Pastor Thoughts

PASTOR JACK'S THOUGHTS   FEBRUARY 15, 2010

STAND STRONG IN THE LORD
With all the troubles and problems in our world and around us these days, I would like for us to think this week about standing strong.  Yes, I know that phrase is easy to say but difficult to do!  The problem is that we live in a fallen world and Satan constantly prowls around seeing who he can cause to fall in their faith. Satan wants us to fall and to be discouraged and dismayed because he knows when we stand strong in faith in the Lord that we are tearing down his (Satan's) evil kingdom.  This past week all of us have faced discouragements, loss of jobs, sickness, and even having our church program disrupted due to sewage problems!! We all know what discouragement is like.

How can we stand strong in the Lord in the face of discouragement and troubles?!  It is difficult to do but with God all things are possible.  God's Word teaches us that we live by His grace in our lives when we have struggles. In a time of great discouragement in his life God told the Apostle Paul, "My grace is sufficient for you for My power is made perfect in weakness."  2 Corinthians 12:9  We are weak and we need to rely on our Lord for strength in all troubles.  We do this by turning over our problems to Him and letting Him work out the process for getting us through those tough times.  We don't know what the future holds and really honestly we don't need to know the future.  God sees what is in the future for us so let us simply fix our focus on Him and trust that His way will be perfect for us.

God's servant Job, when he had lost everything he had and was in terrible pain, made a statement of trust that can give us strength in our troubles.  Job said, "Though He (God) slay me, yet will I trust Him." Job 13:15   Then in Job 19:25-27 he expressed his faith in God, "I know that my Redeemer lives and that in the end He will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God......how my heart yearns within me."  Job knew the God of grace!  Job trusted Him!

During difficult days, run to the Lord in prayer, then get up and walk by His power and grace to face the struggles.  In His timing these things will melt away and we will have victory through His power and grace to us.

In His Grace,
Pastor Jack