“ Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.”–Heb. 12:2-3
I sat down to write this shortly after speaking with someone who is going through a terribly tough time. It made me wish that I could work miracles, have the power to make life better for them. It hurts to see them hurt. But then I had to remind myself that regardless of how much I care, God cares about them much more. And, although I want to change things and make life easier for them, God knows it is better for it to be otherwise.
If I had the power to do as I desire, even with my good intentions, I would do more harm than good. I would hurt more than help. What I perceive to be acts of love would be counter productive. I not only lack the power to change the course of their life, I also lack the wisdom to do the right thing. And that is true of all of us. Looking at the suffering God allows us to go through is confusing to us. Our natural mind reasons that love would prevent this. We feel that way because we can’t see the end result. And this misunderstanding causes some people to resent what God allows. They can’t understand how He could have their best interest at heart. Getting beyond this can be hard.
The remedy for this is to focus on the suffering of Christ. That will cause the bitter disappointment to disappear. Knowing God didn’t just permit it, but actually planned it causes us to view our suffering differently. I don’t know what great difficulty you are facing , but I do know that if you are a child of God in the will of God you have good reason to be encouraged. God has promised grace to get you through it and some good to come from it. Your experience isn’t painless, but in some way it is profitable. Remembering this will help you deal with your difficulties. The same God who used the cross to meet your greatest need will use your suffering to meet some need  related to God’s eternal purpose. I’m not asking you to believe me. I urging you to trust Him who never fails!
I can’t answer all your questions or change your circumstances. Even if I tried to explain why God allows evil to exist and why the righteous suffer and the wicked prosper it wouldn’t remove your pain or resolve all your problems. God has given man the ability to sin and destroy himself if he so chooses– so the results are predictable. We see the result of this all around us. There are many things we can’t control or change, we have to live with them as they are. But you can rest assured that God hasn’t made a mistake nor forgotten you. He is an ever present help in time of need.–HDS

David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346

“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”– Phil. 4:13
We read a lot of things from people who don’t know what they’re talking about, but that’s not the case here. Paul knew from experience what it takes to serve God and what Christ was able to do. He understood the demands of discipleship. He was subjected to suffering unknown to most Christians today. And he was fully aware of the source of his strength, which was Christ.
The self- confident positive thinker of our day might say “I can do all things”, but he can’t. It is only “through Christ” that anyone can be enabled to do anything. Having a “can do” attitude isn’t enough. We need Christ! Without Him we can do nothing (John 15:5). With Him we “can do all things“. Christ enables us to do whatever He expects us to do. The context gives us a great example. We are commanded to be content and Paul said he had learned to be content (Phil. 4:11). Most of us feel if we could do that we could do anything.
The great thing about this verse is that what was true of Paul is true of all Christians. A child of God in the will of God can do whatever the will of God requires. At this very moment some of you might be facing what seems to be an impossible situation. You are overwhelmed with the feeling that “I can’t do this”. The truth is you can’t, but Christ can! He can enable you to do the impossible. This tremendous truth should give you great comfort, confidence, and courage. Regardless of our circumstances Christ is able to provide what is needed. In light of this it is no wonder Paul could be content. Embrace this truth and so can you.–HDS
David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346

“ Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,”—Eph. 3:20
As a new Christian, eager to learn, I loved to read books about and by famous preachers in the past. It thrilled my heart to read about the adventures of missionaries and the great things God had done in their lives. Over and over I read about how God answered prayer, met needs, changed lives, and brought victory. Knowing what He had done gave me great expectations regarding my relationship with God. Thinking of God who supernaturally met needs inspired me. Considering how God used  others gave me hope that He could use me also.
It seems today that very few people expect God to do something miraculous. When we do hear a testimony regarding a supernatural act of God we explain it away by labeling it made up story by some over zealous Charismatic. Why are we so doubtful of such things? It’s as though we have down-sized God to level of man. We, although we probably wouldn’t say it, think of God as too small or weak to do some things. Our confidence in God has waned to the point that having Him as our helper means almost nothing–like having a handyman around the house to assist with repairs. Maybe that’s why we don’t pray as we ought. If that indeed describes God it is a waste of time.
We are in desperate need of rediscovering the greatness of God. We need to concentrate on His attributes, consider His works, and claim His promises. We need to see our need of being filled with and empowered by the Holy Spirit. As William Carey said, we need to “Expect great things from God. Attempt great things for God”. When we pray it ought to be in the Spirit and with faith. God hasn’t changed! He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He still has the power to do all things and has never given us a reason to doubt it. Regardless of how impossible your situation seems it is not too hard for God. With Him all things are possible. “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” (Heb. 4:16). –HDS

David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346

“Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the LORD spake in that day….”–Josh. 14:12
I enjoy watching the TV show “Mountain Men”. It reminds me of my childhood dreams, Much older now, I no longer have that desire. My old body couldn’t take it. However, I do have an interest in mountain men of a different kind. You probably already guessed that I’m talking about Caleb. He is the character I want you to consider and hopefully you will be inspired by his example. His story is amazing. Caleb had a lowly beginning as his name indicates. It means “dog”, and not the kind we think of as pets. But even worse is the fact that he wasn’t a Jew by birth. Yet somehow, as a Gentile he was adopted into the tribe of Judah, became a faithful servant, then a great leader, and ascended to great heights. Caleb had a heart for God. He was faithful and fearless as he determined to fulfill God’s will for his life. That should be true of all of us.
From men like this we can learn important lessons and find inspiration that causes us to aspire to greater heights spiritually. Caleb reminds us that a bad start doesn’t have to have a bad ending, to press on when others oppose us, and not to give up when we’re old. He gives us hope that we can still be useful when it appears everything is against us. And remember– this isn’t about us doing things we enjoy, making a name for ourselves, or fulfilling our dreams. This has to do with claiming God’s promises and reaching our God- given goals. In this day when mediocrity is the norm, God give us “mountain men”– folks with a burning desire to be all they can for Christ!— HDS
David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346