| Original Date: August 18, 2010 |
| Email Subject: Opportunities in the midst of chaos..... |
Dear Friends,
Have you noticed that all around us there seems to be chaos of one kind or another. It does not have to be the Iranian Nuclear threat, nor the devastating floods in Pakistan, or the political climate in the USA. It could be something that we are going through personally that we don't have all the answers to nor do we see any answers coming anytime soon. Chaos abounds but so don't the opportunities to grow in Christ and impact the culture that God has put us around.
School is starting all over America, colleges students are coming into town, High School, Middle School and Grade Schools are gathering for classes. There is a buzz in the air with all that is happening around us. I love this text from 1 Cor. 16:9 from the Apostle Paul, "For a wide door for effective service has opened to me and there are many adversaries." Note it does not say "some" but "many" adversaries abound around him and us all the time (that is not always encouraging but it is reality). The door for effective service is opened wide though! Have you noticed in your life that if we have our focus on the adversaries or the chaos all around us, we get little done for His glory. We are to busy feeling sorry for ourselves or trying to fix things, that we really can't fix by the way, in the midst of the chaos to be effective for His glory with our character and our witness. But when we get our eyes on Christ and the open door He sets before us for His service the chaos all around takes on a much different, and by the way better light.
From the beginning of time, righteous men and women of faith have been confronted with trials, hardships and a great amount of chaos all around them. One lesson we learn from those who have gone on before us is that when they understood the normalcy of these events and they kept their eyes on Christ, they not only survived but the gospel message spread for His glory throughout the land.
Though adversaries abound all around each of us and they aren't fun to deal with, He has set before us an open door for effective service! My prayer today is that each of us would keep our focus not on the trials, but on Christ and the opportunities He sets before us to bring Him the glory and honor both Locally, Nationally and Internationally he deserves. That is the kind of "effective service" He is deserving of from us as our Savior and Lord!
Have a great day my friends,
Pastor Doug |
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