God Cares

The Bible says, “Cast all your care upon Him, for He cares for you” (I Peter 5:7).  This is such a warm thought, but it’s easier said than done, isn’t it?  Of course, when we can find it within ourselves to let go and trust in the Lord, it just brings all sorts of blessings.  We can be sure that He tends to our physical needs when we are seekers of His kingdom (Matthew 6:33).  We can be sure that He guards us in a spiritual sense when we are willing to obey Him and submit to His care (I Peter 5:7; Matthew 11:28-30).  And we can be certain that He will bring with Him to heaven those who diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6).

You aren’t alone if you fret over the cares of this world.  How will the contents of my bank account get me through this month?  What if my health is failing?  You can count one these trials to come.  However, by “looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith,” we should be able to keep from becoming consumed by these discouragements.  (Hebrews 12:2-3.)  Paul said our “light affliction,” which only lasts for a moment helps to build for us an exceeding and eternal weight of glory (II Corinthians 4:17).  Therefore, let us turn those worries into joy for the hope that is set before us.

Each day the devil tries to connive, scheme, and trick each of us into the dreary depths of sin.  The picture he paints is one of beauty and endless pleasure, but the reality that lies beneath is an ugly and gruesome sight.  At times temptations seem unbearable, but be sure that our God is faithful and will always leave for us a way of escape when overwhelming desires come knocking (I Corinthians 10:13).  In all our spiritual trials, there is one who is constant, unchanging, and who will always be there to protect us from the death Satan brings.  Look to our almighty God and Father when anxieties are highest.

Let's strive to live in such a way that when the end comes we will be able to say, “I did my best to obey God, and then I trusted in Him to do the rest.”  He most certainly will keep His promises.  Have faith and know that God cares about you.

----Darrell

Have you met Cornelius?

            In Acts the tenth chapter, we read a wonderful story about a man named Cornelius.  He was not a Christian yet, since the Gentiles had not received the gospel at that point.  But he was described as a centurion who was God-fearing, devout, upright, a generous giver, prayerful, and “well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation” (Acts 10: 1-2; 22).  Cornelius was a great example for his household, his community, the people of God, and even all people two thousand years later.  He was a man who lived the kind of life every Christian should live.  What can we learn from Cornelius?

            The story of Cornelius teaches us that there are great men and women in our world that are trying to obey God.  What if your neighbor is like Cornelius?  I’ve heard Christians talk about reasons why certain people “would not be responsive to the gospel even if they were taught.”  But even though the Bible teaches us that the way to heaven is difficult and there will be few who follow it (Matt 7:14), it also teaches that we are to spread the gospel to all people without partiality (Mark 16:15-16). 

            Cornelius’s story also shows that if there is a non-Christian’s prayer that God will answer, it is a genuine prayer of one who is trying to “feel their way toward [God]” (Acts 17:27) and who desires to obey Him as Lord (Acts 10:31).  God will not save a person based on prayer alone (For example, Saul of Tarsus prayed and fasted 3 days and nights and his sins were not yet forgiven – Acts 9:9,11; 22:16), but sincere prayers for help in finding the will of God will be heard.

            Finally, this story teaches us that water baptism is a command of God that must be obeyed.  Even though Cornelius’s case involved a special encounter with the Holy Spirit (like had only been seen one other time in Acts 2), Peter still commanded Cornelius and his household to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.  God expects the same reaction from people to day when they are ready to make Him Lord of their life.  A sad ending for a person like Cornelius would be that they look for Jesus, hear what he expects from them, but are unwilling to move on what He asks of them. How have you responded when God has answered your prayers?

----Darrell Powell 

On a Walk with God

 Picture a child following her parent.  She wants to follow, but her little legs sometimes must take 2-3 steps for her daddy’s one.  She wants to follow, but gets distracted and takes her eyes off him.  She strays off the path or stops.  She wants to follow, but gets tired and has to rest.  Now, her daddy knows all these things are likely to happen.  He’s seen it over and over because he has lots of children.  So, when she can’t keep up, he slows down.  When she rests, he waits for her to get up and start walking again.  When she gets distracted, he sometimes calls out to her to show her where he is and what direction she needs to go.  Keeping in step with her father takes constant effort for the little girl. But the thought of leaving her behind never crosses her daddy’s mind.  He will always be there.

