Strenght For Today
Strenght For Today
Strenght For Today
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PAUSE
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ILLUSTRATION
One of the most rewarding things the LORD has ever given me the
privilege of doing in all my years in the ministry was preaching on
a daily radio program back in the late 1990's and early 2000's called
“Strength For Today.” I had the honor of sharing that broadcast
with Bob Moulden , Elbert Lilly, Dolan Baker and Bill Pollock. Perhaps
some of you can remember listening to that program.
Just as the title of our radio program suggested, there were lots
of people out there listening who just needed “Strength For Today.”
They just needed hope and encouragement and strength from the
word of GOD that God was going to see them through a difficult
circumstance or trial they were going through.
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Perhaps it is you who needs STRENGTH FOR TODAY. Maybe you are
dealing with some marital issues.....or family issues.....or health
issues......or work-related issues that are weighing you down with
discouragement and a sense of hopelessness and despair.
despair
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In the kingdom of GOD everything is exactly opposite to the way
the world thinks.
• We conquer by surrendering.
surrendering.
• We find rest by taking upon ourselves the yoke of Christ.
Christ.
• We reign by serving.
serving.
• We are made great by becoming small.
small.
• We are exalted when we are humble.
humble.
• We become wise by being fools for Christ’s sake.
• We are made free by becoming bondservants.
bondservants.
• We become first by placing ourselves last .
• We win through losing.
losing.
• We live by dying.
dying.
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I have just two simple points to share with you in today's
message.
First of let's consider........
And then in Galatians 6:11 (NKJV) Paul writes, “See with what
large letters I have written to you with my own hand.”
Well there are two kinds of Christians, too! Those who are
hurting and those who are going to hurt. The fact that the
apostle Paul, who is arguably the greatest preacher of the
gospel this world has ever known, lived with chronic
suffering of some kind tells us that regardless of how godly
we may be....regardless of how high our calling may be
none of us are immune to suffering and hardship.
from GOD ...none
In his book “Take Comfort” Bob Russell writes....
Just because you take your children to Sunday School doesn't mean
“Just
they will never use drugs. Just because you are a Christian
doesn't mean you'll never get cancer. Just because you tithe
does not mean you will never feel the tension of financial
strain. Just because you marry a Christian doesn't mean you're
going to live happily ever after. Just because you're driving to
Church doesn't mean you won't have an accident.” (TAKE COMFORT
by Bob Russell, p. 213, STANDARD PUBLISHING COMANY, Cincinnati, OH Copyright 1991)
This doesn't make our trials and suffering more pleasant, but
it helps us to understand that behind every trial, every
trouble, and every hardship we go through GOD HAS A
PURPOSE AND A PLAN.
ILLUSTRATION
Several years ago some of you may remember me requesting prayer for my
dear friend Johnny Adkins who received second and third degree burns
over a great percentage of his body.
For months Johnny was confined to a bed in the burn unit at Baptist
hospital in Winston Salem. (NC) One day I was talking with Johnny on the
phone and he told me how GOD had used this terrible accident that nearly
took his life to open all kinds of doors for him to share Christ with his
doctors, nurses, and physical therapists.
Johnny has since gone to be with the LORD. But in those last two or three
years of his life, GOD used Johnny's suffering to bring great glory and honor
to Himself as many lives were touched by Johnny's testimony about his
faith in GOD despite his terrible scars and suffering.
In the midst of his suffering, Johnny Adkins learned the truth the
apostle learned and that is GOD'S GRACE IS SUFFICIENT.
I leave you with this closing thought. OUR FAITH cannot grow
without trials . If our faith is to grow we must go through trials
and hardships and problems. Life's troubles move us towards
GOD. Life's troubles move us to pray. And it is in the midst of our
greatest difficulties we learn what the apostle Paul learned and
that is: GOD'S GRACE IS TRULY SUFFICIENT, FOR GOD'S STRENGTH IS
MADE PERFECT IN OUR WEAKNESS.
And when BY FAITH we get a firm grasp on this
wonderful truth we will discover STRENGTH FOR
TODAY!