Sunshine in the Shadows!
II Timothy 1:7-8
7For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
8Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;
The Christian can praise God when everything is going right or when everything is going wrong.
The church has maintained it’s ability to reap victory time after time because it has learned the value of continually worshipping and praising God.
Psalm 27:1-5
1The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
2When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.
3Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.
4One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.
5For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.
The lifeline of a man’s walk with God is his faith in God.
Learning to thank God for the bad times as well as the good times is a quality produced by strong faith in the knowledge that God does all things very well.
There is a tremendous need for people to purpose in their heart not to defile themselves or compromise their beliefs with the world.
Personal convictions will be tested. Many folks live for God until things get a little rough, then they want to find an easier way.
There are times when one has to draw the line on activities and even friendships because they are bad influences.
Right decisions will cause a seemingly gloomy, dark, and lonely road to be a pathway illuminated by the blessing and approval of the Lord.
Regardless of how overcast things may be, we must recognize that there is resident within us a faith that can guide us through the darkest night.
Job 1:1-5
1There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.
2And there were born unto him seven sons and three daughters.
3His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she asses, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east.
4And his sons went and feasted in their houses, every one his day; and sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them.
5And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.
The story of Job’s life would devastate many Christians’ today who are lukewarm with the Lord if Jobs troubles were to come to pass in their lives.
Job did not serve God for his material things and for what he could get, but he served God because he knew who the giver was!!
It is easy to live for God when there are no problems and everything seems to be fine.
The real qualities of a Christian are not revealed by the way he acts, but by the way he reacts to life’s adversaries.
Only through the loneliness of a trial when there is no one but Jesus who understands, do we discover the true definition of:
Walking by Faith!
Job 1:13-19
13And there was a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house:
14And there came a messenger unto Job, and said, The oxen were plowing, and the asses feeding beside them:
15And the Sabeans fell upon them, and took them away; yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.
16While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.
17While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The Chaldeans made out three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have carried them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.
18While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house:
19And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.
All types of troubles came against Job, a severity of trials, but Job remained faithful and followed through with the right decisions and did not defile himself or turn his back on God.
The shadows of life were very dark and heavy, but Job knew that somewhere on the other side of all his troubles was a ray of hope.
He could not see it, point to it, or feel it, but he knew it was there.
And because Job remained faithful, God bless him!!
Apostle Paul was a man of great faith and even in his time of troubles and problems had kept the faith and remained faithful to God.
II Corinthians 11:23-28
23Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft.
24Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.
25Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;
26In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;
27In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
28Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.
Paul was victorious. He did not waiver.
He did not want pity or anybody to pamper him.
He did it unto the Lord for the work of God.
II Corinthians 12:9-10
9And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
10Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
In Closing;
There are those in the church who do not share the same burden and zeal that has consumed others.
We must never let that detour us from what we know is right.
The blessings we receive are not predicated upon what others do, say, or think.
The sunshine in our souls can reach through every shadow of life!!
