How Big is Your Solution?

Last week we saw how the Law demonstrates the nature of God and was given to the Israelites so they would understand how to live as a holy nation. This morning in our sermon time we will see that the bottom line of God giving the Law was so we could have relationship with Him. This is really what the whole story of Scripture is about! Yet, it seems to be one of the hardest things to maintain!

The devil has all kinds of strategies he uses to work against what God desires, but probably one of his most effective is to get us so focused upon our own problems that we lose focus on anything else. It works something like this: take a book and open it somewhere in the middle and lay it across your face. What do you see? Not much more than the book, right? Now, take that same book and hold it out at arms length. What do you see? If the book represents your problem, the problem is still clearly in focus, but there is so much more one can see as well. This is called keeping things in perspective. There is a much larger picture than the struggles or trials we face, but the devil wants us to think we are alone in what we are dealing with and everything is about our problem or trial or struggle. He wants to see us discouraged so we will trust less, serve less, and live with less contentment and joy.

Revelation 5:1-4 shows a similar situation:
And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a book written inside and on the back, sealed up with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the book and to break its seals?” And no one in heaven, or on the earth, or under the earth, was able to open the book, or to look into it. And I began to weep greatly because no one was found worthy to open the book, or to look into it;
John was caught up in the moment and so focused on the problem that he could not see the solution!

Fortunately, the passage goes on to say:
And one of the elders said to me, “Stop weeping; behold the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals.”
His message to John was, “Step back and take another look!” There is One who is in complete control and He will handle the situation in His own time and own way. The whole message of Revelation is to maintain hope because we have a Lord who has overcome so that we can ultimately dwell with Him for eternity! HE is seeking a relationship with US! Will we see past the schemes of the devil and realize the big picture is truly beautiful—problems and all?

To listen to sermon, click A Church Jesus can be Part of.