Monday, June 1, 2015

Highs, Lows & Everywhere in Between – Part 3



 Acts 5:34-42 But a Pharisee in the council named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in honor by all the people, stood up and gave orders to put the men outside for a little while. And he said to them, “Men of Israel, take care what you are about to do with these men. For before these days Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing. After him Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of the census and drew away some of the people after him. He too perished, and all who followed him were scattered. So in the present case I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God!” So they took his advice, and when they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus.

Continuing from yesterday, when Pastor Kyle stated that there are five things that we need to know and remember to rejoice in every season of life (the highs, lows and everywhere in between). (4) that lots of things don’t make sense … yet. In Isaiah 55:9, Lord God tells us: “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” The finite cannot comprehend the infinite, except that which is revealed. The creature cannot understand the Creator, except for that which is made known ... for now.

1 Corinthians 13:12 explains, “For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.”

(5) We always get the grace we need, when we need it. There is a wisdom in looking for contingency plans. If plan “A” fails, then go to plan “B” or plan “C”. In Isaiah 14:24, we are told, the Lord Almighty has sworn, “Surely, as I have planned, so it will be, and as I have purposed, so it will happen.” We have faith in the promises of God, always believing, never doubting that God has a plan. But, sometimes, we want a future contingency from God for a problem that we don’t even have. That is an unnecessary distraction because the Lord always gives the grace we need, when we need it and we can rest in that fact.  


Where are you today? Are you experiencing a dreamy high, climbing out of a stressful low, or cruising along in the daily routine on the in-between's. God calls us to rejoice in Him and our eternal perspective in whatever stage that life finds us in.

Philippians 4:4-5 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.”


In Christ, Brian

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