Tag Archives: dealing with consequences

When Will It End?

The afflicted, heart-broken and wounded long to see the sun on the other side of dark clouds engulfing them.  In the midst of the storms in life, time seems to stand still, sucking the energy out of desperate souls.  Crying out to the Lord, all these individual’s want to know, “when will it end?”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7eUb2uL8nTg

Despite how bad we think our situation is, reading Psalm 44:9-19 may give you a different perspective.  Although David is glorified as a man after God’s own heart, 1 Samuel 16:7, his life was a mess.  King Saul tried on numerous occasions to kill him, 1 Samuel 19:1-10, David committed adultery and murder in 2 Samuel 11 and was a horrible father, 2 Samuel 13:1-22.  Perhaps, this may explain the suffering David endured in Psalm 44, wanting to know, “when will this end Lord?”

Once you become aware of others who have experienced pain, you don’t feel as alone.  The most beneficial thing I’ve done in the past 2 times is to regularly meet a former co-worker, Spencer Saints for coffee.  This time of accountability and fellowship has served as a vehicle for healing.  Whether we’re complaining, pouring out our hearts or sharing what’s going on, this weekly meeting highlights the biblical principle in Hebrews 10:24-25.  By spurring on one another in the faith, you’ll find yourself spending more time on how you be can a light for Christ and less on questioning God, “when will my trial end?”

How have other people that you’ve met inspired you to become more like Jesus?

by Jay Mankus

 

 

Here We Go Again

In a recent blog, I referenced Abram as the mastermind behind the first indecent proposal.  Genesis 12:15 suggests Sarai was taken to be the wife of Pharaoh.  This was such a bad idea that just 4 chapters later in Genesis 16:1-2, Sarai requests a role reversal.  Whenever individuals rely on their own logic instead of God’s guidance, they start sliding down the slippery slope of sin.  So here we go again, committing the same act as before.

One of the things I have learned from being married nearly 20 years is sometimes woman want to verbalize their feelings.  Upon hearing their spouse, men on the other hand, want to fix or problem solve.  Therefore, when Sarai shares her idea with Abram, you can make an assumption that she is simply clearing the air about how she felt when forced to wed Pharaoh.  Instead of further discussing this matter, Abram appears too willing to volunteer, jumping into action.  Like modern premarital arrangements, couples often take the plunge without contemplating how compromise affects the human soul.  God said, “let the two become one” Genesis 2:24, not uniting three with one.  The apostle Paul addresses this in 1 Corinthians 6:12-20 in case anyone forgot about Hagar.

God initially made life on earth easy with only one rule to adhere to, Genesis 2:16-17.  However, Eve got curious, Adam fell asleep on the job and neither took responsibility for their decision.  Here we go again as mankind continues to relive the same mistakes of the past.  In the game of life, all God truly desires is obedience, but Satan in Genesis 3:1 plants a seed of doubt within the human mind, “did God really say that?”  Each time you fall short of God’s glory, Romans 3:23, it’s like Adam or Eve in the garden all over again.  Don’t pull a Hagar by quickly giving into temptation.  Rather, watch out for any harmful cycle or sinful pattern that may currently exist.  If you’re not careful, you might be the next one to say, “here we go again!”

by Jay Mankus