People like to be appreciated. We like to receive compliments or be told we are doing great at something. Unfortunately in life, that will not always be the case. Here are some people in Scripture who were treated wrongly:
Joseph was thrown into a pit by his brothers and accused of sinning with Pharaoh's wife (Genesis 37:1-11, Genesis 39:1-20).
Ephesians 5:15-17
15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,
16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
Every generation faces unparalleled challenges and difficulties. The day we live in is no different. While there may be a new obstacle we are facing, the fact is that every generation throughout the course of human history has faced hardship in this world. The world, at one point, was completely flawless and free of problems, but that ended in the Garden of Eden when mankind chose to disobey his gracious God and sinned against His holiness.
2 Chronicles 29:6, "For our fathers have trespassed, and done that which was evil in the eyes of the LORD our God, and have forsaken him, and have turned away their faces from the habitation of the LORD, and turned their backs."
The word "trespassed" in the verse translates to an act of treachery; an act of faithlessness. The people were faithless; they didn't believe. They were unbelieving of the law which God had given them to live by. They fell victim to the world and all manner of pagan worship.
Our kids will be going to their annual Master Clubs Regional this weekend to practice some of the important things they have learned in church this year. Our goal, as always, has been to instruct children to serve God with the talents and gifts that He has given them. Regional is an amazing opportunity for these kids to work on their Bible knowledge, their skills at presenting God's Word to others, and to have fun while doing it. We are always busy at Master Clubs teaching children all sorts of things, but I ran across a quote this week that got me thinking: "When your actions contradict your words, your words don't mean anything."
Following the Example of Christ in our Service
Our church will be hosting the Regional Teen Talent Contest (RTTC) this weekend on Friday and Saturday. For over a decade, we have hosted this event and the goal has been to instruct young people, both in our church and in the churches that attend, to serve God with the talents and gifts that He has given them.
