SERVING SIX ONE

Not long ago I heard about a lady that had lost a ton of money because she had met someone who convinced her to invest her money in their company. The company, as it turned out, was nonexistent. The lady had fallen prey to a scam. She had trusted in someone who was not who they said they were and in something that was not real.

The Bible warns in Psalm 118:8 that “It is better to trust the Lord than to trust people.”(NCV) When you put your trust in people, they oftentimes will fail you. However, when you put your trust in the One who created you, who knows you and who cares about, you can totally depend on Him. He will NEVER let you down.

The Bible also tells us in Proverbs 18:24 that there is a friend that sticks closer to you than a brother. That friend is Jesus. He is the very lover of your soul. He loved you so much that He willing came down from His glorious throne in heaven to live and then die so that we might live again with Him. He now is in heaven interceding before God the Father on your and my behalf. Now, that’s someone that you can really trust.

If you have a need, Jesus says that all you must do is “Ask, and it will be given to you.”(Matthew 7:7) But, there is a stipulation on the matter. When you ask, you must trust God to do what you ask. This is noted in Matthew 21:22. “And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”(NKJV)

Sometimes it is not easy to trust God. When things seem to be going wrong, when people let you down, when you’re hurting, when your finances are not good, when you or someone you love is sick, or when various trials and problems come your way, it can be difficult to trust God to take care of things. But in order to get through this life here on earth, we must trust God. We must have faith in the One who knows all and who wants to take care of our every need.

So, what can we do increase our faith so that we can trust Him? Romans 10:17 tells us that faith comes by hearing the Word of God. If you are having problems trusting God, you need to read His Word. Everyday, you need to read God’s Word, the Bible, and learn more about Him, about His character. Then you will start to trust Him more.

When you first meet someone, you don’t know them. You have to spend time with them. Get to know them by talking to them, listening to them. Then you will know whether or not they are genuine, if you can trust them. The same method applies with God. In order to trust Him, you have to spend time with Him. Talk to Him. Read His Word. Listen to what He has to say. Then your faith will grow. Then you can believe. Then you can ask. Then you can receive.

“What blessings await you when people hate you and exclude you and mock you and curse you as evil because you follow the Son of Man. When that happens, be happy! Yes, leap for joy! For a great reward awaits you in heaven.”
Luke 6:22-23

Life is not easy, especially when you decide to take a stand for Jesus. As a matter of fact, sometimes it seems even harder when we look around and see all the people that aren’t serving God seemingly so “happy go lucky”.

There have been times in my life when things were so difficult. In my efforts to stand up for God, I was literally made fun of, and “left out” because I chose to follow God rather that a “good time”. Oh it was hard. Many times I was tempted just to give in to shut up the taunting, or to just lower my standards a little just so that I wouldn’t feel so weird or different. Just once go along with the crowd so that I could fit in.

And there were times that I did. Little things like watching a movie with a friend that I knew God wouldn’t want me to see. Or talking about someone, making fun of them because everyone else was. Just little things, right?

Well, according to God, when you feel something is wrong in your heart, and you do it anyway, you are putting your flesh above your spirit. you are putting that thing you desire ahead of doing what God wants you to. And all for the sake of how you look. All for the sake of your reputation to your friends. Basically, you are putting their opinion of you higher than God’s.

Jesus knew all about being mocked. He knew all about being made fun of. His own family made fun of Him. Called him crazy. In His own hometown, the place He grew up, no one accepted Him. They didn’t believe in Him. Oh, He knew way better than you or me what it felt like to be ridiculed for what doing right.  He knew what it felt like to be all alone for not going along with the crowd. He knew what it was like to not fit in. he knew what it was like to have a calling on His life to be different. Think about it. His whole life, He had to make choices, just like you and me. He had to choose not to make fun of people, not to sneak out, not to disobey, not to look at or listen to things that everybody else was just because it was popular. But, He did it. And because of His stand, a stand that He took and died for ….. we should stand for Him.

When you do, He says… Be Happy! that’s right, be happy when others make fun of you and mock you, or put you down, or try to make you feel stupid. He said that you will be blessed! God will take care of you. Please Him, and great will your reward be!

But, reward or no reward, Isn’t He just worth standing up for?