Have you ever had one of those days?  A day when everything that could go wrong did?  First, you overslept.  Then the car wouldn’t start.  Your dog ran away.  Then your computer crashed.  Your credit card company called asking if you have made any large purchases recently in Indonesia.  And a letter from the IRS awaited you at home with some vague but ominous language.  Did they say “audit”?  Just what you needed to assure a good night’s rest!

Did I over-do it?  Ok, maybe a little.  But sometimes it really does seem like everything that can go wrong does.  So how do you respond?  The word perspective comes to mind.

Listen to what the psalm writer did in Psalm 121:1-2, “I will lift up my eyes to the hills – from whence comes my help?  My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth.”

Lifting up your eyes to the mountains is to focus on something massive, enduring, and truly great.  And God made them!  Just think – the God who shaped and formed the mountains holds you in the palm of His hand!

Go outside and look up at the moon and stars.  The God who spoke the heavens into existence and calls the stars by name is the One who watches over you every moment of every day. 

Look in the mirror and consider the hairs of your head.  God knows their exact number.  Run a brush or comb through your hair a few times.  The data bank of heaven does an instant recalculation.  This is the God who knows all the personal details of your life.

Perspective reminds us that God is BIGGER than all the things that can go wrong.  When you are having “one of those days,” just lift up your eyes to the God who made heaven and earth.  He sees, He knows, and He cares!  

Pastor Todd Weston

Courageous is the new buzz word in the church.  The movie Courageous is proving to be a huge success at the box office.  Last Sunday we launched a new series on the subject of courage with a message on the life of Joshua and how we can be courageous Christians.
 
Courage is a big deal in the Christian life.  Courage is the first and greatest element of Christian character.  As Clara Booth Luce observed, “Courage is the ladder on which all the other virtues mount.”  Merely knowing what is right, honest, and true isn’t enough. Courage enables a person to act on those things.
 
Last Sunday we saw how courage enabled Joshua to embrace God’s calling on his life and lead Israel in the conquest of Canaan. In a few weeks we will see how courage enabled David to bounce back from a devastating defeat.  We will also talk about Esther who risked it all to save her people.  Finally, we will learn from Peter how to make a comeback after a meltdown.
 
Someone once said, “Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage.”  Don’t let fear make you its prisoner, a hostage living a shriveled up version of the life God planned for you.  Be a person of faith, for faith is the antithesis of fear. Make it your goal to be a courageous Christian, and live life large to the glory of God!
 
Pastor Todd