Knowing the Reason

            Billy Sunday coined the phrase “The sawdust trail.” He had a meeting in Oregon at one point in his career as an evangelist where he discovered that there was a large amount of what is now called “Timber toppers.” He found out that part of their job consisted of finding and marking trees to be cut down. On their search for these trees they would often have to walk a good distance from where they started and it would be quite common to lose their way unless they marked their path. So it became a common practice to mark a trail. To make this work they would bring a gunny sack filled with sawdust, along their trek they would take out a handful of sawdust and let it sift through their hand as they walked along. Eventually they marked their last tree, and it’s been said that they would stop and say to themselves, “If I could just find that sawdust trail, I’ll find my way home.”

            Sunday would build permanent tabernacles out of timber. To keep the dust from rising he would have the floors covered with sawdust. When he offered the invitation, he would refer to the aisle as the sawdust trail saying,”If you’ll just hit that sawdust trail you’ll find your way home.” (Dr. Panosian, CH602, 03/16/04)

            When we know for a fact where we're headed we are able to reach our destination much easier than if we were unsure of our path. Jesus left a sawdust trail for us to travel 2000 years ago. When we find that trail, the gospel, we find Him. And then we know from that point on not only have we the assurance of eternal life but that, after we accept Him as our Savior, we are sealed or kept by the Holy Spirit until that day when we meet Jesus face-to-face (Eph. 1:13; 4:30). Being sealed by the Holy Spirit means that we are kept safe in the arms of our Lord. It means that we do not have to worry about what's going to happen to us tomorrow because if we die today we know that we shall be with Him. For Paul tells us that "to be absent from the body, is to be present with the Lord" (2 Cor. 5:8). So while we are on this earth, my friend, do not hold your arms up in defeat and despair and think the only one you can turn to for answers is yourself. Thank the Lord above that we cannot only turn to Him but that H HHHKIhyghHe has the answers we need and is ready to provide them as we ask (Matt. 6:8; 7:7).

            Many things need to be evident to us in our knowledge of what we need. But also we need to have confidence in the One to Whom we are turning. Think for a second if you will about your own life in the past. There may have been one major decision that comes to mind. Think on that! What was the outcome? Were you pleased with the result? Did you make a final decision? Whether you made a final decision or you just were not pleased with the result, the fact, more than likely, remains that you either were not confident or did not know all the facts of which you needed to know. There may be times in your life right now when you "can't see the forest because of the trees." You can't seem to find the answer to a difficult time you're going through because you're so focused on the difficulty, confusion, pain, etc. that you’re unable to conceive the idea that Jesus is able and can lead you through it. As a soldier of the cross you are expected to follow Christ willingly. He tells us that we are to take up our cross and follow Him. Your cross involves a life of persecution, trials, tribulations, etc. and is meant to be born on your shoulders by the help of the Holy Spirit. That means you're going to have to carry your cross on days when you feel like it and days when you do not feel like it. Paul says, "Be not weary in well doing, for in due season ye shall reap if ye faint not." (Gal. 6:9). Don’t give up! Don’t give in! That’s what the apostle is telling us. The Preacher, King Solomon, said, “The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing.” The Lord has given us a mind to think, hands to do, feet to go, eyes to see, ears to hear and a mouth to speak. Because of these gifts we not only can but are expected to make decisions for ourselves and accomplish tasks on our own. I, myself, know that when situations get tough and pain and plain difficulty rears their ugly heads, my desires tend to want to throw everything on the Lord and have Him snap His fingers and make everything better. But that's not how it works. I must remain strong and be confident in the promises which He has given me and endure that which He has brought my way. Two comments should encourage you as you continue for Christ. One, we’re told in 1 Cor. 10:13, “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” Remember, the Lord will never give you more than you can handle. That with which we are faced with will never be too much as a child of the King. “But the length of time I’ve had to deal with this has just been more than anyone can handle,” you might say. And as accurate as that statement may seem in its particular context, I’d like to remind you, you’re not just anyone, you’re someone. If you are a child of God you are someone special who has what the world does not, the Holy Spirit. In John 14:26, after telling His disciples about His departure Jesus says, “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” The Holy Spirit is with us to give us special insight as we follow our Savior in obedience; He is here to strengthen us as the angels did for Jesus after 40 days in the wilderness; He is here to encourage us and help us focus as God did for David in the city of Ziklag in 1 Sam. 30:6; and, among many other things, He’s here to give us wisdom as we seek to serve (James 1:5). A second comment of encouragement is that not only are we not given more than we can handle with the Spirit as our Captain but we have the privilege and joy of taking these hardships we face and enduring them for God’s glory. In other words, we have the opportunity to take our present trial and show God that we love Him. By doing so, we are acting as faithful ambassadors for the Prince of Peace (2 Cor. 5:20).You might beg the question, in some form, “Why should I serve a God who allows sin into the world?” One major reason is to test us, as in Judges 3:4, when God let many of the heathen nations test the devotion of Israel toward Him. He wants to test us that we, in turn, would show Him that we love Him by how we deal with our difficulties by the assistance of the Holy Spirit. The trials that are brought about because of the sin that is in the world are also to be thorns in our flesh that steer us to God leading us to rely upon Him and not our own strength (Prov. 3:5&6). The answers we need are found in the promises of our eternal Father.HHgggffffH

            These promises are found coming from the mouth of Isaiah in Isaiah 41:10, " Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness." We find the promises of God to us throughout the Old Testament as well as the new. We see in Psalm 18 how God “sticks closer to us than a brother” or Jeremiah 33:3 He will show us mighty things if we will but seek His face. In 2 Samuel 22:2 we see how David refers to Jehovah as his refuge, a rock, and a place to hide. Promises like these are also given in the New Testament concerning how God is our refuge and how He is ready to help us in time of need (Heb. 4:15). We have to be confident, knowing our God is an awesome God and that He can do wonders and miracles if we expect Him to help us in our distress. I say that to you not because God is lacking in any way, but, if we do not fully trust Him we will not call on Him and will not fully believe He can do amazing things. If you believe these truths and act, believing God is all–powerful, struggles, like Paul the apostle’s (2 Cor. 12:7–10), will be used to impact many for God’s glory! Persevering for Christ can be a life of fulfillment and joy but only if you believe, knowing God is the great I Am. Because knowing is half the battle.

