He [Abraham] did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. Romans 4:20-21 NKJV God has made many wonderful promises to the believer, but He never promised that we'd float through life on a flowery bed of ease. And we really don't mind, since you and I didn't start following Jesus because our lives were lacking some sort of religious routine. Routine is out. In actuality, God's helpful presence is available through thick and thin.

If you have been a Christian for any period or time, you know experientially
[in actuality] just how good God is. You are surrounded by folks who have been through some things in this life, people who have been road-tested and whose faith in the Lord is not just talk. In their personal actuality, there's a real knowing, an experience of the reality of faith in God.

Many who started out bright-eyed and bushy-tailed are now in a period of enduring. And that's alright. Periods of extreme challenge and seasons of major blessing (and all points in between) are important parts of our being equipped to live out all that God has for our lives. Daily we endure, survive, overcome, grow, and thrive so that we may go out into our spheres of influence and Honor God and Help People, not in concept, but in sincere practice.

Let's get hold of this. Jesus is wonderful, life (in all its complexity) is a gift, and we can make a difference in our generation as we set aside assertions and conjectures and determine to live the life of faith—loving each other with His love and actually seeing His plans and promises come to pass.

Press on!
Pastor Jeff

"Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome while trying to succeed." --Booker T. Washington

© 2007 St. Louis Family Church. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reprinted or distributed in any form without prior written permission of St. Louis Family Church. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.