Overcoming Life's Challenges: Disappointment

C.S. Lewis was a prolific writer. One of my favorite books of his is called the Problem of Pain. In this particular book, Lewis contends that pain is a chief means toward a godly end in our life. In other words pain is often times the pathway through which one discovers and even grows in our knowledge of Christ. On page 93 of his book Lewis writes: 'God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains." He refers to pain and disappointment as 'God's megaphone.' I love that phrase because it reminds me that even though I may be discouraged, disappointed or in pain, it does not mean that God has abandoned me, but rather that He may be screaming to get my attention!

As we continue on our journey in the life of Joseph this weekend, I want to remind you of three important truths that continue to recur in this story line. The first is that God is ALWAYS in control. Yes, no matter what may come, God is in control and He is working out His plan as only he knows how to do. The second truth is that God doesn't waste anything. We so often think that we endure pain or hardship for no reason at all, but quite the contrary, once God brings us to the other side of that pain, He often brings us people who need our encouragement and support when they face their own struggles. Thirdly, we must keep our eyes on Him. How easy it is for us to try to seek deliverance from every source BUT God. In fact, I have seen people literally turn from God in times of pain -refusing to see any good or hope that could come from it. Having been there myself, I know that this can be so difficult, but I can tell you from personal experience that the only hope we have in and through pain is if we will turn to Christ and allow Him to be our peace in those moments!

Joseph's life is really a study in these three truths. It is obvious that He knew God was in control. You can tell that by the way the story reads. Time and time again, though evil seems to befall Joseph, God grants him favor and continues to guide him with His presence. While imprisoned in chapter 40 Joseph encounters a cup bearer and baker, both of whom seem 'downcast' or disappointed. He takes note of this - incredible a Hebrew slave who was wrongly imprisoned takes note of two prisoner who came right from the Pharaoh's court. In finding out what their problem was, Joseph is able to help them and actually credit God for the help. Yes, Joseph never ever took his eyes off of God - He always bore witness to Him and lived in such a way that people saw the power of God in the midst of his life! This is a great story indeed and one I look forward to sharing more this Sunday morning as we gather together for worship!

Overcoming Life's Challenges!

Pastor Biz

Missions Sunday!

This weekend we have the privilege of Pastor Borman Roy joining us for our services. Pastor Borman has been with us before and challenged us greatly to 'make Christ's last commission our First concern.' He has served in India for many years and the Lord has greatly blessed His work over there, bearing much fruit through him.

If you would like to support Pastor Borman, then please simply mark 'Missions' on your check in the notation line. We will be collecting these funds for him and his ministry this week and next. As a church, we will send the funds to Helping Hands in Motion, the missions agency through which Pastor Borman is supported! 100% of our generous giving will go to this mission agency.

I also want to take a moment and thank you as a church for your faithful generosity during this year. During very difficult times, we have managed to continue to give and I know that has taken sacrifice by many. We continue to raise money for our Building Fund and God continues to do great work through the sacrifice of so many. Yet, even though the giving has been strong, we are still just under budget. So, if you have not 'given giving' a chance, then I want to encourage you to begin this weekend.

Some folks think that we give so that we can meet our budget, but that is not the case at all. We give because God has so generously given to us and blessed us through His Son, Jesus Christ our Savior! We give to resource the Great Comission so that we might be a part of what God is doing through Christ in our corner of the world. In Second Corinthians Paul reminds us that the Macedonian church, though very poor indeed, gave generously in support of the mission of God in Christ Jesus. In II Corinthians 9:6 - 8, Paul says, "Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work."

So, as you challenge yourself to give and trust God to provide, remember His Word this week: He loves a cheerful giver. Your giving is changing lives every day - not only the lives of others, but also your own life as well - what a great blessing!

As you plan on joining us this Sunday, I trust that God will excite your heart to hear from Pastor Borman, a man who has faithfully served the Lord in strife ridden lands for years and has seen countless miracles to attest to the faithfulness and grace of God in and through Christ!

Missions Sunday - This Weekend!

