What Kind of Summer Are You Going To Have?

With the start of summer comes a myriad of different opportunities to do stuff: vacations, holidays, fun in the sun, and ball games just to name a few. Summer is to be enjoyed and celebrated! However, there is some risk involved in the activities of summer as well, and I'm not talking about sunburns and mosquito bites. I'm talking more about a Christian's spiritual health. Often times during the summer (and others seasons as well) we put ourselves in situations that are risky; compromising situations which have the potential to move us away from God, not closer to Him.

The apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians chapter 10 teaches this truth to the Christians in Corinth. He reminds them that while God was with Israel in rescuing them from Egypt and providing for them in the wilderness, many Israelites died and never reached the Promised Land because they put themselves in compromising situations. Read Paul's teaching:

"These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come. ¹² So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! ¹³ No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." ~ 1 Corinthians 10:11-13

The core teaching here is simple: Don't assume anything. Don't assume that you can put yourself in a compromising relationship and come out unscathed. Don't assume that you can miss out on regular fellowship with other Christians and not be affect. Don't assume that you can ignore a regular diet of God's Word and still grow in your faith. Be careful that you don't fall!

God will always provide a way out, but our God is a gentleman—He's not going to make you do what you don't want to do. If you're in a situation that you shouldn't be, He's not going to pick you up and move you to safety. If you have missed out on fellowship with your church family, He's not going to forcibly pick you up and plant you in church. Your discipleship is dependent upon you intentionally putting yourself in situations where you avoid temptation and are surrounded as much as possible with God's people and His Word.

Please understand that I remind you of these things because I care about you. For too many Christians, summer is a time to "take a break" from their faith. But what if summer was a time of genuine spiritual growth? What if summer provided you with more time of fellowship with Christians? What if summer provided you more time to read the Bible? What if summer provided you more time to walk and pray? What if summer allowed you more time to serve?

Summer is officially here. What kind of summer are you going to have? You choose.

The Gift

"About to graduate from high school, a young man from a wealthy family was anticipating his gift. It was the custom in that affluent neighborhood for the parents to give the graduate a new car. Jason and his father had spent months looking at cars, and the week before graduation they found the perfect car. Jason was certain that this car would be his on graduation night. Imagine his disappointment when immediately following the graduation ceremony, Jason's father handed him a small, elegantly wrapped package. It must be the keys to my new car, Jason thought.

Upon opening the gift, though, all he found was a Bible with his name imprinted on the front. A Bible? He took it out, looking to find car keys in the box. Empty! Jason was so angry that he threw the Bible down and stormed out of the house. His father tried to stop him, but Jason kept on running. He and his father never saw each other again.

News of his father's death finally brought Jason home again. As he went through the possessions he was about to inherit from his father, he came across the graduation Bible. Brushing away the dust, he opened it and began idly flipping through the pages. A paper tucked inside caught his eye and he pulled out of the Bible a cashier's check, dated the day of his graduation, in the exact amount of the car he and his father had chosen."

This short story very accurately describes how many of us approach our relationship with God. We expect certain things from God because he is our Heavenly Father and he is supposed to be good. If God is good and loves us, we naturally expect things to go well in our lives; good health, great job, obedient talented kids, a full bank account, a fantastic marriage and most of all happiness. Don't tell me that you haven't had those types of expectations of God—we all have.

So how do you respond when things don't work out? What is your response when the job falls through? How do you react when you find out its cancer? Do you run from God? Do you become angry with what He has allowed to come into your life? Or do you stop to rummage through and look into the situation? If we would just stop, and instead of running from God simply ask the question: "God what good thing do you want me to learn?" Or maybe, "God thank you for this gift to teach me ________."

 

² Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³ because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. ⁴ Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. ⁵ If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him." ~ James 1:2-5

What Are You Looking For?

I stumbled across this video I made back in 2007 for Easter Sunday.  I thought I would repost it because the message is timeless.  Enjoy...oh and what are you looking for?