Thad Smith: “Us & Them”

“Us & Them” (Thad Smith: 2nd Thessalonians 2:6-17)

Thad Smith: “Them & Us” from Crossroads Ministry on Vimeo.

Get Ready for STRIVE!

STRIVE is IBC Student Ministries’ Annual Fundraiser.

Meet at the IBC Worship Center at 8:15 a.m.  Bring a sack lunch, work gloves, water bottle and any yard tools such as rakes.

PARENT MEETING DATE CHANGED!

The date of the May 2nd Parent Meeting has been moved to MAY 16!

Join us for IBC Student Ministries Family BBQ!

Grab your parents and join us at the Family Life Center on June 13th after Second Service for some great food and fellowship!

Dealing With Life’s Problems

At times, life can be like a microscope.  When you look through the eyepiece, the tiny (yet magnified) specks of material become all you see.  And, if you linger long enough, the entire world can seemingly shrink down to the specimens on the slide.  The world is larger than the specimens, of course, but it doesn’t seem that way in the moment.

In life, problems tend to magnify themselves so they become all you see.  And, if they linger in your life long enough or become numerous enough, the world seems to be reduced to nothing but problems.  Problems are not all of life, of course, but they seem that way in the moment.  And, when problems consume our view, they inevitably cause us to drift into hopelessness and despair.

So, today I would like to offer a few biblical directives for dealing with life’s problems.  They have helped me in recent times of trouble, and so I hope they can be of some help to you as well.

1. God will never allow a problem into your life that you cannot endure – 1 Corinthians 10:13.  This verse basically says that God “sizes us up” and knows what we can handle.  Psalm 103:14 reminds us that God “knows our frame” and is acquainted with our fragility.  Because He is faithful and loving, God will never allow something into our lives that we cannot handle.  So, if there is a problem in your life right now, take courage from this passage – you can handle it!
2. We are instructed to cast our problems on God – 1 Peter 5:7.  And, this is not like a cast when you go fishing.  You do not cast your problems to God and then reel them back to yourself.  You are to cast them and leave them.  Only God can allow a problem into your life, and only God can remove the problem from your life.  So, he invites you to give the problem to Him…to let Him “worry” about it, and to let Him solve it.  In the mean time, you can be free of the worry and the stress and the fretting.
3. Problems reveal your spiritual condition – Deut 8:2-5.  When pressed with a problem, the real you comes out.  So, problems give us a chance to examine our hearts.  The nation of Israel failed their test, but Job was a success (see Job 1:21-22; 2:9-10).  What have your problems revealed about you?  Anger?  Impatience?  Lack of trust?  Bitterness?  Your problems should not be an occasion for you to fail, but an opportunity to shine for the glory of Christ and the good of others.
4. Problems have a purpose – James 1:2-4.  Most things in the world become weaker by testing.  When continual pressure is put to them they eventually bend or break.  Case in point, I had a snow shovel break on me last week.  The shovel had not become stronger from all the years of practice, rather it became weaker.  Not so with humans.  James tells us that our testing is designed to make us stronger…to produce new ability within us.  We may not like our tests, but without them we would remain weak.  God tests us, not so that we would fail; but so that we, through the strength of Christ, would emerge the victor.

It is true, problems are a part of life.  But, they are not all of life.  What problems are you encountering right now?  May these words challenge you to guard yourself so that you do not let the temporary destroy the eternal, nor the immediate destroy the ultimate.  Rather, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths,” Proverbs 3:5-6 (ESV).

Alive2Christ,

Kendall C.

Sourced from: Devotions to Help you Marvel at our God!

Mexico Mission Trip 2010 Pictures

Are you ready for the Amazing Race?

Coming up Saturday, April 17th, 2:00 – 5:00 p.m. Invite your friends!

MEXICO TEAM UPDATE!

Just got a call from Phil– All is well with the team! They felt the earthquake, but only as a minor tremor. There was no damage in the area where they are. Everything went smoothly with the flight and the border crossing, and it sounds like building is coming along at a good pace. The team can really feel everyone’s prayers — keep praying for safety and opportunities to witness!