Sometimes You Just Have To Roll With It

 

Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.

James 1:12

Christians are not exempt from life’s ups and downs, but we are guaranteed that God is with us through it all. All we have to do is buckle up and hang on.

My friend, Georgia, was always upbeat.  One time when one thing after another was going wrong, she said, “Sometimes when you get something going; you just have to roll with it.”

Even if we don’t feel victorious, we need to remember God’s promise: if we remain faithful to Him, we will triumph in the end.

Now Is The Day

And working together with Him we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain—

For He says, “At the acceptable time I listened to you, and on the day of salvation I helped you”

Behold, now is “The acceptable Time,” behold, now is “The day of salvation.”

2 Corinthians 6:1-2

The question is what are you waiting for?  God loves you and that will not change.  

A radical transformation awaits you.  And, a transformed you, can transform the world.  

 

It Is All About Love

Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another, for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.

For this, “You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment it is summed up in this saying, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

Romans: 13:8-10

There are people who think religions, and especially Christianity, are all about rules prohibiting things, like smoking or drinking alcohol or dancing or card playing or having fun, which are all personal choices.

The unbeliever looks at the Ten Commandments as restrictions on him. The Christian looks at the Ten Commandments as a  guide for good human relations. These are heavy rules, but they are centered in love for one another.

God loves us and cares for us and He wants us to love and care for one another. We cannot cure all the world’s ills but we can try to avoid doing things which make things worse.

Loving our neighbor means we come in kindness and the love, not condemnation.

 

Cool Your Jets

 

A fool always loses his temper,

But a wise man holds it back.

Proverbs 29:11

Everybody does it sometimes. We run our mouths because we are angry. Sometimes our target is the one who made us angry and sometimes it is someone who has nothing to do with it.

It is normal to get angry. But we need to step back and take a look at what is happening before we say anything. I like to say, “I need to take ten.” and, then walk away to cool off. Sometimes it takes more than ten minutes; more like a day.

I am not advocating the silent treatment, I am advocating not talking about what it is we are angry about until we cool off so we can look at the problem rationally, because sometimes what we are angry about is nothing to be angry about. And, if it merits our anger we need to be able to express why we are angry without hurling empty threats and insults against the one we are angry with. We can’t do that if we are running our mouths out of frustration.

So, take ten or twenty or a day or a week and keep it real.

A wise man holds back, be one. 

So, You Think You Are Having A Bad Day?

 

For, I think, God has exhibited us apostles last of all, as men condemned to death; because we have become a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men.

We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are prudent in Christ, we are weak, but you are strong; you are distinguished, but we are without honor.

To this present hour we are both hungry and thirsty, and are poorly clothed, and are roughly treated, and are homeless; and we toil, working with our own hands; when we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted we endure; when we are slandered, we try to conciliate; we have become as the scum of the world, the dregs of all things, even until now.

1 Corinthians 4:9-13

So, you think you are having a bad day? The Apostle Paul gives us a glimpse of what every day was like for the apostles. Yes, they had their church friends, but they also had a world full of enemies who killed all of them except John the Beloved.

What does this teach us? It teaches us that it is not always easy to be a Christian and to act in a Christ like manner. It teaches us that even when we do what is right, there will be people who will criticize and torment us for doing the right thing.

And, should we do something wrong, there will be people who know nothing of the forgiveness of God, who will yell at us and spread the word of our shortcomings.

All this stuff happens; so what. We know our faith rests in God and that we are called by God to do His work. Therefore, we keep on working for God and sharing the Gospel.

If Paul and the apostles did it, we can, too.

Be Compassionate, Take Action

 

Jesus was going through all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness.

Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd.

Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into this harvest.”

Matthew 9:35-38

Jesus was compassionate.  He felt sorrow for people who were suffering and who were sick, and He took action: He healed them. 

We can take a lesson from this.  Rather than harshly judge people because their lifestyle does not match our standards, we need to work to help them heal.  People can be broken because of poor choices or because of the luck of the roll of the dice.  It is not our place to make a judgement, but rather to do what Jesus did:  Show compassion.   

This means we need to feed and house people in need.  We need to provide medical help for those who are ill.  We need to speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves.  

We need to put ourselves out there to do the work Jesus calls us to do.  

Get busy.   

There Is Power In Prayer

 

Jesus said… “Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three have gathered together in my name, I am there in their midst.”

Matthew 18:19-20

There is power in prayer. We need not be sitting in a great cathedral with a congregation of 1000 people to pray. We can pray wherever we are, alone or with other Christians and God hears and honors our prayers. 

Trust God, He is there for you.