Perseverance of the Spirit

        In the beginning when God created mankind on the 6^th day He breathed in him the breath of life. That "breath of life" was the soul of man, that spirit that would live forever, whether in heaven or hell. That spirit of man which indwells in every single one of us is that part of us that knows right from wrong, good from bad and makes decisions based on that knowledge. Those of us who have been born again and saved by the blood of our Lord Jesus the Christ have the responsibility of making decisions based upon the will of the One Whom we serve in heaven above. Psalm 16:5 the psalmist says, "The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot." He knew where his trust and his spirit lay, because of his relationship to his God above, and he made decisions based upon the will of God. That's why he said in Psalm 119:7, "I will praise thee with uprightness of heart," and in the next verse he says, "I will keep thy statutes." The spirit within David, King of Israel, trusted in God and knew that whatever would come to pass would be the right thing if done for the glory of God. Therefore, with that mindset he endured trials of persecution and affliction for his God and so should we.

                Is it easy to do the right thing every moment of every day? Is it convenient to sacrifice one's time, talent or resources for the betterment of someone else with every opportunity? Does the light of understanding always seem to shine brightest when making a tough decision? The answer is an obvious, no! Carrying on, pushing forward, striving for or persevering for our Lord and Savior are not always convenient or pleasant for us. But, it does show our love for the Savior and others whom we deem important. We show others by carrying forth the gospel of Jesus the Christ, the love that God showed us 2000 years ago by giving, sacrificing and diligently seeking the lost. Does the world always accept the gospel? Is the Christian always treated with respect as he lives forth with a life that is pleasing to God? The answer again, is no! But these things are to be expected. For Jesus tells his disciples in John 15:18, "If the world hates you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you." The spirit that is within us is that life, that conscious man, knowledgeable of truth and desirous to achieve the best for Him Who first loved us. With this eternal man we are commanded to decide every day to strive, by the Holy Spirit, to obey the will of God. So even though we are hated and abused we should not quit. Yet obstacles, more than occasionally, tend to influence our decisions of continuity. Obstacles such as the fear of man seem to influence our decisions. We tend to choose to want to please man more whom we see, than Him Whom we do not see. We don't fully realize that the fear of man brings trouble, heartache, disaster and discipline. Like the Preacher said in Proverbs 29:25, "The fear of man bringeth a snare..." If our goal is to try and please our friend or family member contrary to the word of God then we will bring nothing but confusion, at the least, to our attention. Yet he also says in 13:4, "The soul of the diligent shall be made fat." In simple terms, these words refer to the spirit of man, in Christ Jesus, obtaining everything he needs and being more than satisfied because he has decided to follow the commandments of Christ perpetually. Yet, being challenged to consistently fear God rather than man (Acts 5:29) brings with it obstacles such as serving yourself rather than others. King Solomon, the Preacher, has also mentioned this when referring to the sluggard. In the first part of Proverbs 13:4 he says, "The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing:" In being sluggish or passive the Christian himself wants to be served instead of serving. Therefore, in 20:4 we’re told what happens to him who does not wish to work when the writer says that the sluggard shall be reduced to "beg in harvest."

                We must have the mind of Christ as Paul speaks of in Philippians 2 if we are to carry on in this life pleasing our Father above. In this passage Paul points out some key characteristics of what is referred to as "the mind of Christ." And if we heed these characteristics our spirit will be more encouraged and enlightened so that we, by the Holy Spirit, may be strengthened as we are guided day by day. The first characteristic of which we find in this passage is found in verse six, "Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:" Now, I do not want to say in any way that we are equal with Jesus the Christ, so please, please, do not misunderstand me. What I want to point out is that He knew Who He was in His Father. If we wish to continue day after day for our Lord Jehovah we must understand that we are not only children of the King but we are eternally saved by the shed blood of our King. That truth carries with it much more than this blog is even remotely able to contain. But in a sentence or two that truth, for the purpose of this blog, means that we have the everlasting presence of the One Who created the universe. All we have to do is call on Him and He will give us the wisdom, understanding and knowledge we need to serve Him. It may be by people or it may be by programs or it may be by some other circumstances. God gives to us what we need through different means whether tangible or intangible, animate or inanimate. But please, do not think of God as a genie in a bottle, "What three wishes do you desire of me!" His blood was shed for us so that we might have a life of fulfillment, joy and everlasting fellowship not a life of everything we ever wanted on this sin-cursed earth.

                A second characteristic involved in our perseverance for the Savior is that of servant hood. When Christ was in the upper room with His disciples the night before his crucifixion He washed the disciple’s feet. Jesus said to the 12 gathered around Him that if they were to be counted great in the Kingdom of God they must be a servant to others. So as he washed their feet, which was one of the most humbling tasks back then, He said that they should do so unto others. We must realize that we are not here on this earth to serve ourselves, but rather God Himself. Times will get tough and there will be days when nothing will be pleasant but if we realize that it is God Whom we are serving our struggles are seen in a different light. Those times through which we push will not become easier but become bearable because we realize the reason for which we are enduring certain hardships.

                Another characteristic involved in our ability to consistently press forward is that of humility. Philippians 2 says that Jesus humbled Himself. We will not ever be able to do everything we need to do at all times on our own. We all need help at times. The fact that we have frail bodies is evidence of that very fact. That we cannot all run the mile, climb the hill, figure out a certain solution or determine what the best track is for our children should keep us sensible enough to know that if we do not ask for help things can/will become tougher. God wishes for us to rely upon Him for all our needs (Matt. 11:28-30). Therefore, if we will call on Him and ask Him for what we need He has promised to provide (Jer. 33:3; Phil. 4:19).

