Category: Trials and Tests

The Storm Chasers

R. Mangold

ChasersStorm Chasers…racers into the wind,
The fearful seek shelter, the Chasers dive right in.

Tornado, typhoon, hurricane, their courage and bravery unfettered.
Torrential rains, blustery winds, they’re undaunted by the weather.

Their quest for danger cannot be swayed, for them it’s a burning desire.
They’re on a mission to chase each storm, the floods, the rain, and fire.

They know as they brave the elements, there’s a sister or brother in need,
To build our faith, and quell our fears is a Storm Chaser’s trusted creed.

The Chasers know each storm differs, and no one suffers the same,
These storm-hungry souls find solace in the power of Jesus Name.

As you board up your windows, and bar your doors, seeking refuge, safety and warmth,
There are a quiet few courageous Chasers who have weathered life’s calamitous storms.

Chasers do not cower in self-pity, or recoil in the dark of the night,
Their gaze is fixed, their minds made up, no thought to tuck tail and take flight!

Pelted by rain, sideways at times, a Chaser is bound to get drenched,
Tenacity says, “Dig in deeper,” as their teeth and their fists remain clinched.

They’ve seen many vessels capsize in the Seas of Despair and Doubt,
Ever faithful, ever mighty, the Lord always brings them out.

Excess cargo is abandoned, so much is lost, their sails tattered from gale force gusts,
They’ve found a place to drop anchor, solid in the bedrock of God’s Word they trust.

For the Chasers the thrill of the storm matters not to them in the end,
But in getting a personal audience with the Maker of the Wind.

Let this be a call to all those who are safe and content in the comfort of their sleepy harbors,
Storm Chasers are rare, but if you dare, you’ll see the Light of God’s Love, even in your darkest hours.

Storm Chasers know trust is a must, without it they’re at the whim of the weather,
We’re reaching out to you, right now my friend, because we know we’re stronger together. ~ RD Mangold

“Serminutes” – Sermon in a Minute.  One Minute Inspirational Sermonettes, Devotionals, and Sermon Ideas for Busy Christians, Pastors, Teachers, and Bible Students!  Visit our ABOUT PAGE  for details on what exactly that is. Thank you for visiting today! May the Lord richly bless you.  ~ RD Mangold

The Heavenly Exchange

R. Mangold

HeavenlyExchangeIn the Book of Job we read his famous words often quoted when someone is in the midst of their trial or test, “Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD. 22 In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.” (Job 1:21-22)

Job knew unmistakably from whom all blessings flow, but he also was painfully aware who could choose to take them away.

We fixate on the things the Lord gives, because we love getting blessings from God. But, what about when He takes things away? What about when He subtracts, rather than adds? In this context we can easily see but one side of God’s ability to take things away. It’s often viewed in the context of the negative, isn’t it?

Job lost his cattle, his fields, and his children; EVERYTHING in one day. Here we can eerily see how quickly a man can be reduced to near nothing if God so chooses. But, that’s when God takes things away that down deep we feel as if God acted unfairly. It’s as if God is punishing us. Let’s be honest though, aren’t we glad when the coin lands on the other side of “taken away?” What do I mean?

God gets a bad wrap when good things are seemingly stripped from our hands, but aren’t we grateful when God takes some things away from us?

Isaiah 61:3 describes this process of God taking some of the less desirable things and exchanging them for things with immeasurable value:

To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.

We’re quick to play the victim when God takes the things away we felt attached to, but what about when God’s willing to make a beautiful exchange in return for our willingness to allow Him to take our less than desirable things? After all, the greatest exchange took place over 2000 years ago at Calvary.

And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; 14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; 15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. (Colossians 2:13-15)

Christ didn’t just take our sins, He nailed them to HIS CROSS! What a wonderful exchange. What a great release He has given us all who have been born again into His Kingdom!

May we emphatically declare, the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD! He took my sins away. He took my guilt and shame away. He took my punishment away. He took my death sentence away! And, gave me life eternal in exchange for it all.

