ACCEPTING WHAT GOD ALLOWS
“Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked?“Ecc. 7:13

An unknown writer said, “Often God seems to place His children in positions of profound difficulty, leading them into a wedge from which there is no escape; contriving a situation which no human judgment would have permitted, had it been previously consulted. The very cloud conducts them thither. You may be thus involved at this very hour.

It does seem perplexing and very serious to the last degree, but it is perfectly right. The issue will more than justify Him who has brought you hither. It is a platform for the display of His almighty grace and power.

He will not only deliver you; but in doing so, He will give you a lesson that you will never forget, and to which, in many a psalm and song, in after days, you will revert. You will never be able to thank God enough for having done just as He has.”

Far too often we trouble ourselves by entertaining unrealistic expectations of how life should be. We think things would be better if God made our path more pleasant and our life easier. But, God knows better! He gives us what we need rather than what we want–even when it hurts.  But in that great day when all things are made clear we will confess that He has made no mistakes. The fact is, we would want the same thing for ourselves that God wants for us were we as wise as God. Until then we must live by faith.–HDS

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

HOW TO HELP YOURSELF
“And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before. “–Job 42:10

A great many people who try to be comforters, only lay  thorns under aching heads. No art needs a more delicate touch, than the comforter’s. The hands of most of us are too rough to be laid on throbbing hearts. No wonder Job felt that his friends were miserable comforters, or that he was not at first in a mood to pray for them. But until he could pray for them–blessing could not come to him.

The lesson is for us. Others may have injured or grieved us in some way, and we may not be ready to forgive them. But while we feel so, we are shutting out divine blessing from ourselves. Job’s praying at length for his friends, showed that his heart was now softened toward them, that he had forgiven them. Then blessing came to him. When we can pray for one who has wronged us, misjudged us, or said unkind things of us or to us, hurting us in some way–we are in a condition to receive blessing from God.

Job was also ready now to come out of his own sorrow–to try to help others. We do not find comfort by staying in the darkness of our own grief, by thinking only of it; we must forget ourselves, and begin to serve others and seek their good, before we can find the light of God’s comfort. Selfishness in sorrow is selfishness, and selfishness in any form misses God’s blessing.(J. R. Miller)

When we are in need or troubled we often think of our need for help, but seldom do we look where we should. We usually think about how others could help us, when we actually should be helping ourselves. One of the best lessons we could ever learn is this– when you are good to others you are best to yourself.- HDS

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

IT’S NOT ABOUT US

“And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:”–1 Corinthians 2:1–4

Just a few years before the event described below by Paul Chappell, I had the privilege of spending a week with Dr. Lee Roberson and Parker Daily. Every day as we talked I “picked their brain” trying to learn all I could. But we never learn it all. Even Dr. Roberson had a lesson to learn as you can see in this story.–HDS

In 1973, after decades of preaching the gospel, Dr. Lee Roberson woke up one morning unable to speak above a whisper. He had to cancel all of his meetings, and for an entire year he was unable to preach in his church. He traveled all over the country to see various specialists, but none of them could help. Finally a local surgeon operated, and after a few week’s recovery, Dr. Roberson was preaching again, which he continued until he was almost ninety-seven years old.

Looking back later, he remarked how greatly God had blessed the church during the year when he could only sit silently on the platform while someone else filled the pulpit. He said it was one of the most blessed years of ministry he had ever known. Attendance, offerings, and conversions increased. Dr. Roberson said, “That just showed this preacher something. It didn’t depend so much on what I was doing. It depended on the working of the power of God through our lives.” 

Too many times we rely on our talent and efforts rather than depending on God. The results of our labor for the Lord are not on our shoulders. If we want God’s power and blessing, we must abandon self-reliance. “But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble” (James 4:6). We must rely on God’s strength rather than ours if we hope to accomplish anything lasting for Him.

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