dW 07.12.07

scripture
Genesis 12:1-4
1 The LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you..."
4 So Abram left, as the LORD had told him...

thought
Verse 1 is pretty vague. Even in verses 2 and 3 that follow God never tells Abram what land this was. We see later on that Abram becomes Abraham, the father of many nations. What could God do with us if we'd just say, "Okay, I'll do it

quote
No one can sum up all God is able to accomplish through one solitary life, wholly yielded, adjusted, and obedient to Him. - D. L. Moody

dW 07.11.07 - thoughts from a friend

Here are my thoughts for today:

 

John 16:33 - "In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart!  I have overcome the world."

 

The Bible doesn't say IF we face trials or trouble in our lives, it says WHEN we face trials or trouble.  The Bible doesn't leave it at that though.  It gives us information about why we face trials, how we should respond to trials, and how God responds to us when we face trials.

 

We face trials as a testing of our faith so that we may persevere and become spiritually mature (James 1:2-4).  We face trials so that we might share in Christ's suffering so we may also share in His glory (1 Peter 4:12-13).  We face trials so that we can comfort others who face trials (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).

 

We should respond to trials in our lives with joy (James 1:2), calling upon the Lord (Psalm 50:15), and with the mindset that our troubles are but a fleeting moment in time compared to the glory we will one day receive (2 Corinthians 4:17). 

 

The Lord comforts us during trials (2 Corinthians 1:3-4) and delivers us from our troubles (Psalm 34:19; Psalm 50:15).

 

We WILL face trials - it's not a matter of IF but WHEN.  God tells us that HE will comfort us and deliver us whenever we face trials.  How silly we are!  We complain, wallow, cry, and believe that God doesn't understand.  Whenever we face trials we think that God is far away - we couldn't be more wrong!  It's during these moments - the ones where we are out of options, out of hope, and out of our minds - that God is nearest to us.  And that fact - the idea that God is never closer than when we are in the midst of trials - should comfort us and in a strange sort of way make us rejoice despite the trials we are facing.  We should actually be celebrating the trials we face! (Somehow I don't see myself ever getting to that point in my life).  Without the trials in our lives, we may never know God as well as we do because of the fact that we went through them.  And after that, we are better equipped to encourage someone else going through a trial.  Have you ever had someone who has never really faced tough times try to comfort you during a hard time in your life?  It kind of makes you a little bitter and the comfort they give seems shallow because they don't know what it's like.  I love the fact that the Bible is clear with us about the trials of life.  It tells us why we fact them, what we should do when we face them, and what we can count on God to do.  Amazing!

 

"The shortest distance between a problem and a solution is the distance between your knees and the floor.  The one who kneels to the Lord can stand up to anything."

-- Anonymous

 

"I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go.  My own wisdom, and that of all about me seemed insufficient for the day."   -- William Adams

dW 07.10.07

Scripture

Mark 4:21-23
He said to them, "Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don't you put it on its stand? For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open. If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”

Story
I was confronted last week by someone that I had offended someone else. I was told by this individual that speaking about such things might push people away from Jesus instead of to Jesus. I challenged him saying, “Am I supposed to please men or please God?” He responded that more people are won over by how we live and not by what we say. This irritated me because what we say is a sign of how we live and vice versa. I understand his thought but I do not agree that true Christians should remain silent. Then a verse came to mind 2 Corinthians 6:14, “What fellowship can light have with darkness?”

Thought
When light and dark collide there are tensions. If no tensions exist then you've got your dimmer switch engaged.

dW emails

The daily Word will not be sent to your inboxes for a few more weeks. I am offsite and the internet access to our work account does not like to show me who I send these to due to them being sent Blind Copy. I am still posting so don’t worry. Simply visit the website each afternoon and I should have already posted. You have some catching up to do. :P Emails will resume but until I am back in-house.

 

Grace and peace, Kyle