Tag: Enduring Trials

“Easy or Hard”

Date: 9-28-14

Text: James 3:17-18 —  But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.  Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness. [NIV84]

The Big Idea: The harvest is a little ways away….

My Thoughts: 

When ordering eggs we are asked if we want them over easy or hard  boiled or something in between; sometimes this is how we “order” wisdom…. But many people have to learn the hard way.

Lifestyle worshipers, have you been enrolled into the University of Hard Knocks? At the risk of sounding clichéd, is it making you bitter or better? For me, I would rather learn from someone else’s mistakes and avoid the proverbial potholes of life; however, I have found, in the Lord’s mercy, that learning the hard way drives the lesson home, penetrating my hardened jaded heart—softening it for the Master’s use. Have you found this to be the case, too? My grades, though improving, are pretty average at UHK. How about yours? I just have to remember the harvest is a little ways away….

Scriptures to Renew Your Thoughts

No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

— Hebrews 12:11 (NIV84)

Then He said to them all: “If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me.”

— Luke 9:23 (NIV84)

Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from what He suffered.

— Hebrews 5:8 (NIV84)

Lord Jesus Christ, forgive me for shunning the cross where Wisdom is fully comprehended. You embraced the cross for me and I should do no less as I follow in Your steps. Lead me in the paths of Righteousness for Your Name’s sake. In Your Name, Amen.

Pastor Mike

“Messy Relationships: Opportunities for Peacemakers”

Date: 9-21-14

Text: James 2:8-11 8 If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right. 9 But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. 10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. 11 For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.  [NIV84]

The Big Idea: Your BFF became your BFF because you worked through the mess.

My Thoughts: 

As you look around and ‘analyze’ your relationships, you may noticed that it was a rare relationship in which you didn’t have to work through a mess. Even with your BFF, there were messy times—times you didn’t think you’d stick it out….

Lifestyle worshipers, every relationship is an opportunity (a trial) to produce perseverance within us. And many, if not all, are very,  very messy, aren’t they? This is why James exhorts us: “Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:4). And one major way perseverance (aka patience) will be able to ‘finish its work” in us, is if we stick it out…. This is how your BFF became your BFF: you worked through the mess; you hung in there; you stuck it out. And as the farmer works hard throughout the growing season, he sticks it out to receive a bountiful harvest at the right time….

Have you found this to be true in many of your relationships, especially those in which you worked through the mess? Your thoughts?

Scriptures to Renew Your Thoughts

 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

— Hebrews 12:11 (NIV84)

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. 

— Matthew 5:9 (NIV)

 Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.

— 1 James 3:18 (NIV84)

Lord Jesus Christ, I put You on as my Slippers of Patience: The Right Slipper of Forgiveness and the Left Slipper of Forbearance. Continue to make me an instrument of Your presence to bring healing and not harm,  In Your Name Amen.

Pastor Mike