The problem with many people today is they’ve had life too easy. Most people today have been raised with central heat and air, a TV in at least two different rooms, cell phones, automatic cars, cruise control, the ability to pick and choose what they want to eat, drink, wear, and have! We didn’t have to build our homes from a forest of trees or drive in the hot and cold in a covered wagon. We didn’t have to fight wild animals and harsh environments to grow our own food (so we could eat). We have lived in the age of technology and incredible advancements. We’ve somehow been convinced that all pain is bad, and that all suffering can be eradicated.  Which all of us know by experience isn’t true. For example: Exercise is painful but very beneficial; no medicine can keep your child from suffering the rejection of being the last one picked for a team. Suffering is a part of the human existence, but God will, with every temptation, give you whatever you need to make it through. Christians especially (in today’s society) have just begun to face persecution. The real problem with the persecution is not that it’s new to Christians or Christianity at large. It is that we’ve become so weak when it comes to enduring any kind of hardship. Many Christians won’t go to church if it’s raining outside or if their primary pastor is out of town!!

The scriptures demonstrate that none of us are going to go through life without enduring some kind of hardship. Jesus, The Prophets, The Apostle Paul, The Church, all suffered (Heb. 2:17, 18/Phill. 3:10, 1^st Peter 2:21, 2^nd Cor. 8:9, Heb. 4:15, 2^nd Tim. 3:12, Luke 17:24, 25, James 5:10, Acts 9:16, 1^st Cor… 12:26)

So, the key is not necessarily “how do I avoid hardships” but rather “what should be my attitude and perspective concerning this difficulty?” I will deal with this specifically in the next blog. Here’s something to ponder while waiting for the next blog. Many New Testament believers chose to suffer! Yes, you read it correctly, they chose to suffer and so should we when we find out the reason.

In a world filled with technological advancements and medical breakthroughs, we still have suffering, and it’s hard at times to make sense of it. “Why me” is a common phrase today when it comes to the trials and tribulations we face. I would like to help us ‘make sense’ of the suffering aspect of our human existence.

First of all the truth is we all suffer! Notice the previously quoted verse. “Nothing taken you but such as is common to man.” That’s a nice way of saying, “You’re not alone!” Whatever you’re going through others have gone through before you, and others will go through after you. This is a great truth that should help you. One of the attacks of the enemy is to convince you that no one has been through what you are going through. That nobody has hurt as bad as you, nobody thinks the thoughts you think, etc… This is an attempt to separate you from us. The devil is like a wolf, and wolves separate the weak from their companions so they can bite and devour them. This is exactly what he has in mind for you and me. Make us think were alone in our suffering and pain. The truth is we are not alone! What were going through is common to man.

Secondly, I love the next truth in that verse. “But God is faithful!” We need to be constantly reminded that God’s love, God’s compassion, God’s character doesn’t change because of our trial, temptation or suffering. This is another way the devil ensnares us. If he can get us to think God is against us or punishing us, then he (the devil) wins. Where’s God when we’re going through hard times? Right there with you! Remember the GOOD NEWS? God with us!!! I love the fact that God is with us and is faithful even when we are not. We often murmur and complain and even blame God or get mad at God in our times of testing, “But God is faithful!”

How is God faithful? He won’t let us be pushed beyond our limit. The problem is God knows us better than we know ourselves. How many times have you said or thought, “I can’t take anymore. If I have one more thing go wrong, one more problem arise, etc… I’m going to bust!!” The very fact that you are here, reading this, is proof enough that you could handle more than you thought you could. God, who is faithful, will not let you suffer beyond your limit. Here’s what else he will do. He will make a way of escape!! Hallelujah. We love that thought, don’t we, a way of escape. God’s going to get us out of this mess. He’s going to remove us from this situation, pluck us out, and rapture us before it gets bad. Maybe? Read the rest of the verse, “That we may be able to bear it.” One of the ways God makes a way of escape is by giving us the strength, the wisdom, the tenacity to ‘bear it,’ which means the ability to endure and undergo hardship. God wants to toughen us up, give us some character and the ability to “endure hardness as a good soldier (2^nd Tim 2:3).” The problem is we have been raised to believe all pain and suffering is inherently ‘bad!’ I will leave you with this thought and discuss this dilemma more in the next blog.

