How to face Trials.

 

The natural tendency is to become bitter when we face trials. Yet if we are really honest and look at life honestly then we will recognize that everyone faces trials of many kinds. It is not whether or not we will face trials, but when. In some ways we struggle with this topic because we think that it is God’s job to keep us from trials. The reality is that God has not promised to keep us from trials but has promised to keep us in trials. We will struggle in the Christian life if we expect things that God has not promised.

God has not promised that we are not going to have financial setbacks. God has not promised that we are never going to get sick. He has not promised that our loved ones are going to live forever. He has not promised that we will meet Mr. or Mrs. right. He has not promised that all of our dreams will come true. What he has promised us is that he has guaranteed our eternal destiny with him in heaven and that he will give us the grace to face any difficulty that we go through. He has promised that he will continue his work in our lives until the day we are taken by death, or taken by Christ at the 2^nd coming. He has promised that if we will seek him we will find joy no matter what our circumstances. Paul said this so well when he said, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” (Php 4:13) In the context Paul is talking about contentment.

James tells us how to handle trials, He says, “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have [its] perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind.” (Jas 1:2-6 NAS95)

The first thing that James says to us is change your attitude about your trials. You can determine that you are not going to let the trial steal your joy and that comes because you determine not to have an expectation that is unrealistic. James is telling us to expect trials if we expect that we are going to have them when they come they will not throw us. God’s love for us is not determined by whether or not we have trials. God’s love for us is evidence because he sent his son to die for our sins. (1 John 3:16)

The second thing that James tells us about trials is that we should focus on the results that trials accomplish in our lives. What according to James do our trials accomplish? Trials test our faith and prove that our faith is genuine. Trials produce perseverance and perseverance perfects our faith. It assures us that we are God’s child when we continue in spite of the difficulties that we face. Peter says the same thing in 1^st Peter chapter one, “6 In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, 7 so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 8 and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, 9 obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.”

The Third thing that James tells us is that when we face trials we should ask God for wisdom when trials come. Many times we struggle with trials because we do not understand the reason, or even what God wants to do in our lives through the trial. James says that if we lack wisdom in our trials we should as God and he will give us the wisdom that we need. God is not stingy he will bless us with wisdom if we will seek him for it, but there is a condition to receiving God’s wisdom. The Condition is faith, and that is a response where we approach God trusting his Character. If we approach God with an untrusting attitude that doubts his goodness we will not receive God’s wisdom. The key to facing trials then is faith when you come right down to it. Do you trust God’s goodness and intention or do you become angry at him. Anger at God is not faith.

Listen to Horatio Spatford’s faith when he faced the death of his two daughters in a shipwreck. He wrote these words of faith,

“When peace, like a river, attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say, It is well, it is well, with my soul. Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come, Let this blest assurance control, That Christ has regarded my helpless estate, And hath shed His own blood for my soul. It is well, with my soul, It is well, with my soul, It is well, it is well, with my soul.”

 

Blessings Pastor Wenner

 

Why Holiness is essential?

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

I pray that you have a great new year and that you will grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ. This year let us make it a goal to together strive for holiness. Not many Christians today even understand the idea of holiness it has gone out of fashion. George Barna reports that “The notion of personal holiness has slipped out of the consciousness of the vast majority of Christians. While just 21% of adults consider themselves to be holy, by their own admission large numbers have no idea what “holiness” means and only one out of every three (35%) believe that God expects people to become holy”

Does God expect holiness from his Children? Listen to the writer of Hebrews. “Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.” Hebrews 12:14 Yes holiness is essential because it is the product of salvation. Ephesians 4:24 and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. We were saved to be holy.

What is Holiness? I think the reason that so few are committed to it is they do not really know what holiness is. Holiness is not being “holier than thou” It is not walking around and thinking that we are better than everyone around us because we keep some standard. It is not perfection. This is a misconception that makes people despair and not even pursue holiness because they think that it is too tall of a mountain to climb. Holiness has to do with consecration or purpose. It is living our lives for the purpose of pleasing and glorifying God. Holiness is when I am seeking to obey God in every detail of my life and when I fall short I confess my sin and keep going.

