw Christian groups performing in the streets. My parents found a church that I was able to go to. The people at the church were good to me: they gave me rides and invited me into their home for dinner. Finally, the night before my flight home, I could not get a ride to the airport. I tried calling the pastor of the church to get the number of a lady who I knew would give me a ride; but when I went to call her, my phone would not work: I was out of minutes! By this time it was nearly midnight. You can imagine my panic. I gave a final prayer and headed out the door to find a pay phone. As soon as the door close behind me, my phone rang. It was Dorcus, the woman I was trying to call! She drove me to the airport and I got home safely. The Lord provided for me and got me through my trials.

3. God has a purpose for trials.

a. Trials lead to perseverance and maturity. In the end, rewards await us in heaven

i. God can use temptations to test us to confirm the strength of our faith and the sincerity of our love for Him. When the heat is on, we reveal who are and what we truly believe.

ii. Painful situations produce character the same way regular exercise tones muscles. As they say, “No pain, no gain.”

· James 1:2-4 says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

b. God uses trials to correct and train, because he loves us.

· Hebrews 12:5, 6 says, “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.”

c. example

On December 26, 2004 an Indian Ocean tsunami caused destruction, suffering, and death along the shores of Africa, India, southern Asia, and islands of the Indian Ocean.

i. Why?

· Gregory Boyd, author of Is God to Blame? says, “Because the first humans sinned, the laws of nature have been corrupted and don’t all operate now the way God originally intended them to…. If it wasn’t for the angelic and human rebellion, we wouldn’t have tsunamis or hurricanes or AIDS or anything of the sort.”

ii. God won’t fix the problem of evil because separating good from evil would end the current world system early.

- Judging good and evil before the Second Coming would be like choosing the winner of a ten-mile race after only nine miles.

- God would no longer get to show how He can bring good out of evil

- God’s children would no longer grow

- God’s children could no longer earn rewards

- No one would be left for God to save

· In the Parable of Weeds, found in Matthew 13:29-30, it says, “No, he answered, because while you are pulling the weeds you may root up the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time, I will tell the harvesters, “First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.”

· Author John Blanchard says, “In short, if God tweaked the laws of nature billions of times a day merely to ensure everybody’s freedom from trials, we would never know which physical laws were operating from one moment to the next.”

iii. In the end, God will judge evil, Christ will come again, and the righteous will be rewarded.

· James 1:12 says, “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.”

iv. There are many reasons that we could never understand. It is not up to us to decide what we should and should not know.

· To know exactly why, we would have to know the mind of God

o I Corinthians 2:11 says, “In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.”

C. To summarize:

1. You will be tried.

a. Bad circumstances will test your faith

b. You will need to do things that you don’t want to do

c. Desire for good things will tempt you to sin or will keep you from the best that God has for you.

· 1 John 2:15 says, “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”

2. Choose the right attitude when going through trials and temptations: Joy!

· I Peter 4:13 says, “Rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ so that you may be overjoyed when His glory is revealed.”

3. Resist wrong attitudes

a. Realize that our desires can be evil and destructive

b. Don’t blame God

c. Don’t expect to know the Big Why

c. When you fail -- and you will -- don’t give up. There is always a way out.

· Matthew 26:41 says, “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.”

4. Persevere

i. You will grow stronger and more mature,

ii. You will gain rewards in heaven

iii. Going though trials won’t last forever.

· In closing, James 5: 8, 11 says, “You, too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.”