This exchange doesn’t end with this life, but in the life to come, Paul says, “So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.” (1 Corinthians 15:54) 

Again to the Philippians Paul reveals our eventual exchange from our Earthly citizenship, to a Heavenly citizenship, “But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself. (Phil. 3:20-21)

We will exchange an earthly mortal body with a heavenly immortal one in the same fashion as Christ, where Death will be swallowed up in sweet victory at that Heavenly Exchange!

“Serminutes” – Sermon in a Minute.  One Minute Inspirational Sermonettes, Devotionals, and Sermon Ideas for Busy Christians, Pastors, Teachers, and Bible Students!  Visit our ABOUT PAGE  for details on what exactly that is. Thank you for visiting today! May the Lord richly bless you.  ~ RD Mangold

Tackling Murphy

R. Mangold

Murphy

Football Coach Gus Bradley, defensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Chargers trains his team to face who he calls, Murphy?

Who’s Murphy? We all know Murphy, don’t we?

We’re in the middle of those difficult and time-consuming projects and this character out of nowhere shows up unannounced and uninvited. His name is Murphy. This cat is so famous, they even named a law after him, called Murphy’s Law.

The definition of Murphy’s Law states: Anything that can go wrong, WILL go wrong!

Gus Bradley trains the LA Chargers to expect Murphy to show up, and show up at the least opportune time – bad weather, flight delay, traffic, any unexpected event that could potentially throw you off your game.

WHEN Murphy shows up, not IF, the team tackles him head on! They don’t wait for him to make the first move, they anticipate him, they prepare for him. Instead of being afraid of Murphy, they choose to engage, face him down, and dismantle him before he even steps out onto the field.

We often refer to the Murphy’s Law when something doesn’t work out. We blame Murphy for a lot of things, but what if we could actually put Murphy to work for us? What if we translated everything Murphy did TO US, as what Murphy does FOR US?

Edwin McManus said, “Greatness is never born from easy circumstances.”

We don’t create a good life, good circumstances, or success from the outside-in, we do so from the inside-out.

Allow me to frame this another way, when it comes to our enemy the devil, it’s not a matter of IF he’ll show up, it’s a matter of WHEN! Like the LA Chargers, we don’t wait for Satan to make the first move, we anticipate him, we prepare for him.

Peter said it this way, “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8 ESV)

Instead of being afraid of Satan, we choose to be on guard, to engage, face him down, dismantle him before he even gets a chance to step out onto the field!

Just like old Murphy gets the blame for a lot of things, Satan does too. But what if instead of blaming Satan for everything wrong that’s ever happened, we actually started making the devil work FOR US?

Peter goes on to say in verse 9, “Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.” (ESV)

In the realm of fitness, resistance equals strength training. What the devil means for bad, God helps us translate into strength and overcoming power! Satan thinks he’s doing this TO us, but in actuality, he’s doing it FOR us!

Joseph was wrongfully sold into slavery by his conniving brothers but through the faithfulness of God, and Joseph’s trust in the dreams God placed in his heart, he eventually became an emperor in Egypt. Listen to how Joseph processed his pain, “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.” (Genesis 50:20 ESV)

Don’t be shocked when Satan shows up. He was one of the first uninvited guests to the Garden of Eden. Again, uninvited in the book of Job with the Sons of God. And, he had the nerve to show up in the wilderness after Jesus’ 40-day fast. You can most certainly anticipate he will rear his ugly head in your life as well. Be ready for him. Tackle him when he shows up. It’s often an indication strength and power are destined for your immediate future.

“Serminutes” – Sermon in a Minute.  One Minute Inspirational Sermonettes, Devotionals, and Sermon Ideas for Busy Christians, Pastors, Teachers, and Bible Students!  Visit our ABOUT PAGE  for details on what exactly that is. Thank you for visiting today! May the Lord richly bless you.  ~ RD Mangold