Please find below the notes from the Elder's Prayer this past Sunday.

Good morning...

Recently, I have been especially mindful of folks in our Body that are experiencing various kinds of trials.

While trials are very real and challenging and even heart wrenching, it is important to understand them in light of God's word.... one helpful passage of scripture is:

Jas 1:2-4  Consider it all joy, my brothers [and sisters,] when you encounter various trials, 

knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have [its] perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

The importance of this, in my own life, struck me this week as I had a particular trial, which in light of what others face, was really no big deal, but, I allowed myself to fall into what I call “Stinkin Thinkin”.... 

This kind of self talk is very anxious and worrisome and is not honoring to God, it comes from a place of not remembering that God is Sovereign over all things and is in control of all things....

When this happens I need to catch myself and say “wait a minuteTerry, stop it” ...and confess that to God...

This is not to minimize the fact that we do deal with hard and hurtful things that give us cause for concern, but, this kind of “Stinkin Thinkin” is not true and not trusting that God is working for my good in all things.... as Romans 8:28 says....

Rom 8:28  And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to [His] purpose.

I love Spurgeon's insight into the word of God.... Recently I came across a quote where he said that trials are “waves that wash you further upon the ROCK....they are winds that steer your ship more quickly toward the desired haven”... 

God uses these waves to grow us and keep us close....  Let's pray...

Lord, we thank you that You are sovereignly in control of all things...that you in fact ordain everything that comes into our lives for Your glory and for our ultimate good...please help us all to never forget that and not allow our minds to wander off and go down paths that are not helpful and not trusing in Your love and care for us...  and Lord, when we do start down these paths, please stop us by Your grace and help us to be quick to confess it to You and move on...

In Jesus' name..