From Our Pastor

Dealing with Trouble

"In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

John 16:33  

Who likes trouble? Ok, ok, there are some wacky people that almost seem enjoy it . . . but MOST of us do everything we can to avoid it. For a while here, I was joking at the office that I would like LCC to have just one week without a crisis . . . no car accidents, no cancer, no family troubles, no house fires, no natural disasters, no ER visits, no layoffs . . . and no computer issues either!

But Jesus never promised us a trouble-free life. In fact, he confirmed what we already knew -- "In this world you will have trouble.” But that’s not the end of it . . . Jesus emphatically tells us that He has overcome the world . . . and because of that, we can overcome as well. And overcoming is more important than having nothing but smooth sailing.

John Maxwell points out that a study of 300 highly successful people like Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Helen Keller, Winston Churchill, Albert Schweitzer, Mahatma Gandhi, and Albert Einstein revealed that one-fourth had handicaps such as blindness, deafness, or crippled limbs. Three-fourths had either been born in poverty, came from broken homes, or at least came from exceedingly tense, disturbed situations. Overcoming obstacles is actually part of greatness.

We shouldn’t be surprised at life’s complications . . . or by the spiritual maturity that comes from confronting and conquering our challenges. “For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.” (1 John 5:4-5)

In the coming months, our messages will be on this very topic, Overcoming by Faith:

• Sun., Feb. 7 –  Overcoming Your Past
• Sun., Feb. 14 – Overcoming Depression
• Sun., Feb. 21 – Rev. Derek Brown, music & message
• Sun., Feb. 28  – Overcoming Anger
• Sun, March 7 – Overcoming Setbacks
• Sun., March 14 – Overcoming Temptation
• Sun., March 21 - Overcoming Adversity part 1
• Sun., March 28  – Overcoming Adversity part 2

Join us as we follow Jesus in overcoming the obstacles . . . and become the people that God always meant us to be!

In Christ,

Pastor Greg and Lynn Wheaton

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