STRUGGLES

These thoughts come to you each week in order to prepare your minds for upcoming worship on Sunday.  We need to prepare ourselves for Easter and Christ's sacrifice on our behalf.  It is an appropriate time to think about the struggles Jesus encountered as He faced the cross. The very first struggle that He faced was when He stepped down from His place with the Father and became one of us. Then the last struggle was when He faced the horrors of death on a cross. He became not only our Savior but also our example.  He showed us how to live and He showed us how to face our struggles even in death. This week think about Philippians 2: 6-8      "Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a           servant, being made in human likeness.  And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death, even death on a           cross!!" In His struggles, He remained obedient in all things!  We all struggle as we go through life. Birth is a struggle, work is a struggle, hardships in daily life are struggles and in the end physical death is a struggle.  Jesus gave us His very own example that even in times of struggle, we can have victory when we become obedient to God in all things.  In remembering the cross, also remember the resurrection!! He faced His struggles, remained obedient and won the victory over death and the grave. This week as you face your own struggles whether in family, or unemployment, or at work or whatever else you struggle with this week, remember that our Master Jesus Christ promised that He would make a way for us if we trust Him. Humble yourself before Him and wait for His answers to your struggles. Because of His Example, Jack L. Martin