Suffering Well Daily

The past few weeks at New Life have been wide open! The weekend of Sept. 28 we came together to serve the men and women in our community who faithfully keep our city safe. The civil servants of Goose Creek are dedicated to their job and it is always a joy to provide opportunities to encourage them. This past weekend several volunteers from New Life joined together to serve a segment of the special needs community who attend the day program at Active Day of the Lowcountry. The team painted a very large room at their facility and they did an amazing job! It seems with all of the service projects we have going on the consistent perspective throughout the church family has been that 2018 has passed too fast.

As we head into the last few months of the year I am very thankful for the many blessings that God has poured out at New Life. I am specifically grateful that so many are really focused on the importance of faith. I have regular conversations each week with people that talk about the growth they are experiencing in their walk with Christ. Members are regularly studying through the scriptures and people are meeting together for mutual prayer and encouragement. We have witnessed adults and students profess their faith in Christ. There is indeed a spiritual hunger at New Life and people are not satisfied with doing religious activity. There is a genuine desire to discover the new life that Christ gives.

One gauge to help determine our hope in Christ is to take note of our tendencies during times of trials and difficulties. The obstacles of life reveal so much about our character but more importantly they reveal our true thoughts about God. I am convinced that one of my main responsibilities as a pastor is to help you suffer well. This past Sunday we worked through a heavy section of scripture. Romans 8 is perhaps the greatest chapter in the book of Romans and v. 16-30 are arguably the greatest verses in this chapter. I take great comfort in knowing that the current pains of this life will fade quickly by the glory that will be revealed in Christ. In light of Romans 8, consider the words of the apostle Peter from 1 Peter 1:6-9 "In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the (proof of your faith), being more precious than
gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls."

I pray we regularly take note of the daily groans and by God’s grace they reflect heart’s that are firmly secure in Christ.

Pastor Billy