So how are things going with you lately? Are you stressed? Weary? Discouraged?  I do not believe it is necessarily wrong to be any of these, that is, unless you stay there.  Why? Because of the God we serve !!   As you read of Paul, Job, and others they all went through difficult times but what helped them through these was learning of and focusing on the Lord.   The apostles were in disarray after Jesus’ arrest and crucifixion but what began to lift their spirits was the knowledge that He was indeed alive. To put it as the angel did at the garden tomb, “He is not here: for He is risen, as He said.” (Mt.28:6).

Sometimes life gets so trying, we’re not sure what to do, what God is trying to teach us through a trial and we react and we focus so much on the hardship we have forgotten to look at the Master !   Hebrews 12:1-2 has an excellent admonition for us at such times: “. . .let us lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus. . . ” .    Check this, lay aside what is weighing you down (cast it on Him who cares for YOU, 1 Pt.5:7) instead of trying to carry it by yourself (maybe He has put you here to teach you to stop being so self-sufficient). Why not pray and trust where you know you should when tempted to fixate on the matter? Don’t try to assume God’s place, you have enough on your plate.   Sometimes it’s a matter of sinful choices that has landed us in a place of hardship, renounce the sin and exchange it for right practices.

Then, keep at what is right for in due season you shall reap if you faint not (Gal.6:9), This is God’s solemn promise to YOU !  And last, just as the Lord did at Calvary, stay focused on (not the trial) but the triumph God will give in the end !   Life can be rough here but you have a remarkable Savior Who is desirous to help you through such times.  Get into the Word, read it thoughtfully and prayerfully. Pour your heart out to Him in worship and watch Him guide you through rough waters to a tranquil and triumphant place !!

Everyone in our church who knows our daughter and son-in-law well may be struggling today with the sin of envy for they are headed to sunny, WARM Florida !  As we exchanged texts early this morning she told me she was looking forward to 80 degree temperatures in a matter of a few hours. That’s about an 80 degree upswing !  What a blessing !! Ha !!    I’m reminded of an important verse of Scripture we all tend to struggle with, “Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.” (Romans 12:15).     How easy it is to rejoice when you are enjoying something you’d consider a blessing but when others do, because we contend with our sin nature and problems here, our tendency is to wonder “Why not me Lord?”   “Why do they enjoy that?”   When truth is, we should be Christ and other person centered enough that we are genuinely joyous for the blessings God gives to others.  But as we look through the prism of our difficulties and focus on our burdens it becomes difficult to muster up true joy for others when we are immersed in our own misery !   Thus we need to be commanded to rejoice so.

When you find yourself jealous at others remember this Divine mandate to change your attitude and rise above the sinful thoughts that threaten to drag you down further and ruin your testimony.    Sometimes our lack of blessing is due to our own sin and we may be experiencing a harvest consistent with past transgressions but thankfully we don’t need to stay there. With God’s Word as our guide we can start a good harvest that will in time change the bad crop to a blessed one so be not weary in well doing for in due season you shall reap if you faint not (Gal.6:9).

Remember this when you are tempted to not rejoice as our text states:  If you are saved, you already are blessed without seeing all the blessings in store for you !   You have enjoyed some but there is so much more on the horizon for you, in fact an eternity’s worth awaiting YOU !!!!   So if life is a little rough now, if the frigid temperatures have you down and longing for warmth, the blessings are ahead, my friend, because you are His child.   REJOICE today, its only right and it glorifies the Lord.

It is very interesting to see the hand of God at work in the lives of people as a pastor.  This morning I travelled on ice and snow covered roads for several miles to be with an older man who I’d led to Christ not long ago and his daughter.  He is dying of cancer and she is understandably discouraged and caring for him at home.   He could barely open his eyes to look at me and respond yet I’m so glad to know he will be in heaven when this earthly trial is over for him.  As the daughter, hospice nurse and I sat and chatted, the daughter told me it’s been rough and she has been given a prescription to medicate her should she need relief from the emotional duress.

I looked her straight in the eyes and told her that what is far better for her is fixing her mind on the truth.  While we are in such situations it is so easy to focus exclusively on our troubles and so then we do get down. And the world says, “Medicate, Medicate !”  But the Lord wants to be our comfort and peace.    I reminded her she has had almost 90 years to enjoy her Dad and his body is worn out, his earthly sojourn almost ended.  Remember to be glad he’s saved, and that the same salvation he received enables any of his family to be with him forever too.   Where she has been dwelling a lot on his deteriorating condition, its the Word that was able to encourage her of his soon to be eternal blessing !  This woman has yet to darken the door of our church, but it makes me wonder that God is at work using even this sad happening to bring another couple to Him and they too find the peace that can only be found in Jesus Christ.