Encouragement!

      The fact that we are here on this earth to serve God on a day-to-day basis is something that every believer knows. We often get down because of the difficulties that come our way. The ones that are the worst are the ones that we deal with on a constant scale. They may last for a week or maybe two, it may be something we have to handle once a day every day for a couple of months or maybe something that we deal with every hour for the rest of our lives. It gets discouraging there is no doubt about it. But the believer must not give in to that temptation of slacking off or giving up. It must be his Intention to carry on and push forward for no other reason than for the glory of God, to please Him and honor Him. The Lord Jehovah created us and knows what's best for us. He knows how to help us and He knows what to give us when we need it most. Because of Jesus the Christ we have a bridge to the Father above. Therefore, we can go to Him whenever we are feeling down or confused. Hebrews 4:15-16 says it best, "For we have not an High Priest (Jesus the Christ) Who cannot be touched by the feeling our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as we are yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly before the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need."

      Our struggles are not unknown to the Father above. We have no need to fear knowing that our Savior is near and more than ready and willing to help us as we need. We are commanded to carry on, to keep pushing and striving for the best. In the book of Galatians Paul is speaking, through letter, to the church of Galatia because of their struggle to know who to follow and why. Paul had come from the region of Galatia after time spent there teaching the gospel of Christ to those who would soon follow Christ. After Paul had left there came a time shortly after when those known as Judaizers came into town and started teaching these new believers that salvation in Christ involves keeping the rituals and practices of the Old Testament as well as having faith in Him. Paul was reminding these new believers that those teachings were false. Yet, these new believers, many of them being Jews, struggled within themselves as to whether or not to obey this new-found truth which, contrary to the teachings of Moses, required no works, only faith. Paul, therefore, wanted to encourage these new believers to, "Keep on, keeping on!" So, in 6:9 he exhorts them, "Be not weary in well doing, for in due season ye shall reap if ye faint not." Paul wanted them to push on despite the intimidation they were receiving.

      So, as a little note of encouragement I wish to exhort you to take each day as it comes and do your best to not only make the right decisions but carry on with those right decisions with God in mind. Call on Him daily for He is your strength and shield. Without Him you can do nothing and you will achieve nothing worth any eternal value. So, put all your effort into achieving your best for Jehovah Yahweh. Because it is for Him that you are here on earth at all. In 1 Corinthians 10:31 we read, "Whether therefore ye eat or drink or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." As you strive each day not to give in but carry on with what you know you should do realize that there is a God in heaven who hears you and knows what you are going through because He has been through it as well. Not only has He been tempted and tried with what we are tempted and tried. But He is with us day-in and day-out and is ready to help whenever we ask. You may be thinking at this point, "If He knows what I'm feeling and what I need, then why doesn't He just supply for me what I need?" The answer to that is simple! He is a personal God, He loves us in a personal way and in return He wants us to love and serve Him in a personal way. Therefore, in the words of Christ, "If ye shall ask anything in My name, I will do it." If you're struggling with something our Lord and Savior Jesus the Christ has promised to supply the answer you need. Not only will He supply what you need but He has proven time and time again that He is a generous God and will often times give you more than you need. Therefore, ask! That's all it takes, just ask! But be diligent in seeking Him!

Italics are mine

My poem "God is Faithful" goes right along with this. You can find it @ http://mrcomebackid.blogspot.com

Introduction: Perseverance

      John was a kid about the age of 18 who had two older brothers both of them two years older than him. His dad was a coal miner and had worked his way up over the years to the position of manager. Because of his position as a manager he was able to get his two older sons, Matt and Luke, a position on his team has coal miners themselves. As John grew up over the years he had developed a love for the life of coal mining. There was nothing special about it. It was just a regular hard-working life. There was more stress and strain in the life of a coal miner than most other jobs in that region required. But still John took a liking to that way of life and decided from an early age that he wanted to work by his dad's side. Therefore, when he graduated high school this boy who was now considered a man decided that he wanted to apply for a position as a coal miner. So, after graduation he applied for a position and gave it to his father who looked it over and decided to accept it. However, the final say of an applicant does not abide in the penmanship of the manager. John's father gave the applications that had come in to him to his boss, the owner of that coal mining operation. The owner, Franklin, had taken the applications that were given to him and looked them over throughout the week. As he came to John's application Franklin was taken aback. The whole application looked like a normal application. Everything was in line with the responsibilities required and the abilities expected from everyone who took on that line of work. However, when he came to the personal section that described the applicant himself he noticed that John's height did not meet the standard. He was 5'4" tall and the requirement was that of 5'10" tall because of what was demanded on the job. Franklin was rather surprised that John's father, Eugene, had accepted this application because he knew Eugene was even more familiar with the requirements than the average employee, seeing that Eugene was a manager. At the end of the week Franklin, called in Eugene and asked him why he had accepted this application. Eugene looked straight at him and said, "Because he is my son and I know his work ethic. He's a hard worker and I know he will not let you down." Franklin decided to ponder those words over the weekend and come Tuesday that next week he decided to call John and asked him to meet him in his office. On Tuesday, during lunch break, he met with John and for more than an hour explained to this boy what the requirements and expectations were of the job itself. Franklin emphasized the fact that there were certain responsibilities required of each coal miner that, in actuality, required them to be taller than John was so that they can complete the tasks expected of them. Franklin said after the meeting, before John departed, that he would be willing to hire him if he had more "Bulk and Brutus" in his physique. He looked down and said, "You're just too weak to handle the tasks that lie ahead." He told John as the boy was departing from the trailer office, "If you're still of the strong desire to be a coal miner after this week is through then I’d like to talk to you come Monday. But until then I want you to take in to consideration what I've told you about the requirements and demands expected on-the-job." So, for the next seven days, that's what John did. He examined what had been said and thought about the demands that were required for the tasks of which Franklin had told him. Things were a little bit tougher than he had grown up understanding them to be, however, it was still the life he wanted to live. He enjoyed thinking about the work and about what his father and his brothers had told him over the years. His mind had remained undeterred. Come Monday John met Franklin back in his office trailer and reinforced his decision to Franklin, the owner, but it was still his desire to become a hard-working coalminer. So Franklin looked at John and promised him this, "John, look behind you through that window. See that big boulder right beside the coal mine entrance?" John shook his head affirmatively. "For the next couple months I'm going to take you on as paid staff. But for the time being I want you every morning to come in and push on that until you move it to the other side of the property." He looked at John and said, "Now, what came to your mind when I gave you that present job description?" John looked up and said, "Impossible!!" Franklin, looked the boy straight in the eyes and said, "Very good!" And with that John was dismissed.

