With the trials that we have been facing lately in our little group it sometimes gets a bit discouraging. Well the truth is Christ said with “much tribulation ” we enter into the kingdom. This should sharpen our senses as to what lies in the future but we can be encouraged by the fact that individually or collectively we are never tried beyond our capacity to endure those trials. If we learn nothing else other than to endure through the tough times patiently, we have done well. At the end of His life Christ took all the punishment patiently, without complaining, looking beyond the pain to the Glory after His resurrection. We have not struggled to blood, at least not at this time. Lets hope in the future if we do we can follow Christ’s example of looking beyond the present trial. Just like a woman in labor quickly forgets the pain when she sees the child she has brought into the world and is filled with joy. I leave you with the same message God gave to Joshua prior to entering the Promised Land. Let’s be strong and of good courage, the one who is for us is far greater in every capacity than the one who is against us.

When sin convicts us, how do we react? Do we acknowledge and hate our transgressions? Are we determined to get rid of them? Or do we try to “justify” or to “explain” them, by perhaps placing blame on others? Proverbs 28:13 tells us, “He who covers [tries to justify and explain away] his sins will not prosper, But whoever confesses [admits] and forsakes them will have mercy.”

God is merciful with us if we are honest and if we don’t try to play games. Notice 1 John 1:9: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

When God gave Adam the opportunity to accept and confess his guilt, he failed miserably. Rather than truly repenting of having disobeyed God by eating from the forbidden fruit, he blamed both God and Eve, saying, “The woman whom YOU GAVE TO BE WITH ME, SHE gave me of the tree, and I ate.” (Genesis 3:12). Eve did not do much better. Here is her “defense”: “The SERPENT deceived me, and I ate.” (v. 13).

Was God impressed? Not at all. He “DROVE OUT the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.” (v. 24).

How different could this world be today, if Adam and Eve had not disobeyed God, or if they had truly repented of their sins. Their “self-defense” and “justifications” did not help them, and they won’t help us today, either.

In Luke 17:11-19, there is the remarkable story of ten lepers. They asked for help from Jesus. He merely gave them these verbal instructions, ” ‘Go, show yourselves to the priests.’ ” This is the entire record of Christ’s response to their plea for mercy and healing.

What is interesting is, that all ten lepers did start on their way to show themselves to the Priests. The account describes something that all Christians need to keep constantly in mind–especially, as we all attempt to exercise the faith that this way of life is built upon: “And so it was that AS THEY WENT, they were cleansed.”

And so it is with us. We have Christ’s instructions. We know what to do, just as the ten lepers knew. Our answer, our fulfillment, is found in OBEDIENCE to God’s instructions–with nothing else but that knowledge to act on.

Finally, let’s consider what Christ said to the one leper in ten who showed THANKS to God and who “…with a loud voice GLORIFIED God” — ” ‘Your FAITH has made you well.’ “