Hard Times

Most people recognize that hard times can teach us many things. We have this truth demonstrated in many areas of life. It is through difficult exercise that muscles develop. It is through new and problematic tasks on the job that we are prepared for bigger assignments and promotions. Unfortunately, it can be through hard times that relationships become stronger. We like our comfort zones, but hard times are often needed to move us forward and make us better.

Acts 8:1, 4 says, “And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word.” It is the hard times that we face, rather than the times of comfort, that lead us to the greater blessings of God. It was out of persecution that the church began to preach the word to the uttermost parts of the world, thus fulfilling God’s commands and prophecy. When we seek to stay in our comfort zones, but may miss out on greater blessings and abundant fruit.

Transformed

I have moved several times in my lifetime. It seems that we can always find a new home and different people. It generally takes a while to become acclimated, but sooner or later the new place feels right. However, for the follower of Jesus Christ, we will not be at our true home until we ascend into heaven with Jesus. Our citizenship is in our heavenly home, where we will also have our bodies transformed into glorious bodies that will never decay or experience suffering again.

Philippians 3:20-21 says, “But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.” Life changes constantly. Places and people come and go. We will never be fully at home until we go to be with Jesus in our eternal heavenly home, when He will also give us a new glorious body.

American Dreamers

In America, we are consumed with making our dreams a reality. In fact, we have the overall expectation of achieving the American Dream. What the American Dream actually means has changed over the years. However, we are taught and have come to believe that we can achieve anything we want, if we just work hard enough and believe.

Jude 8 says, “Yet in like manner these people also, relying on their dreams, defile the flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme the glorious ones.” Our personal objectives have a place in our lives. The danger comes when we give those goals such a high priority that we ignore God and godliness and turn to evil in order to fulfill our dreams.

Trees Tell the Story

The Bible uses trees to illuminate many truths. It begins with the story of the Garden, after God had created man, Adam. He is forbidden by God to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. He eats of the tree, along with Eve, and is banished from the Garden. Also mentioned in this account is the tree of life. Eating from this tree gives one eternal life. However, scripture is clear that only those who trust in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord and thus are cleansed by the blood of Jesus from their sins will have access to the tree of life.

Revelation 22:14 says, “Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates.” Only those who have been cleansed by the blood and sacrifice of Jesus will be able to enter heaven’s gates. These people have been granted access to the tree of life and will live forever in the presence of the Most High God.

Be Still!

One of the hardest things for us to do is to be still and wait. We involve ourselves in a flurry of activity designed for us to make things work out as we think that they should. We want control over the events and situations of our lives so we keep ourselves busy trying to exercise that control. Then, when things don’t work out as we want, we get even busier trying to correct the situation.

Mark 4:39 says, “And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, ‘Peace! Be still!’ And the wind ceased, and there was calm.” We often create our own storms, by trying too hard or trying to make everything work out the way we want. Jesus calls us to, “Peace! Be still!” In this times we must wait patiently upon Him, rather than trying to execute control over the situation ourselves. After all, it is God who reigns supreme over all things, including our storms.