[Faith-talk] Good Night Message for Tuesday, November 13 2012

[Paul]

Hello and good day to you all, my fellow saints of the Most High God? How was your day today? Mine was good, by God's matchless grace and His providential care.  For those of you outside North America, I hope that your morning or afternooon are going well.  I didn't do much today except to travel with Michelle, my upstairs renter/boarder, to one of our local dollar stores where prices are generally lower for food items than in the local grocery store.  What I spent $18 for would have cost me about $40 in the local supermarket, so I saved a bit of money.  It reminds me of the account in the book of Proverbs concerning the ant, who busies itself in summer storing up items for the winter so that the ant family will have enough to last through the lean times.

The subject of battles is on the mind of our author today, Ruth Andrews, with her article simply entitled "Battles," rendered as follows:

At one time or another we all will have battles. Some battles are inside ourselves; others are fought out in the world.

Is your battle to protest unwholesome literature that your tenth grader is required to read?

Do you find yourself in a battle concerning untruths being said about you behind your back?

Perhaps you are embroiled in a family battle where no solution is in sight.

In 1 Samuel 17, we read about what appears to be an extremely one-sided battle; David faced off against Goliath.  King Saul and the Israelite army were paralyzed with fear by Goliath and the powerful Philistine army.

David trusted God and displayed courage. He could not bear to hear the name of the Lord mocked. David was a shepherd who had defended his father's sheep against wild animals. He knew God would deliver him and the Israelites from the Philistines.

Why do we have to endure battles? Romans 8:28 says, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose."

In a recent sermon my pastor shared these thoughts: "God's desire for every situation is man's good and God's glory. God saved us. He does not have to give us a trouble-free, easy life."

Look at Paul. After he was saved, he had a hard life and gave his life for the gospel.

A battle may be only one of several in a long-range plan. Look at David. David's brothers thought he was a pest and should go back to caring for the sheep. David was not considered very important as the youngest in the family. Over the years each battle in some way was preparing David to be king of Israel.

We see godly people who endure one battle after another. Their struggles seem to have no end, even growing from bad to worse. You wonder what possible good is coming out of these things.

We must remember that God loves us and wants His best for us. When battles inevitably come, we should try to see them from God's perspective. Ask God to help you through the battle, and He will.

And there you have yet another insightful article for today.  Hope you were ministered to in reading it, as the Holy Spirit led you.

And now may the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob just keep us safe, individually and collectively, throughout this night or day and especially in these last days in which we live. Your Christian friend and brother, Paul