It’s great to be back and hopefully my examples are not all getting old. In keeping with tradition, I’m going to take a page from my own life and dissect it for you. This one follows directly into last weeks lesson regarding not looking too highly at our own good works and accomplishments. Recently, at work, I had to make some really tough stands against some bad things. I trusted God and, Praise God, I got to see His victory!!! I was threatened with being fired, I was plotted against, and I was made to feel genuinely unloved. Never the less, I stood a firm Ground upon God’s principles and did not give in at all! There was nothing to negotiate. In fact, I gave my word as to what I would do (In God – And I stated it that way! --) and I did it. Like I said, God won the victory and I got to be there. Well, that’s great. You’d figure that because I stood for God when it was a tough stand to make and even when the future seemed darkest black against me, that, God would fill me with all kinds of rewards. You’d almost think to ask, “Hay, Christian! Now that you’ve won the Faithbowl, Whatcha gonna do?”, and I should reply, “I’m going to Blessingsland!!!” Well, with God, it’s not always that simple. As a matter of fact, immediately following such a wonderful string of victories, the same God that gave me the victories, the same God that sustains me in business, the God that sent me here in the first place, that God, He sent me my worst month in returns ever! What!?!?!?!? Is there sin in the camp somewhere? How can this all be from one just God? Let’s look God’s telling of the story of children of Israel’s departure from Egypt.

Early on, God told them that He would give them favor with their neighbors. Well, this seemed like a long shot at best (in human concepts). There was a great deal against them. God tells us that if we stand for Him, no matter what is against us, He’ll give us favor too and, just like with them, increase us. I can tell you this. In the face of my opposition, that was hard to see. Still, I had to trust God. So, we all know the story of how God brought them through. I’ll spare you the details of how my battle so beautifully lines up with the same principles as we see in Exodus. All you need to know is that they did the sinning and God did the winning. Still, what happened to the Israelites immediately after escaping from the clutches of doom? They ended up homeless, hoof’n-it, and at a lack of sustenance. Well, where’s the justice in that? Come on! Is this what you get when you follow God? In fact, that’s just what they wanted to know. That’s just what I wanted to know too. It’s not just a bad month of returns for me. It’s an all around bashing I seem to be taking in many aspects of my life. Something wonderful I have had such hope for seems to have ended up dashed against the rocks. Problems here, problems there, problems problems everywhere!!! Where’s my big after game party? What about the parade and the adulation from all the masses? What happened to the reward? I’ll tell you, sin already ate it all up. Whoa, so there was sin in the camp!?!?!? Nope! That’s not it, at least not in this case. Here’s how the sin factors in. Just like when you are saved, the Blood of Jesus washes away your sin debt, but your sinful flesh still remains and is fully capable of committing more sins, when God rescues you by way of your faith in Him, He does all of the work and your capacity for sin is still there. Well, what sin would God have to deal with at a time like this? Surely the faith meter is so high it’s ready to pop. I have news for you. It’s called pride. God went into action, against pride, with the Israelites right away and He does it with us today. God does not want us to loose our focus on Him and His ways so He limits us in ways that force us to keep looking to Him for the next bit of sustenance. In all that has gone wrong for me, in this time, I can truly say that it is God that has kept my sales together. It is God that has given me progress and new hope where I thought that hope had been dashed against the rocks. It is all God! Still, in my foolishness, I murmur and complain against my situation without respect that it is from God and for my Good! Now, I know that I’m not alone in this. Others among us can relate. Enjoy the victories but, don’t push against the guardrails. If you haven’t read through Exodus lately, I would really advise you to do so. It’s a fantastic truth from God and it means so very much more if you actually place your own life in the picture. That is an important thing to do whenever you read the Bible. It’s easy to see the truth in others. Let’s see the truth in ourselves. Also, if we could stand ready to see the victory of God in the battle, let’s trust Him that He knows how to handle the cleanup too. Faith in God, you know, that active kind that we have been talking about, is what makes life worth living, a job worth working, a marriage worth fighting for, a bad child worth loving, a sin worth quitting, and a challenge worth meeting. Have an active faith in the God that saved you!!!

A righteous man may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him
from them all; he protects all his bones, not one of them will be
broken.

[...as it was with Jesus even!]
Psalm 34:19-20
ISDAMan