      The next month when all applicants for hire were required to start the job for which they had applied, John was among the rookies. That next morning he came onto the property, walked up to where the boulder was, took some dirt and rubbed it in his hands then commenced pushing that big boulder to the other side of the property. Day after day he would come in and push on that boulder. He put his shoulder into it as well as his back, doing all he could do to move that tombstone just an inch. For two solid months he continued that process, stopping only at lunchtime and after the whistle blew at the end of the day. Finally, he saw the owner, Franklin, walk by. Franklin looked at him and said, "Good job John, hard work pays off, keep at it, don't give up!" For the next two months at the end of each week Franklin would walk by and say, "Good job John, hard work pays off, keep at it, don't give up!" Three consecutive weeks following Franklin would walk by on Friday afternoon and say the same thing, "Good job John, hard work pays off, keep at it, don't give up!" Then Friday of the next week, after the whistle blew at the end of the day, John walked promptly over to Franklin's office trailer and said, "Sir, I have been pushing on that boulder for the last five months even though it has not moved an inch. I have done exactly what you have required of me and so I need to find out if you have any intention of hiring me, because if not then I need to find a line of work which is appropriate for me." Franklin had a body sized mirror and told John to stand in front of it. He said, "John, what do you see?" John noticed his hands and his shoulders were rough and calloused and his shirt and pants looked tight on him. Franklin then said, "Stand on these scales." John had gone from a 140 pound firefly to 185 pound coalminer. Franklin said, "Hard work pays off just as it has done for you. Congratulations! You're hired for a full-time position, son!"

      I gave this story because I wanted to paint a picture in your mind about what the spirit of perseverance looks like. We all know how to persevere, to get the job done and give it all we have. We all know how to stick it out until the worst is over. Then there are other times when we just have to grit our teeth, forge the river and take the heat. Whatever level of difficulty a task may involve, pretty much all of us are familiar with what each level takes. But I don't want to focus on the intensity of perseverance, but rather, on the characteristics of perseverance.

      We saw in John how he stuck it out. He was determined to do all he could to get what he wanted for so long. In this story that was just given we also saw the hope of which he held in front of him at all times. That hope on which he focused was what motivated him and drove him on continuing his endeavor. I'd like you to notice in what has just been written certain characteristics of a person who displays the spirit of perseverance. Perseverance, not to wear the word out, involves being in one's search of or "waiting on" as if for the final result (Ps. 37:4; Isa. 51:5)¹. This confidence is the same of which we see in the believer today who waits upon his Lord and Savior Jesus the Christ to return (Titus 2:13). The spirit of faithfulness is also seen to be linked to hope (Pss. 5:11; 7:1; 15:1). Suffering is an aspect of life in which no one can get around. It happens to the best of us and it happens to the worst of us. But the fact that remains is that we, as Christians, believers in the eternal God and Creator of the universe, must push on through difficult times. It's sad but many "Christians" today do not understand that suffering is an important part of the believer's life in Christ. Therefore, they choose to end their journey in life and meet their "fate" earlier than necessary. Suffering will be a very big part of this whole ministry. In a physical sense it is what I have endured for the past 29 years and continue to endure it for the glory of God and His namesake. We see this idea of carrying on and being constant through suffering and certain New Testament texts such as 2 Thessalonians 1:4. The city of Thessalonica was like the city of Corinth, it was a major seaport city. But the one thing that made Thessalonica a completely different seaport than Corinth was that it was a city right next to the major Roman military road, the Egnatian Way. Thessalonica’s main highway was part of this Roman road and so many military personnel would stop in as they traveled by Thessalonica because of its metropolitan establishment. As a seaport Thessalonica was also made up of merchantmen, sailors, travelers and Jews. As a result of the mixture of different religions that would come in and become established Paul was afraid that the Christians of Thessalonica would become intimidated by and convert back to their pagan mystic ways.² Therefore, he states in 2 Thessalonians 1:4, "So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure:" Silas had taken a letter from Paul to the Thessalonians to let the Thessalonians know that it was his desire to come if the Lord would so lead. So, when Silas returned to Paul in Corinth he brought the apostle word of the faithfulness and consistency of the Thessalonian believers.

      There's one other characteristic of perseverance that I’d like to mention before I go into writing about these aspects of the believer’s spirit, that is, endurance (1 Cor. 9:24-27; Rom. 12:12-14). Endurance is another way of describing perseverance. However, the word itself implies more than just holding out or continuing on. It involves, in a way, tolerating. But not tolerating in the sense of putting up with sin and shame in a fashion that allows God's name to be driven in the dirt, but rather, taking what others give you and allowing God to be glorified in how you deal with certain situations. That may be in how you respond in word or deed or it may be in how you perform. Your performance could show others that you mean what you say, and that is, Jesus the Christ is my Lord and this is what He requires of me.

Please, stay with me as I look into these characteristics of perseverance over the next few weeks!

