FACING THE ISSUES OF LIFE PART 1 OF 10

TEXT - 1 CORINTHIANS 10:13

INTRODUCTION

OUR FAMILY HAS HAD THREE DOGS. ALL OF THEM WERE NAMED DUKE AND WERE SPRINGER-SPANIELS WHICH HAVE A REPUTATION FOR BEING EXCELLENT BIRD DOGS.

THE SECOND DOG WE OWNED FOR NEARLY THIRTEEN YEARS AND WAS ONE OF THE SMARTEST ANIMALS I HAVE EVER KNOWN.

HIS DOG DISH WAS PLACED BELOW A TORN SCREEN ON OUR PATIO.

WHEN BIRDS WOULD COME UP TO HIS DISH TO EAT HIS DRY FOOD, DUKE WOULD QUIETLY SNEAK UP FROM BEHIND AND FLUSH THEM INTO THE PATIO THROUGH THE OPEN SCREEN.

ONCE HE HAD THEM CORRALLED HE WOULD JUMP, BARK AND RUN AROUND THE PERIMETER OF THE PATIO TO GET MY ATTENTION SO HE COULD SHOW OFF HIS PRIZE.

IT WAS THEN MY JOB TO CATCH AND RELEASE THE BIRD.

IN ITS ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE FROM THE PATIO THE BIRD WOULD FLY BACK AND FORTH SMASHING AGAINST THE SCREENS FRANTICALLY TRYING TO FIND A WAY OF ESCAPE.

TO HELP, I WOULD OPEN BOTH DOORS LEADING OUT OF THE PATIO AND THEN TRY TO GUIDE THE BIRD TO THE OPENINGS.

AFTER MANY UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS I OFTEN LEFT THE BIRD TO FIND ITS OWN WAY OUT.

SOMETIMES THEY DID AND OTHER TIMES THEY WOULD END UP DYING FROM EXHAUSTION JUST A FEW FEET AWAY FROM ONE OF THE PATIO OPENINGS.

THIS IS SIMILAR TO THE WAY WE AS HUMAN BEINGS REACT TO THE ISSUES OF LIFE THAT WE FACE.

WE EXPERIENCE A CRISIS IN OUR LIFE AND FLUTTER BACK AND FORTH HITTING AGAINST CLOSED DOORS ATTEMPTING TO ESCAPE AND EVENTUALLY COLLAPSE FROM EXHAUSTION ONLY A STEP AWAY FROM AN OPEN DOOR.

1 CORINTHIANS 10:13, "NO TEMPTATION HAS OVERTAKEN YOU BUT SUCH AS IS COMMON TO MAN; AND GOD IS FAITHFUL, WHO WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO BE TEMPTED BEYOND WHAT YOU ARE ABLE, BUT WITH THE TEMPTATION WILL PROVIDE THE WAY OF ESCAPE ALSO, THAT YOU MAY BE ABLE TO ENDURE IT."

TONIGHT I AM GOING TO BEGIN A NEW SERIES OF LESSONS ON THE TOPIC, "THE ISSUES OF LIFE."

SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I WOULD LIKE US TO CONSIDER ARE:


1) ENCOUNTERING UNEXPECTED ACCIDENTS.
2) DEALING WITH TERMINAL ILLNESSES.
3) LOSING YOUR JOB AS THE BREAD WINNER.
4) WHAT TO DO WITH YOUR PRODIGAL CHILDREN.
5) DEALING WITH LOSS.
6) GOING THROUGH A DIVORCE.
7) TO BE OR NOT TO BE - ABORTION, SUICIDE AND EUTHANASIA.


SO, HOW DO YOU HANDLE THE ISSUES OF LIFE? IN THIS SESSION WE WILL LOOK AT WHAT NOT TO DO.