Life on Loan

Life is packed with stress when you believe you must create your own happiness.

You will be stressed if you attempt to control the people around you.

You will be stressed if you attempt to control the circumstances in your life.

You will experience freedom and peace with the realization that God is in control. Trust that God will do what is best in every circumstance.

Face it, you trust God with the little stuff in your life but the big stuff -- not so much.

The first step toward grasping this concept is to understand that your life is not your own. Every breath you take is a gift from God. This means that every minute of your life is a loan from God. And God deeply cares what you do with the life He has loaned you.

"My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me" Galatians 2:20

If you want to be a man of God, then be a good husband.

If you want to be a woman that pleases God, then be a good wife.

As a pastor, if I fail as a husband, then I fail as a pastor.

One of the highest callings that God gives, is to be a parent. "Children born to a young man are like arrows in a warrior's hands. How joyful is the man whose quiver is full of them?" Psalm 127:5

My point is this, let God determine what is important to you and be faithful with what God has put on your plate.

Don't be envious of what God has put on other people's plates. Chances are, God didn't call you to sing on the worship team or teach in front of great crowds, so tend to the business God has put in front of you.

"Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might..." Ecclesiastes 9:10

Rough Storms

My friend Shauna had a FaceBook post that I loved, “sometimes God calms His child and sometimes God calms the storm”. 

As I read Shauna’s post, my mind was transported to a boat being thrashed around in a terrible storm. “Then He got into the boat and His disciples followed Him.  Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat.  But Jesus was sleeping.  The disciples went and woke Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”  He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?”  Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm"               Matthew 8:23-27 

Before God calms the rough storms of our life, He takes the opportunity to build our faith.   Pastor Rick Warren often reminds us that God is more interested in building our character than our happiness.  Jesus was fully aware of both the storm and their fear.  So, He used this as a teachable moment.  Jesus taught His followers that part of life is sailing in storms.  He then pulled back the curtain and gave them a God perspective moment and taught them that He nature obeys His every command.    

If God were to calm us first, then our faith will not grow because we would trust either luck or circumstances. 

Bottom line:  In God’s presence we should not be afraid. 

“When you pass through the waters,
   I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
   they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
   you will not be burned;
   the flames will not set you ablaze”

Isaiah 43:2