Speaker: Darlene Sala | Series: Encouraging Words You may have read the story or seen the movie of Joni Eareckson Tada, a woman who because of a diving accident became a quadriplegic at the age of 17. As you can well imagine, when the accident happened she struggled. Since God is all-powerful, why hadn’t He prevented the accident? Or, why didn’t He heal her paralysis? People would remind her that Romans 8:28 says God works all things together for good--a Bible verse often quoted to those in hard-to-explain circumstances. Sometimes the verse is a comfort, but often what the person needs at that particular time is not to know that good is going to come out of tragedy but that God is still there with them even through the pain--and that He cares. Joni tells that while many prayed for her to be healed, she came to the realization that getting out of suffering is not the only solution. We paint ourselves into a corner when we insist that God must remove our suffering or we can never be happy again. Joni says she has learned that attitude can make a tremendous difference in how a person copes with pain that just doesn’t go away. She writes, “A Christian may not be able to rule their life situation, but they can rule their hearts.”[1]Joni’s life proves it is possible to have an attitude that brings happiness even in the middle of pain.             If you are undergoing suffering right now, pray this prayer: Lord, I want you to take away this pain I’m going through.  But if You don’t, I’m determined to find happiness in You. I am determined that You, not circumstances, will be the source of my peace and joy.   [1]Joni Eareckson Tada and Steven Estes, When God Weeps(Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1997), 174.  

Speaker: Darlene Sala | Series: Encouraging Words I want to encourage you that in this life, the Journey into Grace is a long process, so don’t get discouraged if you trip and fall along the way. Here are a few things I’m still learning. There is no substitute for reading God’s Word. I’ve tried skipping on days when I’m up to my neck in work.  But I’m the loser.  It’s like skipping meals and still expecting to have the stamina you need. My physical condition affects my spiritual condition.After an extensive ministry tour, Jesus knew the disciples were exhausted, so He said, “Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile” (Mark 6:31 NLT). Don’t be surprised that feeling “down” spiritually often comes at the same time you’re “down” physically. I need to keep ever before me the two great commandments: To love God with all my heart, soul, mind and strength To love my neighbor as myself Nothing else matters as much. Yet, it’s so easy to forget to keep the “main thing the main thing.” I need prayer time that is intimate, not just a laundry list of requests. Making a connection with my heavenly Father is the most important part of prayer. Every night I need the Lord’s invitation, “Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28).I tend to carry my burdens to bed with me. Can you relate? That’s why I love to hear God’s voice at the end of the day inviting me to come to Him and receive the rest only He can give.             Oh, Lord, help me--and my brothers and sisters on the path with me-- to grow in our relationship with You as we progress on our Journey into Grace.

Speaker: Darlene Sala | Series: Encouraging Words Recently something happened in our family that brought me to tears. Oh, I know God is going to bring good out of the situation eventually, but it hurt just the same. I spent most of the night praying--not because I’m “spiritual” but for the very practical reason that I couldn’t sleep. Because I don’t operate very well without sleep, I needed some Bible verses to wrap my heart around. I turned to Isaiah 43 because this chapter is entirely the words of the Lord. Here are the first two verses: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned” (Isaiah 43:1, 2). Notice God mentions three characteristics of trials in our lives. First, He talks about “waters,” and I think He means the depth of our problems. Then He refers to “rivers,” which remind us of the turbulence of our trials. Last, He speaks of “fires”, and that reminds us of the intensity of our difficulties. God doesn’t say, “Ifyou happen to go through deep waters or fast-paced rivers or scorching fire.” He says, “Whenyou walk through them.” We will always have problems to deal with. The good thing is that these situations are no surprise to God. Are you too going through a hard time? Let’s review what God says He’ll do for you: When you pass through the waters, He will be with you. The rivers will not overwhelm you. You will not be burned in the fire. These are God’s promises. And did you notice that in verse 1, He says, “I have called you by name, you are mine”? How personal is that! I think I can sleep now.

Speaker: Darlene Sala | Series: Encouraging Words In life, we all like mountaintop experiences better than valleys. But the truth is that valleys are inevitable. Jesus didn’t want us to be surprised by these difficult times, so just before He died on the cross, He warned us, “In the world you will have tribulation” (John 16:33). It’s not a matter of if; it’s a matter of when. I’m sure you’ve noticed that you can’t plan valleys or schedule them.  I mean, have you ever had a flat tire or a root canal at a goodtime? But be encouraged that valleys are temporary; they do have an end. And they have a purpose, for God will not waste our pain. The apostle Peter wrote,“There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold.” (1 Peter 1:6,7 NLT). Andrew Murray, who was a pastor, writer and Bible teacher, once wrote, “In times of trouble, God’s trusting child may say FIRST:He brought me here; it is by His will I am in this strait place: in that will I rest. NEXT: He will keep me here in His love, and give me grace in this trial to behave as His child. THEN: He will make the trial a blessing, teaching me the lessons He intends me to learn . . . LAST: In His good time He can bring me out again – how and when He knows.”[1]   Then Murray encouraged us to say: “I am here – By God’s appointment. In His keeping. Under His training. For His time.”[2] Thank God for His presence with you when you need Him most. He makes no mistakes. [1]Andrew Murray, http://www.heraldofhiscoming.com/Past%20Issues/2015/February/in_times_of_trouble.htm, accessed 11-4-2016. [2]Ibid.

