No Burden Too Heavy

ALL – Psalm 40:11-17
ALL – Proverbs 22:2-4
OT – Job 20:1-22:30
NT – 2 Corinthians 1:1-11

Interesting passage for the day: We felt we were doomed to die and saw how powerless we were to help ourselves; but that was good, for then we put everything into the hands of God, who alone could save us, for he can even raise the dead. – 2 Corinthians 1:9, The Living Bible

Thought: When Christy, Emma and I headed to Louisville so that I could attend the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in June of 2006, we felt ready and self-sufficient. We had saved about $15,000 as a cushion for the first few months’ expenses, Christy’s web design business was clearly capable of generating income, and we had everything planned out for me to watch Emma enough each week for Christy to be able to run her business smoothly. Survival would not be an issue in seminary. We were going to thrive!

That’s not how I felt in September or October when I was sitting in the corner of the dining room, sobbing uncontrollably because we were already less than a month away from being completely out of funds, and feeling like a total failure as a husband and father. What had I led my family into?

I felt kind of like Paul: “doomed to die and [seeing] how powerless we were to help ourselves.” Okay, maybe the dying thing is a little dramatic, but seriously, I was totally aware of my own weakness, powerlessness, inability, failure.

But God turned things around. He provided business for Christy. He gave me the strength to add a part-time job (actually two jobs, for a while) to my schedule. We weren’t wealthy, but we were living. God had saved us from going totally broke.

God is always providing for us. He does it for the entire world. But He especially delights to provide for His children. Sometimes God calls us into situations that we cannot handle, circumstances that threaten to overwhelm us—even to wipe us off the face of the planet! But our God is able to raise the dead! He owns all of creation! There is not a challenge we can face that is “too big” for Him!

Question: What has overwhelmed you—in the past, or perhaps even now? How can we support one another as we call on Jesus, our God who saves us from every trouble?

To review the Bible reading plan options, please visit http://tinyurl.com/yj2o7jz.

Heading for Trouble

ALL – Psalm 149:1-9
ALL – Proverbs 18:8
OT – 2 Kings 18:13-19:37
NT – Acts 21:1-17

Interesting passage for the day: When it was clear that he wouldn’t be dissuaded, we gave up and said, “The will of the Lord be done.” – Acts 21:14, The Living Bible

Thought: Sometimes God leads believers into challenging and dangerous situations. No one could have been more certain than Paul that danger lay ahead for him. He had been warned repeatedly that the path to Jerusalem would put him in harm’s way (Acts 21:4, 10-12). His brother and sister disciples were begging him not to go. And yet he pressed on. Was he sinning to continue on despite their warnings? Despite the Holy Spirit’s warning? No, he wasn’t. He was still walking with Christ and His Holy Spirit. And so the believers couldn’t confront him. They couldn’t rebuke him or say anything against Paul’s plans. When it became clear that neither their warnings nor their pleas would change Paul’s mind, they did the only thing left for them to do: they put their trust and hope in God and His will. They could trust God’s plan.

Question: Have you ever watched a fellow believer follow plans that led toward some kind of certain trouble? Did you get angry at them? Or were you able to seek their best and leave them in God’s hands and will?

To review the Bible reading plan options, please visit http://tinyurl.com/yj2o7jz.