“ONE DAY YOUR LIFE WILL FLASH BEFORE
YOUR EYES. Make sure it’s worth
watching!” When I heard that some time
ago, I knew I needed to write that down.
I didn’t want to forget it – I wanted to live it. And might I add to that quote … “Make sure it’s
worth being remembered by others!” That
sounds good, in all essence … but how do we live a life that we would feel was
worth watching? Well, how about giving
it to God to use? We can attempt to do
all kinds of things with our lives, and some of it might end up worth our time
to view. But … if we literally give our
lives to God to use – daily … God’s real-life-movie rating system proves out that
it WILL be worth watching! Part of
living like this shouts out in how we respond to those tests and trials we
talked about last week. We can be at
rock-bottom, but it’s how we pull through that matters. We can feel distraught, but it’s how we
choose to handle those emotions that make the difference. Let’s turn up the sound on someone’s conversation
with God in the wee hours of the morning.
It could be your talk with God; it could be mine. Let’s listen in. “Papa.
Daddy. Father God. I don’t know what’s happening! I just have to talk to You. And yes, I promise to listen, too. I want to listen to Your voice. It’s just that right now I have a torrential
downpour of questions, and I know that no one has the answers but You! I have prayed, I have sought Your face, I
have done all I know how to do. And I
truly don’t understand what’s going on right now, Lord. Part of this test feels like a spiritual
onslaught. Part of it feels like
rejection, being forsaken. It would be
so easy to throw up my arms and say “I quit!
I’ve done all I can … and still it doesn’t seem to be enough!" But you know what? Those words just won’t come out of my
mouth. Because … well, because this
really isn’t about me – or you. It’s
about God and His work in us. It’s about
turning ashes into beauty. About
transforming trials into triumph. About
NEVER giving up! About fighting battles
in the heavenly realms – and coming out the conquerors! Disappointments come. And they can go, in Jesus’ Name! I believe this is about setting all else
aside and taking a good hard look at the nitty-gritty of faith and trust. Will we throw in the towel when all else
seems to be coming apart at the seams?
Or will we take a full body-heart-n-soul plunge and follow our Lord God
at all costs? Even when it doesn’t make
sense to us! Yes! Help us to remember, Lord, that our trials
and tests contain our most longed-for treasures. Help us to pursue them with passion and
fervor, running towards them, clothed in the complete head-to-toe armor of
God! Will this pursuit of following God’s
ways through the thick and thin be worth it all in the end? Of course it will. But how we need God’s empowering and strength
to stand in the gap and not grow weary.
Sometimes we ask, ‘What do You want from me, Lord? Where do You want me to go? You know our hearts. We’re just asking You to show us. You’ve never, ever failed us … why would we
think You would fail us now?’ We thought
we were depending on You, God.
But if You thought we were depending on others or things – and You’ve
chosen to strip that all away, then by Your grace and Your mercy we beseech You
to help us see things like You see them.
We ever, only, and always want YOU to be glorified in our lives. Though imperfect and lacking, yet we choose
to exalt You above all else. What else
can I say, Lord? Help me to just sit
back and be quiet – and listen to what You are telling me. Help us to realize, Father, that we can trust
You to be God, even when we don’t understand.
We will listen. We will declare
Your Word and we will stand on Your promises.
We will stand firmly and resolutely in the place You have called us to. With Your help, we will not waver. We will … ‘Pray at all times (on every
occasion, in every season) in the Spirit, with all (manner of) prayer and
entreaty. To that end (we will) keep
alert and watch with strong purpose and perseverance, interceding in behalf of
all the saints (God’s consecrated people).’
Ephesians 6:18. So now, we will
rest in You. We know you have it all in
control! We are Yours … to do with as
You wish! Use us, Lord!” Someone else?
Or me? God answers all of us!!!
IN A NUTSHELL . . .
WE WELCOME Maria and Lori who came to visit and worship with us
recently. May God bless you both, we
pray!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY WISHES to our granddaughter, Lindsay, on her 12th
birthday on October 3rd! We
love you and pray for God’s best in your life always! And special birthday wishes to little Emilynn
on October 6th! God bless
you!
SUN, SEP 30: 10:00 A.M. –
PRAISE & WORSHIP with a message about “Victorious Living – Can we have it?”
SUN SEP 30: 11:15 A.M. –
KINGDOM CONNECTION CLASSES & CHILDREN’S PUPPET MINISTRY!
WED, OCT 03: 7:00 P.M. –
MID-WEEK BIBLE STUDY in the book of James / 905 EL Dorado St SE in Owatonna
SUN, OCT 07: 10:00 A.M. –
PRAISE & WORSHIP / 11:15 A.M. – KINGDOM CONNECTION CLASSES for all ages!
PRAYER OPPORTUNITIES . . . Johnnie & Cherry, Jimmy &
Nancy, Julia, Tina, Kay, Shirley, our church family, Lundstroms, Seykoras, our
nation, our military personnel, our students, for righteousness in each of us!
REMEMBER . . . “We have a God who delights in impossibilities.” (unknown)
“When all else is gone, God is left and nothing changes Him.” ~ Hannah Whitall Smith
