His Ways are Perfect

 

"Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth. My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass: Because I will publish the name of the LORD: ascribe ye greatness unto our God. He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he. They have corrupted themselves, their spot is not the spot of his children: they are a perverse and crooked generation. Do ye thus requite the LORD, O foolish people and unwise? is not he thy father that hath bought thee? hath he not made thee, and established thee? Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations: ask thy father, and he will shew thee; thy elders, and they will tell thee. When the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel. For the LORD's portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance."

Deuteronomy 32:1-9

Things may not go perfectly according to our plans, but we can trust that things always go perfectly according to God's plan.

If you've ever played the game of bowling, you understand the difficulty of bowling a perfect game with a score of three hundred points. Only the best of bowlers are able to accomplish such a feat. It's said when one bowler bowled three hundred, he collapsed after the final pin fell. Another bowler was so nervous about messing up his final roll that he refused to bowl his last turn. He never again set foot in a bowling alley and spent the rest of his life wondering what might have been.

The pursuit of perfection reaches beyond bowling and sporting events. Many people pursue perfection in their daily lives. They want the perfect job, the perfect spouse, the perfect children, the perfect home, the perfect salary, and so on. Yet while many people pursue perfection, as Christians we realize nothing in this sin-infested world is perfect. Things may not go perfectly according to our plans, but we can trust that things always go perfectly according to God's plan.

Psalm 18:30-32 tells us of God's perfect plan, "As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him. For who is God save the LORD? or who is a rock save our God? It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect." Things don't always go as planned. Our schedules can change, our plans can be stopped, and what we once thought was important can fall away. A bad medical report, a loss of a job, a wayward child, or a loss of a home can throw us into a downward spiral, yet God proves that no matter what enters our lives, His plan is perfect.

Realize that any situation you face is in God's hands. Any trial you come across has already been approved by God. God does not allow trials to hurt you, but to perfect your faith. Author Warren Wiersbe put it this way, "Christ has already run this race of faith and conquered for us! He is the Author (Pioneer, Trailblazer) and Finisher of our faith; He is Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. What He starts, He finishes; He can see us through to victory."

God is not finished with you yet. He has not finished perfecting, maturing, shaping, and molding your life. Honestly, God will never be done until you reach full perfection in Heaven. Accept the fact that trials and difficulties will enter your life. Do not view them as inconveniences, but accept them as God's work. Ask God what His purpose in each trial is, and allow Him to mold you into a more Christ-like being.

Remind yourself of Deuteronomy 32:4 today as you go about your not-so-perfect day, "He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he." God's ways area always perfect. Rest in the fact that He's working through even the trials today.

Pressing on the Upward Way

 

“Between an airplane and every other form of locomotion and transportation there is one great contrast. The horse and wagon, the automobile, the bicycle, the locomotive, the speedboat, and the great battleship—all can come to a standstill without danger, and they can all reverse their engines, or their power, and go back.

But there is no reverse about the engine of an airplane. It cannot back up. It dare not stand still. If it loses its momentum and forward-drives, then it crashes. The only safety for the airplane is in its forward and upward motion. The only safe direction for the Christian to take is forward and upward. If he stops, or if he begins to slip and go backward, that moment he is in danger.”—

Quote of the Week

Success is never final, and failure is rarely fatal. It’s the courage to continue that counts.

THERE IS A GOD

The Bible does not present any argument for the existence of God; it takes the FACT of God for granted. God is the infinite and perfect Spirit in whom all things have their source, support and end.

The word of God reveals God to us. Because God is infinitely beyond our human comprehension, the Bible often “couches’ God in human language.

The number of reasons is given in the Bible to show how we can know there is a God.

A.    The Fact Of Universal Belief Proves There Is A God.

Man has a “religious nature” which is unique to man. All men in all ages and in all civilizations have manifested a belief in some higher Being. Most times this belief is perverted- but it demonstrates that there is some higher being .

Romans 2:14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: 15. Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;

This teaches that even those who have never heard of the Lord have His law written in their hearts

B.     The Fact That Everything Must Have A Cause Proves There Is A God

Man is an intelligent being; therefore his Cause must also be intelligent. Man has personality; thus his Cause could not be impersonal.

C.     The Fact Of Intricate Design In The Universe Proves There Is A God

A watch not only requires a watchmaker, must also a designer and a purpose.

 Psalm 139:14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.

How does the human body prove there is a God?

D.    The Whole Of Creation Proves There Is A God

Psalm 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.

E.     The Events Of History Proves There Is A God

Many times God has intervened in human history, and His Hand is often seen in the rise and fall of nations

 Psalm 75:6 For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south.

 7.  But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another

F.     The Bible Says There Is A God

If there is a God , it is most reasonable to expect Him to reveal Himself to man. This He has done- first through creation, but in detail through His Word.

 Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

The Bible begins with God – not philosophical arguments for His existence.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

Coming together is a beginning; staying together is progress; working together is success

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

I don’t know the way to success, but one sure way to failure is to try to please everybody. -Pastor James E. Woods

Who is the Focus

“And he said, A certain man had two sons: And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.”
Luke 15:11–12

God desires you to focus on advancing His cause.

Every young student knows of Isaac Newton's famed encounter with a falling apple. Newton discovered and introduced the laws of gravity in the 1600s, which revolutionized astronomical studies. But few know that if it hadn’t been for Edmund Halley, the world might never have learned from Newton. It was Halley who challenged Newton to think through his original notions. Halley corrected Newton's mathematical errors and prepared geometrical figures to support his discoveries. Halley coaxed the hesitant Newton to write his great work, Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy. Halley edited and supervised the publication, and actually financed its printing even though Newton was wealthier and could have easily afforded the printing costs.

Historians call it one of the most selfless examples in the annals of science. Newton began almost immediately to reap the rewards of prominence; Halley received little credit. He did use the principles to predict the orbit and return of the comet that would later bear his name, but only after his death did he receive any acclaim. And because the comet only returns every seventy-six years, the notice is rather infrequent. Halley remained a devoted scientist who didn't care who received the credit as long as the cause was being advanced.
Halley’s life was spent advancing the cause of others and giving of himself so others could succeed. He had his own accomplishments and his own ideas that he could have received glory for, but he chose to focus on others rather than himself.

Someone who was the opposite of Halley was the prodigal son, as our verses today show. He had grown tired of working for his father and wanted to enjoy the pleasures of the world; he wanted to live for his own gratification.

The younger son had a right according to the law to request his portion, but he was thinking only of himself. By law, if his father was being cruel or mean to him he could request his portion and move away. But his motives were not pure; his focus was on his desires.
Think of your actions and motives. Why do you serve? Why do you go soulwinning? Why are you a choir member? Is it so others will see your work and praise you? Or are you thinking of the cause of Christ?
It can become easy to work hard to promote self, but how many of us work hard to promote Christ? How hard do you work the Lord’s work, knowing you may never gain recognition on earth? God desires you to work selflessly to advance His cause, much like Edmund Halley worked to promote Sir Isaac Newton’s discoveries.

Take time now to consider your motives for serving. Are your eyes on your own glorification or on God’s? Make sure that each time you head out the door for soulwinning, sing in the choir, or stand in a Sunday school classroom, your motivation is to see God glorified through your service.