This is how Jesus said we are to pray:

ONE: Our father which art in heaven…

Approach him as father… He is our heavenly father. This is family. The primary purpose of prayer is relationship and fellowship. ‘In heaven’ means above and over all.

TWO: Hallowed be your name.

May your name be honored… Jehovah is the Jewish national name of god; self existent one… he reveals himself in his name.

Some names of God:

Jireh – provider
Nissi – victor
Shalom – peace
Sidkinu – righteousness
Rapha – healer

Name above all names = Jesus. (Philippians 2:9-11)

THREE: Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

The kingdom is within you (Romans 14:17). The Holy Ghost is in you and me. We pray from our spirit into our minds for: Our marriages. Our finances. Our children. Our church.

FOUR: Give us this day our daily bread.

Be mindful on a daily basis of the provisions of God. Israel had to go out every day to collect the provisions of God. On the second day it was wormy. Don’t be a wormy Christian. Daily is the emphasis and key – daily relationship and fellowship. The just shall live by faith. We walk by faith and not by sight.

FIVE: and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.

Unforgiveness is the number one hindrance to answers to our prayers. One thing: Forgive.

SIX: Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil

He HAS delivered… (Colossians 1:13)

SEVEN:  Thine is the kingdom, power and glory forever

Humility, proper focus and mindset…

Click here to listen to this message or the entire series.

Be blessed!

As Leaders in the Lord we should always be looking for ways to “affirm” someone in their gifting. To ‘affirm’ means to ‘make firm.’ You make firm within people the things you see about them. Do that often enough and the belief that solidifies within them will become stronger than the doubts they have about themselves.

See development as a long-term process. Someone once said that ‘it takes nine months to produce a baby…no matter how many people you put on the job.’ Leadership is a journey that starts where you are…not where you want to be. You can’t go anywhere until you first know where you are!

Mike Ewolt said that “Life is lived on levels, experienced in stages, established on dimensions by being consistent.” He went on to say that “You get to the next level by wisdom and revelation and not just knowledge.” “You move through stages by maturity and not just by age.”

In a National Survey 18 to 25 years ago, the question was asked…

“What are the top six (6) causes of American Society’s problems?”

#1 – Selfishness (people not thinking of others) – 56%

#2-   People who don’t respect the Law or authorities – 52%

#3 -  Wrongdoing by politicians – 48%

#4 -  A lack of parental discipline of children – 47%

#5 -  Courts that care more about the rights of criminals than the rights of victims

         (which was 45%)

#6 -  The excessive emphasis placed on money and materialism – 41%

Bernard Rimland who is the Director of the Institute for Child Behavior Research, did a study and asked to do two (2) things…

“List ten (10) people you know best, and label them as happy or not happy”

“Then go back through the list and label them as selfish or unselfish”

Mr. Rimland came to this conclusion…

“There is a consistent tendency to devote one’s time and resources to one’s own interests and welfare, and there is an unwillingness to inconvenience one’s self for others.”

End result of the study…(like Paul Harvey – ‘and now the rest of the story’)…

     ALL the people labeled ‘happy’ were also labeled ‘unselfish.’

If you want to be happy….love God, love People, SERVE both.

Pastor Terry

and rests his confidence upon Him.

He shall be like a tree planted by the waterside,

that stretches its roots along the stream.

When heat comes it has nothing to fear;

its spreading foliage stays green.

In a year of drought it feels no care,

and does not cease to bear fruit.

Jeremiah 17:7-8

There are times in our lives when things seem dry.  We are not hearing God as we are accustomed to.  The evidences we once knew of to indicate God’s presence with us are gone.  Pastor Bob Yandian spoke of this during Jubilee.  He spoke of the four different soils that received the seed of God’s Word.  He said that the fourth type of soil, the “good ground”, the disciple of Jesus, will experience these times in their life.