¹ Elwell, Walter A. Baker: Theological Dictionary of the Bible. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1996, pp. 203-04 & 600-03. Other Scripture references are from my personal interpretation.

² MacArthur, John. The MacArthur New Testament Commentary 1&2 Thessalonians. USA:          Zondervan. 2002, pp. 3-6.

For questions email me @ gtwis644@yahoo.com, subject: God’s Plan!

Introduction: Benefits of Afflictions

      On December 5, 1914 a man by the name of Ernest Shackleton, born in Ireland, who later became a British resident, set off on one last exploration. Shackleton was a very strong, ambitious explorer. As he grew up through the years he had always had the Antarctic on his mind as a continent to explore. This was his last venture. As he sent out a request in the British newspaper, he said that he was seeking men to go on an expedition in the Antarctic quoting these words, "low wages, unsafe conditions and no promise of a safe return." As a result of that request in the British newspaper 5,000 men volunteered. One of the men that he chose was right in Britain, one of his closest friends, Capt. Worsley. Out of all those that volunteered he only chose 26 other scientists, officers and seamen to conduct this expedition. Sailing to an island south of the horn of South America this crew of Ernest Shackleton and 27 other men and their sled dogs arrived at the last whaling station on South Georgia Island, nearly a thousand miles from the Weddell Sea of the Antarctic. This would be their last stop to refuel and restock their supplies before setting off to the Antarctic to cross the Antarctic continent by foot. Sailing a ship named, Endurance, named after Shackleton's family motto, "By endurance we conquer..." this crew sailed south to the Weddell Sea of the Antarctic region, an area which appeared to be a large bay. Neglecting the observations and advice of the whalers of South Georgia telling Shackleton not to go at this time because of how the ice was forming more rapidly and more densely this year than in previous years, Shackleton and his crew set sail. As they reached the Weddell Sea they began to run into chunks of ice of which they had to sail through, breaking into some and weaving around other floes. The ice became so thick that the hull of the ship became a battering ram crashing through and breaking through large slabs of ice that formed and continued that drive for six long weeks. The Endurance was equipped to handle this because her hull was 4 feet thick and strong enough embrace the hardship. After six weeks of this tedious, torturous development the Endurance became stuck and frozen in ice still many miles from the coast of the Antarctic. For 326 days the Endurance was home to these men as they lived most of that time with their ship frozen in ice. With plenty of food supplies and clothing to keep warm they kept busy day after day scrubbing decks, playing football, singing songs and other activities until the ice broke up for them to carry on.

      When the ice began to melt and break up in the spring, the unexpected happened. Instead of melting around and freeing the Endurance to set sail again, the ice began and continued to crush the ship. As it became evident that there was no way to save the Endurance, Shackleton and Capt. Worsley gave the command to abandon ship. The men got their dogs, three lifeboats, their food supplies and other necessary provisions, leaving their most precious belongings behind. They took their tents and other supplies and set camp, which they called "Patience camp." For 15 long months each day seemed to turn into a week and each week seemed to turn into a month as they waited. It was reported that it got so tiring on the men that at one point someone spilled a cup of milk and started to weep. The men that were around him took their cups and filled his. Shackleton was well aware of the surrounding situation to the extent that every waking moment of his was devoted to attending the men of his crew. It was because of Shackleton's unshakable determination and drive that the men started referring to him as "the Boss." Shackleton did not show any sign of fear or uncertainty as to how to deal with the situation at hand. It was because of this leadership that Ernest Shackleton so displayed that the men put their full confidence and trust in him.

      After 15 months on this large ice flow on which they resided they finally felt a swell underneath them. The ice began to break up because of the spring weather and began to flow separately. Whether or not they would float north or south or east to west they did not know but Capt. Worsley assumed that after the 15 months of fixed residence they had drifted northwest to the last outpost stationed at the north end of the Weddell Sea. The men took their lifeboats and wading through the ocean they rowed four days until Capt. Worsley could fix their position based upon the sun. Up until that point they could not see the sun because of cloudy skies. As Capt. Worsley figured out how far they had traveled he realized that their boats had not gone forward, but because of the current they had drifted backwards 30 miles. After two long days of rowing and pushing they made it to an island called "Elephant Island" of which retained no solitude save that of a rock encrusted inlet where hordes of penguins were stationed. It was here that Shackleton rested on a gamble and sought with he, Capt. Worsley and four other men and a strengthened lifeboat to travel 800 miles east across the most uncertain and wild waters known to man to the whaling station outpost on South Georgia Island. For 16 days three men would navigate and sail while the other three men were stuck in bags deluding themselves that they were getting the proper amount of sleep they needed. After the 16^th day they saw a most glorious sight, land. Somehow Shackleton had steered them, by the help of Capt. Worsley, 800 miles to South Georgia Island. As they approached they noticed that the waters began to swell higher and as a result could not make land that evening. They had to wade the waters once again through the night. However, this night would not be spent in solitude by any means as they noticed a strong wind advancing as the night fell. They had endured one Gale as they approached "Elephant Island" but this proved not to be a gale but a full force hurricane. You may ask at this point, "How did they ever survive that hurricane?" The answer is simple, "I have no idea!!" The morning dawned and they steered into a small inlet, pulled the boat to shore and started what would be the last leg of Shackleton's journey. Shackleton, Capt. Worsley and one other began the trek across South Georgia Island. The reason this was the case was because they had gone ashore on the opposite end of the island. With wooden screws fastened to the sole of their boots and an innovative ice pick these three men journeyed over ice crevices, mountains and valleys for 36 hours until they reached the outpost from which they had started nearly a year and a half earlier. Ernest Shackleton's next endeavor was to rescue the 22 men left on Elephant Island. However, for four long months ice had blocked the way of rescue. Yet, on August 30, 1916 those left on Elephant Island saw a ship headed for them. Shackleton had finally reached them. As a few boats rowed ashore to recover the remaining men Shackleton counted the heads that were on shore. As he finished he looked behind him to Capt. Worsley and said, "They're all there, Skipper! They're all there!"

