SAVANNA
Assembly of God
548-3839
McAlester Devotional Page
HIGH HILL BAPTIST
Attend The Church of Your Choice
There is one God; and there is none other but He. Mark 12:32
Staying Up in a Down World
W. Berry Norwood, Pastor High Hill Baptist Church, McAlester OK
Christians need to be aware of the challenges on our planet (family disintegration, ISIS, racial divide, economic downturn, Russian aggression, etc.); we can actually affect all of these through prayer, and we can effectively minister to many hurt by such problems. However, believers in Jesus Christ do not have to fall into the depression, funk, hopelessness, and apathy that overwhelm many people. Jesus said He gives His joy (John 15:11) and His peace (John 14:27) to those who abide in Him or walk closely by His side. Such a walk is not easy, but it is possible through our commitment to Him, His Word, andprayer. Evangelist Jack Taylor years ago said when he asked people how they were doing, and they said Okay under the circumstances, he would alwa ys challenge them lovingly with, Well, my goodness, what are you doing under there! What Jesus promises is the ability to live above our circumstances. The peace and joy Christ gives can provide a "high"
that even positive thinking alone cannot. Like Zig Ziglar used to say, Positive thinking can’t help you do ANYTHING; but it CAN help you do everything BETTER than negative thinking can! When Zig became a Christian, he enjoyed differentiating between the happiness of life and the joy of the Lord. God can keep us up when things are hard and not just when we seem to be achieving. Positive thinking alone is never really enough when we lose a child to death or drugs, wrestle with the questions of a cancer prognosis, or have a spouse leave us unexpectedly. An uplift from a loving, personal Savior through such situations is a reality available to every Christian. When a believer is up instead of down, he or she enjoys life more, blesses others more, and honors God more. God’s uplift is not egotism by any means; in fact, it has been said that egotism is the only disease that makes everyone sick EXCEPT the one who has it! Go selfless, today. Draw near to the Lord, and let Him bless you—and others! Dr. Denis Waitley, a Christian psychologist, has said for years that you’ll know you’ve made it when others tell you, ‘I like ME best when I’m with YOU. Rise up and be a blessing—others all around us need it!
This Devotional & Directory is made possible by these businesses who encourage all of us to attend worship services.
CHURCH DIRECTORY