Overcoming Distressing Situations

By Ethan Tidwell

We are all human and sometimes we go through hard times. How we handle it is important.

We can take examples from those in the Bible and apply them to our lives. One of these examples is Job. In the book of Job, he suffered greatly losing nearly everything (Job 1:14-19). In verse 22 of chapter 1 it says. “In all this Job did not sim nor charge God with wrong.” He lost his servants, livestock, and children. He did not blame the Lord for any of this. Although he would wonder why all this would happen to him, in chapter 10 yet he still never charged God with wrong. We need to have his attitude when it comes to suffering in our lives (Job 1:21).

David is another example; he had many enemies. He prayed to the Lord for many things. David speaks to God in a form of a song (2Samuel 22:7). How God hears his cries. He was protected by God. We may not be able to relate to David with the number of enemies, but we may have some sort of stress due to the world looking down on and persecuting us in any way for being a disciple of Christ.

Jesus prayed a lot as well. In the Garden of Gethsemane. He wanted the Father to take His burden away (Matt. 26:39; Mark 14:36; Luke 22:42). He was in agony to the point where His sweat became drops of blood (Luke 22:44). Even though He was deeply distressed, He recognized the He still needed to do His Father’s will (Matt.26:39; Mark 14:36; Luke 22:42).

We can’t quite fathom the agony Jesus had to endure or come close to the level of His responsibility. We can however be distressed if it comes to persecution. With that there are things to help us through any hard times we might face. Praying (Philippians 4:6; Col. 4:2). Study (2Tim.2:15; 3:16-17; Heb.4:12). Doing the Lord’s will, no matter the situation and staying faithful to Him. There is a greater reward waiting for us if we stay faithful and do His will. Anyway, we suffer on this earth it will pass (Rev. 2:10b). Hope these words will comfort anyone in distressing times. Stay strong in the Lord.

Meditate on This:

Joshua 1:8

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you^[a] shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

The Sovereignty of God

By Jeff Curtis

Paul wrote in Galatians 1:15 that God had “separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace.” Did he have no choice in the matter? Can a person choose not to do what has been determined in the mind of God? Did God rob Paul of his freedom of choice?

In the logical words of Paul in Romans 9:19, “You will say to me then, “Why does He still find fault? For who has resisted His will?” Many people have wrestled with such intellectual problems as God’s foreknowledge, predetermination, and predestination (Galatians 3:8; Acts 2:31; Romans 8:29-30; Ephesians 1:5,11). Paul didn’t take time to wrestle with such questions. He simply replied in Romans 9:20, “…indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, “Why have you made me like this?” In essence, Paul was saying, “Let God be God!” AS God’s finite creatures, we need to reflect on the meaning of the term “Sovereign Lord.”

If God didn’t know the future, there could never have been such a thing as prophecy, which grants us precious promises that enable us to “become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust” (2Peter 1:4). To whatever degree we advance in our spiritual understanding of God, there will always be questions that we cannot answer. Although we should continue our quest for Him, we must understand that He is God indeed and His thoughts and His ways will never completely be within our grasp (Isaiah 55:8-9).

Meditate on this:

1 Kings 2:1-2

Two Men Serve the Lord.

Robert F. Turner

     Two men serve the Lord. The first is motivated by his love for the local church as an institution. He enthusiastically supports its program of activities. He works diligently to get others to be baptized, for he is interested in this organization of which he is a part, and he wants to see it grow. He attends all the meetings, gives liberally of his money, and really does his part in support of the local church.

     The other is motivated by his love for the Lord. He too works to convert others, but he does so because he is concerned for their souls. He too attends all the meetings, for in doing so he is drawn closer to the Lord whom he loves, and has opportunity to glorify His name. He also gives liberally of his money, for he loves the Lord and is interested in doing his part in financing His work. He loves the church and rejoices when it grows I but his love reaches far more deeply than does that of the first man; in fact, he would serve the Lord if there were not another Christian on earth nor prospects that there ever would be another.

     The first man’s enthusiasm is dependent to a great degree on others. While the congregation is growing and active, his enthusiasm continues strong; but when problems arise, or his favorite preacher moves on, or some of his brethren don’t pull their weight, or someone criticizes him, or the congregation just generally faces a difficult period, his enthusiasm begins to wane, and he becomes unfaithful.

     The second man is stable and unwavering. Brethren come and go; the congregation of which he is part has its periods of growth and periods of depression; problems arise from time to time; but this man’s enthusiasm remains constant through it all, for it is centered on Him who never changes, the One who has promised, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

     Let us take heed, then, how we build (1 Cor. 3:10). Perhaps the title of this article should have read, One Man Serves the Lord, for it is very doubtful that the first man serves the Lord at all.                                                                      (1973)