Truth is...

These verses remind me of the Rich Mullins song, "Bound to Come Some Trouble."

There's bound to come some trouble to your life
But that ain't nothing to be afraid of
There's bound to come some trouble to your life
But that ain't no reason to fear
I know there's bound to come some trouble to your life
But reach out to Jesus, hold on tight
He's been there before and He knows what it's like
You'll find He's there

There's bound to come some tears up in your eyes
That ain't nothing to be ashamed of
I know there's bound to come some tears up in your eyes
That ain't no reason to fear
I know there's bound to come some tears up in your eyes
Reach out to Jesus, hold on tight
He's been there before and He knows what it's like
You'll find He's there

Now people say maybe things will get better
People say maybe it won't be long
And people say maybe you'll wake up tomorrow
And it'll all be gone
Well I only know that maybes just ain't enough
When you need something to hold on
There's only one thing that's clear

I know there's bound to come some trouble to your life
But that ain't nothing to be afraid of
I know there's bound to come some tears up in your eyes
That ain't no reason to fear
I know there's bound to come some trouble to your life
Reach out to Jesus, hold on tight
He's been there before and He knows what it's like
You'll find He's there

 

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Truth is...From time to time, each of us feels like we are alone in our life experience, like there's nobody who could possibly understand or empathize. Well ... hold on tight, because ... you know ... Jesus.

      

I stole the following from a digital creator on Facebook by the name of Greg Street. Where he stole it from or whether it is original with him is a mystery that will remain unsolved.

The crow is the only bird bold enough to sit on the eagle's back and peck at its neck.

Relentless. Annoying.

But the eagle... stays calm.

The eagle doesn't flap. Doesn't fight. Doesn't waste energy. It does one thing: It rises.

The higher the eagle soars, the thinner the air becomes. The crow? It can't handle the altitude.

Eventually, the crow gasps, loses strength...and falls off; not because the eagle attacked, but because the eagle ascended.

Let the crows talk. Let them peck. You don't have to respond. Just keep going higher. They can't follow you forever. Your growth will suffocate their noise. So don't engage. Elevate.

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Truth is...It's no fun being pestered by the crows of this world, but if I can use it to motivate me to fly closer to the Lord? Hit me with your best shot.

      

Big thanks to Stephan Pastis and Pearls Before Swine for today's lesson:

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Truth is...All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17 [NLT])

      

You know how sometimes you read something or run across a video at just the right time?

That happened to me this morning when I read the following in James Watkins' updated version of Thomas à Kempis' The Imitation of Christ.

It is good for us that we sometimes have sorrows and adversities, for they often make us realize we are only strangers and sojourners on this earth and that we can't put our trust in worldly things. It is good that we sometimes endure opposition and are judged unfairly. When we experience this trouble, it is for our good. For these things help us to be humble and shield us from conceit. For when people speak evil against us falsely and give us no credit for good, then we seek more earnestly the approval of God.

So, we need to rest wholly upon God, rather than needing to seek comfort from the hands of people. When people who fear God are afflicted, tried, or oppressed with evil thoughts, they realize how much they need him, since without him they can do no good thing. Then those with heavy hearts groan and cry out from the troubled heart. There are even times when God's children grow weary of life and desire to depart and be with Christ. All this teaches them that on earth there is no perfect security or fullness of peace.

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Truth is...The more I entrust my sense of well-being and happiness to what happens to me or what people say about me or do to me, the more miserable I will be. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart..."

      

I was embarking on a short-term mission trip to do some work at a children's home in Central Mexico. Itinerary: flying from Minneapolis/Saint Paul to Dallas to San Luis Potosi.

Speeding down the runway of MSP, it seemed like we were having trouble reaching escape velocity. We were bumping around the cabin, the plane was rattling and shaking, and I couldn't help but imagine hearing Fred Flintstone yelling "Pedal faster, Barney!"

And then, in an instant, in the twinkling of an eye you might say, the wheels left the tarmac and all was smooth and quiet as the plane entered its natural habitat of the air.

Right then and there, I wondered, "Is that how it's going to be when you come back, Jesus? Will all the turmoil and trouble of this life-as-we-know-it just . . . just be done as we enter into the realm of existence we were created for?"

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Truth is...He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever. (Revelation 21:4 NLT)