We will begin our VBS 2011 this evening at 7:00 PM at Maryville church of Christ. We will be looking at 1 Kings 18:17-40 and see why we should choose to serve God over any false gods that Satan uses to try to fill our lives. God has shown through the Bible that His power cannot be defeated (Almighty shows Him as undefeatable). He has proven throughout the lives of geat men and women that choosing His will over the will of self brings forth His promise of life abundant (Jn 10:10). It is a much better way of life because it is directed by God Himself as we as humans have no way of directing ourselves when it comes to a relationship with our God (Jer 10:23) because flesh doesn't desire godliness (Rom 8:6-7). He has opened the door to His love through Jesus and gives us the liberty to choose righteousness and godliness over worldliness. But the world we live in tries hard to win our devotion by making things that oppose the will of God seem so pleasurable, a lesson that came to Peter for all of our benefit:
"But He turned and said to Peter, 'Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God's interests, but man's'" (Matt 16:23). All Peter desired was to protect Jesus. But protecting Jesus in this situation was just what Satan wanted. Without the death of Jesus ther could be no burial or resurrection to life.
Elijah was humble enough to receive God's commands and courageous enough to stand up for God even in the face of 450 prophets of Baal, and he was successful. We are challenged in the same way to stand up for godliness in the face of a world that lives in opposition to God's way, and like Elijah, we can be succesful if we will take our focus off the trial and set our goal on the victory that faith in Jesus provides (1 Jn 5:4). Are you courageous enough to receive the victory?? I pray that you are or will be as life depends on your decision.
In Him,
Cub
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