I am sitting here, laptop resting upon (where else) my lap, the keys of the keyboard silently taunting my fingertips. I am drawing a blank. Perhaps it is the TeleTubbies on the television which is robbing me of my creativity. Those multi-colored weirdos and that strange sun-baby kind of freaks me out. I don’t know, but I guess it is visually stimulating to infants and toddlers.
Since I can’t think of anything in particular to write today (in a bit of a writer’s slump as of late), I will take a page from the TeleTubbies no less, and use it to write something of actual value. Whenever they show a video segment on that show, they immediately repeat it as soon as its over. I learned in some class I took years ago that repetition is one of the main ways to reinforce a message.
Yesterday (Sunday) I preached two messages that dealt with the mission of Christ in this world, and how His mission was to bring hope to the discouraged and the weary. (To listen to these messages, visit http://feeds.feedburner.com/westwoodonline or go to iTunes and search for Pastor Chris Keeton in the Music Store.) Even though we hear it all the time, it is sometimes good to be told again about the hope we as God’s children have. Repetition is good, because even the best of believers have struggles which challenge the strength of their faith.
No doubt many who read these words have in the past or currently are experiencing discouragement or weariness in their life. To you, I want to say that Jesus is your hope. Jesus came that we might have not just eternal life, but abundant life. The life of the Christian should be one of inspiration, of courage and determination, and of faith. But with all we experience, it’s sometimes hard to keep a positive outlook.
In one of the yesterday’s messages, I said that Satan wants your soul, but if he can’t have that, he’s more than happy to settle for your time, your enthusiasm, or anything else. He is trying to stop us from being effective for the Lord’s work, because the discouraged and weary Christian serves his purpose almost as well as the outright unbeliever. Why? Because the Christian who does nothing for the Lord isn’t causing the devil any problems.
With all we go through, it’s easy to just get fed-up, to get weary in body and soul, and to become so discouraged that we want to throw our hands up and quit. We ask, “What’s the point? It seems like every time I think I’m getting ahead, I end up further behind.” But just remember that all the Lord requires of us is our best, and if we are faithful, we can leave everything else in His hands.
When I see a person who is so very close to accepting Christ, and yet they hold off, despite how hard I try to convince them and how much they acknowledge their great need, I sometimes wonder, “What more can I do?” The answer, of course, is a big, fat NOTHING. All I can do is offer, and the rest I must leave to the Lord. Still, even though I know it’s all in His hands, it’s difficult for me to let it go. Could I try something else? Did I push too hard? Has that person missed the opportunity to come to the Lord because of something I said or did not say? Why should I keep trying if I’m just going to keep failing?
Well, if I give into that kind of attitude, then the devil gets what He wants, and I begin to slip in my own Christian walk. At that moment Satan wins, and I (and the Lord’s work) lose. So, we have a choice. It comes down to faith.
Again, to reference one of yesterday’s messages, when we get so tired and discouraged, and we say, “I can’t take it anymore, I can’t take another step,” one of two things can happen. It will be either your weakest moment, or your strongest moment. If you try to escape yourself, or if you try to fix it yourself, or if you simply give up, that moment becomes your weakest. But if you go to the Lord in prayer and in faith give the discouragement, doubt and weariness to Him, it becomes your strongest moment. Remember what Paul said, “When I am weak, then I am strong.” This isn’t a contradiction, but the statement of a truth that when we grow weak, if we trust fully in the Christ who lives within us, then His strength to overcome and be victorious becomes our strength.
So, I want each of you reading these words to know, even if you’ve heard it a thousand times, that you have not been abandoned. You have not been forsaken or forgotten. No matter what your life is handing you right now, God still loves you, and He wants to save not just your soul, but also save you from the despair and hopelessness so prevalent in life today. The Lord is still watching out for you, and wants to draw you close to Him so that you can be a living testament to what He is capable of doing. He wants you to be victorious. He wants you to find rest. He wants you to enjoy life. He wants you to be a testimony, not a victim.
As we face life’s trials, it’s easy to forget what God can do. We know it in our mind, but our heart begins to falter. So I leave you with a verse of Scripture that you should use in those times where you find yourself in your own spiritual wilderness. While it seems to speak to literal Israel, this is God speaking to spiritual Israel, the Church, to every believer in Christ. Therefore it is a promise to all of us who know Jesus as Savior and Lord. It is Isaiah 43:1-2 -- But now, thus says the LORD, who created you, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine. 2When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you.