Pastor Biz

Overcoming Life's Challenges: Temptation

I have often heard people say, particularly when they are going through difficult times and tough situations, something along the lines of the following statements:

• Why has God abandoned me?


• Why has God allowed this to happen to me?


• Doesn't God care about me and my situation?

While statements like this abound in our life (I have said them myself) they actually rest on a false premise. The false premise is this: if life is difficult, challenging, or just in shambles, it must mean that God is not with me or that He does not care about me! Genesis 39 provides a much needed and healthy corrective to such an invalid notion even as it teaches us to keep our eyes on Him, no matter what!

The key phrase in all of Genesis 39 is this, 'the Lord was with him.' It occurs again and again. Let's recap so we can feel the weight of this important phrase. God was with Joseph, yet Joseph was abandoned and betrayed by his brothers. God was with Joseph, yet Joseph was thought to be dead by his father. God was with Joseph, yet Joseph was a slave living in a foreign land, working for a foreign master, worshiping under foreign god's.

Wait a second here, hold on a 'cotton-picking' minute (long minute, I suppose). Isn't the phrase 'God is with' supposed to end differently? Doesn't 'God is with me' mean that 'I am set?' Doesn't 'God is with me' mean that 'I face no temptation?' Doesn't 'God is with me' mean 'I can do no wrong, fear no pain, have no fear?'

Well yes and no. You see, God was with Joseph and because of this truth (remember our big three: God is in control, He doesn't waste anything and we must keep our eyes on Him), we learn that even though all those horrible things had happened to Him and were happening to Him, God still caused Him to prosper in all he did. God being with Him did not, however, mean that his life was be a bed of roses and that all would always be well.

In fact, this chapter reveals a staggering reality that we must all come face to face with. Even though God was with Joseph and even though Joseph did the right thing (more on that later), Joseph was still falsely accused of a crime he did not commit and sentenced to prison bearing a punishment he did not deserve (sounds familiar, right!?!?). Yes, that's right - just because God is with someone doesn't mean that circumstances will always go our way. Yet, it does not change the fact that God is with us - He is at work on our behalf and because of this truth - the truth that God is in control and that He doesn't waste anything, we must always keep our eyes on Him.

Here is how this works in Genesis 39. First of all know this, Joseph was the 'total package.' The Bible tells us that he was handsome in both appearance and ability. He was a handsome man and was multi talented and saturated with ability. This fact alone was enough to catch the eyes of his master's wife. Now, get the setting: a young handsome man in a foreign land working in the home of his master who has repeatedly, over the years, neglected his wife: Uh - Oh! So, the likely scenario develops. She finds him attractive and she pursues him. Now in our modern times we would expect Joseph to enjoy the pursuit and return the sentiment. Put yourself in his shoes, slave in a foreign land, alone with with a lonely woman who wanted to be with him. You look around and think, no one will see, no one will know, etc. etc.

But remember, God was with Joseph and Moses (the author) implies that Joseph recognized this as well. This truth, this one truth alone, caused Joseph to do the unthinkable: to refuse her advances - to do the right thing! Because God was with him, his decided (yes decided - he chose) to resist temptation. And herein lies another dilemma, you would expect it to work out for him, right. He did the right thing after all, but remember, a woman scorned . . . She flips it all around and accuses him of actually trying to rape her.

God is with Joseph, so to whom do you think they listened? Well let's just say she kept the house and Joseph - the one who had remained faithful and resisted temptation to the point of running from it - ended up in prison. This is how God works in our life. Just because He is with you does not mean that you will not be mistreated. It does not mean that you will never be lied to, or that you will never have pain, that you will never be imprisoned or even killed. What it does mean is this: God is with you! And that, friend, is enough!

Join us Sunday as we explore the story of Joseph and experience the truth that God is in Control, that God doesn't waste anything and that we must, MUST keep our eyes on Him!

God be with Us!