It means that I am seeking to please God in my sexuality, lifestyle, family, possessions, employment, time management; every area of my life belongs to God. When you come down to it is the recognition of who is the real owner of my life. If you are the owner of your life than you are not holy, no matter how well you live and God is not pleased with your life. The Apostle Peter wrote this about Holiness, 1 Peter 1:13 “Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. 14 As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. 15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16 for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” 17 Since you call on a Father who judges each man’s work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear.”

God is committed to our holiness in fact the bible teaches God will discipline us so that we will be holy. Listen again to the words of the writer of the book of Hebrews, 12:10 “Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness” If we are children of God, then he will deal with us as Children and discipline us through circumstances. We should strive for holiness as Christians to please God and keep in mind that God is serious about us becoming holy and will deal with us if we aren’t.

This year, don’t be a part of the 79% of “Christians” who will not see God. Make it your goal to grow in holiness, as Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 7:1 “Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.”

Blessings Pastor Wenner

The Importance of the 2nd Amendment.

Dear Fellow Citizens of the State of Illinois,

 

It is the right of free citizens to bear arms. Why did our founding fathers, give us this right, and why is this right fundamental to the freedoms which we enjoy as American citizens? The second amendment states, “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”

Some of the confusion comes because the first line of the second amendment which says, “a well regulated militia.” What did our founding fathers mean by a well regulated militia? The founding fathers intended that the ultimate defense of this nation from enemies both foreign and domestic would reside in the hands of the people and not just the government. They viewed the people, not the state as being the ultimate authority. Therefore, they left the power of the “sword” in the hands of the people, to check the power and authority and tyranny of governments, both foreign and domestic.

The wisdom of the right to bear arms means that the power of the state is ultimately checked. Our founding fathers distrusted power, knowing that ultimate power is tyrannical. Therefore, they wanted to check this power and the way they did it was guaranteeing the right of all citizens to retain and bear arms, unrestricted by the state. The right to bear arms then is fundamental to the freedom of free citizens from the tyranny of government, and its ever increasing desire for power.

This line in the Constitution also reminds us that all citizens are ultimately responsible for the defense of this nation, from enemies both foreign and domestic. The right of self-defense and national defense ultimately via the Constitution resides in the hands of the citizens. Even though, the state has the authority to raise armies for the common defense of the nation, it was also the obligation of every citizen to be a part of that defense. That is why for the first hundred years of this nation, this nation had small standing armies. In a time of emergency, the citizens would be called up for the defense of the nation. To remove guns from the hands of the people would ultimately leave us defenseless against radical powers who would seek to impose their will upon the nation.

This means that we cannot even trust the good intentions of politicians who believe that restrictive gun laws are means to curb crime. This is a feel-good-ism that will ultimately lead to tyranny. The tyranny of the government and the tyranny of the criminal, who will disobey the law’s that the government imposes. If we lose this fundamental right, we lose our freedom. We must not let misguided politicians who think they are well intentioned and who want to make themselves feel like they are dealing with the issue of gun violence take away our fundamental freedoms guaranteed us by the Constitution.

The state of Illinois, County of cook, nor the city of Chicago does not have the right to restrict gun ownership. The government only has the responsibility to punish the criminals who use guns in an unlawful manner. Instead of seeking to take guns away from free citizens, governing officials should seek to govern by punishing the criminals that use guns for illegal means. The problem today is that governing officials would rather take away freedoms than punish criminals. We must demand that our governing officials fulfill their duty to punish crime and to restrain evil in society and that they not seek to take away fundamental rights guaranteed us by the Constitution.

It is time that American citizens awaken to the reality that we are only one generation away from the tyranny that our forefathers feared. If we allow laxity and the ease and comforts of this life to dull our senses, our freedoms will be slowly eroded to the point where we are no longer free, but will be victims of the whims of evil rulers who seek to determine our destinies. We will be defenseless against criminals who unhindered increasingly control the streets of our nation’s cities. We will be defenseless against invading armies, who seek to impose their will upon our lives. Wake up Illinois before it is too late. We need to oppose legislation that will take away our gun rights.

Sincerely Yours,

 

Steven Wenner (A New Member of the Illinois Rifle Association and the National Rifle Association).