If Life Is Supposed to Be Good, Why Do I Get the Business?

I was watching a football blooper reel and there were some hilarious moments. That comes from someone who played football all his life. I even played one year in college, but gave it up for a multitude of reasons, not the least of which was I was a human tackling dummy every single day of practice. You should have seen the bruises. I still suffer from a crooked nose that I broke at those same practices on a hot August day. Anyway, if anyone knows what it's like to get the business in football, I do. Back to the blooper reel. Here's one line that I remember when all the other images have long since faded away:

There was a huge pile of football players who had made a tackle. To me it looked clean enough, but then a referee threw a flag. Once they got the players off the pile, I waited to hear the call, "5 yard penalty on the red team. Underneath the pile, giving him the business." That call was the first and only time I had ever heard it. I laughed till my sides split.You see, I knew what it was like to be given the business.

Have you ever felt like you're at a bottom of a pile and life is giving you the business? I can assure you, even as though that call was only made once by any referee, it had happened many times before and would happen many times again. What I'm trying to say is, whatever is giving you the business right now, you can be assured that this is the norm of life and not the exception. Anyone who tells you different is full of bologna (why do we spell that word that way and pronounce in baloni?)

What does God tell us about suffering...er...getting the business...in life? Have you ever read Job 5:1-18? Verse 7 kind of sums it up..."man is born to trouble as surely as sparks fly upward." (v. 7)

Here's some thoughts...
How do we, as Christians, cope with the problem of undeserved suffering? The main thing we must do is recognize that in a universe whose balance has been greatly upset by sin, this kind of suffering is bound to come. It is the norm and not the exception. It is because we live in a fallen world marred by sin. If you will face this, you are halfway to turning the problem into a possibility. When you are not willing to face it, it brings all kinds of misgivings into our life. Ever heard of nirvana? (The concept , not the band).

What you're about to read is for real, not some "preacher" story. Here's what happened to a child who was born into royalty. His parents decided to keep all signs of decay and death from him. When he was taken into the garden, maids were sent before him to remove all the decaying flowers and fallen leaves, so that he would be protected from all signs of suffering and death. One day, however, he left his home and, while wandering through the streets, came across a corpse. His reaction was so strong that he set about establishing the teaching that, as life is fundamentally suffering, the only thing to do is to escape into nirvana, the state of extinction of self. The young man was Guatama Buddha, whose beliefs are shared by millions of his followers around the world. His philosophy is a dramatic and tragic result of trying to protect oneself from the realities of life, one of which is suffering.

The Christian faith is the opposite of that: it exposes us to the very heart of suffering - the cross of Christ. It is the cross that takes suffering, and turns it into salvation. This is why Christians should not be afraid to face the worst that can happen - because with God it can be turned into the best.

If you'd like to pray for God's understanding, you might want to voice a prayer like this...
Father, I am so thankful for the cross - what is my suffering compared to that? And even if I have to bear similar suffering, I know that out of it will come to me what came to You - a resurrection. Blessed be Your Name, Jesus, forever. Amen.

If you want to study more about what the Bible has to say, you might want to read these Scriptures. They are as diverse as an Old Testament prophet, to our New Testament Savior, to a church leader letting the flock know that God understands the impact of our suffering. You see, our Lord also knows what it's like to hurt. He knows and cares. Remember, it's not over until we see Him.
Isa. 53; Luke 22:40; Heb. 2:9-10; 5:8; 8:1
My thanks to Selwyn Hughes who provided the  thoughts for this enlightening devotion.

