I teach the 5th and 6th grade Sunday School class at my church.  I've had some weeks that are really good.  The kids seem to be attentive and seem to really want to learn.  They seem to understand what I'm saying and desire to apply it to their lives.  This past week was different.  They were bouncing off the walls and didn't pay as much attention as they should have. I only got through about half the lesson and I didn't know how much the lesson had really impacted them.
    This morning I really injured my lower back.  I've had back problems in the past, but they all went away until this morning.  Perhaps they'll go away soon, or the pain may stay for quite a while.  I have soccer season at college starting up in a few weeks, so the timing is not that great.  Both these things could have been very discouraging.  However, I'm reminded of something my dad has talked about.
   There are going to be bad situations in life.  Bad things are going to happen.  We may have the best intentions.  We may really be trying to serve God.  However, bad things still happen.  When they do, don't get discouraged.  Don't get frustrated.  Why?  Because it truly has happened for a reason.  We say we believe in a Sovereign God, but do we really mean it?  Most of the time we get upset or complain when bad things happen, as if what is happening isn't a good thing for us.  To believe that is to believe that Scripture is lying. 
   Everything that happens is for the good.  God has a purpose for everything that happens.  So instead of getting discouraged when bad things happen (someone dies, a family member is sick, life is hard, your friends abandon you, your plans didn't turn out like you wanted) take the time to pray about it and think through what God may be trying to say to you through this. 
   Look at 2 Sam. 16.  David is on the run from Absalom and Shimei begins to curse him.  David, instead of getting discouraged, or desiring to kill him, does this: "But the king said, 'If he is cursing because the LORD said to him, 'Curse David,' who can ask, 'Why do you do this?' "  David then said to Abishai and all his officials, 'Leave him alone; let him curse, for the LORD has told him to.'"  David was in a bad spot.  He was being cursed, and he didn't deserve it.  However, he recognized that this was from God. He didn't get discouraged.  He didn't get violent.  He realized that God was behind the situation.  He realized that he needed to get his eyes off of himself, and focused on what God was doing.  My Dad says that at the time, though David knew he wasn't being cursed because he took Saul's throne (which is what the man who was cursing him said),  David realized that he deserved to be cursed for taking Bathsheeba and killing Uriah.  He realized that God was speaking to him through the bad situation.  He realized that the cursing was for the best, because it reminded David that he always needs the forgiveness of God.  Does that make sense? 
   All in all, remember that life's circumstances are never going to turn out for your ill.  Whatever happens to you is good for you.  Just look at Romans 8:28 "And we know that all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose."  DON'T GET DISCOURAGED.  Trust God that in His infinite wisdom and "unsearchable judgments" (Rom. 11:33) He is making a seemingly bad situation into one for your benefit.  Amen?

I struggle with sin.  There are some sins that are especially hard for me to fight.  As with all sin, it's pleasing to the eye.  My flesh, my eyes, my pride wants it.  It thinks that it is good and  that I can't live without it.  Part of me wants to sin, but the other part wants to obey.  I'm caught in between this spiritual struggle.  Do you know what I mean?
   Unfortunately, many times I toe the line between sinning and obedience.  I think about sinning.  I imagine what I would do.  Or I fail to keep my mind off of it.  I have a desire to obey God but I also have a desire to sin.  So what do I do this happens?  Most of the time, I try to keep my mind off of it.  However, trying to keep your mind off of sin is like saying, "Don't think about a pink elephant."  Most of the time you'll think about it.  I think we all struggle with this from time to time.
   So here's the thing.  A great way to help you resist temptation to sin is to go to someone (your mom, dad, sibling, or good friend) and tell them that you're struggling with it and ask them to pray for you.  That can be hard.  It's embarrassing to tell someone that you're struggling with sin.  But it's so important.  If you really take obedience seriously, you'll see that it's more important to embarrass yourself in order to obey God.  What is more important, other people thinking that you're perfect, or God being glorified?  Does that make sense?  It can be so hard, but it can be so good to ask for prayer.  Perhaps they'll pray with you on the spot.  Whatever the case, I encourage you to include others in your walk with God.  Sometimes it can be so hard to fight sin on your own.  When it is, ask someone to pray with you and hold you accountable.  It's well worth it.

I'm so sorry that it's been a month and a half since my last post.  Inexcusable!  But, I'm back, and like always, I'll try to do better. :-)  This post is about something that God has been teaching me over the past months, and I want to share it with you.  I hope you're blessed as much as I am to be living in this realization. 
   Lately, God has been showing me what the Gospel really means to Christians.  I know that Jesus' death on the cross saved me from hell, but hell is in the future.  What about now?  What does the Gospel mean for me now?  God has been showing me through sermons, books, and other things that applying the Gospel to the Christian life can be such a joyful and freeing thing.  Here's why:
   When you look back to the story of the fall of Adam, you notice something.  The first thing that God does is kick them out of the Garden.  What did the Garden mean to them?  It was the place where they walked with God.  Where they had that close, special relationship with God.  When Adam sinned, that relationship was broken.  Sin always separates.  And, since Adam was the representative for the whole human race, we all suffered that broken relationship with God.  We were under His anger and wrath because of sin.
   Now, ask yourself this question?  What is one of the names that Scripture calls Jesus?  I'll give you a hint; it has the name Adam in it.  Right!  He's called the Last Adam.  What does that mean?  It means He represents His people just like Adam represented the whole human race.
   Where am I going with this?  If Adam's sin caused that broken relationship with God, it's so important to see that Christ's death restores that relationship.  If Adam's sin caused God to direct His anger and wrath towards us, Jesus' death took that away and placed it on Himself. 
   So, how do we apply this to the Christian life?  So many times I feel weighed down and burdened with my sin.  I feel like God is angry with me.  Disgusted with me.  Displeased with me.  I know He loves me, but I feel His displeasure because of my sin.  All of these feelings are totally false!  When God looks at us, He sees the perfection of Jesus, for Jesus was our representative, just like Adam was. 
   1 John 1:9 says that if we confess our sin, God is faithful and just to forgive it and cleanse us from it.  Psalm 103 says He separates out sin as far as the east is from the west.  Romans 8:1 says that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ.  When we sin and confess our sin, God forgives it and it's gone.  He doesn't see it any more.  GOD ISN"T ANGRY.  HE'S NOT DISPLEASED.  IT'S GONE.  Whenever you feel this weight or burden for a sin that you've confessed, realize that it's not from God.  He doesn't brood over our sin.  Psalm 103 says that He doesn't constantly bring it up.  He's not frowning at you or displeased with you.  Why?  Because all that stuff was put on Jesus.  We are pure in God's eyes.  Plain and simple.  We please Him because He's pleased with Jesus.  Don't go around with this burden of sin.  Jesus says that His yoke is easy and His burden is light.  Feel the joy of grace and get rid of any feeling of displeasure from God for sins already repented of. 
   Many times I think that when I sin, God steps away from me and that relationship is broken.  It's really the other way around.  When I sin, I'm the one stepping away from God--like the prodigal son.  And when I repent and run back to God, God runs out to meet me--just like the prodigal son's father.  So don't feel this anger or this displeasure or this burden.  It's not from God.  Take sin seriously, but take God's promises of forgiveness and cleansing just as seriously.  And bask in the amazing grace of God.  Amen?