AS YOU ALL MAY KNOW, IN 1935, THE HOOVER DAM WAS BUILT ON THE COLORADO RIVER IN THE BLACK CANYON, BETWEEN ARIZONA AND NEVADA. IT STILL IS RECOGNIZED TODAY AS ONE OF THE NATION’S CIVIL ENGINEERING WONDERS.
WHAT MAKES THE HOOVER DAM SO UNIQUE IS THAT IT IS AN ARCH-GRAVITY DAM; THAT IS, IT IS AN ARCH LAID OVER ON ITS SIDE (LIKE THE LETTER “C”).
IT WAS PURPOSELY DESIGNED SO THAT THE MORE PRESSURE THAT IS APPLIED AGAINST THE DAM; THE MORE IT GETS WEDGED INTO THE SOLID ROCK, THE STRONGER IT BECOMES.
THAT SAME PRINCIPLE FINDS ITS PARALLEL IN OUR DAILY WALK WITH CHRIST. OUR LIVES ARE BUILT UPON THE SOLID ROCK, AND THE MORE PRESSURE THAT IS EXERTED AGAINST US, THE MORE OUR LIVES WILL BE WEDGED FIRMLY INTO JESUS, AND THE STRONGER WE BECOME.
THEREFORE, I ASK A SIMPLE QUESTION: IS YOUR LIFE WEDGED FIRMLY INTO JESUS? EVEN WHEN THE PRESSURES OF LIFE WEIGH HEAVY UPON YOU, DO YOU FIND YOURSELF BECOMING STRONGER BECAUSE YOU KNOW YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS CHRIST IS SECURE AND FIRMLY ROOTED?
DO YOU BELIEVE THAT GOD CAN MOVE AND ACT IN YOUR LIFE FOR YOUR GOOD AND NOT TO HARM YOU? DO YOU TRUST HIM THAT THE PURPOSE AND PLANS THAT HE HAS FOR YOUR LIFE IS PERFECT, WONDERFUL AND GOOD?
IF YOU ANSWERED ‘YES’ TO THESE QUESTIONS THEN START LIVING THAT “YES” ANSWER! THERE’S MORE TO IT THAN JUST BELIEVING THOSE TRUTHS IN OUR MINDS. WE MUST, FROM THE DEPTHS OF OUR HEARTS, LIVE OUT OUR BELIEFS AS AN ACT OF FAITH THAT GOD’S PROMISES ARE TRUE!
AS CHRISTIANS WE CANNOT AFFORD TO ALLOW FEAR, ANXIETY, DISCOURAGEMENT OR ANY OTHER NEGATIVE FEELINGS WE EXPERIENCE DURING LIFE’S CIRCUMSTANCES TO GET US DOWN OR SIDE-TRACKED. CHRISTIANS SHOULD NEVER GET TO THE POINT WHERE THEY COME TOTALLY “UNGLUED” BECAUSE THEY ALLOWED THEIR CIRCUMSTANCES IN LIFE TO DICTATE WHO THEY ARE AS CHILDREN OF GOD.
IT IS TIME FOR CHRISTIANS TO STOP VIEWING HARDSHIPS, DISAPPOINTMENTS, AND MISUNDERSTANDINGS AS MAJOR ROAD BLOCKS IN THEIR LIVES AND TO START LOOKING AT THEM AS DETOURS TO GREATER OPPORTUNITIES AND/OR BLESSINGS!
OUR SCRIPTURE PASSAGE, IN VERSE 11, SAYS “FOR I KNOW THE THOUGHTS THAT I THINK TOWARD YOU, SAYS THE LORD, THOUGHT OF PEACE AND NOT OF EVIL, TO GIVE YOU A FUTURE AND A HOPE.”
THAT DOESN’T SOUND LIKE A ROAD BLOCK TO ME! IN FACT, I FEEL THAT VERSE JUST ABOUT SUMS EVERYTHING UP. NO MATTER WHAT YOU FACE IN LIFE GOD WILL EITHER GUIDE YOU THROUGH, AROUND, OVER, OR UNDER THE ISSUE TO THE OTHER SIDE!
BUT, UNFORTUNATELY, I HAVE FOUND THAT REGARDLESS OF THESE PROMISES THERE ARE STILL THOSE WHO CAN’T WAIT FOR GOD OR JUST DON’T TRUST HIS GUIDANCE. THEY WOULD RATHER SUBSTITUTE GOD’S LEADING WITH THE EMPTY ADVICE OF SECULAR COUNSELORS, NON-CHRISTIAN FRIENDS, HOROSCOPES, PSYCHIC ADVISORS AND SELF-HELP BOOKS.
