Monday 9/24/12 Trials and Temptations

Dear Father in Heaven, please forgive us of our sins as we start this work week and please, dear Lord, help us work through our trials and keep us away from temptations.  I love You, Jesus, and I pray today in Your name.  Amen.

Good Morning, brothers and sisters.  Sorry I missed a few days last week, but back in the chair again today.  God is directing me in a different direction this week and asking me to point out a few things, but first a few praise reports that came in last week.

Praise report in from Donna about her sister Beverly.  God is good, she is getting the help she needs.

This one in from Helen, who we prayed for to get a new job.

I would like to PRAISE THE LORD for directing me to a wonderful job with great people.  Also, getting me through a very hard time to get to this point.  It's funny you asked this because I was riding in the car today thinking about how great the Lord is and how things are so much better now - I looked up and praised Him right then and there ... Helen

We also heard that Barbara is improving, all glory to God.

Clarence Fortney has been promoted from earth to Heaven and is now with Jesus.  To be absent from the body is to be in the presence of the Lord.  Please pray for Dave Fortney and his family, including his mother and brother.

Trials and Temptations 9/24/12.

James 1:2 - Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.  4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.  (NIV)

Let me ask you this question straight out this morning.  If you got up each day, you never had an ache or pain, you had a great job where everything always went well.  You never had to be concerned about children or even a pet.  If you never had to get concerned about where your next meal was coming from or you never were short on funds to make all your bills.  Would you still love the Lord?  You know, there are a lot of us who came solid to the Lord when we seemed to be at the bottom of our lives, yes, when we did not have anyone else to turn to.  Seems I can almost hear the Lord saying to me, Dan, now you come to me, I have been waiting a long, long time.

But when you get up in the morning and you face trials, and most of us face them, and they are not all the same.  For some it might be pain, for others it might be going to a job you hate, or for some maybe no job to go to.  While others the trial might be a big, big traffic tie-up on your way to work.  Or you wonder how you can balance your life at work with all that needs done around the house.

Brothers and sisters, the good news is, we are to consider it PURE JOY whenever we face those trials of many kinds and that is according to James 1:2.  Consider it pure joy!!  Folks, it would be much better some days to just roll over in bed, bury your head under the pillow and not get up and go to work, or move out.  But folks, if you are having a day like that, talk to Jesus and know that He has work for you to do, not just what you might have planned at your job site, but if you are walking with Him, He just might lead you in a path to help Him get the word out, or like He did with Helen, lead her to find another job at the same employment person, just a different office.  So when you are down, instead of walking around with your head to the ground, TRY LOOKING UP AND FIND YOUR ANSWER WITH OUR LORD JESUS.  He is wonderful and He will be there for you in good times and bad.  Trust me when I say, He will never walk away from us, but we might just walk away from Him.  If that is you, try going back today.

Dear Father in Heaven, I confess I have drifted and I want to come back, I have faced trials and trials of many types and I need You to walk Me through them.  Thanks for helping me, Jesus.  I love You, Lord.  In Jesus' name, Amen.

Maybe this scripture will help you this day.

Psalm 23:4 - Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.  (NIV)

Now go forth and share your blessings, and walk with God.  Amen.  Love ya, Pastor Dan.