Thursday 9/27/12 Trials and Temptations

Good Morning, Dear Father in Heaven.  Help us this day to get past our trials and to carry whatever life deals us to keep on working for You.  Block temptations from our view and from our minds.  Forgive us of our sins of yesterday and wash that dirt off of our bodies and minds.  In Jesus' Name, we ask for healing for Jeremy and that You will heal his broken bones and fix those parts damaged by being struck by a car.  We pray today for Sharon (Ohio) that you will take care of her as she is returned to the hospital.  We also pray for Donna that You might comfort her and give her rest ... In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Good Morning,  my dear brothers and sisters.  It is a great day to be alive and alive in Jesus.  In fact, I dare say this morning if you are not alive in Jesus, then you are indeed not alive at all.  Today I am wrapping the series of messages on trials and temptations and just telling you a tad about where all this good stuff we have comes from.  Let's get started, and remember, it is Thursday and the day we pray for churches, schools,and families.  And please remember our online family.  Thanks.

September 27, 2012, Trials and Temptations.

James 1:17 - Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.  18 He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of first-fruits of all He created.  (NIV)

Brothers and sisters, take a little time today and look around you and see what all God has given to you, given to us, and given to us to share with others.  The Bible tells us that "Every good and perfect gift is from above."  Let me tell you, start as you look around at just the air you breathe in.  Some say it is bad; for me, it is done well, for me, for 71 plus years of breathing it.  Take a look at the food God has given us, and with the help of those hard working farmers it keeps on coming.  We are truly a blessed people, not just a blessed country, but a blessed people.  Yet some do not appreciate it.  Think of this, God's greatest gift to us was His Son Jesus and His Son dying for us so we might live.  After that I think God's greatest gift is our children.  Yes, God has trusted His children to us for care and comfort and raising.  We are all children of God, and it is a great gift.  If you got something and it is no good, then it did not come from God, and trust me when I say there are a lot of things out there this day and age that are no good, and they did not come from God.  I would not say all the bad stuff comes from evil, but it might have started there.  Just like God has His disciples, and I pray you are one of them today, Satan also has his workers, and yes, some, some even try and play both sides of the fence.  I am sure you have seen some in your days.  Some might even go to church on Sunday but on the other six days of the week they are not at all walking with God.

Brothers and sisters, if you think you can sneak one in on God, think again.  God The Father knows what we are going to think even before we think it.  We might have fooled our earthly dads but we cannot fool our Heavenly Father.  Just today I received a prayer request from someone who requested prayer for a friend, and before the end of the request they used a bad word.  Like God did not see it?  Yeah, right!  No, I am not saying who it was, but I am asking you to pray for that person who I will just let be nameless today.

Wow, it is fall and to me the nicest time of the year as we get to see the trees change from green to all colors that God can paint.  God is good.  Just now I am seeing a great gift of God walking up our driveway.  It is our dear friends Grant and Wanda and they are coming to go singing with us today.

So today, let's just look at the trials in our lives, and the temptations in our lives, and now compare it with the gifts God has given us, and remember He does not cause the trials.  I can truthfully say this, with all the trials I have had in my life, through all the pain and all I can say this.  We have six children, and that is six great gifts, and now they have kids and that is more great gifts, so bring on the trials, with Jesus we can get through them all ... Count your blessings, folks, count your blessings and cling to God, for God is good ... Amen.

Dear Lord, please walk the day with us and help us to walk it with You.  Help us repent and be full-time in Your service, for we do not want to be part-time workers for You.  In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Now go forth and share just some of those blessings that God has given to you.  Love ya, Pastor Dan.