Since I can’t think of anything in particular to write today (in a bit of a writer’s slump as of late), I will take a page from the TeleTubbies no less, and use it to write something of actual value. Whenever they show a video segment on that show, they immediately repeat it as soon as its over. I learned in some class I took years ago that repetition is one of the main ways to reinforce a message.
Yesterday (Sunday) I preached two messages that dealt with the mission of Christ in this world, and how His mission was to bring hope to the discouraged and the weary. (To listen to these messages, visit http://feeds.feedburner.com/westwoodonline or go to iTunes and search for Pastor Chris Keeton in the Music Store.) Even though we hear it all the time, it is sometimes good to be told again about the hope we as God’s children have. Repetition is good, because even the best of believers have struggles which challenge the strength of their faith.
No doubt many who read these words have in the past or currently are experiencing discouragement or weariness in their life. To you, I want to say that Jesus is your hope. Jesus came that we might have not just eternal life, but abundant life. The life of the Christian should be one of inspiration, of courage and determination, and of faith. But with all we experience, it’s sometimes hard to keep a positive outlook.
In one of the yesterday’s messages, I said that Satan wants your soul, but if he can’t have that, he’s more than happy to settle for your time, your enthusiasm, or anything else. He is trying to stop us from being effective for the Lord’s work, because the discouraged and weary Christian serves his purpose almost as well as the outright unbeliever. Why? Because the Christian who does nothing for the Lord isn’t causing the devil any problems.
With all we go through, it’s easy to just get fed-up, to get weary in body and soul, and to become so discouraged that we want to throw our hands up and quit. We ask, “What’s the point? It seems like every time I think I’m getting ahead, I end up further behind.” But just remember that all the Lord requires of us is our best, and if we are faithful, we can leave everything else in His hands.
When I see a person who is so very close to accepting Christ, and yet they hold off, despite how hard I try to convince them and how much they acknowledge their great need, I sometimes wonder, “What more can I do?” The answer, of course, is a big, fat NOTHING. All I can do is offer, and the rest I must leave to the Lord. Still, even though I know it’s all in His hands, it’s difficult for me to let it go. Could I try something else? Did I push too hard? Has that person missed the opportunity to come to the Lord because of something I said or did not say? Why should I keep trying if I’m just going to keep failing?
Well, if I give into that kind of attitude, then the devil gets what He wants, and I begin to slip in my own Christian walk. At that moment Satan wins, and I (and the Lord’s work) lose. So, we have a choice. It comes down to faith.
Again, to reference one of yesterday’s messages, when we get so tired and discouraged, and we say, “I can’t take it anymore, I can’t take another step,” one of two things can happen. It will be either your weakest moment, or your strongest moment. If you try to escape yourself, or if you try to fix it yourself, or if you simply give up, that moment becomes your weakest. But if you go to the Lord in prayer and in faith give the discouragement, doubt and weariness to Him, it becomes your strongest moment. Remember what Paul said, “When I am weak, then I am strong.” This isn’t a contradiction, but the statement of a truth that when we grow weak, if we trust fully in the Christ who lives within us, then His strength to overcome and be victorious becomes our strength.
So, I want each of you reading these words to know, even if you’ve heard it a thousand times, that you have not been abandoned. You have not been forsaken or forgotten. No matter what your life is handing you right now, God still loves you, and He wants to save not just your soul, but also save you from the despair and hopelessness so prevalent in life today. The Lord is still watching out for you, and wants to draw you close to Him so that you can be a living testament to what He is capable of doing. He wants you to be victorious. He wants you to find rest. He wants you to enjoy life. He wants you to be a testimony, not a victim.
As we face life’s trials, it’s easy to forget what God can do. We know it in our mind, but our heart begins to falter. So I leave you with a verse of Scripture that you should use in those times where you find yourself in your own spiritual wilderness. While it seems to speak to literal Israel, this is God speaking to spiritual Israel, the Church, to every believer in Christ. Therefore it is a promise to all of us who know Jesus as Savior and Lord. It is Isaiah 43:1-2 -- But now, thus says the LORD, who created you, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine. 2When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you.
Keep that in mind, keep holding on, and God bless.
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1 comment:
Very nice!
Jennifer
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