Monday, November 7, 2011

A Blessing for My Sister...


Psalm 40:11-12

11 Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O Lord: let thy lovingkindness and thy truth continually preserve me.

12 For innumerable evils have compassed me about: mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs of mine head: therefore my heart faileth me.

A Blessing for My Sister, or Rather The Blessing of My Sister....

Proverbs 3:27 instructs us not to withhold honor to whom it is due. This tribute has been a long time coming and it is now due.

One faithful reader of this blog is my sister. A little over nine years ago, she was invaded with by a cruel and relentless murderer. This evil intended to be the definer of her life. What the evil didn't understand was my sister is a disciple of Christ.

Evil is what God is not. It is not omnipresent. It is not omnipotent. It has to steal power from us to be effective. The evil that set upon my sister has been chewing away at her very life's blood with the intent of not just killing her, but killing her joy, her vibrance and her outlook on life along the way.

It failed.

My sister, who gave her life to Christ years ago, became a disciple of Christ long before the evil showed up. She had chosen not just to accept salvation but to press in to fellowship and relationship. She believes God and takes Him at His word.

When the evil showed up, all it could take was her physical strength. When it sought her joy, she met, fell in love with and married an amazing man. When it sought her vibrance, she and her husband became foster parents. When it sought her outlook on life, she became one of the prayer warriors covering her pastor.

Evil is ever present. The enemy seeks to steal, kill and destroy. Jesus reminded us to not fear those who could kill the body, but Him who is able to destroy both the soul and the body in Hell (Matthew 10:28). My sister chose to reverence Him, and not the other.

And my life, and the lives of everyone who's had the pleasure of her company are better for it.

So, this is a blessing for my sister because my sister is a blessing. Whether the evil takes her body from us or not, she cannot die. She settled that a long time ago, and lives a life faithful to that decision. I hope you have too.

It doesn't matter what the evil's name is. We all have our own evil to confront. My pastor reminded us recently that when we accepted Christ, a contract was put out on our lives. Our job is to remain vigilant, watch, fight and pray so that we can avoid, or like my sister, contain the evil in its place. Apart from Christ, this is a fruitless effort. With Christ, we've already won.

This evil did not and does not define my sister. Instead, it provides a dark background on which the light of Christ shines even brighter. Like the dark matting of a fine museum peice, my sister's life is all the more brillinant despite the evil's presence.

How shall your life be framed? Will you be consumed by the evil that so easily besets us, or run the race with patience and perserverence? (Hebrews 12:1).

Choose to run. Run with Christ. There is no finish without Him. Starting lines and aid along the raceway are available at Fellowship.

Psalm 40
1 I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.
2 He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.
3 And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.
4 Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.
5 O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.
6 Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required.
7 Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me,
8 I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.
9 I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O LORD, thou knowest.
10 I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation.
11 Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O LORD: let thy lovingkindness and thy truth continually preserve me.
12 For innumerable evils have compassed me about: mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs of mine head: therefore my heart faileth me.
13 Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me: O LORD, make haste to help me.
14 Let them be ashamed and confounded together that seek after my soul to destroy it; let them be driven backward and put to shame that wish me evil.
15 Let them be desolate for a reward of their shame that say unto me, Aha, aha.
16 Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: let such as love thy salvation say continually, The LORD be magnified.
17 But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me: thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God.

I love you, Cyss.

Lifeline is produced from the Evangelistic Ministry of Fellowship Church in Jonesboro, GA. You are encouraged to share this message. The Fellowship Church website (www.fcchosengeneration.com) includes a link to the Lifeline Blog (www.lifelineatfellowship.blogspot.com) where you can find previous messages. Evangelist Robinson also posts her entries on Facebook and Twitter. To subscribe to the mailing, or for questions and comments, tweet (@evangeliststeff) or send email to fellowship_lifeline@yahoo.com. Fellowship Church can be reached at chosen.gen@att.net.

Fellowship Church
Where Passions Become Reality
Because You Are a Chosen Generation
455 Highway 138 W, STE C
Jonesboro, GA 30236
770-573-9339
Alton Watkins, Pastor