So during the VBS week the youth and I got up in the morning and spent time in the Bible and time in prayer. Well one day a few verses I read popped out at me and it took time to really think about what it meant to me.
Phil. 4:9 "Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me or seen in me - put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you."
Luke 6:46 "Why do you call me 'LORD LORD, and do not do what I say?'"
One of those verses was powerful but reading both the same day was like a punch in the face. Sometimes the simple VBS lessons are the ones that really hit you the most instead of the deep intellectual sermons. The VBS lessons were about Faith, Asking God for help, Forgiveness, and Jesus is the greatest treasure. Simple lesson right? Well they are simple to understand and simple to teach but they are not always simple to live out. These verses were read on the day we were talking about Asking God for help. This is an issue I face with and always need a reminder. I need to ask God to help me out always and not when plan A-Y didn't work out.
I thought about these two verses and VBS....Do you know how less stressful life would be if we had faith that God is real, powerful, all knowing, faithful, loving, just, sovereign, merciful, full of grace, and the list goes on and on. Or what life would be like if we truly believed "I can do all things through Christ how strengthens me" (Phil 4:13)? We would go to Him for help on everything and go, "Well God is awesome and can handle this situation better than my plan A. So let me give it to God in prayer, listen to Him and do what He says." If we do this I would know what I am doing is in God's perfect will. I would trust that He is going to strengthen me through it and accomplish what He wants to be done through me. I mean the Philippians verse does say that if we take what we learn, received, heard, or seen in God and put it into practice we would experience the peace of God! Sign me up for stress free living. Earlier in the chapter it says "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:6-7). So what are we doing stressing and being anxious. Give our troubles to God in prayer and thanksgiving and know God is with you and will guide you through.
Let me explain something because I am getting an idea of thoughts that might be coming up. NO this does not mean that life is going to be easy or that all your troubles will be fixed and you will be rich. This is not the fake prosperity Gospel preached on tv...cough cough Joel Osteen (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/pastor-rick-henderson/osteen-meyer-prosperity-gospel_b_3790384.html) cough cough. What I am saying that we should call upon the LORD in prayer when we need anything and give Him control of the situation. That way we know and have faith whatever happens is part of God's plan for our lives. Look at Joseph's life in Genesis 37-50, Jonah's, or even Jesus in Mark 14: 34-36 “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” he said to them. “Stay here and keep watch.” Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” Jesus knew death was upon Him and He went to God and prayed. Spoiler alert: God did not take the cup away from Him, but Jesus knew that God was going to be with Him to the cross and that whatever happens was in God's perfect will. In the end we have been saved by the blood shed by Jesus on the cross! So let your actions show that you are trusting God and giving everything you need help in to Him. That is what I learned at VBS and found that every time I needed help or was anxious and went to God first it turned out just fine and better than expected.
