WINNING THROUGH DEFEAT

“And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.”  (Romans:28 NLT)

If we win all the time -- or if we think we're winning when in fact we're not, for sometimes we fool ourselves -- the elements of life get out of proportion.  As a matter of fact, we need an occasional defeat to help us remember that God is God. Many people in public life -- especially entertainers, athletes, and politicians -- come to believe their own press releases and to think they're above the rules of ordinary human beings.  Wealth does the same thing to many people.

What happens in these more prominent positions happens also at every other level of life.  We see it on the playground, at the community club, in the classroom, and, saddest of all, in the family circle.  It's painful to see someone broken by defeat, but sometimes it is the most important experience a person will ever have.

It can be hard to know God if we're so enchanted with our own successes that we become unduly fascinated with ourselves. 

-- J. Ellsworth Kalas in “If Experience Is Such a Good Teacher Why Do I Keep Repeating the Course?”

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THE FATHER’S PURPOSE FOR US

Here is the gospel in summary: Christ came to reveal that the Father’s essential purpose for us is to accept His love and in response to do His will. Throughout His incarnate life on earth, Jesus taught that surrender and obedience are the keys to receiving the Father’s power. And He lived what He taught. His watchword was, “Not My will, but Yours be done.” His constant prayer was “Abba, Father” -- the intimate words of trust meaning “dearest Father.” He taught us to pray “our Father.” There was never any question in His mind or heart about who was in charge or in control. He modeled life without a power struggle and lived a life emulating the nature and character of the Father. His unequaled love, the works He accomplished, and the miracles He performed -- all exemplified His complete trust in and obedience to God the Father. In the Garden of Gethsemane and on the cross the word in His heart and on His lips was Father. 

 -- Lloyd J. Ogilvie in “If God Cares, Why Do I Still Have Problems?”

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GROWING IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE - Part 2

“Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of Him who is the head, that is, Christ. From Him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.”  (Ephesians 4:14-16 NIV)

Now and again people ask me what I perceive my job to be. My answer is always the same: to bring people to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, then to help them grow up in Christ. That’s the work of the church.

“How about a place to find friends?” someone asks. Wonderful; there’s no better place to do so. But that’s a by-product of what we do. “How about the church being a place for cultural enrichment?” Excellent. But the university, the art museum and the orchestra can take care of that if we fail -- but no one else will provide a place where people can grow up in Christ. “But what about our social events -- you know, bridge, bowling, drama, pot luck suppers?” I love ‘em. But other places provide those opportunities, while they don’t give us a place to grow in Christ.

Hear me: there are a great many things we can offer in the church, and should offer. But let us remember that they are secondary. They are beautiful by-products, but they’re not our primary business. We didn’t come into existence -- either the [local church] or Christendom as a whole -- to be a political, social, or cultural institution, but to bring human beings to new and continuing, effective life in Jesus Christ.

-- J. Ellsworth Kalas in a sermon entitled “What I Have Learned About Growing Up”



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BEING USED BY GOD BEGINS NOW

“For God says, ‘At just the right time, I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you.’ Indeed, the ‘right time’ is now. Today is the day of salvation.”  (2 Corinthians 6:12 NLT)

God will use your life right now.

Following Christ, participating in the purpose of God, being used by God begins now.  You need not become better; you need not develop perfect skills; you do not have to know all the answers to life's hard questions, not even all of your own answers.  God accepts you as you are and begins to use you where you are -- "warts and all."  The will of God for your life is here and now.

Walk into your future with the confidence that God has claimed you.  The pathway into active partnership lies beneath your next step.

-- Ben Campbell Johnson in “Calming the Restless Spirit“

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