Never Give Up

“For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again.” (Proverbs 24:16a)

The Space Shuttle Discovery was launched earlier this week. (Did you see it on TV? I was riveted!) I can remember it was just two and a half short years ago when the last Space Shuttle Challenger exploded upon reentry into earth’s atmosphere. I can just imagine the anxiety at NASA as they were awaiting the recent liftoff. But it was near perfect except for one thing. Foam debris broke away from the external fuel tank. At the time of this writing officials were still unsure if any had hit the Shuttle. (It just might be another “cross your fingers” return?)

Life is many times about things going wrong - isn’t it? - whether it’s your own personal fault or somebody else’s or just the hand that you’re dealt. We don’t always have control over the things that go wrong, but we do have control over how we’ll respond. Will we throw up our arms and give up and quit? Or will we pick ourselves up and continue on (with God’s help)? A Christian ought to never give up because he knows the Lord causes all things to work together for good to those who love Him, to those who are called according to His purpose (Rom. 8:28). What are you facing today and maybe you’re being tempted to say, “Okay, that’s it. I just can’t take it anymore!”? God is near. Call out to Him and He’ll help you keep going.

Stay on Board

“And when they had been brought safely through, then we found out that the island was called Malta.” (Acts 28:1)

Never did the sand of a beach feel so good under a group of men’s feet than on that day long ago on the beach of Malta. After having been through nothing less than a hurricane on a ship in the middle of the ocean for fourteen days straight, to be able to stand secure on dry land - not fearing for your life and fighting with every ounce of strength within you to save it - well, it must have felt like a pipedream it would ever happen. But it was no pipedream. It was reality. The Apostle Paul and two-hundred and seventy-five others had really survived the storm (and come through a shipwreck, too!)! I encourage you to go back when you have some time to read the story in Acts chapter 27 and reflect upon it. It’s one of the most exciting in all of Scripture.

And there are two short points I want to leave you with in this note, my friends. The first point is: (1) When God says you’re gonna make it, you better believe you’re gonna make it! (“‘Do not be afraid, Paul . . . God has granted you all those who are sailing with you - Acts 27:24; [F]or there shall be no loss of life among you’” - Acts 27:22.) And the second point is - it’s one of my favorite quotes from Pastor Jack Hayford (I have it written down in my Bible!): (2) “There are no dream voyages in this life, but there are joyous arrivals. Stay on board!” (“Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, ‘Unless these men remain in the ship, you yourselves cannot be saved’” - Acts 27:31.) We will arrive in one piece in the presence of the Lord on the shores of the next life, my brothers and sisters, if we “stay on board” in Christ. Not a one of us will be lost. It’s God’s promise!

Christians Are Different

“‘[A]nd the world has hated them (Jesus’ followers), because they are not of the world.’” (John 17:14b)

Rejoice, my brothers and sisters! And again I say rejoice! It is one of the evidences of the validity of our faith when we are put down, shoved aside, discounted and despised. If we (believers) were just like everybody else, would not the world love and receive us and talk about us in a politically correct way? But they don’t (and increasingly in America it seems these days) for the very reason that we are different. We are of Christ and God! The well-known radio personality, Paul Harvey, has this to say about the subject. I thought you’d get a kick out of it (as I did!)…

"I don't believe in Santa Claus, but I'm not going to sue somebody for singing Santa Claus Is Coming To Town. I don't agree with Darwin, but I didn't go out and hire a lawyer when my high school teacher taught his theory of evolution. Life, liberty or your pursuit of happiness will not be endangered because someone says a 30-second prayer before a football game. So what's the big deal? It's not like somebody is up there reading the entire book of Acts. They're just talking to a God they believe in and asking him to grant safety to the players on the field and the fans going home from the game. "But it's a Christian prayer," some will argue. Yes, and this is the United States of America, a country founded on Christian principles. According to our very own phone book, Christian churches outnumber all others better than 200-to-1. So what would you expect-somebody chanting Hare Krishna? If I went to a football game in Jerusalem, I would expect to hear a Jewish prayer. If I went to a soccer game in Baghdad, I would expect to hear a Muslim prayer. If I went to a ping pong match in China, I would expect to hear someone pray to Buddha. And I wouldn't be offended. It wouldn't bother me one bit. When in Rome... ...Christians are just sick and tired of turning the other cheek while our courts strip us of all our rights. Our parents and grandparents taught us to pray before eating, to pray before we go to sleep. Our Bible tells us to pray without ceasing. Now a handful of people and their lawyers are telling us to cease praying. God, help us. And if that last sentence offends you, well..........just sue me."