Biz

Overcoming Life's Challenges: Betrayal

Myopia is defined by dictionary.com in the following way: 'a condition of the eye in which parallel rays are focused in front of the retina, objects being seen distinctly only when near to the eye; nearsightedness.' I am not sure that I could spot someone with the medical condition described above. I am, however, certain that I could spot someone who lives life with a 'nearsighted' or 'myopic' perspective. In fact, I would venture to say that many of us have lived life from this perspective, at least from time to time. In fact, if you want to know just how myopic your life might be take a moment and complete the following highly scientific test (that I am making up as I write):

1. Do you often find yourself thinking that you deserve better than you are getting?


2. Do you often ask yourself, 'God, where are you' or 'God, why have you abandoned me?'


3. Do you often envy someone else's situation, position at work, family, status, life?


4. Do you find that you are still bitter over something that happened years ago?


5. Do you find that you still carry guilt over an incident that is, perhaps, decades old?


6. Do you live your life through your children, pressuring them to succeed where you have failed?


7. Do your failures define you?


8. Do you quickly and arrogantly take credit for your successes?


9. Do you use the following (or similar) phrase often: 'I sure got dealt a sorry hand in this life?'


10. Do you find that your are often a 'negative' person in your thoughts and your words?

Okay, there you go. Tally your results (yes or no only, please). Now, if you answered yes to any of the above, then chances are you are struggling with the all too common human condition of 'myopic living.' You know, there have been times in my life when I answered yes to many of those questions. Not one of us is exempt from living from this perspective. Our goal in life, especially if we are going to be someone who Overcomes the challenges we face, should be to move beyond myopic living.

Of course, this is not as easy as it sounds. After all, how can one see down the road or envision different circumstances if one's present situation is overwhelming, overbearing or discouraging? You can't just 'will' this kind of sight into being can you? Nope, I do not think you can (though many try). In fact 'far sighted' living is a gift that God alone can give and one that can only be developed and realized through the eyes of faith. It is the eyes of faith that helps keep our problems in the right perspective.

James says it this way in 1:2 - 4, "Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way. " I love the phrase your 'faith life' in this translation. This phrase captures the heart of what it means to overcome our challenges in life and also reveals the goal of all challenges: to make us stronger, to build maturity and to equip us in every conceivable way - to help us live a LIFE OF FAITH!

Over the next several weeks we are launching a new focus called: Overcoming Life's Challenges. There are three important realities that I am going to come back to time and time again during this series!

1. God is in Control! This is the first thing we forget when we encounter challenges too big for us or problems we cannot solve. As we explore the remarkable life of Joseph we will see again and again that this story is far more about God's control over his life rather than Joseph's success in life. It is true that Joseph ends with success, but the pathway he took to get there could have been designed only by God and God alone. Time in time again we will encounter the presence of God in Joseph's life and realize such presence is the difference maker between Joseph and everyone else. My hope is that His presence will mark your life and mine more and more as we go through this series together!


2. God Doesn't Waste Anything! Often times we wonder why we have to endure some things that life throws at us, or that God allows and even orchestrates. This series will help us see that in the midst of every one of Life's challenges there is also opportunity and purpose. In fact, what God is doing in you now He will do through you later to help someone else out on their journey. This second truth will help us take heart and hope no matter what.


3. We Must Keep Our Eyes on Him! This third truth is critical because this is the truth that develops our faith and helps us overcome doubt. We will see time and time again in Joseph's life illustrations of him making moment by moment decisions to keep his eyes on God. Joseph refuses to give into temptation or succumb to bitterness throughout this story. Rather, He focuses on God in trust and hope that one day things will turn in his favor!

I am very excited for this series and believe firmly that it is one we all need at this time in our lives! Join us and bring some friends with you - after all, we all face challenges in life!

Overcoming Life's Challenges!

Biz

Overcoming Life's Challenges: The Amazing NEW Reality the Resurrection of Christ Reveals

I do not like flying on planes. I really, really, do not like flying on small planes. Even worse, I do not like flying on small planes that take off and land from airports that you have to drive a mile on a dirt road to get to and that have no one controlling the tower to tell you if you are about to crash into another plane or not (not even sure how that is possible in today's world). But, last week on our trip up to Carolina to see my family, I got to do all of the above: boy was I excited. To be honest with you, I am not even sure that humans should fly anywhere. There is some part of me that believes we can fly only because of the fall of mankind in the garden. Yep, I know it's weird, but flying, like shaving, is ultimately a result of our sin. There is yet another part of me that believes that if God had intended humans to fly, he would have equipped us with wings to make that possible. After all, those creatures of His creation that do fly already come equipped with the necessary gear as a part of the Divine Design.

