ALL THINGS FOR GOOD

Have you ever felt like you are in a hockey game, getting beaten badly? Maybe you just had "one of those days", where everything seemed to go wrong, for no apparent fault of your own? I have had a few of those days myself, and though they are not enjoyable, I do find peace and assurance in this one important truth; "God works all things for the good of him who is called to His purpose"(Romans 8:28). Consider that statement for a moment - God is using all the events which occur in our lives, both positive and negative experiences, and is bringing good from it all! Now we either embrace and believe this or we don't, but personally I choose to take God at His Word. However, there is an important key to this promise being fulfilled; we must be living daily for Jesus Christ, living to fulfill His purposes, not our own. This is not to say that we have to be perfect; simply surrendered to His will and living for Him with our whole heart. Remember, God isn't so concerned about our perfection and He is our direction - following Jesus every day! Over time we can see how God uses our challenges to bring about something good, although we usually don't see how all of the pieces fit into place - only the Master Builder sees the master plan. Nevertheless, we do see enough evidence to know that God is genuinely at work in our lives, guiding our paths and our footsteps. Psalm 37 tells us that "The steps of a righteous man are ordered by God." What a comfort it is to know that God is directing my life, opening and closing doors, and helping me to fulfill my divine destiny each day!

LOOKING FOR A SAVIOUR

On January 20th the eyes of the world were set on the inauguration of America's first African American president, Barak Obama. It would seem that millions of people from countries all around the world are looking to President Obama as the individual who can save us from our financial problems, our environmental predicaments, and our international war proliferation. Finally, our countries can get back on track with stability and prosperity, right? Well, time will tell. David Gregory, moderator of "Meet The Press" reported on the disdain and disrespect certain people demonstrated to President George Bush on the day of his departure from the White House. Fatigue from the war effort in Iraq and frustration over the economic crisis had reached a boiling point. But wait a minute, wasn't there a democratic senate helping to make decisions for the U.S. while Bush was in office? Wasn't the lack of regulation for Wall Street taking place while Clinton was in office as well?

We need to understand that the challenges we face today were not created by any one man, nor will they be solved by any one man. It was a collection of greed, mismanagement, and poor decisions which created this mess, and recovery takes time, wisdom, and unified leadership. We need to pray for our national leadership, but we also need to ask ourselves this question: can Barak Obama and the American government assure us that we will be safe, secure, and provided for? The answer is no, only God can. On the day he was sworn into office, President Obama quoted a passage from I Corinthians 13, which states, "When I was a child, I talked like a child. When I became a man, I put away childish things." Chapter one of this same book states, "He (God) will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ." Jesus told us in Matthew 6 to "Seek first the Kingdom of God, and all these things (that we need in life) will be added unto you." I believe in these tenuous times God is going to draw more and more people to the reality of His truth, love, and safety. Is your hope and trust in the real savior of the world?

SCOTT, KARI, COULTER, & SPENCER PETERSON

THE POWER OF PRAISE

The popular slogan "have an attitude of gratitude" may sound quaint and sweet, but there is a powerful biblical truth behind it which can significantly improve our daily lives. Although you may become irritated at somebody who refuses to be negative and share your misery, it's a good idea to consider the reason for their joy! The enemy is intent on bringing people down, especially those who are living for Jesus Christ (I Peter 5:8). If you have been serving God for at least a little while, you have probably learned the importance of putting on the full armor of God (Ephesians 6) complete with Truth, Faith, and the Word of God, so you are ready to defend yourself against spirtual attacks. However, one important area that we tend to forget about is the Power of Praise. When Paul and Silas were being held in a Roman prison for preaching the Gospel, they certainly could have had a bad attitude and a bitter spirit. Instead they chose to praise God for His goodness, and the power of God invaded the jail and broke their bonds free! (Acts 16) Even if you are dealing with more than one challenge at a time, remember that our blessings far outnumber our trials, every time! Worship ushers in the presence of God, filling our hearts with peace, power, and joy. We all experience challenges at various times in our lives, and God is faithful to help us through all of them. Philippians 4 says, "Rejoice in the Lord always . . . with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God, and the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." The chapter goes on to promise that God will supply all of our needs. Do you see how Praise, Peace, Power, and Provision are all tied together? Start praising God every day for who He is, what He has done, and what He will do. Even in the trials of life, you can thank Him that He is in control, working all things for our good and His glory! (Romans 8:28)

THE KEY TO HAPPINESS

"I'm so sick of my job!" "I feel so depressed." "Life is so stressful!" Statements like these are common place among people I minister to as a local church pastor. It seems that many people, christian and non-christian alike, are stuck in a rut in their every-day lives. A job transition or relationship change may seem to be the answer, but usually it isn't. There is a key to happiness that the follower of Jesus Christ has access to, and it is this; Joyfully Give Jesus Your Best! Colossians 3:23 says "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward." It can be un-fulfilling to work for an earthly boss or go through the mundane routines of life, but if we do things wholeheartedly as unto the Lord, then suddenly life has true significance! As you give your best and "bloom where you're planted", you will shine your light for Jesus and make a positive difference in this world.

WHAT MATTERS MOST

Life can be confusing, hectic, and exhausting. We try to maintain our priorities in their proper order, but they easily get muddled in the mayhem! Sometimes we overload our calendars by trying to do everything (some things necessary and others not so much), including every child's sporting event, PTA meeting, and extra shift at work. The problem with this lifestyle is that we become spread too thin, and important areas in our life begin to suffer, such as quality time with our family or prayer time with the Lord. It helps bring clarity of purpose when we simplify, living selective to be effective, so I decided to give my personal belief on What Matters Most in this life. Many things come to mind; God, family, friends, freedom to worship, enjoying life, helping others, and for some, winning the Superbowl! For me it boils down to fulfilling the two "Greats" given by God; 1. The Great Commandment ~ Love the Lord your God with your whole heart, soul, mind, and strength, and Love your neighbor as yourself (Mark 12), and 2. The Great Commission ~ Go into all the world and make disciples of Jesus (Matthew 28). Everything we do in life should serve to accomplish these two great mandates given by God. It may not always be easy, in fact, it can be down-right challenging. But Jesus helps us everyday through the instruction of His Word and the counsel of His Spirit speaking into our hearts. The road is hard, but the reward is great - eternal life in Heaven!