What is God doing in your life that, at 1st, might seem upside-down? Consider the following story.
The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, uninhabited island. He cried out to God to rescue him. Every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming.
Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect himself from the elements and to store his few possessions. But then one day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, the smoke rolling up to the sky. The worst had happened; everything was lost. He was stunned with grief and anger. “God, how could You do this to me!” he cried.
Early the next day, however, he was awakened by the sound of a ship that was approaching the island. It had come to rescue him. “How did you know I was here?” asked the weary man of his rescuers. “We saw your smoke signal,” they replied.
It is easy to get discouraged when things are going bad. But we shouldn’t lose heart, because God is at work in our lives even in the midst of pain and suffering.
The best illustration of this is the Old Testament deliverer, Joseph. (You can read his story in Genesis 37-50).
God gave Joseph a dream of future greatness. Did it happen right away? Not at all! Instead, he was rejected by his 10 brothers, sold into slavery, falsely accused of sexual assault, and then thrown into prison. Life for Joseph went from Bad to Worse!
Did Joseph become Bitter and accuse God of misleading and abandoning him? No! He kept his trust in the Lord, no matter what happened to him. And God was faithful to him and gave him favor in every situation. The Lord kept blessing Joseph because Joseph kept trusting Him. Eventually, the Lord lifted Joseph into the position of Prime Minister – second in command to Pharaoh, the most powerful man in the world at that time. God didn’t forget Joseph. Instead, God was preparing him for a position of Greatness!
Are you experiencing some hard times? What is God preparing you for? Something Good is going to happen for you!
Please join us this Sunday at 10:35am for a great Thanksgiving Celebration! Come with your heart filled with gratitude for all that the Lord has done for you in 2020. In spite of a lot of Bad things happening this year, hasn't the Lord been Faithful to watch over and take care of you? Let’s give Him All the praise! (Come early and be part of Bible Study classes for all ages at 9:30am.)
If you are not able to join us in person at 10:35am for worship, then be sure to join us online for the Live broadcast on either Facebook or our YouTube channel.
The Men's Breakfast is happening this Saturday, November 21, at 9am. Men, I hope to see you there!
Our annual Christmas Lunch and Treasure Trade for ladies and girls takes place Saturday, December 5. If you would like to donate new or gently used items, please bring them to the church building by December 2.
We will Deck the Halls after the 10:35am service on November 29. Join in the fun of decorating the church building for Christmas, plus enjoy a time of fellowship and food. A sign-up sheet will be available this Sunday.
Let's end the year with a Bang! After the 10:35am service on December 27, we will share in an ono-licious Potluck Meal. Bring your favorite foods to add to the table. Sounds great! Can’t wait!
Mahalo and Aloha ke Akua!