Most of us can relate to a prayer like this,
“Dear God, if you take away this bad problem I have, I’ll never do anything wrong again.”
It’s a prayer that is bargaining with God. But how can a human being strike a deal with the Almighty? What do we have that he needs? We relate to the above prayer because it shows how much we fear pain and problems. We’ll do anything to avoid suffering.
Somehow, far too many Christians have the idea that if we live in a moderately moral way, God is going to reward us with a trouble-free life. That is something that Jesus never said. In fact, he warned his followers about the opposite. He said, “Be prepared for problems because you are going to experience plenty!”
Rather than being exempt from difficulties, Jesus promised he would enable us to overcome those difficulties in a way that will bring glory and honor to him and also transform us into the kind of people he saved us to be. So, the prayer we want to be offering is, “Lord, help me be ready for the problems which come my way so that with your help I can be a witness of your loving presence in my life!”
This Sunday we’re going to be studying a man who lived during the Old Testament times. His name was Hezekiah. For the most part, he was very faithful to God, but that sure didn’t mean his life was problem free. It was just the opposite. Join us as we see how God worked through this man to prepare him to handle the massive problems he faced. It might be a good opportunity for us to get prepared for the tough times we will face in the future.
Sunday Morning Worship – 10:00 am