Speaker: Darlene Sala | Series: Encouraging Words In a little book called “Diamond Dust,” I found an anonymous quote that caught my attention.  Here it is: “If, in spite of all your tears and prayers, God has left you in a dark place, perhaps it's because He knows there are still treasures to be found there.”   Those who work in mines know what darkness is—pitch black darkness. Unless electricity has been brought to the mine, they’re totally dependent on their miner’s lamps to help them see anything at all. Yet, in that darkness, exist valuable minerals, silver, gold—even diamonds.   So, too, in our lives there are precious discoveries to be found during the dark times. A few weeks after a friend of mine lost her son to suicide, someone asked her how she was doing. Her answer? “Devastated but not destroyed.” In the dark God was revealing new insights into His love for her. New realization that in the deepest darkness He was still with her.   To find those valuable treasures, we must continue to seek God even when we cannot see how His hand is directing us. Hebrews 11:6 says that “[God] rewards those who earnestly seek him.”   Perhaps you are in a very dark place right now.  Perhaps you’ve just lost the most precious person in your life. Or you’ve learned you have a physical condition for which there is no treatment. Or you’ve just found out that a scam has stripped you of the funds you planned to live on for the rest of your life. Don’t give up. Continue to seek Him with all your heart, for God has promised, “You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13).   Who knows what treasures you will discover during this dark time. God rewards those who diligently seek Him--especially in dark and difficult places.       DiamondDust, December 26, 2008,  stricker@netscorp.net

Speaker: Darlene Sala | Series: Encouraging Words Missionary Hubert Mitchell set off into the thick jungles of Sumatra to reach an animist tribe deep in the heart of that country. On the way he stopped to buy fish and some cans of mandarin oranges, and then continued on the trail. Eventually he came to a group of people who at first were afraid, but Hubert’s assistant persuaded the Chief that Hubert had come from a great distance with a wonderful message called "Good News." Hubert began to tell the story of Jesus.  Taking two pieces of a small tree, he tied them together to form a cross. Lying down on the cross, he explained that the soldiers nailed Jesus' hands and feet to the cross. Suddenly the Chief spoke up, "What is a nail?”Taken aback, Hubert tried to explain. As he talked, the people started to pull away. "Don't go. There must be a nail somewhere around here." The men searched pockets and knapsacks but found no nail. Thoughts flooded his mind. "Oh Lord You brought me all this way from the U.S. for this?” After lunch he opened one of the cans of oranges for dessert. Pouring them onto his plate, he was ready to toss the can--when he heard a rattle. Opening the can further, he looked inside, and there at the bottom of the can was a nail! Hubert jumped to his feet. "This is a nail! This is what they put into the hands of Jesus!” Calling everyone back to the center of the clearing, the Chief asked Hubert to tell the crucifixion story again. Soon the people started to weep with deep sobs, tears flowing down their cheeks, as they heard the message that God loved them and that their sins could be forgiven. It was the beginning of a miracle in the lives of that tribe--all because of a nail in a can of oranges.

Speaker: Darlene Sala | Series: Encouraging Words The day was my birthday, and no one could have had a nicer celebration as I enjoyed a beautiful tea with friends and family--truly a red-letter day. The next day dawned bright and clear as well.  But before that day ended, four disappointments and heartaches turned my emotional sky gray. My husband received word that the publisher he thought would give him a contract on his latest book had turned him down; our daughter learned she would face a financially devastating situation in court; a grandson was in trouble; and our niece had been informed that she had stage four cancer. I felt as though I had been physically punched in the head--and the heart. My mind searched scripture for comfort. I thought of Job, who also suffered four calamities in one day--but his were far worse than mine. His servants plowing in the field were attacked and killed. Lightning struck his sheep and the men caring for them, wiping them out. Raiders stole all his camels and killed the caretakers. Then, as if that wasn’t enough, a strong wind collapsed the house where Job’s sons and daughters were eating together and they all died. What was Job’s response? “The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.’’(Job 1:21, 22). What an amazing man! When trouble comes we often feel like no one understands. Yet there is One who does. The apostle Paul described Him with these words: “…the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort” (2 Corinthians 1:3). Then he adds a beautiful promise: “who comforts us in all our troubles” (vs. 4). I am so glad the divine Comforter is my friend. And I can assure you that He wants to comfort you too. It’s Who He is! “The Father of compassion and the God of all comfort.”