I gave this story of endurance and trust in a leader to show how afflictions can be used for the better of a man. These 28 men were afflicted many times over enduring a long wait on an ice flow, cold and hunger causing frostbite and endless nights of sleeplessness, rain that turned into sleet which beat against them as they rowed for days at a time to Elephant Island, a full force gale during a full night of intense struggle and a full force hurricane of which six men endured for an entire night. These were struggles, among many others in between, that were encountered and overcome because of sheer will and determination. But none of this would've been possible had they not seen their struggles of affliction for what they were, an opportunity to succeed. For the believer of Jesus the Christ it is imperative that he asks for wisdom and strength from the Spirit each and every day. Because when struggles arise and test our spirit we must be prepared to act appropriately. Like Shackleton and his crew, we too must push through times of difficulty. Yet, unlike those men and their expedition, the Christian has a Friend Who sticks closer than a brother (Prov. 18:24)at all times. Not only is He with us through fire or water or whatever the present turmoil may be He has promised to help us, to strengthen us and to carry us through to the end (Isa. 43:2; 41:10; Phil. 1:6).

      Through the rest of this introduction I want to point out three truths of a person's character that allow him or her to succeed when dealing with struggles of affliction. The three truths that are seen in this true to life story of Shackleton and his Antarctic adventure can also be true in every individual follower of Christ as they endure struggles of life when afflicted. They are the perseverance of the spirit, the perspective of the obstacle endured and the deliberate attempt to find opportunities to glorify the Lord Jesus through life’s hardships. So, as I elaborate, think with me as I show you through Scripture the true benefits of the struggles that come from afflictions.

For further questions feel free to email me @ gtwis644@yahoo.com. To make sure I read your email and not delete it, thinking it’s spam, please put “Benefits of Afflictions” in the subject line.

Source:
DVD - Shackleton's Antarctic Adventure, 2002: Prod. by White Mountain Films and NOVA/WBGM Boston: Dir. by George Butler

A Simple Sketch

A Simple Sketch

      As a boy I had the typical mindset of a five-year. I would do handstands against the wall until the blood rushed all the way into my head leaving me wondering which way was up. I would race my cousins from one end of the street down to the other so fast that I could beat them with my hands tied behind my back. I remember climbing the tree in our front yard over and over again without shoes. And if I got cut I'd be the last one to notice. I was one of those kids that if nature had taken its normal course and I would've grown up in a public school you probably would've seen me playing basketball or football. As a matter of fact I was told by my parents that I was so fast I could beat my cousins running up and down the street back and forth four times without stopping and win every time. It sounded to me like I was one of those kids who could have gone to the Olympics as a track runner.

      There was one morning on the 17^th of August, 1982 when my life took a turn for the best. But prior to that day, the night before, to be exact, there was a burglary in the neighborhood. The police had come by that evening and made sure that the family who had been robbed was okay. They did their normal reporting and canvassing. The next morning an officer drove around the neighborhood a couple times once again, if nothing else, to let everybody know that security was around. I had gone to my friend's house which was two houses down from mine and got him to join me and have some fun over at Mrs. Petty’s playground set. It had monkey bars, slides, swings, sandbox, the usual. I was rather antsy that morning and when I asked him to go he got approval from his parents and we headed over. Hardy, my friend, walked across the street and up Mrs. Petty's driveway. I had decided to stay back a few feet and was around the trash cans at the end of his driveway. And with a split decision I jumped out into the street to rush over and race him to the playground set. But, what I didn't know was that the officer who was policing the neighborhood was just a few cars down the street at that moment. As I jumped out to race across the street he was waiting right there and at the last moment he slammed on brakes, but it was too late.

      He performed CPR until the ambulance arrived at which time they took me in and perform protocol trying to see what had happened, if I was alive, what they could do to revive me. The recollection goes a little bit like this. Hardy’s sister was watching through the window at the moment and when she saw it happen she ran down to my house and started beating on the door. My mom was getting ready at that time and started wondering who was at the door beating so violently. She made a bee-line for the front door and opened it up and Hardy’s sister yelled out, "Marcus has been hit!" My mom looked up and down the street and saw what she was talking about and ran not knowing exactly what she was going to see. She saw the officer on the ground performing CPR on a small body, which was mine. At that moment thoughts rushed through her head and she didn't know what to think so she started beating on the officer until she realized he was trying to revive me. When the ambulance arrived they rushed me in and for few hours my mom, dad, sister and pastor were waiting in the lobby and for a time until word came of what was going on. Dad had gone back to the house to brush up and take care of a few things and received somewhat of a surprise when he drove back onto the hospital campus. He saw my doctor's car race quite quickly through the parking lot but he didn't know exactly what that meant, if anything. As he arrived at the waiting area where everyone was he met my doctor as he came out into the waiting room. The doctor looked at my parents and told them that I had received a massive blow to the left hemisphere of my brain and as a result I would be limited in certain areas. He said because of this I would have very limited motor skills with my hands and fingers and arms. He also told them that I would not be able to talk and if by chance I did it would be with a speech impediment. He told my parents as he was explaining this to them that I would not be able to walk either. When he finished informing my parents as he did he turned around and went back into the O.R. room. He was washing up and prepping to go in to my skull and relieve pressure by drilling a small hole to drain the blood out. Fifteen minutes after he entered into the room he came back out with this puzzled look on his face. Then he looked at everyone waiting there for me in the waiting room and said that he didn't know what happened. He said that there were no vital signs, my eyes were not dilating, there was no sign of life. But, all of a sudden, as they were attempting to start procedure my eyes started to dilate and the machines did show some sort of activity. Therefore, he said they were going to watch me and see how I progressed as they stuck me in the ICU.

