CRCF\u201d\u201d9\/20\/09<\/p>\n
ME<\/p>\n
I\u201d\u2122ll never forget how I felt when we found out that Robin\u201d\u2122s cancer was back. It was sort of a deflated feeling, both emotionally and physically\u201d\u201djust an empty, confused feeling. I was full of questions, angry questions, for God. I literally cried out to God inside, \u201cWHY!? What are You doing?\u201d And, at points, I quit asking God anything, figuring that if He would let this happen to Robin, He probably wouldn\u201d\u2122t want to hear my questions anyway. We were already in a financial crisis due to the declining real estate market\u201d\u201dI hadn\u201d\u2122t had any income to speak of for several months, and I was on the line financially for a small subdivision\u201d\u201dall of which were the result of my own decisions, by the way.<\/p>\n
I was spiritually confused and struggling to keep believing God was good.<\/p>\n
WE<\/p>\n
Have you recently faced something that made you, at least inwardly, ask how God could still be good, and, consequently, worth trusting?<\/p>\n
We often question God\u201d\u2122s goodness when life is hard, don\u201d\u2122t we?<\/p>\n
The Bible describes how our hearts work:<\/p>\n
Proverbs 19:3<\/p>\n
\u201cA man\u201d\u2122s own folly ruins his life, yet his heart rages against the Lord.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jeremiah 17:9<\/p>\n
\u201cThe heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; who can understand it?\u201d<\/p>\n
If we just let nature take it\u201d\u2122s course when we face trials, our own hearts will always lie to us and leave us spiritually sick!<\/p>\n
Trials are Tricky!
\nJames 1:16-18<\/p>\n
GOD<\/p>\n
God proved His goodness forever in Jesus!<\/p>\n
James 1:16-17 (The Message)<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, my very dear friends, don’t get thrown off course. Every desirable and beneficial gift comes out of heaven . . . There is nothing deceitful in God, nothing two-faced, nothing fickle.\u201d<\/p>\n
NLT<\/p>\n
\u201cSo don\u201d\u2122t be misled, my dear brothers and sisters. Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.\u201d<\/p>\n
There are two constants in life: 1) Life always brings change; 2) God\u201d\u2122s unchanging character.<\/p>\n
James 1:18 (Holman Christian Standard Bible)
\n\u201cBy His own choice, He gave us a new birth by the message of truth so that we would be the firstfruits of His creatures.\u201d
\nGod proved His goodness forever in Jesus!<\/p>\n
Romans 8:28-39 (NLT)
\n28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. 29 For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory.
\n31 What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? 32 Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won\u201d\u2122t he also give us everything else? 33 Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one\u201d\u201dfor God himself has given us right standing with himself. 34 Who then will condemn us? No one\u201d\u201dfor Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God\u201d\u2122s right hand, pleading for us.
\n35 Can anything ever separate us from Christ\u201d\u2122s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? 36 (As the Scriptures say, \u201cFor your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.\u201d) 37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.
\n38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God\u201d\u2122s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow\u201d\u201dnot even the powers of hell can separate us from God\u201d\u2122s love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below\u201d\u201dindeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.<\/p>\n
\u201cNothing, nothing that befalls us in this life – no matter how difficult or painful – is to be viewed as a dark shadow cast by some fickle god of constantly shifting character. All that God brings our way in his providence is a good and perfect gift from a wise Father who loves us with an unchanging and everlasting love, as he pursues his singular purpose of accomplishing the salvation and perfection of his children.\u201d (Lee Irons)<\/p>\n
God proved His goodness forever in Jesus!<\/p>\n
YOU<\/p>\n
So, how should this change the way you live?<\/p>\n
The next time life is hard\u201d\u201dwhich could be right now or next week\u201d\u201dchoose to think differently about the whole scene. Choose to think about your circumstances in light of the truth of Who God is.<\/p>\n
Trust God\u201d\u2122s goodness when life is hard by remembering God\u201d\u2122s grace to you and me in Jesus.<\/p>\n
Matthew 7:11 (NLT)<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him?\u201d<\/p>\n
If you and I will remember that God proved His goodness forever in Jesus, then we won\u201d\u2122t be tricked into thinking God is against us in hard times. And, in turn, we won\u201d\u2122t be unfaithful to God in hard times because of our clouded thinking.<\/p>\n
WE<\/p>\n
Think about all of this practically with me for a minute:<\/p>\n
What if you and I trusted God\u201d\u2122s goodness when life is hard by remembering God\u201d\u2122s grace to us in Jesus?<\/p>\n
The folks we work with, the kids we go to school with, our neighbors\u201d\u201dthey\u201d\u2122d all see us handling our problems VERY differently, with a kind of peace that only God can give. And then, who knows\u201d\u201dwe just might have the opportunity to mention to them that God proved His goodness forever in Jesus! And as we talk to them about Him\u201d\u201dwho knows?\u201d\u201dmaybe they could also trust Jesus as their Savior. If that happened even once, suddenly our trials\/hardships\/difficulties take on a meaning beyond ourselves! Suddenly, our trials become eternal in their impact!<\/p>\n
That is exactly what God has in mind for our trials. Someone may not start a relationship with Jesus every time we face a trial. But you can bank on this\u201d\u201din addition to what God will teach you\u201d\u201dsomeone who does not have a personal relationship with God WILL be watching and will learn something from your trial!<\/p>\n
\u201cA little boy went grocery shopping with his mother. They were in the checkout line and the grocer asked the mother if he could offer her son some candy. The mother agreed. As the grocer held out the jar, encouraging the boy to reach in, the little boy shook his head. The man stretched the jar out a little further and told the boy he could take as much as he would like. The boy continued to say no. With a confused look on his face, the grocer gave one last effort. The boy finally said, \u201d\u02dcI want you to give it to me.\u201d\u2122 The grocer happily took some candy out of the container and handed it to the boy who quickly offered his thanks. When he and his mother were in the car and on their way, she curiously asked, \u201d\u02dcWhy wouldn\u201d\u2122t you take the candy? Why did you tell him to give the candy to you?\u201d\u2122 Her son replied, \u201d\u02dcBecause, Momma, his hands were bigger than mine.\u201d\u2122 Smart boy . . . If God\u201d\u2122s children would simply let Him be God, they would soon discover that His hands are bigger then their own.\u201d
\n(Tony Evans\u201d\u2122 Book of Illustrations, 131)<\/p>\n
Celebration of the Lord\u201d\u2122s Supper<\/p>\n
Every Sunday as we come to this table we are reminded of God\u201d\u2122s unquestionable goodness in Jesus. God gave His own Son to die in our place, even while we were still rebels who weren\u201d\u2122t even looking for peace with God. This meal, enjoyed by the trust of a child, helps keep us grounded in what is ultimately and eternally true and real\u201d\u201dGod\u201d\u2122s love for us in Jesus, which is the pinnacle display of His goodness!<\/p>\n
Come to the table!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
CRCF\u201d\u201d9\/20\/09 ME I\u201d\u2122ll never forget how I felt when we found out that Robin\u201d\u2122s cancer was back. It was sort of a deflated feeling, both emotionally and physically\u201d\u201djust an empty, confused feeling. I was full of questions, angry questions, for … Continue reading