I mean, think about it. Do you actually think birds look down on us below and say, 'man (or bird), wouldn't it be cool if we could walk everywhere?' Yet, that is what happened one day a couple of centuries ago - a couple of folks looked up in the sky, apparently envying the bird, and flying was given its first burst of air to breath. We (in typical human fashion) haven't looked back ever since.

While I do not like flying on planes (sounds like a Dr. Seuss book every time I type it). I do love being with my extended family members up in South Carolina. Herein lies the problem. On our last trip to South Carolina (last week) if I was going to see my all of our family members it meant boarding one of those smaller planes from an airport with dirt roads leading to it with 4/5s of the Gainey clan and flying about 4500 ft. in the air for forty minutes or so. By the way, did I say that I hate flying?!? Yet, my love for family trumped my hatred of flying and we planned a quick flight up to see my sister.

Here's how this was going to work. My sister has a good friend who owns a plane and is a pilot. She and he were going to fly down to Hartsville and pick us up - take us back to Greenville and then return the following day. The day arrived - the kids were excited. Me, not so much. Melissa was not traveling with us because of her plans to go see her sister during the same time period. Which, by the way, made me even less excited to board a plane. She can attest to you that I usually have a pretty firm grasp on her hands during any flight I have ever taken with her. On this trip, I was up front with the pilot. While I thought about it on more than one occasion I decided against grabbing his hand and squeezing it for security.

I would like to tell you that when we got 4500 feet above the ground that I got comfortable and began conquering my fear of flying. However, that would be a lie. I did get some pretty good prayer time in up there (which is always a bonus when flying). In fact, as I looked down on God's amazing work, I found myself telling the Lord that if He would get me down safely, I would never, ever again test Him in this manner. Of course, it didn't help that once we got to 'cruising altitude' (terms which, by the way really don't apply to a flight), the pilot looked over and said, 'the seat reclines (as he reclines his own) so get comfortable.'

Boy, my spider senses started tingling with that one. I didn't want to be comfortable and am pretty sure that out of everyone on that flight the last person I wanted to be comfortable (much less reclining his seat) was the pilot. Yep, I began praying hard and apologizing to the Lord that I was not fasting that day, asking Him to forgive my ignorance and carelessness for taking my children up in the air with me. By now, my mind, as you and see was going way, way down the wrong road.

At the peak of my anxiety, I had a revelation. I first looked back at my children, who were pretty much enjoying the whole experience. Then I looked out again at the world below and I realized, rather experienced, something I already know well. This world, and me included, belong to the Lord. And that, if even the worst thing happened, and we plummeted all the way to the surface God has with certainty assured me that death will not be the final moment in my life.

How do I know this? Because in Christ death (the final foe for every human) has been soundly defeated. Because He is victor over the grave, I am also! And, while you may not share my ridiculous fear of flying, you and I all share this common foe - our own mortality! What a blessing it is to know, especially in those crazy moments of life, that the greatest obstacle to us all has been over come in Christ. In I Corinthians 15 the apostle Paul puts it this way,

"The last enemy to be destroyed is death . . . When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal pus on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: Death is swallowed up in victory. O Death, where is your victory? O death where is your sting?'

This weekend, as we celebrate Christ's resurrection this is the truth we celebrate. Let me ask you, 'do you walk in victory this week?' Can you look death in the face, can you look at your own mortality and say with confidence: ' that is not my final answer?' If not, then join us this weekend as we explore the amazing new reality the resurrection of Christ brings to life! Be sure to bring a friend with you as we celebrate, I mean really celebrate the might work of God in Christ.

Overcoming Life's Challenges in Christ!

Biz

By the way, the plane (see picture) trip really was pretty cool and the pilot was fantastic - he did one of the best landings that I have ever experienced (prayer really does work). It was so good that I got back on the plane the next day and flew back to Hartsville (I will save that story for another time :^).