Well Hello, Hello to all,
I’m sure that some of you thought that I made a run for the border or something. But no, I’ve just been adjusting to my new life. Much to say, not all tonight, but I just want to say that God truely is good. Judah and I are doing great. We have been spending nearly everyday with Terry and Kathy. Now Shayna (Ramey’s sister) is in town and it seems as though our life is almost complete again. I am so grateful for our family.
So much has been going on the past few months, and I know that many people have gone through their own trials during this time. So many people to pray for, and it seems that everywhere I turn, people are getting cancer. So whats the deal? Why are so many Christian families going through these kinds of trials. As a matter a fact, someone asked me that just recently. I just shared with them, that as I went through my trial and read the New Testament, I realized that Jesus disciples didn’t even escape trials. They all suffered, were persecuted, and died for speaking the testimony of Jesus Christs’ death and resurrection. So wait a minute, I’ve heard many preachers talk about Christians should never be sick, or broken hearted, if they are right with God. I mean, suffering, and trials only come to those not walking close to the Lord right? Well, you can answer that one for yourself, just start reading the the New Testament and see for yourself. The disciples, the ones who walked and talked with Jesus face to face, died torturous deaths, many of them. So then I said, wait a minute if Jesus didn’t get his own disciples out of facing hardship, what gives me the right to think that I’m qualified to stay free from trials and hardships. Thats the point, were not qualified. Jesus never promised that we wouldn’t go through difficulty, but He promised to never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). He promised that no matter what we see or go through that “All things work together for good for those that love God and are called according to his purpose” -Romans 8:28. Ok, so nobody is exempt from difficulties, not even Christians? Thats right. Why? Because this earth, this life was never meant to be our permanent home, this is not our only existence. This life is just the precursor for the life to come. Think about the times in your life when everything is perfect. It is hard for anybody not facing difficulty to genuinely look up and say “Jesus I need you right now.” We are so spoiled in American culture, that we so easily get trapped in the latest fad, and in our comfortable lifestyles. We hardly need anything. The most we pray sometimes is “Lord, help me make my car payment.” Hey I’m guilty of it too. Think about it, if God is preparing a place in Heaven for us and He is preparing us here on earth for what we are going to be doing for the next Zillion years, then don’t you think we need to be prepping ourselves for it. Well, the answer to that question is..we don’t want to prep for it. Instead, we try not to think about it, and say “that will be nice someday”, but for now I will be out back in the hot tub relaxing. Then, all of a sudden, trajedy strikes our family, and everything becomes meaningless, except for whats at stake. Everything in life would be traded for our family member or friend to not have to suffer. Our perspective on life shifts to the eternal, to whats really important. That is God’s perspective. He cuts right through the garbage. He already knows the future, He knows what he has prepared for us. He knows how awesome its going to be. So he says….John, I can’t let you get out of this trial..I know its hard, but I need you to keep a crystal clear perspective on life. I have great plans for you. I am developing you for future use..not just here, but for all eternity. Maybe your in the same boat, maybe you don’t understand how God could leave you high and dry right now. Look, Jesus died and suffered so that we (all those who trust in Jesus) will be together forever and ever- never to suffer again. This is just temporary. God is preparing you for future use. We think were left high and dry, because we can’t see the outcome from our vantage point. Thats ok, thats where your faith kicks in. This is where you count on the promise of Romans 8:28 with EXPECTATION. Look this is not a maybe promise. God is using this circumstance for your good. Well, you may not have much faith right now. Thats ok, Jesus said in Matthew 17:20 that if you have faith.. the size of a mustard seed…that you can move mountains (paraprased)! Jesus knows your heart, He knows that your are weak right now. Go to him, trust in him, surrender what you wish to happen to Him. After Moses died, God told Joshua ” Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go” (NKJV Joshua 1:9) Let me ask you this…what would be the point of God telling you these things, if he didn’t already now that the times WERE COMING when you would ‘feel discouraged’ when your faith was barely size of a ‘mustard see’, when difficult, tragic things were going to happen, thats why he said that these will all ‘work out for good’ in the end. Why? because that is part of living in a world that has been destroyed by sin. Bad things happen here, but look up, its temporary. This season of your life will be over, and a beautiful new one will begin. Look we have a future and a hope in what Jesus did on the cross. We now have a free all expense paid gauranteed eternal retirement, where there will be “no more tears” (Revelation 21:4) It’s going to be okay. God has already promised it, and its as good as done. Have hope, and Thank Jesus, that this life is not all there is! Hey, in the end…WE WIN! 
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