Life Journal 040605 2 Corinthians 6

Who do you want to work with? Who would you like on your team? What attitudes would you like to experience with your friends and family? There are many answers to those questions you and I could think of, today Paul’s answer echoes through my spirit with a ring of truth and desire.

As God's partners, we beg you not to reject this marvelous message of God's great kindness. For God says, "At just the right time, I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you." Indeed, God is ready to help you right now. Today is the day of salvation. 2 Cor 6:1-2 (NLT)

When I labor weighed down by the weight of the world, when I drag myself through life bowed under the weight of even my little world, I have rejected something. I have rejected "this marvelous message of God’s great kindness."

Do you have someone in your life who seems constantly bent out of shape? Maybe they are always working so hard, trying, struggling? The person you know may even be succeeding well in life but you can see they live like its all on them and what they can do. Do you know someone who is always beat down, suppressed by life, so much going on who can deal? Do you have someone in your life who is so serious, as if everyone doesn’t pull their assigned weight and keep their nose to the grind stone the sky will fall?

Have you been that person? I have. If not for Paul, I could well have been that person today. My lifestyle no - my life mentality - the diligence with which I attack life and defend my life would have demonstrated to the careful observer that I must not have got the message from God or worse, that I rejected it.

Are you the kind of partner, coworker, family member, whose approach to life today says, "I got the message?" Will your demeanor say, "Yes we are facing a challenge - maybe worse. I talked to God about it. God is well aware of our situation and standing by ready to help, at the right time, right now he will help. Today is the day of salvation!"

I want to live knowing God wants to help me with whatever I am dealing with today. Actually I do know - in my head but that doesn’t always change things. More than knowing - I want to live like this. The truth is I could use the help. I want to actively invite God to help, today, right now.

That is the kind of person I want to partner with too! If I was that kind of person wouldn’t you want me on your team? I want a person who believes that it is not all up to you or me. I want partners not bowed by the weight but buoyed by faith and empowered to serve like God is along side!

Lets be the people who live like they got God’s reply to our S O S! The people whose testimony tomorrow and the next day will be that "At just the right time, God heard me. On the day of salvation, God helped me."

That is the kind of person I want to be today. That is the witness I want to live. I want to live like I got the message, "Help is on the way! Today I know I am not in anything or facing anything alone. I am on team God! I believe God is always hearing me, always ready to help, always delivering."

Yahoo, but I can hear God right now saying, "Here is the catch, Art, you have to throw me the ball." Whoa! Sometimes I am a ball hog. I just won’t throw God the ball. I live like it is all up to me.

Can you relate? We may not beat our chests like Tarzan, but our life says, "Its all up to me. I am the Great Deliverer. I count on me!" By the way, how’s your blood pressure! Excuse the basket ball analogy here - but even God can’t score points for me if I leave him on the bench and play like I am the only one on the team. Even God can’t score if I won’t let him in my game.

What does God’s help, deliverance look like? Does God always remove the hardship, defeat my enemy, instantly free me from the addiction, pay my bills, award me the contract, calm the storm? Sometime God does just that, sometimes that is not what deliverance means.

Verses 4-5 show that Paul and the disciples with him didn’t have e very hardship removed; "We patiently endure troubles and hardships and calamities of every kind. We have been beaten, been put in jail, faced angry mobs, worked to exhaustion, endured sleepless nights, and gone without food." Sometimes deliverance is simply the ability to trust God with the ball in the while we endure troubles and hardships and calamities of every kind.

No matter what you are facing, fearing, fighting, or enjoying today, I hope you got the message that you are a better partner, friend, family member when you make let God be your partner. Indeed, God is ready to help you right now. Today is the day of salvation.Trust me it will be hard. The lesser gods don’t take kindly to their strongholds being exposed.

Glad to be with you in the Word! Pastor Art

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