Praise the LORD!!!
Today's topic is something all of us are familiar with, troubles. Whether those that are of our own making or those that happen to fall upon us, either way we look at them they are still a burden within our lives.
2 Cor. 14:16-18
"16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." (NIV)
For much of our lives, even before we were found by CHRIST, we have been accustom to having troubles within our lives. They're a generally accepted part of life as we know it. It doesn't matter their source, they all present us with problems in our day to day living. Some may be minor or others of great concern, they all present us with choices to make and then we have to live with the results there of. Troubles come in all forms, those that can quickly be taken care of with minor effort and those that take a lot of tough thinking and maybe even numerous responses to take care of.
No matter what the trouble or it's size we're told in this scripture not to lose heart. In other words, don't worry about it. Don't let this take your focus off of where it should be. Now this is truly a very hard stance to take, especially if one has lived a good portion of their life as a non believer, not knowing the power and promises of GOD. Yet today, even many long time Christians still suffer with sweating the problems of life. This is due to the fact that we allow the problems to cloud our vision, keeping us from clearly focusing on HE that has promised to carry our burdens for us(Matt. 11:28).
Our verses for today then goes on to reflect upon the state that we feel we are in, and in pretty graphic details. We feel as if our problems have completely wasted us away, to the point of death itself. So heavily burdened are we that we can see no way out from underneath them. So overwhelming are they that we see no possible means to deal with them. Yet GOD has promised us that HE will always supply us with a manor of escape(1 Cor. 10:13), no matter what has befallen us.
Now so far I've given two conditions that we see ourselves in and two ways GOD has promised to give us a way out from under them. Yet we can still be having problems with them because our eyes have remained focused on them and not GOD WORD for us or HIS promises to us. Our verses then go on to give us another method of dealing with these troubles. By realizing that they are but of this world and we truly only exist here for a short time and then we're living life eternal. Our problems, no matter how difficult to handle here, are nothing in comparison to the eternal glory that we look forward to in heaven with our GOD. Also the fact that while here dealing with our problems we're building up for us in heaven rewards, rewards that totally are more glorious then anything that we've faced upon earth can even compare to.
With all this said, what are we to do when faced with the troubles of life? First off, we're not to look at them as if they're overwhelming and impossible to handle. Second, that there is no possible way for us to resolve them or be removed from them. Third, and this is truly the best of them, that no matter what, or how terrible, or long lasting our troubles are, they are nothing at all compared to that which we have to look forward to in heaven when we join the LORD there. So the next time troubles come your way, what are you going to do? Will you focus on them and the impending doom that there bear upon your shoulders or will you look up to the LORD and say thank YOU LORD for giving the means to handle all that has come my way and for all that YOU'll have waiting for me when I join YOU, in our heavenly home? Personally, I'm going with the second way!!!
Other verses for study: Psalms 144:1-15; Proverbs 27:1-27; Mark 14:32-42; 2 Tim. 3:10-17
Use these verses, but don't stop with them, cross reference and seek out GOD from within HIS WORD!!!
Prayer request can be sent to: prayers@vineofchrist.org
GOD bless and good day,
Rev. Marshall Barth
Vine of CHRIST Ministries
Vine Ministerial Network International
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
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