Is it just a coincidence that God calls Himself our Father?  Surely He knows just how we would struggle when trying to walk with Him.  He asks us to walk in the light with Him (I John 1:7).  He tells us that we aren’t capable of successfully directing our own steps (Proverbs 3:5-6).  He wants us to have even more confidence in Him than a little child has in her daddy.  He tells us to have so much faith in Him that we walk by faith in Him, not by our own sight and understanding (II Corinthians 5:7).  So, when we think about keeping in step with God, it'll please him if we remember how deeply He wants us with Him.  His desire for us is much like a father’s desire to protect and sustain his child. 

The part for us to dwell on is that we, the children, have to keep wanting to be with God, the father.  When a child decides she knows better than Dad, sometimes she heads out on her own path and leaves her father behind.  Someone reading this is thinking, “I’ve left my heavenly Father behind.”  But He’s never far from any of us (Acts 17:26).  When you reach for Him, He will be there.  And, He will even slow down when you stumble.

----Darrell Powell

The Thickening Darkness

Darkness.  It was upon the face of the deep before God spoke the universe into existence (Genesis 1:2). Then God separated the light from the darkness (Genesis 1:4). Soon, darkness came to represent more than just the lack of physical light.  Darkness would now describe the lack of spiritual light and indicate a separation from God Who is the Light.  Samuel wrote: "For you are my lamp, O LORD, and my God lightens my darkness. (II Samuel 22:29) God's will is that we live in the light, in righteousness (I John 1:7). But at times, the thickening darkness can envelope our spirits and smother us as a heavy blanket.

            Solomon described people "who forsake the paths of uprightness to walk in the ways of darkness "(Proverbs 2:13).  Would anyone really choose darkness over light? Are there those who "call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!" (Isaiah 5:20)? But the truth is that each of us was once full of darkness.  We were living in the "domain of darkness." (Colossians 1:13)  But God has "called us out of darkness into His marvelous light" (I Peter 2:9).  

            You may feel encompassed by darkness. Dark thoughts or a dark past, but there is a light that overpowers the darkest of places.  Jesus Christ has "come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in [Him] may not remain in darkness." (John 12:46) The darkness in your life and the darkness that dwells in you can become bright like the sun by the power of the Son!  Jesus sent Paul to preach to the Gentiles (us) "to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.' (Acts 26:18)

            Now, "The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light (Romans 13:12).  The darkness of the world and of the devil, do not win! "But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Corinthians 15:57) It's time to stop being afraid of the dark and love and live in the Light!

----Darrell Powell

The Christ Life

“Arms stretched out wide, barely hanging on to life, and left to suffer on His own.”  He came to serve and save the entire world, but somehow ended up alone.  He calls us to walk a vertical life...one aimed toward Him.  Perhaps that seems a little less demanding and more deserving when we think about  the road He walked alone so that we would never have to take even one lonely step.  “Because of all the blood an tears He shed, we never have to know that kind of loneliness.” (from Never Walk Alone—Brian Free)

The “Christ life” is possible because of Jesus.  It wouldn't just be lonely, but it would be impossible to succeed without Him.

This life I’m speaking of is a beautiful and precious gift Christians enjoy.  The joy isn’t always obvious.  In fact, some days you really have to dig deep to see the real life that’s “hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3).  It’s in this hope that our lives truly begin.

Real life is hidden.  Real happiness isn’t usually found lying around for us to accidentally stumble upon.  It is found in Christ when we decide we “cannot keep on sinning because [we have] been born of God” (I John 3:9).  It’s found when we go the extra mile to serve others and make bold stands for Christ.

I know there are so many things that block our view of real life.  There are negative, hateful, and prejudiced people.  There are societal pressures to conform instead of transform.  Then, we stand in our own way when we decide to focus too much on any one aspect of life in Christ.  It’s easy to get so burdened with details of faith that we neglect important matters like “justice and mercy and faithfulness” (Matthew 23:23).  When I’m tempted to get tunnel vision, I need to be reminded that our lives shouldn’t just be about Christ.  Christ should BE our life! “When Christ WHO IS YOUR LIFE appears...; ...To live IS Christ…” (Colossians 3:4; Philippians 1:21 emp. Added).

Which direction is your life taking you?  Don’t let anything or anyone keep you from the life with Christ in God.  It is the only life with hope and promise.

——Darrell Powell