"It Would Be Nice To Be Warned!"
There are many situations we will face in life, at one time or another, where all of us would agree that a little "Heads Up" would have been an exceptionally "Nice" thing to have out in front of us! There is something built into our make-up that gives us a sense of "Ease" or even "Peace of Mind" when we are driving down the road and there ahead, we see a sign, warning us of something that we are getting closer to. Some danger or some obstacle that we need to be aware of down the road.
What a shame that "Life" doesn't have signs like that! the terrible thing about this fact is we NEVER know when to "Duck" to avoid being hit in the face or the heart by something that Life has thrown at us. I too wish that Life would give us at least a little warning. It would be so much easier to be prepared to deal with situations "IF" we knew they were coming.
Just this morning, I had something thrown into my life that I truly was not prepared to have to deal with. In all honesty, I still find myself sitting here almost shaking my head at even the thought of having to be thrust into this situation. One thing that I have learned in my years here on this earth is that Life will knock the wind right out of you when you least expect it!!!
I have been riding high over that last few months. Our new ministry has been seeing a lot of souls saved! We have been able to be an encouragement to many Pastors and Churches. God has been blessing us so much that I really was shocked when I had to face the reality of the situation in my life this morning. I mean, I am serving the Lord, I am faithful to Church, I am busy telling as many people as I possibly can about what Jesus did on the cross for all of us, and yet BOOM... There it is!
When this kind of stuff happens in our life, what do we do? How do we handle the problem? How do we conduct ourselves? Here is a good question... Do we handle it the way God would have us to?
The truthful answer many times is "NO" we do NOT handle it, or conduct ourselves the way that God would have us to.
Most of us would get discouraged and depressed. We would then pick up a phone and call somebody who can't actually help us, but who will listen and say things like: "Oh, you poor thing." or "Well bless your heart." We love to call on someone (anyone other than Jesus that is.) who will try to sympathize with us and our "Plight". When we all know that the ONLY one who can "Fix" us and also "Fix" the problem is in fact Jesus Christ and Him alone!
In Job 14:1, The Bible says: "Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble."
In Job 14:22 "But his flesh upon him shall have pain, and his soul within him shall mourn."
In Psalms 116:3 "The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow."
Also in Jeremiah 8:15 "We looked for peace, but no good came; and for a time of health, and behold trouble!"
The Bible tells us in plenty of places that we will face troubles and difficult situations throughout our life. The great thing about the Bible is that it does not leave us "Hanging" with no answer or direction. It gives us "Hope" and "Help" to take us through the trouble.
Here are a few passages to encourage us all to just simply believe in Him for deliverance from the troubles we face.
Job 5:19 "He shall deliver thee in six troubles: yea, in seven there shall no evil touch thee."
Psalms 27:5 "For 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."
Psalms 30:5 "For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning."
Psalms 42:5 "Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance."
Psalms 91:3 "Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence."
Psalms 138:7 "Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me."
Isaiah 61:3 "To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified."
Matthew 5:4 "Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted."
Romans 8:28 "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose."
1 Corinthians 10:13 "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it."
May God help us to look His way "First". To call out to Him "First". To ask Him what we should do "First". After having asked Him, to then follow His direction and His leading in dealing with and facing those situations that come into our lives.
Today I have been encouraged by God to hand Him my troubles and let Him have the final say in "How I will handle myself for His Honor and His Glory" in every situation.
Come on fellow Christian, we belong to Him, Let's start living for Him today!
Because of Christ,
Evangelist David J. Dunn