      I was in a coma for about 6 1/2 weeks of which during that time no one, including the doctors, knew what was going to happen. They weren't sure whether I would be totally paralyzed, partially paralyzed or what kind of condition I would have to endure. I ended up coming out of the coma with everyone discovering that I was totally paralyzed on my right side. I could not raise my arm or lift my leg. I spent the next month and a half in ICU trying to recuperate to where I could go back home. After three months of being in a coma and recuperating thereafter I was able to go home and start the process of rehabilitation.

      The following year, 1983, I started in a school for those with special needs or physical handicaps. It was there I actually learned how to swim, because in the coming days and for quite a few years I loved to swim. I would swim underwater as well as on top and would stay in the water as long as I was allowed. It was at this school that I learned how to walk on crutches and continued on crutches for many years until a bout with death almost took me once again in April of 2002. I went through a special needs school for approximately 2 years until the family moved to Charlotte, NC where I attended a regular public school. For the next four years in Charlotte and the first year in Raleigh, NC I attended public school. But from my sixth grade year on up through my senior year in 1996, I went to a Christian school, Friendship Christian Schools. I attended Wake Technical Community College from the fall of 1996 through the spring of 1997 and then transferred to Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA. I graduated there May 11, 2002. However, during my education years there at LU I went out west with an evangelist friend of mine, Dave Kistler and his family for 2 1/2 months from July 1, 2000 – September 17, 2000. But, the next year at LU, fall of 2001 I had contracted walking pneumonia and the next few months every time I would stand up to walk my legs would shake so bad that they would almost throw me over. Therefore, one of my doctors prescribed some muscle relaxers to help with the shaking, thinking it was just muscular spasms and nothing more. So, in December of that year when I had gotten home for Christmas break I started on those muscle relaxers, Baclafen, one of the strongest muscle relaxers out there. Between that muscle relaxer and another which had been prescribed to me a couple months later in place of Baclafen, Zanaflex, I was struggling each and every day to try and keep my eyes open.

      On April 2, 2002 a friend of mine Paul Pittman and another friend Charlie had gone out that evening to Sam's Club to pick up some items that they needed. When they arrived back in the dorm Paul asked Charlie if he had seen me that day and Charlie said, no! Paul looked over at my scooter and noticed it was in the same place as the night prior when he helped me into the room. He looked under my door and there was light shining underneath, however, my door was locked, which was never the case no matter what. So they spent in a few minutes knocking on the door trying to get me to answer. They went around the outside to my window and looked through that way but did not see me. So, they ended up calling the campus police which just responded back that I was probably just sleeping heavily. Therefore, Paul ends up calling the RD, Resident Director, Darrin and saying he needed to get up there to unlock the door. Darrin said he would be up there in about five minutes, whereas Paul quickly responded, "No, you need to get up here now!" When Darrin arrived and opened up the door they all saw me lying on the floor. My skin was light blue and there were no noticeable signs of life. The ambulance came and took me to Lynchburg Gen. Hospital at about 8:30 PM that evening. The Dean of Men, Dean Emrick, called my parents who got up there shortly after midnight and I still was not revived. My mom said she finally took my left hand, with the doctors focusing on my right side, and was able to get a response from me. She said I had opened up my eyes and then closed them again. For 5 1/2 weeks I was in three different hospitals, Lynchburg Gen., Duke and Durham Gen. Hospitals.

      For the next year I worked on getting my strength back and getting back up on my feet as much as I could. A few months later, in September, I started doing just that. And in December I was up on my crutches well enough where I felt comfortable. However, in February, I had come down with a severe sore throat, one of the worst I've ever had. Therefore, I ended up going to the doctor not long after the severity of the sore throat had appeared, receiving a strong dose of medication. To make a long story short, for the next 4 1/2 months, as a result of that medication, I contracted a virus of which I could not shake. But, the Lord finally allowed me to be able to get rid of that virus and continue on. Yet, during that time, I ended up getting so weak that what I had gained up until February I had lost by March. So, I started having to use a scooter. A few months prior to ridding myself of this sickness, which, by the way was in mid July, I had applied to Bob Jones University in Greenville, SC and had gotten accepted. I started to BJU in August, at the start of the academic year and continued on for three years, through the spring of 2006.

      January of 2006 I had started to notice my left hand feeling numb. So, enduring that semester, I had surgery performed on my left elbow, ulnar nerve, and left wrist, carpal tunnel surgery in August that summer. As a result of that surgery, the elbow had healed and improve but my left hand had not. For two years I went to three different doctors trying to figure out why my left hand as well as my whole arm, up to the top of my deltoid muscle, continued to feel numb. I finally ended up going to see a doctor, Dr. Gabr, who determined along with other MRIs done by previous doctors that what was seen in those MRIs more than likely causing the feeling in my arm. They had noticed a small spot inside of my spinal cord right up near the third vertebrate. Dr. Gabr determined, based on my accident when I was five years old that this spot that was on the inside of my spinal cord was probably caused from a whiplash effect initiated when I got hit by the police car. So, for now I deal with that symptom on a day-to-day basis, not to say that it's bad at all, for it's not. Therefore, for 4 1/2 years I was at home trying to figure out what was wrong with my arm and what to do next.

      In November of 2009 the Lord blessed me with a van up-fitted for me to drive on my own which opened the door up for me to go back to school. It didn't seem appropriate for me to go back to BJU at the time so, in January of 2011 I started school at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, NC, which brings me to where I am now, only a few days before Christmas of  '11. At the time that I write this I have just discovered that I have made an A in Ethics.

