Consider This ....#5

With the tragic events in Virginia this week and the killing of innocent young people, I have seen fear in the heart of other college students that I know.  My own son who is attending the University of Kentucky called and talked about how he and his wife may be in danger just by attending their classes at UK.  They know that their lives may be in danger from someone who is deranged or under the control of Satan.  I hardly knew what to say to him, except that we cannot let ourselves live in fear.  We must live in the trust of a loving God who will do what is totally best in our lives.  

Did you know the Jesus says in John 10:10 that Satan (the thief) “comes to steal, and to kill and to destroy.”  Satan’s entire goal is to steal your life, your joy, your peace and to destroy you in any way he can.  He wants to make you discouraged with life and feel hopeless so that you will despair of life and kill any potential use God has for your life.  But in the same verse Jesus says He has come that you might have life and have it more abundantly. 

This same week I got a call from my sister in Charlotte, North Carolina.  Her husband teaches in a high school there and last Friday one of his favorite students took his own life.  Why did he do this?  He despaired of life and felt that no one would help him with a personal problem he was having.  He went out at lunch time and shot himself.  I want to say to you all that our Lord Jesus want to help you with your problems and wants you to have life that is abundant with joy, peace, and love.  It may not always come from family members, but there are people in this church who love you and want to help you.  Pastor Fields will gladly help you anytime; the youth leaders would love to have the opportunity to help you anytime; and other adults in the church would love to help.  I cannot believe that God would leave any of us without hope and someone in our lives who will care enough to help us with any problem we have.  I learned many years ago that God can reach down to us in our deepest despair and totally change our lives.  He did that for me and will do that for you as well.  The key is we must trust Him and believe that He is able to do that for us.  I pray that you will come to know the loving God that I know.

Carolyn Crabtree