TRUSTING GOD, NO MATTER WHAT!

Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will direct your paths.
Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the LORD and turn your back on evil. Then you will gain renewed health and vitality.
Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the best part of everything your land produces. Then he will fill your barns with grain, and your vats will overflow with the finest wine.
 
Proverbs 3:5-10
 
No matter how tragic the circumstance or difficult the situation, the wisdom writer implores us to “Trust in the LORD…”  When something happens like the incident reviewed in today’s devo (electrocution during a baptismal service), our response is to question. What is God up to with this?
 
Dr. James Dobson, renowned Christian family counselor, authored the book “Holding on to your faith even … WHEN GOD DOESN’T MAKE SENSE”. In the book, Dr. Dobson encourages the believer to avoid “the betrayal barrier,” the sense that God is abandoning them amidst the storms of life. At the end of the first chapter he says, “Of this you can be certain: Jehovah, King of kings and Lord of lords, is not pacing the corridors of heaven in confusion over the problems in your life! He hung the worlds in space. He can handle the burdens that weighed you down, and he cares about you deeply. For a point of beginning He says, “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10).”
 
Faith is trusting God, no matter what!

LIVING YOUR CONVICTIONS

But Daniel made up his mind not to defile himself by eating the food and wine given to them by the king. He asked the chief official for permission to eat other things instead. Now God had given the chief official great respect for Daniel.
 
Daniel 1:8-9
 
I love those old sayings, especially the ones which line up with God’s Word. How about this one?
 
“If you don’t stand for something, you will fall for anything.”
 
Daniel knew that the One True God would not be pleased if he ate food which had been offered on the altar of idol gods. He knew The Law which had been given to Moses and ruled the Jewish religious practices. Daniel had head knowledge but taking the stand not to be defiled moved beyond knowledge. This was conviction. Daniel was fully committed to his faith, to his God. Daniel would not fall for the choicest meats and the finest wines because Daniel put God first.
 
Where will you have the opportunity today to make up your mind to live your faith convictions? I pray you will have the strength of Daniel. When you do, others around you will respect you, just as they did Daniel.  It may open the door for your sharing the reason for the faith that is in you.

HANGING WITH THE WRONG CROWD

Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.
 
Luke 19:1-4

What parent isn’t concerned about the friends their children choose to be with? What teenager hasn’t heard the warning from ‘over reacting’ parents to be careful about the crowd you hang out with? When we have the opportunity to minister in prison, we often deal with gang members and talk to them about the choice they make for associates, both inside and outside, will determine their future.
 
The crowd was blocking Zacchaeus from seeing Jesus. He made the decision to leave the crowd and go where he could get a better view.
 
Is there a crowd which blocks you from living the Christian life? Is it the buddies you hang with after work or on weekends? Is it the girlfriends you make those trips to the mall with? Do you have an all consuming crowd at work; at play; at home; or even at church which is keeping you from an intimate personal relationship with Jesus? He wants to call you out of the crowd and spend time with you.
 
Are you willing to take a close look at the crowd in your life and decide how you can better spend quality time (worship, study, meditation, praise, prayer) with Jesus?

Wrong View of Suffering and Tragedy

Five different times the Jews gave me thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea. I have traveled many weary miles. I have faced danger from flooded rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the stormy seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be Christians but are not. I have lived with weariness and pain and sleepless nights. Often I have been hungry and thirsty and have gone without food. Often I have shivered with cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm…. So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may work through me. Since I know it is all for Christ’s good, I am quite content with my weaknesses and with insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

1st Corinthians 11:24-27; 12:9-10

A question that we all probably have asked … Why do bad things happen to good people? When tragedy strikes, we just don’t understand. We may never get a full understanding but we can come into the knowledge that God is sovereign and God has a plan. The Apostle Paul got to that point. He understood that his suffering was for the purpose of the furtherance of Christ.

When trails and sufferings come, hold on to the confidence that God will use your faith in the trial for the good of the Kingdom. Trust that God is with you, keeping His promise to never leave you or forsake you. At your weakest moment, depend on the power of Christ (He has already won the victory) to carry you.