Moving Forward

The older I get, the more I believe failure is God's way of steering us down His path. We often have a way that we think is right. After all, we have thought it through, asked for advice, been trained, studied demographics, and ultimately convinced ourselves that what we are doing is right.
I have a problem though. I doubt any of you have the same thing going on. You see, once I've made a decision, I feel like I've got to stick with it. Otherwise, to change my way of thinking is tantamount to admitting defeat. Thinking that way only makes me think I've failed. It is humiliating, and it is difficult to change your mind. Yet I get back to what I started this blog with, failure brings direction. It helps me see God's directing hand. There is great clarification that comes along with failure.
So, starting today, I want to look at failure differently. It is a blessing not a curse; it is God's grace, not His punishment. Failure is ultimately what drives us to be "Plan B" Christians, and it there that God uses us the greatest. That is how I can move forward and press on to God's purpose. Simply by making sure when I fail, I fail forward. It is then you can fail God's direction, and that is always best. So, there is hope for us all...those of us who have fallen short of God's glory. Welcome to "Plan B." It is God's way of dealing with every one of us. "But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead."
Philippians 3:13 (HCSB)

Does God Hate You?

For those who don't know, Westboro Baptist Church, a "church" of 70 people made up of the relatives of Fred Phelps, is coming to Charleston on March 23 and 24 to protest at local area high schools, government installations, the Jewish Community Center, and at a convention. According to their protest calendar, they will be at Wando High School to protest on March 23 between 3:30 and 4:00 p.m.

What the WBC preaches drives a stake in the heart of the God. After having been on their website (don't go and give them the pleasure of knowing you gave them a hit) I can tell you that what they preach is nothing but hate. BEWARE! Here is truth: Dear friends, let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 1 John 4:7-8 (HCSB) Their message of hate is nothing but darkness and is spoken from the heart of the one who is hate, the dark lord, Satan.

The truth of the matter is they are anything but Baptists or Christians or a church. IGNORE THEM! That is the best way to make your point. Be indifferent to their message. I can tell you, nothing but hatred and bitterness spew from their mouths using filthy perverse words. Be sure, Oceanside Church, nor any God-fearing, Bible-believing church has anything to do with them or their perverse, unbiblical message.

Here is a position paper that our convention has published and I repeat so that you can understand how Christians, regardless of denomination, can and should feel about the WBC:

(The SBC) shares concern over the unbiblical views and offensive tactics of Fred Phelps and his followers. His church is not in any way affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention, and his extreme position not only stands in contrast to ours, more importantly they stand in contrast to God's Word. God has stated clearly in His Word that homosexual behavior is sinful, but He also clearly

states His love for sinners, including homosexuals, and that He offers forgiveness through Jesus Christ for all who repent and place their faith in Him.The SBC is not in a position to take official action regarding Fred Phelps and the Westboro Baptist Church. Indeed, he has picketed the SBC Building in Nashville and annual meetings on numerous occasions because he believes the SBC to be part of the problem. (SBC.net, FAQ page)

To better understand what the church believes and how we respond to a world that is dying to see love and mercy and forgiveness, see this article: Night and Day.

So, does God hate you? Let me quote that verse that we have heard so many times, spoken from the mouth of Jesus: "For God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3:16). In a nutshell, we can be assured that God loves not only those who love him, but all the world. That there is hope for all who believe in Him; those who believe will NOT go to hell. While WBC takes on the job of judge, jury, and executioner, God's cry from heaven is "I love you. I sent my own precious Son for you. Come as you are. Hate you? I cannot because I am love. My love for will never change Waiting on you." God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Love for Life

As I write this, we have just experienced another horrible tragedy of monumental proportions. This time the catastrophic loss of life is in our hemisphere. Haiti has been devastated by a 7.0 scale earthquake that some estimate has taken the lives of more than 100,000 men, women, boys, and girls. Buildings are collapsed, missionaries have died, citizens have passed into eternity, and injuries cannot even be counted. When we see a loss of life like this, it hurts deeply. Life is precious. God created each one of us with a strong desire to live. Why? We are created in the image of God and if our God is anything, He is certainly the God of life. Through all his struggles in life, Job understood God’s life-giving and life-sustaining power, “You gave me life and faithful love, and Your care has guarded my life.” Job 10:12 (HCSB).

Every January, we are reminded of new beginnings and new life. As we look to the new year, may we all commit to the sanctity of human life that is so precious to God. Life…what a wonderful choice!

Because of His grace, Pastor Trey Rhodes