God's Wisdom

1 Corinthians 1:17–31

God’s Wisdom

   In the first chapter of 1 Corinthians 1:17-31 Paul speaks of the wisdom of God. This wisdom, being from God, is not common to man. As a matter of fact, Paul refers to this wisdom as being foolishness to men. Paul said that he preached the gospel the way God had directed him by His Holy Spirit and without man's advice or direction. The point, I believe, he wants to make clear in this passage is seen in v. 29 where he states, "That no flesh should glory in his presence." Paul lived and wanted to preach according to God's commands and His principles. Therefore, even though, it was true, the wisdom that was inlaid in the words which he spoke from the mouth of God was not a worldly understanding, it was even more so true, Paul points out, that the gospel is the wisdom of God. He states in this passage that the wisdom which comes from God, spoken in the words of the gospel which he preached, was seen every day in a paradoxical manner. Paul emphasized, I believe, this point at the end of this passage to give more weight to his statement in v. 31, "He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord." It's almost as if you can read Paul's reasoning in this passage. If there is one true God, which there is, then He is to be trusted; if He is to be trusted, then His wisdom which He displays is to be viewed as perfect wisdom; and if His wisdom is to be viewed as perfect wisdom, then those who are used to proclaim His name will be those who will glory in and exalt the Lord Jesus the Christ. Often times this will be those other than kings and princes and others who "have everything at their fingertips." In the words of Jeremiah 9:23-24, "Thus saith the Lord, let not the mighty man glory in his might, neither let the wise man glory in his wisdom; let not the rich man glory in his riches; but let him that glorieth, glory in this, that he understands and knows me for I am the Lord that exerciseth loving kindness, judgment and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight saith the Lord."

   Paul speaks about the wisdom of God as being foolishness to the world, wiser than man's wisdom and foolishness that confounds the world. He starts out in v. 17 talking about how the wisdom of God and the spreading of the gospel through preaching is seen as foolishness or insignificant to the world around. If you remember the words of Jesus and how he said that no man can understand the gospel unless he had the faith of a child, then understanding what Paul meant in v. 18 is not hard. God has given you and I the ability, by His Holy Spirit, not only to understand but to have the faith to lead us to Him. Knowing that there is no merit within myself, no ability to persuade the God of heaven, no righteousness on my own account that could lead me into His presence, I can do nothing but lift up my hands and rejoice because He has chosen me. Paul is pointing out in this passage that the foolishness with which this world views the wisdom of God is as foolishness which, by the Holy Spirit, captures the heart and mind of individuals all over the world and leads them to an everlasting relationship with the Father forever. The first part of this passage impacts me in such a way that for me to realize that I had been led to understand this foolishness, as Paul so presents it, to say the least, makes me feel privileged.

   But the impact of this passage is not just one that allows me to see, again, that I have been given a gift far more glorious than rubies and gold but that I have been chosen by the Creator of this gift. No matter what I do. No matter what I say. No matter what I think. This gift has been given to me by the choice decision of God Himself. I do not have to work for it. As a matter of fact, according to Romans 4:5, this gift of salvation is given on the basis of faith and not works at all. Paul comes, in this first letter to the Corinthians 1:21, to show the church members that despite the world's view and interpretation of God's wisdom, the Lord would still save some by the preaching of His gospel. Two drawbacks seem to be present in the world’s refusal of the wisdom of the gospel of the Lord Jesus the Christ. One, is that it requires us to reject the world, it's entertainment and other pleasures. When I thought about this part of the passage it opened up a whole new meaning of what Paul meant when he said, "I die daily." The Lord requires that after putting your hand to the plow, to be his disciple and an heir of the Kingdom, one cannot look back. He cannot desire the things that once made him happy. Even though the world has rejected this simple salvation message, the Lord, again, has chosen me out of the world to be part of what the future will hold. I am able to look forward to a new world set up by the King of eternity. Because of this "foolishness" which pierced my heart long ago I would have fellowship of a nature so sweet forever.

   The part of this passage that has always struck me in a personal sense is that part which Paul writes in vv. 26-28. He pointed out that this message of wisdom has not been given to those who already see themselves as righteous or who already think that they have everything they need. This message of the Gospel has been given to those who are otherwise inferior in the eyes of the world. Those who seem to know less, be able to do less or just seem to be less than what the world views as a significant personality are the ones that God desires to use to display His power. Paul says in v. 26 how God desires to use the ones who are not mighty, the ones who are not wise the ones who are not noble. The reason why this part of the passage has always impacted me strongly is because of what I've seen Him do, and not just in my life and the lives of others who had to struggle in ways far worse than me. God has used those of us who struggle mightily to reach hundreds, even thousands. One of them is a quadriplegic and has served for the past 15 years as an assistant pastor. Another is a paraplegic and has been since '97 and preaches in churches about the saving power of God and what he has in store for those who believe. To know that Christ would not only reach down to save my soul but would use this vessel, as raggedy, crooked and incomplete as I am fills me with a sense of thanksgiving and praise.

   This passage, especially vv. 26-28, causes me to think of Mephibosheth in 2 Samuel 9 when this young man had been chosen by the King of Israel, David, to receive everything that his father once had. This young man went from a state of poverty to the status of wealthy in no time at all, simply because of the king's desire to show compassion. There was nothing that Mephibosheth had done or could do to obtain that which was given him. That is a clear picture to me of what Christ did for me on the cross 2,000 years ago. A wretch I was, lost in myself and the Lord decided to make Himself known unto me and sacrificed His own Son in my place. I'd been given everything and had done nothing to deserve it. This passage also causes me to think about Paul, the apostle, in 2 Corinthians 12. Paul, for whatever reason, did not want to deal with his "thorn in the flesh" and had beseeched God to remove it three times. And I can see those famous words spoken by Jesus fitting in this passage so well, “My grace is sufficient for thee, for my strength is made perfect in weakness." It's that weakness that Paul refers to in these few verses. Whether physical, mental or spiritual, this passage has impacted me not because so much it has shown me that God still desires to use someone such as myself but rather that it has shown me that God's power has never nor will it ever succumb to man's wisdom but that it will always be perfect and mighty.