Trust Him

Trust Him

 

Dear Champions,

The short excerpt is by Tim Keller, and the scripture is 2 Peter 3:8-9 . . . With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

 

In the book of Genesis God takes Abraham aside and makes a promise to him.  He says, "Through you all the nations of the earth will be blessed.  Through one of your descendants I will save and bless the world."  And when Mary was told that she would give birth to the Messiah, God had fulfilled His promise to His servant, Abraham, but it took centuries.  God always fulfills His promises but never at the time and way you expect.

 

The Israelites had all expected a Messiah, but a lot of them had given up.  It had been four hundred years since there was even a prophet in Israel, let alone a Messiah.   Most that were still expecting a Messiah did not expect their king to be born in a feed trough.  Even though God seemed to be absolutely away without leave, He was working.  In a sense, God is saying that even though I do not come through with My promises at the time or the way you expect, I always come through.  You can trust me. 

 

You don't have to take matters into your own hands.    God comes to Abraham and says, "Abraham, I'm going to give you a son through Sarah."  But you know what, God doesn't seem to be coming through, so what does Abraham do?  He says, I guess I'll just have to take matters into my own hands.  He sleeps with Hagar.  God promises  to take care of you, to love you, to work all things out for your good in your life, but it never seems to happen in the time or in the way you want.  Trust His promises and try not to step into the role of God.

 

Champions, have a great week!-David Vining

Collisioins Help Us To See

Collisions Help Us To See

The short excerpt is by Ron Hutchcraft, and the scripture is in the excerpt.

One day a person went to the mall to get in shape by walking, and he actually made the national news.  He must have looked away for a moment, because he walked full-speed into a metal pole in the middle of the mall. The man had not had any sight in his left eye for years. Suddenly, after running into that pole, he sees light in that eye. That collision turned out to be one of the best things that ever happened to him! It suddenly helped him see.

Job's name is associated with human suffering. He symbolizes suffering probably more than anybody else in all the literature in the world. He really had some painful collisions in his life. He lost his wealth, health, and children.

Job 42:5; his final conclusion on the really hard things he had run into. He says this to God, 'My ears had heard of You, but now my eyes have seen You.' Job says, 'I can now see God as I never saw him before because of the pain I've been through.' Before he ran into those awful losses he knew a lot about God. Because of running into those ordeals, he says now he really knows God.

Actually, that's been the experience of so many hurting people over the years. They ran into something hard, but the collision was what helped them to be able to see things they had missed before like that man at the mall.  When we run into something we can't fix or control, we begin to consider 'Who can I turn to? I am not enough.' At that moment God uses that to open our eyes to a man named Jesus, whose love was proven by His death for your sin on the cross. And He's ready to walk into your life today.

Champions, have a great week!-David Vining

Grace

Grace

Dear Champions,

 

The short excerpt this week is by Tim Keller, and the Scripture verse is Romans 3:23-24 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 

 

Grace is an undeserved favor or gift.  It is the undeserved forgiveness, kindness and mercy that God gives us.  Redemption is the act of being bought back.

 

It's alright for Christians to be persecuted, but Christians should never be persecutors.   When you become a persecutor or condemn people because they're not believing, that is the moment you have stopped understanding that you're saved by grace.   The person that you're talking to with the gospel could easily be a better and more moral person with better character than you.  Your salvation has nothing to do with how good a person you are.  Jesus Christ says, " It doesn't matter your performance.  I don't rejoice in what you've done.  I rejoice in who you are in Me.  You're absolutely secure and accepted."

 

Religion says, "I give God a record of righteousness, and then God owes me blessing."  But the gospel says, "God through Jesus Christ has given me a perfect record of righteousness which I receive by faith, and now I live for him." 

 

Have a great week!-David Vining