GOD HAS PROMISED US A HOPE AND A FUTURE. THE ONLY THINGS THAT HOROSCOPES AND OTHER SECULAR ‘SELF-HELP’ADVICE CAN OFFER ARE HOLLOW PROMISES THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE A CHANCE
BUT WHAT IS IT ABOUT THESE THINGS THAT LURE US AWAY FROM GOD WHEN ROADBLOCKS ARE SET IN OUR PATH? THEY LURE PEOPLE AWAY BY OFFERING TWO THINGS: DIRECTION AND PURPOSE. PEOPLE WANT TO KNOW THE FUTURE AND WHAT THAT FUTURE HOLDS FOR THEM.
CHRISTIANS ALREADY HAVE THEIR DIRECTION AND PURPOSE. OUR HOPE, DIRECTION, PLANS AND PURPOSES ARE ALL CENTERED IN GOD, WHO HAS CREATED US ON PURPOSE FOR A PURPOSE. HE HAS FORMED US AND MADE US WHO WE ARE IN ORDER TO FULFILL A SPECIFIC MISSION FOR THIS PARTICULAR GENERATION.
HIS MERCY, GRACE AND LOVE IS SO IMMEASURABLE THAT THE WORST GOD CAN DO IS STILL INCOMPREHENSIBLY FANTASTIC! GOD DESIRES ONLY THE BEST FOR US! GOD LOVES US AND HAS GIVEN US HIS PROMISE THAT HE WILL NEVER DO ANYTHING THAT WOULD HURT OR HARM US. ALL THAT GOD CAN EVER DO IS GOOD AND WHAT IS GOOD FOR US!
GOD’S PROMISE TO ISRAEL WAS TO HAVE A PLAN AND PURPOSE FOR THEM TO FULFILL. IF THEY WANTED WHAT GOD HAD TO OFFER THEM, THEY WOULD RECEIVE IN RETURN, A FUTURE FILLED WITH HOPE AND WELFARE.
AT THIS PARTICULAR TIME ISRAEL HAD LOST SOME OF THEIR CONFIDENCE IN GOD AND BECAME RESENTFUL. ALL GOD ASKED FOR WAS THAT THEY REMAIN FAITHFUL BY TURNING TO HIM, SEEKING AND SEARCHING FOR HIM DAILY WITH ALL THEIR HEART.
HE MADE IT VERY CLEAR THAT HE COULD NOT CONTINUE TO BLESS AND FULFILL HIS PROMISES UPON A REBELLIOUS PEOPLE. THIS IS WHY OBEDIENCE, LOYALTY, AND FELLOWSHIP ARE FUNDAMENTAL IN A PERSONAL, LOVING, AND INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP WITH ALMIGHTY GOD. BUT WE MUST ALSO ENHANCE THIS RELATIONSHIP THROUGH PRAYER, SEEKING OUT AND SEARCHING AFTER GOD WITH ALL OUR WILL AND ENERGY.
WE MUST BE IN A CONSTANT STATE OF “TURNING AWAY” FROM OUR WICKED WAYS. WE MUST ALWAYS BE TURNING BACK TO GOD THROUGH HIS SON JESUS CHRIST. IF WE DO, GOD WILL HEAR US, ANSWER US, COME TO US, FELLOWSHIP AND COMMUNE WITH US DEEPLY AND INTIMATELY.
WHICH DIRECTION WILL YOU TURN? WHO OR WHAT WILL YOU SEEK AFTER AND SEARCH FOR? WHEN ROADBLOCKS ARE SET IN OUR PATH TURN TO GOD FOR YOUR LESSON ON HOW TO “DETOUR” AROUND THE ROADBLOCKS IN YOUR LIFE. LET’S LOOK AT A FEW.
FIRST, TURN TO GOD THROUGH PRAYER AND SEARCH FOR WHAT HE WANTS TO TEACH YOU ABOUT THE ROAD BLOCK. LOOKING AT THE TURMOIL IN THE WORLD, BEING AT WAR FOR SO LONG, AND EVEN LOOKING BACK TO THE OVERWHELMING DEVESTATION OF HURRICANE KATRINA, IT CAN BE EASY TO ASK “WHERE’S GOD?”
IN FACT THAT IS THE BEST QUESTION TO ASK. ASK IT DOWN ON YOUR KNEES IN PRAYER, IN HUMBLE ADORATION, SEARCHING FOR AND SEEKING AFTER GOD AND HIS ANSWERS.
MATTHEW 7:7, “ASK, AND IT WILL BE GIVEN TO YOU; SEEK AND YOU WILL FIND; KNOCK, AND IT WILL BE OPENED TO YOU. FOR EVERYONE WHO ASKS RECEIVES, AND HE WHO SEEKS FINDS, AND TO HIM WHO KNOCKS IT WILL BE OPENED.”
EACH “TIME IN THE FIRE” YOU MAY FACE IN YOUR LIFE IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR GOD TO MOLD AND MAKE YOU INTO A BETTER PERSON, A STRONGER CHRISTIAN AND A POWERFUL TESTIMONY OF GOD’S GOODNESS.