Are you burdened by some earthly trial lately?  Do you know someone who is?  Remember, to let His peace pervade your mind and as Paul wrote the Philippians so many years ago now, “And the peace OF God which passes all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (4:7).    Lean on His Word for comfort, encouragement, hope, strength and when you do His peace will keep or guard you mentally in a way that Prozac never could ! And why? Because this is “through, not some pharamaceutical company, but CHRIST JESUS.”  !!!!

Our church has been reading through the last portions of Genesis this week. So as I was reading, I couldn’t help but think in chapter 38 how hypocritical Judah was.   He had been negligent in his duties as to the custom of his day in securing a mate for his widowed daughter-in-law, Tamar. This was known as a “levirate marriage” where a relative would be secured to marry the widow and raise children to the name of the deceased. Circumstances were such that Tamar, seeing he’d neglected to secure a new husband for her,  resorted to trickery. She disguised herself as a prostitute and displayed herself where Judah would be during sheep shearing time.

Tamar conceived through this and was found with child and naturally assumed by the townspeople to have been immoral. Judah being told of this news stated very hypocritically “Bring her out and let her be burned !” (vs.24). While she was being brought out for execution (still as the hypocrites of the Middle east do to this day) she wisely informed the mob, “By the man  to whom these belong, I am pregnant.” (vs.25).  She had some possessions belonging to self-righteous Judah (his cord, signet & staff – definite articles of his to clearly implicate Judah and protect Tamar !).

What more could Judah say but, “She is more righteous than I, since I did not give her my son Shelah”.  His refusal to offer his son in the Levirate marriage was a lack of trust in God and a lack of compassion for Tamar. When we put self above God and others, we not only lose credibility in our witness but we become hypocritical especially whenever we try to raise a voice for truth.  Granted, every single one of us has at one time or another been hypocritical, we are sinners after all. But thankfully this chapter shows us what to do when our deeds fail to match good words. We do what Judah does here. We admit the error of our way and confess it to God and anyone else we need to and God is then pleased and we have a fresh start and more credibility in our life and ministry for God.   A powerful example is when you fail your kids in some way. If you lose it and yell at them sinfully or misjudge them by being too lazy to seek out the truth and just blame them. You apologize and make things right and you show them, yes, you are a sinner just like them but you are also serious about dealing with sin and being about truth,  or as Judah said it, being righteous !!

Maybe you have played the hypocrite lately.  Its much easier to focus on others’ sins and rant about them and fail to focus on God and what He is trying to change about us.  When you recognize you’re being like Judah, be like Judah !!  Admit it and don’t worry about other’s not accepting your apology, God will, and He will help you to be more righteous as you trust Him and follow His Word !

So even though the groundhog claims spring is coming early old man winter has definite opinions otherwise in our region !  New England is supposed to be pummeled with snow.  Superstition, predictions – man at best is only doing guesswork as to what God really intends to do !! One thing is certain though, the Lord is on the throne and He does what is right and best for us at all times.  Job 37:5-6 says, “God  thunder marvelously with His voice; great things does He which we cannot comprehend: For He says to the snow ‘Be thou on the earth. . . ”

The Word of God is powerful. With one command He can set in motion a blizzard of epic proportions that can affects millions of people.  Logan International Airport in Boston has cancelled all flights today.  And we think we’re  pretty powerful and have arrived by inventing air travel while God can ground it all in an instant with the breath of His voice !    “Who is like unto the Lord our God, Who dwells on high?” said the psalmist in Ps.113:5 !!    So when you are uncertain, felling spiritually anemic, when you’re tempted to worry, when its enticing to go with the flow of this old world, or you struggle with doubt in some way remember that He Who controls the weather has a solid and sure Word readily available for you to read and follow through life’s adventures.

If something isn’t specifically spelled out in His Word that you have questions about, the principles are in the Bible to be able to discern truth from error.    This will steer you aright no matter what the issue you deal with.  Music? Entertainment choices? Career paths? Relationships? etc.   His Word is true, His Word is powerful, His Word is reliable, so be wary of  the world’s shifting ideas and trust in what He says !!!