READY FOR SOME GOOD NEWS?
I thought so! IF we are in the
habit of checking news feeds on our smart phones, thumbing through the
newspapers, or switching to our favorite news channel … we would have to admit
that there is little to almost zero “good news”. Most of it is discouraging and disheartening. It flaunts devastation and destruction. It idolizes modern day heroes that are such a
far cry from the true meaning of what a genuine hero is – that all you can do
is shake your head and wipe the tears away.
Headlines seem to be created and filled with spin; and those who take
the stance of believing them to be complete truth are living in a world that
seeks to brainwash them. So, where do we
turn for some good news? And just what
are we as God’s children, supposed to believe?
Well, if we believe what the world tells us – or what we’ve been told in
the past, we will find ourselves stuck in the mental and emotional tragedy of
seeing ourselves as losers and failures – never being able to be good enough
and not having any value or worth. It’s
time to receive the good news that God is on our side – and He has some
fantastic blessings in store for us! Who
do you think He created all the good stuff for, anyway? Those who are NOT His children? Those who are disobeying Him? Those who are blatantly choosing to live in
sin? No! His good news is the
gospel! That means that He came to save
us from an eternity in hell ~ and bless us with an unending “forever” with Him
in heaven! He came to offer us the best
relationship we will ever share with another person – this one is no other than
with His Person(s) … the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit! He came to bring to us an amazing, abundant
life filled with contentment, peace and provision ~ and with every good and
perfect gift from above (James 1:17). He
came to give us a life filled with more blessings than we can fathom –
blessings we’ve only secretly hoped for – but didn’t expect! God wants
to show us His favor – every day!
The good news is that when we are His children, He doesn’t come to bless
us just once, or only one day of our life!
He comes to us every single day – each hour – and even each moment! He
comes to us in our saddest times and in our greatest hurts to hold us, carry us,
whisper words of hope to our hearts and cover us with His precious healing
balm. He comes to remind us that when it
seems like He is not doing HIS part – He really is. He reveals to us that we live in a broken,
sinful world, and the deceiver of all deceivers – Satan himself, is the one who
is stealing from us and de-railing the blessings. It is high time that we step up to the
microphone of life and tell the enemy that we will no longer put up with his
plan to make us feel as if God is falling down on the job. We will NOT blame God. We will NOT blame the economy. We will blame him – and let him know that
we are taking back EVERY SINGLE BLESSING that God meant for US! We will declare to him that we are taking
everything back that is rightfully ours, through the authority that is ours
through the shed blood of Jesus Christ, which has made us children and heirs to
all that God has! We have an inheritance
that is ours. We don’t have to beg for
it. It is ours! Now!
So why do we live as slaves in sheer poverty in our spiritual walk, in
our physical bodies, in our distraught minds, in our paralyzed emotions – when we
are joint heirs with Christ? Well,
simply put, Satan blinds us and we cannot see what is ours through the smoke screen
of deceit and lies. Also simply stated,
just because we are heirs of the King of kings, does NOT mean that we will
never suffer in any way. God chooses the
precise path, the exact set of circumstances, the right dose of tests and
trials balanced with enough victories and joys … to shape us and mold us and
make us more like Him. His Spirit allows
us to discern the truth about the source of our sorrows and circumstances … and
He gifts us with the happiness and excitement of being able to help others
because of what God takes us to – and then through! There is no life as incredibly wonderful as
being a child of God; an heir to all He has for us! I believe there is a direct correlation
between the favor God pours into our lives and what we do with those
blessings. Do we glorify God with
them? Are we touching others with the
favor that God brings to us? Good news …
good news! We have an advantage with God’s
promise: “Now if we are children, then
we are heirs – heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in His
sufferings in order that we may also share in His glory.” (Romans 8:17) May we be receivers and givers!
REMEMBER . .
. “When you are living right and
desire God’s blessings
for you
to undertake a vision He gave you,
God will bless you with His favor
in your home, your neighborhood, your church,
your workplace, your life.”
~ Arni Jacobson
Serving Christ Joyfully . . .
Pastor Doug and Debbie