OPEN YOUR HEART TO THESE LESSONS THAT GOD TEACHES YOU. DON’T ALLOW THE TOUGH TIMES TO MAKE YOU BITTER AND RESENTFUL. SLAMMING THE DOOR OF YOUR HEART IN GOD’S FACE ONLY MAKES THE TRIALS GROW STRONGER.
THE FIRST LESSON WE LEARN WHEN WE FACE THE ROAD BLOCKS OF LIFE IS TO TURN TO GOD IN PRAYER AND LEARN THE LESSONS HE WANTS TO TEACH YOU ABOUT THE ROAD BLOCKS.
THE SECOND LESSON WE LEARN WHEN WE FACE THE ROAD BLOCKS OF LIFE IS TO WAIT ON GOD. GOD’S TIMING IS ALWAYS PERFECT BECAUSE HE IS THE FUTURE AS WELL AS THE PRESENT. TRUST GOD FOR THE RESULTS OF THE “BIG PICTURE” BY ALLOWING HIM TO WORK IN AND AROUND YOU.
THE BLESSINGS YOU WILL RECEIVE FOR LETTING GOD HANDLE THE SITUATION AND FOR NOT FIGHTING AGAINST HIM WILL BE WORTH IT ALL IF YOU’LL JUST WAIT!
PSALM 40:1-4, “I WAITED PATIENTLY FOR THE LORD; AND HE INCLINED TO ME, AND HEARD MY CRY. HE ALSO BROUGHT ME UP OUT OF A HORRIBLE PIT, OUT OF THE MIRY CLAY, AND SET MY FEET UPON THE ROCK, AND ESTABLISHED MY SETPS. HE HAS PUT A NEW SONG IN MY MOUTH – PRAISE TO OUR GOD; MANY WILL SEE IT AND FEAR, AND WILL TRUST IN THE LORD. BLESSED IS THAT MAN WHO MAKES THE LORD HIS TRUST….”
WAIT PATIENTLY FOR THE LORD AND SEEK HIM WITH ALL YOUR HEART. ALLOW THE HOLY SPIRIT TO MINISTER TO YOU WHILE YOU SEEK HIM IN PRAYER, STUDY AND OBEY HIS WORD. THE SECOND LESSON WE LEARN WHEN WE FACE THE ROAD BLOCKS OF LIFE IS TO BE PATIENT AND WAIT ON GOD.
THE THIRD AND FINAL LESSON WE LEARN WHEN WE FACE THE ROAD BLOCKS OF LIFE IS TO LOOK AT YOUR SITUATION AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO WITNESS! WE ARE CONTINUALLY FACED WITH INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE BRILLIANTLY DIGUISED AS UNSOLVABLE PROBLEMS.
WHILE WAITING UPON THE LORD, SEEKING HIM THROUGH PRAYER, SCRIPTURE, AND OBEDIENCE, WE NEED TO KEEP A POSITIVE ATTITUDE NO MATTER WHAT! ALWAYS BE LOOKING FOR THE SILVER LINING IN YOUR CLOUD! STAY POSITIVE AND REALIZE THAT GOD CAN MAKE SOMETHING GOOD COME OUT OF SOMETHING BAD!
MARK 9:23, “JESUS SAID TO HIM, ‘IF YOU CAN BELIEVE, ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE TO HIM WHO BELIEVES.’” WHAT AN OPPORTUNITY TO WITNESS TO OTHERS THAT GOD IS NOT ONLY MIGHTY AND POWERFUL, BUT ALSO FULFILLS EVERY ONE OF HIS PROMISES.
THE THIRD AND FINAL LESSON WE LEARN WHEN WE FACE THE ROAD BLOCKS OF LIFE IS TO LOOK AT YOUR SITUATION AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO WITNESS!
ROAD BLOCKS OR DETOURS? NEVER ALLOW A PROBLEM IN YOUR LIFE TO GET YOU TO THROW IN THE TOWEL AND GIVE UP! TAKE GOD’S DETOUR AND LEARN ALL YOU CAN ABOUT THE “ROAD BLOCK” TO STRENGTHEN YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM.YOU WILL FIND YOUR WALK WITH THE LORD GROWING DEEPER AND MORE INTIMATELY IF YOU DETERMINE TO STAND FIRM IN THE VALLEYS AS WELL AS ON THE MOUNTAIN TOPS.
HEBREWS 12:2-3, “LET US FIX OUR EYES ON JESUS, THE AUTHOR AND PERFECTER OF OUR FAITH, WHO FOR THE JOY SET BEFORE HIM ENDURED THE CROSS, SCORNING ITS SHAME, AND SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE THRONE OF GOD. CONSIDER HIM WHO ENDURED SUCH OPPOSITION FROM SINFUL MEN, SO THAT YOU WILL NOT GROW WEARY AND LOSE HEART.”