Speaker: Darlene Sala | Series: Encouraging Words The Bible says, “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord” (Ephesians 5:22). Women, do you hate that verse? Well, maybe “hate” is too strong a word.  But do you wish God had not put that verse in the Bible about submission? A friend asked me, “How do I submit to my husband as to the Lord while ensuring that I don’t end up with the personality of a doormat?” It’s a fair question. No woman wants to feel like a slave to her husband. Marriage was never meant to be that kind of arrangement. God used marriage as a picture of His intimate love relationship with us as believers, where He wants nothing to come between us and Him. It’s just that if you’re going to have a parade of, say, two cars, one of them has to go first.  And that’s where God puts husbands--in front, leading the way, taking the responsibility for provision and safety in the relationship. And wives are to follow their leadership in what God intended to be a relationship of love. But God doesn’t give instruction only to wives. Three verses later, you find a command for husbands: “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her” (Ephesians 5:25). He will want her to develop and use her talents and abilities. The problem comes when we “read each other’s mail,” so to speak.  The wife says, “You’re supposed to love me like Christ loved the church.” And the husband says, “Shut up and submit!” Wrong! Let’s each concentrate on fulfilling our part of the agreement, keeping love supreme. If a wife respects her husband’s leadership and her husband wants her to feel loved and cared for, they will both fulfill their roles in the relationship. God, help us to communicate lovingly as we work out our differences.

Speaker: Darlene Sala | Series: Encouraging Words Ruth Graham, beloved wife of Evangelist Billy Graham, told of being jolted awake suddenly in the night by the name of someone she loved dearly who was trying hard to run away from God. In the darkness her fears ran rampant. Suddenly the Lord said to her, ‘Quit studying the problems and start studying the promises.’” Yes, Ruth, sometimes we spend more time worrying about the problem than we spend focusing on God’s promises to help us. The first scripture that came to Ruth’s mind was Philippians 4:6-7: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” She realized the part she had been neglecting was the phrase “with thanksgiving.” Beginning to thank Him for who He is, she found her fears scuttled away like cockroaches when the light is turned on. Peace filled her heart.[1] What are some of those promises? The book of Psalms is full of them.  Here are just a few:  “When he calls to me, I will answer him,” says God. “I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him” (Psalms 91:15). “Those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you” (Psalm 9:10). When we’re troubled about a situation, we’re very good at studying the problem. Let’s start giving equal time to studying God’s promises. You may want to begin listing them in a notebook or on your cellphone or computer. As Dwight L. Moody wrote, “God never made a promise that was too good to be true.”[2]   [1] Ruth Graham, Letters from Ruth’s Attic, compiled from Decision Magazine (Charlotte, NC, 2007), 59. [2] https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/d/dwightlmo157634.html, accessed 12-1-2016.

Speaker: Darlene Sala | Series: Encouraging Words Jesus once told the crowds listening to Him: “Learn from me.”   Because some of us know a lot of facts about the Bible, and we know a library-full of Bible stories, and the basic doctrines of the faith, we think there’s probably not much more for us to learn. It’s easy to fall into that trap. The phrase “Learn from me” comes from Matthew 11:29, where Jesus said, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me.” The picture Jesus used of a yoke is, of course, a familiar one to farmers in parts of the world where there are no tractors but only a wooden bar harnessing two oxen so they can plow the fields together. If we are “harnessed” to Jesus, that means that we learn from Him “on the job”--living life together every day with Him walking alongside us. But think again of who it is who offers to teach us in this very personal way--the very Son of God. It’s one thing to study a book, even the Bible. It’s quite another to have the author, the Lord Jesus, walk alongside us day by day teaching us how we should live. Imagine being in a classroom where Einstein himself taught you the theory of relativity. Jesus’ offer, however, is even better than that. He offers not classroom lecturing but individual on-the-job training. The Lord teaches us is by showing us how to apply scripture to our lives. Note these verses: “You guide me with your counsel” (Psalm 73:24). “Teach me to do your will, for you are my God! Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground” (Psalm 143:10). I like the way The Message paraphrase puts Jesus’ words: “Walk with me and work with me––watch how I do it. . . .  I won't lay anything heavy or ill–fitting on you.” Jesus offers to teach you personally. Are you listening?