~Out of the Ashes~

At church our current topic series has been "Movies that Move." I would like to share with you what our Pastor shared with us this last Sunday. With all the pain and suffering in the world at this time, I hope this speaks to you, as it did me:


"We all experience suffering, pain, loss, and grief. These experiences always take us to a crossroads."


1. We live on a broken planet.

In Romans 8:20, 21 (NLT): "Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, 21 the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay."


2. What do you do when things go bad? Two choices: (1) You move on. (2) You stop loving.


In Philippians 3:13b, 14 (NLT): "I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us."


3. It's easy to rally to a vision, but very difficult to carry it out.

In Numbers 11:20 (NLT): "For you have rejected the Lord, who is here among you, and you have whined to him, saying, “Why did we ever leave Egypt?”’”


4. Victory is ultimately certain for the faithful.


A. You receive strength for today.
In Isaiah 40:31 (NLT): "But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.


B. You will receive eternal life somday.
In John 3:16 (KJV): "....that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

There were excerpts from the movie "Out of the Ashes" that we saw.

I'm so grateful that our time here on earth is "just the journey." When the time is right, we have a home waiting for us where there will be no more pain, sickness, problems, NOTHING BAD WILL EVER HAPPEN THERE. We will get to see our family and loved ones again. But, most importantly, we will get to see Jesus and live with Him in Heaven for eternity. I can't even begin to imagine how wonderful it will be.

Life here on earth seems to become more difficult as time goes by. As the verses above point out, we have choices. I'm going to press on. In Isaiah 40:31, I've highlighted 3 words, "trust and new strength. This is available to us daily.

Have a great week and I hope you will press on, trust and you will be given new strength, daily, if you will ask.