Good weekend to you my ‘Walking with Jesus’ friends,
Where I live in the world, at this time of year, we keep our eye on the weather for we are entering hurricane season! By God’s grace and thanks to modern meteorology we normally have several days, sometimes more than a week, of warning as we track the intensifying storms coming toward us across the ocean. From the time of my boyhood, I have always been fascinated by huge dark clouds in the sky, lightning, thunder, strong winds, pelting rain. Each of those are great manifestations of the power of God, for as sophisticated as we are, human beings cannot produce thunderstorms or lightning or clouds or rain or wind. That’s God’s work!
Naturally when the hurricane warnings come, many people board up their homes, load up their belongings and try to find a safe place. Amazingly, however, there are always those who chose to stay behind and almost always they are devastated and sometimes killed by the storm. Once again, as we are with the apostle Paul and he’s writing his first letter to the Christians in Corinth,
Paul has some very important advice for us who are living in a dangerous, storm filled world. “If you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, God will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” (1 Cor. 10:12,13) Now I ask you my friends, could there be any wisdom more fitting for the world in which you and I live today, no matter your age, your gender, your socio-economic status, your education.These words are God’s powerful truth of both encouragement and warning for all of us!
Earlier in this same 10th chapter, Paul writes about the rich history of the Jewish people and how God protected their ancestors many times in the face of looming disaster which could easily have wiped out their cities, their flocks and herds, and even their homes and lives. Repeatedly Biblical history shows us that God rescued His people from impending disaster and therefore Paul wanted the Corinthians to take courage. The very same God, with all the same power, was fully aware of all that was happening in Corinth and was more than able to protect and provide for His people, there.
However, Paul also wanted the Corinthian Christians to know there were other times in history when God actually withdrew His mighty hand of protection from His people! Those times were when they had turned away from God. Storms, plagues, famine and even advancing enemy armies were all permitted by God to wreck devestation upon Israel when they refused God’s warnings and God’s appeals to turn from their wicked ways. In their rebellion there was no protection from God when the ravaging storms approached!!
Now ponder that a moment my friends, no matter where you live in the world, as you consider the storms on your horizon. How fragile is the economy of your country? How easily could economic collapse take place? How reliant are you and your family on available electricity or potable water or heat or air-conditioning? What would happen where you live if the skies were cloudless and hot, without a drop of rain for the next year or two or three? How would these things affect life in your town, my friends?
So, what’s the lesson in this? Do you see in Paul’s words God calls His people to live alert and aware of all that is happening around us. Be aware of the approaching storms, especially those moral storms seeking to draw you into self-reliance and rebellion against God. Be careful to not be overly confident or prideful, for God calls us to live in wonderful reliance upon Him, our heavenly Father, for He knows our needs better than we do, He sees the future far more clearly than we do.
Do you see Paul alerts us to a very exciting promise from God? “God is faithful, He will not let you be tempted beyond what [He knows] you can bear. But when you are tempted, God will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” Do you see Paul’s carefully chosen words? Paul did not write that God will remove us from the storm or the temptation that could overwhelm us, but rather God will provide a way out so we can endure the storm, we can stand firm and strong in the face of the temptation or even opposition. Do you see the difference between God removing us from the storm or God providing a way that we can pursue to escape or endure the storm?
Now, let’s make it very practical my friends. As you consider the journey of your life as August 2023 winds down and September is around the corner, are there some storms brewing on the horizon of your future? Have you learned to detect the early signs of a brewing personal storm? Are relationships deteriorating? Is your spending exceeding your income? Have you found yourself bored with God or God’s Word? Are you finding yourself drawn to entertainment that is appealing to something that feels dangerous down inside you? Are you procrastinating on some things you know need your attention? Are you drifting spiritually or morally? Are you beginning to distort truth or perhaps weave some untruth into the things you say? Are you becoming critical of other people, even judgmental of people you used to trust and respect? Are you finding yourself not squelching rumors or gossip but actually embelishing some of the things you’ve heard before you pass them on? Are you finding yourself envious of things other people have which you don’t or taking a second glance, maybe even a slightly lustful glance, at someone other than your spouse?
All of these and much more are early warning signs of storms brewing on your horizon my friends, and Jesus is calling to us today through Paul’s words to be very, very careful in the prestorm days. Ignoring the signs of an approaching storm can be something you’ll regret the rest of your life. Rejecting or even resisting the questions of friends or family who are noticing changes in you that are troubling, could be disaster for you.
God promises His people that He will always make available a pathway to safety as the storms crash down, but that means two things. First, that we’ve disregarded the early warning and waited much too long before taking action for safety. Second, as the storm starts to crash around you, there’s no time to waste, no more excuses to give, it’s time to bolt for safety on the pathway through the storm which God has provided to you. Delay, denial, doubt, disregard could all lead to disaster and maybe even death!
It’s true isn’t it my friends?There are yet many, many storms out there approaching all of us. It’s really important we learn the lessons of 1 Corinthaisn 10:12,13 and teach them well to our children… or live with the damage and regret the rest of our lives. What action do you and I need to take today? Here’s a song to help us consider these important things my friends…
Today’s Scripture is 1 Cor. 10:12,13.
Choose below to read or listen.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
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Pastor Doug Anderson
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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