The Christian life is about overcoming.(Sin, Hardship,Rejection,financial breakdown, frustration,shame, failure,smoking, drinking,lust, pride,selfishness,anger, greed, perversion ect... Jesus said he that overcomes will inherit all things and I will be his God and he shall be my Son...Rev 21:7 Every thing we try to build will be put to the test ; from marriage, churches, career, relationship ect will have to undergo a time of testing , Gen 22:1 says God did test Abraham... So many people believe that difficult times comes from the Devil but I have a different way of looking at difficult times. No test no testimony. The Bible says when times are good be happy but when times are bad consider and count it all joy. Our joy should not be base on happenings because it can be deceiving at times. The race is not for the swift...God will put our faith in him to the test.I school you are not promoted unless you sit an exam and pass, even champions must keep winning to maintain theit titles or else they will move from glory to story.
Have you been there?
Have you ever live in a home for 12 years with out electricity? Have you ever gone with out food for months but live on raw pawpaws, Have you every lost a love one? Have you ever been betray by some one whom you love and trusted so dearly? Have you been slander by people who you have spend you money on to get them through? Have you ever experience church break from a very close assistant? Have you every been thrown out of your home due to lack of money? abandon by close friends when they were most needed? missconstrue,missunderstood and missrepresented?
God brings chellanges to strengthen us. Think about Noah, Moses,Job,Daniel, the 3 Hebrew boys who couragously told the king that if God decides not to intervein thay would not still bow down or give in inspite of his death treats. In a world of compromise and water down messages and grabbers congregation who go to church because of what God will give in return and not because they truely love God.It is chellanging to keep pressing in. Remember in a competion good starters do not matter but who finish well.
What you go through in life is God's school of experience to prepare you for a higher calling. You can not give what you don't have, You can not lead others out of what you have not been through. You will not have the courage, passion and the know how.
My message to you is to go through, David said when I go through... go through friends
Your halp is ahead God will never leave you nor forsake you.
Isa. 3:10 Say to the righteous it shall ne well with them...
More later
Pastor Neufville
