Choosing to Find Joy in Your Circumstances

In the midst of the world’s chaos, I sensed God’s leading to preach expositionally through the Book of Philippians, also known as the Epistle of Joy.  The title of the sermon series is, “Finding Joy in Your Circumstances.” I have preached through Philippians before; but this time through, the Apostle Paul’s imprisonment and intentional CHOICE to encourage others through his suffering, has been jumping off the pages! Paul made it clear that he desired to go to Rome in...

Acts 19:21 – “…after I have been there (Jerusalem), I must also see Rome.”

Romans 1:15 – “So, as much as is in me, I am ready to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome also.”

BUT when Paul finally arrived in Rome, it was not the way he planned. Paul desired to preach to the Romans, but instead he was there as a prisoner.   

Just imagine if this would have occurred in today’s world and Paul was the average "Christian"... he probably would have tried to solicit sympathy when things did not go his way.  He may have attempted to divide his church by sending a letter to the members or by making phone calls in an effort to win people to his side. No doubt that today, a disgruntled “Christian” would be posting his grievance on social media or publishing a book in an effort to polish his halo, while attempting to tarnish someone else’s.  He may have even started a "gofundme" account to support his cause. Well, those things might happen with today's average “Christian," but never with the Apostle Paul.

Paul’s spiritual maturity and single-minded focus on Christ, gave him a different perspective. Paul loved God and His Church too much to cause division in the Body of Christ... even in the midst of his suffering.  Certainly, Paul suffered far more than most of us ever will and a summary of Paul’s sufferings can be found in 2 Corinthians 11:23-28. In spite of the difficulties, he refused to give place to Satan! Instead, Paul simply summarized all of his sufferings in one sentence, “…the things which happened to me…”

He realized that life was not about him and he trusted that whatever came his way was part of God’s plan. Rather than bellyaching or trashing others, Paul CHOSE to praise God for his circumstances and to minister through them.  The Book of Philippians is a letter written to a church that Paul started just over a decade earlier. Rather than asking those people to feel sorry for him, the Apostle Paul CHOSE to edify and encourage those Philippian believers -- even from his prison cell. He thanked them for their generosity, he encouraged them to endure suffering, he warned them against false teachers who preached heresy, and he told two feuding women to “knock it off.”  Even during his time of suffering, Paul’s CHOICES proved that he trusted God with his circumstances.

Two of my favorite verses are found in Philippians 3:13-14 – “Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, ¹⁴ I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

Could it be that someone reading this devotion needs to stop looking backwards, forget what happened in the past, and press toward the bright future that God desires?  To look backwards, to blame others, to seek revenge and to allow bitterness -- is a CHOICE -- and not a good one. To thank God for the trials, to trust that HE is working through them, and to seek what God has in store for your future is a much BETTER CHOICE!

So, which CHOICE will you make today? What hurt, offense, or event do you need to forget, to let go of, and to leave it in the past? Maybe a divorce, bankruptcy, job loss, neighborhood squabble, coach that that cut you from the team, best friend who double-crossed you, church quarrel or one of many other possibilities. Looking backward is like making a CHOICE to be locked inside the prison of your own making. Today, CHOOSE JOY – let go of the past, fix your eyes on Jesus and pursue the plans God has for you! 

Let’s CHOOSE joy in spite of our circumstances and let the light of the Gospel shine for all the world to see!

Knocking Down Sandcastles to build the Kingdom

A few weeks ago, my wife and I had the privilege of spending a couple of days on New Smyrna Beach, which is one of our favorite beaches. NSB still has the “old Florida” feel, as people drive their cars onto the sand and it does not get too crowded. The very gradual descent of the sand makes for shallow water and a large beach area when the tide goes out. 

Flora and I enjoy getting up early to walk and we certainly enjoy a walk on the beach at sunrise. In the mornings, the beach sand is smooth and beautiful after having been groomed overnight by the rising tide. On the pristine surface of the sand, beach-goers can easily spot sea shells and watch the crabs scurry to and from their holes.That smooth surface does not last for long! 

As the day progresses, you see parents digging holes in the sand with their children; you see siblings burying each other up to the neck; and we even saw one man who dug a hole deep enough and wide enough to set his entire beach chair into. Through the day, you also notice many sandcastles being built up and down the shoreline. Some are elaborate sand sculptures, but most are just simple sandcastles. As you can imagine, wherever there are sandcastles, there is usually “that kid” who enjoys demolishing every sand sculpture he can leap onto! By the end of the day, the sand that was pristine in the morning has been littered with holes, as well as, the remains of many conquered sandcastles. 

I’ve noticed that Churches are often filled with figurative "sandcastles." Too often, good and well-meaning people will build castles within the church. No one does this intentionally; but over time "sandcastles" are built, the boundaries are defined, the walls are fortified, and personal kingdoms are established. The once beautiful church that used to be unified and focused on Jesus, slowly begins to take her eyes off of Jesus. Frequently, God will have to topple the sandcastles in order to restore beauty to the church -- just as the nightly tidal waves do to the shoreline. The process is painful, as the churning waters break the shells, carry off the debris and levels the sand; but the end result is that beauty is restored.

As I look at the year 2020 and COVID-19, I have to stop to wonder if God is using this pandemic to tear-down a few personal sandcastles within the churches across our nation. A paraphrase of Romans 8:28 says that not all things are good, but God can work good from all things. Maybe through this pandemic, God is hitting the "reset" button for the Church and restoring her beauty. Maybe pastors will return to the basics of evangelism and discipleship. Maybe church members will turn their eyes toward reaching the lost in their communities. Maybe the stains of sin will be removed and the light of the Gospel will shine through God's Church once again! 

Having the right perspective can make all the difference, so I ask you to consider that while many are fearing the pandemic, will you consider that God could be using it to revive His Church! It could be that in order to build His Kingdom, God had to remove some personal kingdoms (sandcastles) that were stifling local churches. It could be that by shifting our focus away from Sunday crowds & attendance numbers, pastors will return their focus toward ministering to individuals & making disciples. No doubt that the Church will look different post-COVID, but that it will most likely look more like God originally intended for it to look. It could be that through the pounding and churning of the 2020 "waves" that God is restoring the beauty of His Church.

So, let’s pray that God will allow us to see the current events through His eyes and to walk by faith rather than sight. Let's pray that the uncertainties of this world will cause us to yearn for heaven and become more passionate about telling others of the hope found in Jesus Christ. Rather than being distraught over the current circumstances, let's get excited about the new possibilities that God may have in store for HIS Church!