God bless you today my beloved in Christ. My prayer is that you have celebrated the reason for the season. Yes Jesus Christ is the reason for the season I am so thankful that you are able to take time out of your schedule to worship the Lord Jesus Christ. What a wonderful week, social media was abuzz with pictures of families getting together, sons and daughters going back home, traveling across the miles to be home with their love ones. This is the last message of this year. I pray that 2014 will be the year that finds you growing in the Lord and being a person who continues to stands tall, stands strong, and remains a willing servant for our Lord Jesus Christ.

My beloved are you Overcomer? Do you remember a time in your life where the struggle seemed greater than you? Are you a person who cannot recall how you made it over, all you know is that you did make it over? Did you have a hill to climb, a mountain to scale, and you didn't it effortlessly? I pray my beloved that you share your story.

i love the fact that you are An Overcomer….

Now in case you're still learning to become one who overcame, i stand with you in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ.

Over the last few weeks we've seen pictures of trees that were bent, and distorted. If you look at the picture to the left this tree was not bent, or distorted. This particular tree experienced a total collapse under the weight of the ice. As you can see the trunk of this tree could not support its branches. Notice that this trees still had leaves that were upon it some change in color some still green.

What was once a healthy and normal tree had an unexpected weight placed upon it and that tree collapsed as a result? This tree did not bend nor distort, it simply collapsed under the weight. My beloved have you ever been in the position where those you loved deeply hurt you, that you did not think that you heart 's could take one more hurt, have you had financial challenges and creditors are calling upon you to pay one more bill that you do not have enough money to pay. Are there things in life that are stressing you to the point that you feel you are about to collapse under its weight.

Prior to this tree collapsing under the weight of the ice, it was giving signals to all that were around. It was giving creaking noises. It would take a special person who had awareness of the particular sounds made by the tree under great weight that this tree was close to collapse. Much like the tree giving off noises or making others aware, you too would have an awareness that you are under great weight. There would be signs that show your stresses, and if continued without addressing the stresses would surely start the process of collapse.

Now it's a tough position to be in to know that you're under great weight, and it is a tough position to have collapsed. But these are the easy parts. For we are glad when we are weak and you are strong. And this also we pray, that you may be made complete. (2 Corinthians 13:9). I know you may say, hey Rev. Rod how could this be the easy part you are on your way to wholeness… and that makes me smile for you!

My beloved think of it like this… If you take a tall glass of water and you place 3 or 4 drops of dye in the water the whole glass has now taken on the characteristics of the dye. My point here what needs to happen should start to become obvious. The issue is clearly identified and now you have choices to correct this problem and I'm sure my beloved you could think of many more. But the two that come to mind are

1. You can purify the tall glass of water thus eliminating the dye and allowing the glass to return to normal water.
2. You can empty the tall glass and fill it up with clean water

 

My point here my beloved while we know we could do all things through Christ Jesus who strengthens us, “you” must come to a place that you recognize your true inner strength. Yes the tough things in life can make us weak. In cases if left alone would certainly destroy us. But the truth my beloved is in overcoming, the truth my beloved is in the journey, the truth my beloved is in the testimony of the power of Jesus Christ in your life.

I continue to attend Dallas Baptist University and there I met Dr. Lineberger.  A youthful fellow raising a family, teacher, an academic and community leader. Want to hear a powerful testimony of a person who was tested and had great weights place upon them? You can hear for yourself, “what God did with the mess like me”. http://jonlineberger.com/index.html (Lineberger) it's a very powerful and moving testimony in Jon's case, you will be able to hear Jon use of items 1 & 2 above. Even now my beloved you will grow to understand that you can never truly change “living water”. Even if you attempt to darken that water you cannot. Even if you try to empty it you cannot.

The living water- The Word - is not changeable. Only us… the living water changes us. When we learn that our Lord wants nothing more but to give you life, we know we must live through the lessons we have been taught.  This day empty your vessel of that which holds you back and ask our Lord to direct you… whatever the weight you too can be an overcomer. Speaking to how it should be YOU My beloved Are an overcomer in Christ Jesus!

Let's pray

Our Father and our God there are times in our lives when we feel crushed. There are times in our life that we can't seem to remove the weight that surround us. Or Lord we see others under such great weight. We hurt for them and we hurt for ourselves. Lord we know that you chasten us in an effort to build us. Sometimes Lord we do not readily see the lesson. We gladly run the race Lord with you we are not always patient we are not always understanding we are not always perfect. But Lord we thank you for being faithful to us. Even Lord when we are not faithful to you. Create and each of us a clean heart father we have not learned to accept you fully continue to guide us with your loving hand. Father we pray for the sick, those who are shut and, those who are fighting mental problems as well Lord as physical ones. Father bless the sermonette family, bless their homes their finances, and all that they have. Lord Jesus give them peace and their homes hold each and every one in your loving care. Bless the children and guide the parents. And we will always be careful to give you the honor and the glory in Jesus name Amen.