RANDOM ADVICE FOR WEARY SAINTS!

RANDOM ADVICE FOR WEARY SAINTS!

Some mornings spring up with great energy and excitement while others drag themselves unwillingly out of bed. This is for me a weary morning not only because yesterday was packed with more than its share of life stuff but because today presents itself to be equally full. If I am to encourage you regarding your similar day I must first overcome. With that in mind let me offer you some random advice for a weary morning.

1. Cast the burden of the present, along with the sin of the past and the fear of the future, upon the Lord, who will not forsake his saints!

2 Cor 1:10

10 Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;

Ps 55:22

22 Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.

He has delivered us in times past – is delivering us now – and will deliver us in the future.

2. God can use your small faith. Do not discount it or toss it away!

Luke 17:6

6 And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.

3. Expect friends to fail you. We live in a failing world. Trust God alone!

Ps 146:3-5

3 Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help.

4 His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.

5 Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God:

4. Serve the Lord with fresh vigor especially when there are no visible results. Anyone can go from one victory to another. It takes real character to press ahead in the face of defeat!

Gal 6:9

9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not [if we don’t quit].

5. Find a safe place to hide when the going gets really tough!

Ps 3:3

3 But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.

Ah, Lord God! Sometimes we do not feel like the “more than conquerors” that Paul said we are. Let us run and hide behind your shield today. Lift up our heads, oh Lord. AMEN

THE NEXT GENERATION OF MINISTERS!

THE NEXT GENERATION OF MINISTERS!

1 Kings 19:15-21

15 And the LORD said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria:

16 And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room.

17 And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay: and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay.

18 Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.

19 So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth: and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him.

20 And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee. And he said unto him, Go back again: for what have I done to thee?

21 And he returned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave unto the people, and they did eat. Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him.

           By some accounts the population of preachers is shrinking. Ministers are growing older and there are few youth who are inclined to take their place. Elijah was tired, bitter and cynical because of the spiritual conflict with the prophets of Baal. His final tour of duty included anointing two kings and one prophet to replace himself. His exit would be spectacular!

           Finding Elisha plowing Elijah passed his mantle or robe to him. Elisha knew what was being asked of him and he hesitated briefly. This would mean being separated from family and the familiar routines of life. He requested a moment to kiss the family goodbye!

           A request that seems reasonable to us disgusted Elijah who flew into a small rant saying: “Go on back home! I’ve made a mistake choosing you to replace me!” The response of Elisha demonstrated that young people can respond to great challenges with firm determination. Elisha slaughtered a couple of his pulling oxen and then boiled the flesh using the wooden plow equipment as fire wood. There was a final meal with his folks and then he rose up and went after Elijah following him closely.

           I want you to picture the pulpit in your church empty. There is nobody to deliver the sermons of comfort and challenge. Now look around in your church for an Elisha. You will find him engaged in the normal activities of life. Is this the last generation of Christianity? Who will be the next preacher? This is the challenging question of every generation and the question is for you.

Acts 13:36

36 For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption:

Ps 71:18

18 Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come.

Dear Lord, stir up another generation of leaders and ministers. Let us be engaged in service when you come for us. AMEN

I’M NOT MY OWN!

I’M NOT MY OWN!

1 Cor 6:19-20

19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

           Man was created to be a free spirit. He was placed in the Garden of Eden and given the power of choice. It doesn’t take long for a toddling child to express his independence from even his parents. There are, of course, responsibilities and consequences of our freedom and our choices.

           The believer has been “bought with a price” and it was a costly purchase indeed. God traded His Son for us and we are His not only by creation but by purchase. Since our conversion there is a tension that exists between our self determination and God’s will. We want to please our self but we no longer have that full right since we have “given our heart to God.” We are not our own! We have volunteered to be soldiers under authority and discipline. This relationship is described by the centurion and once again by Paul. If I balk at my orders or assignments; if I complain of the conditions or supplies then I am not a good soldier.

Matt 8:9

9 For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.

2 Tim 2:4

4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

Dear Lord, lead me and I will follow. I am not my own. I belong to you. Thank you for your costly investment in me. AMEN