Dear Church Family –
The human species has two natural reactions to suffering—fight or flight.
We try to defeat suffering as quickly as we can, or avoid it altogether. Fight or flight.
This is true not only in personal suffering, but also in challenges we face in community with other people and even in our nation. We tend to either fight or flee.
God gives us an assignment in suffering that often seems impossible and out of touch with reality. His assignment is, “…in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thess 5:18).
How is that possible? And why would we want to do that?
Last night at our Bible Conference session, Dr. Winfred Neely showed us beautifully and powerfully how to praise God when life is hard.
Praise God because He has given us new life –
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again…” (1 Peter 1:3)
Praise God because He has given us hope –
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Peter 1:3)
Praise God because He has given us a future –
“…to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you” (1 Peter 1:4)
Praise God because He is keeping us by His power –
“…who are protected by the power of God through faith” (1 Peter 1:5)
Praise God that He will transform us –
“…who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” (1 Peter 1:5)
No matter how bad life may get, or how good life may get, this is how and why to speak well of God.
But it's also human nature to think that praising God isn't really practical, that what we really need to do is some action--liking fighting or fleeing. Praising God for these reasons keeps us in perspective, and that gives us perseverance, and personal power, and subdues our pride.
Thanks to Dr. Neely for bringing these reasons to praise God to our attention. We’re greatly appreciating Dr. Neely’s messages. I hope you can make it to Bible Conference tonight, tomorrow, and Wednesday, 10:30 am and 7:00 pm.
Praising God – Pastor Tim
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