http://youtu.be/KG0CIufT-9c - Broken Road - Selah
My Ladies' Bible Class just completed Beth Moore's Stepping Up series. I'm so glad we chose to do this study. The last video, Beth shared this song. Rascal Flatts made it popular, I think, first. My son, Michael, and his beautiful wife, Jill, used it at their wedding. Such meaningful lyrics for lots of us who have hit some potholes on the road of life. Beth Moore said when she heard the song, she realized how perfectly the words spoke of her journey to Christ. I agree.
Every broken promise, every disappointment, every struggle... all lead me straight to Jesus. If my life was perfect, I might just forget how much I need Him. Maybe that's what Paul meant in his letter to the Corinthians.
2 Corinthians 6
1 As God’s co-workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. 2 For he says,
“In the time of my favor I heard you,
and in the day of salvation I helped you.”
I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.
Paul’s Hardships
3 We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. 4 Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; 5 in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; 6 in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; 7 in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; 8 through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; 9 known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; 10 sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.
Always rejoicing; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.
The longer I travel this road of life, the more I understand the importance of suffering and hardships. Sometimes blessings do come in raindrops or storms. As my son, Tyler, always says, if that's what it takes to keep my eyes on Jesus, bring it on. My struggles will seem like nothing compared the glory of being with Jesus for Eternity.
Romans 8:15-18 NLT
15 So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” 16 For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. 17 And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.
18 Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later.
I consider that our present sufferings are not worth
2 Corinthians 4:16-18
16 That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. 17 For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! 18 So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.
Philippians 3:7-8 7 I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. 8 Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.
I don't fear death any more. I know physical death is just the beginning of real life. Until that day, I want to live in such a way that God can use me. I trust Him completely to work all things together for good according the purpose He has for me. Whatever it takes to accomplish the good He has for me to do, I will trust Him. He knows what the future holds. I don't. I can trust Him to guide me through any pothole or bump in the road.
Philippians 3:10-14
10 I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, 11 so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!
12 I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. 13 No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.
I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Jesus, is calling me. I'll live each day for His glory and when this journey ends, I'll see Jesus face to face.
What a glorious day that will be! I want to make Him proud while I'm here on earth.
Father, this world is not my home. I get frustrated and disappointed. I watch dear friends suffer and struggle, and I just long for the day when there will be no more tears or pain. But while I'm here, help me to be all You created me to be. Give me the strength to keep fighting the good fight. Remind me that Your Spirit who is in me is so much greater than the spirit in this world. Lord Jesus, keep my eyes on You, because I can't do this life without You. Please forgive me when I fail. Renew in me a right spirit. Purify my heart, "purge me with hyssop and I shall be clean, wash me and I shall be whiter than snow." (Psalm 51:7). I know Eternity with You is worth any price. Thank You for making a way for us live with You forever and ever. I ask all these things in the Name of my Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.
http://youtu.be/g541E2kSglw - All I know is I'm not Home yet - Building 429
John 16:33 NLT
I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
It's not about me.