The fire of the Lord is a consuming fire.  When the heat comes we must embrace the Word of God and the work of the Spirit in our lives.  The Word is a discerner of the thoughts and intentions of the heart. The heart is deceitful and wicked above all things.  Only the Spirit can truly know it.  By the heat or fire of the Lord we are refined.  The good soil knows and believes God’s love for him.  This breeds confidence or trust in God.  We are not afraid when heat and drought appear for we know and believe God is our True Provision.  He has provided and continues to provide.  God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. 

As we are refined we bear much fruit.  The fruit is the fruit of the Spirit of God.  The fruit cannot come from us.  It can only come through us.  We are the branch and we bear the nature of the Vine, or tree in this passage of scripture.  That fruit is the divine nature of God that is in us in Christ.

Though we face adversity, we believe God.  We walk by faith and not by sight.  Though there are times when sight appears more real, it is during these times our faith is refined and sharpened.  It is easy to believe God during times of plenty.  We may see drought with our outer eyes but look with your inner eyes of faith.  In Christ, there is never drought.  He is the living water that is never dry.  We are united with Christ. This living water is in us.

So rejoice in the Lord.  Though things appear bad, I will praise Him.  Why so downcast O my soul? Put your hope in God.  In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.  Heal me O Lord and I am healed.  Save me, and I am saved, for thou art my praise. 

This is a profession of faith.  Declare its truth in your life.  Know and believe God’s love for you.  God is love and you are never without God.  Therefore, you are never without love.  We are hidden with Christ in God.  Hallelujah!! Give Him praise!

There are many things that come to mind, but the first is love. To serve well involves love.  We love the ones we serve with God’s kind of love; at times, that may mean putting their needs above our own. Sacrificial love is a part of serving.

Gal. 5:13, a very familiar Scripture, tells us, “For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.”

In the Strong’s Concordance, that word “serve” is 1398 and means – to be a slave to (literal or figurative, involuntary or voluntary) – be in bondage, (do) serve (-ice). That word comes from another Greek word, number 1401 which means – a slave (literal or fig., invol. or vol.; frequently, therefore in a qualified sense of subjection or subserviency); bond (-man), servant. And THAT word comes from a Greek word, 1210 – a primary verb – to bind (in various app’s, lit or fig); – to bind, be in bonds, knit, tie, wind.

So, taking all that and putting it together, you can say that to serve, the implied attitude is that your heart is bound to, knit to and connected to the ones you are serving – knit together, bound and wrapped together with the cords of love (agape – God’s kind of love).

Another concept involved in serving is sacrifice. The dictionary definition of sacrifice is: “The surrender or destruction of something prized or desirable for the sake of something considered as having a higher or more pressing claim.” There is a sense of “something given up for the sake of another.” The root of “sacrifice” is the Latin word “sacra” which means “sacred.” It’s a very sacred – sanctified – holy – thing to sacrifice. Every time we serve in the house, to some degree, we are offering a sacrifice to the Lord.

That brings the thought then, what do we sacrifice? We sacrifice our time, resources, talents, money – anything that could be “prized.” Sacrificial giving is an integral part of serving.

Our attitude also matters greatly in our serving. We sacrifice and serve with a willing heart. In I Chron. 29:9, it says, “Then the people rejoiced, for that they offered willingly, because with perfect heart they offered willingly to the LORD: and David the king also rejoiced with great joy.”

The word “willingly” in the Hebrew means, “to volunteer (as a soldier), to present spontaneously; – offer freely, be (give, make, offer self) willing (-ly).” We should offer our service willingly to the Lord – spontaneously, out of a free and giving heart.

In Mark 12:33, this verse also speaks of serving, “And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

So in conclusion, as we serve the Lord in the house, we should serve Him with a sacrificial love, having our hearts knit with the ones we are serving, and serve with a willing and joyful heart, full of thanksgiving and praise to the Lord for allowing us to serve in this great house!