Experience: December 14, 2012

TODAYS WORD FOR FRIDAY DECEMBER 14, 2012.

EXPERIENCE

DEFINITION:

The process or fact of learning by personally observing, encountering or testing. The knowledge or skill gained by learning.

SCRIPTURE:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of all mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all tribulation that we may be able to comfort those who are in trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. II Corinthians 1:3-4.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

The above scripture reminds us why as Christians we do go through trials and tribulations. One of the reasons God allows this, as it reads in the above scripture, is that we can comfort those going through their trial and tribulation because we have learned by experience --- we have been there.

As we look back on our lives, we have had the privilege of going places, meeting people and seeing things that has given us a world of experience. We both also have had the joy of having Christian parents with experience, both spiritually and with life in general, to train us from our very young ages.

And then having God bless us with six children, their spouses and now 20 grandchildren, we have had wonderful experiences that God is now allowing us to share with friends like you.

We are reminded of the story when the famed pianist Paderewski was walking through a small Connecticut town and came upon a house with a sign in the window --- Miss Jones piano lessons- 25 cents an hour. Listening carefully from the outside he could hear someone playing one of Chopin’s nocturnes, but not playing it very well. The great pianist walked up to the door and knocked and the delighted piano player recognized who he was and asked him in. He stayed for about one hour and assisted her by correcting her mistakes and then moved on. 

About two months later he walked by the same house and noticed a new sign that read: Miss Jones (Pupil of Paderewski) Piano Lessons --- $1.00 an hour. What a difference a little experience makes.

There is value in experience and we as Christians need to realize that the value of our experience in knowing Christ can help us share the good news of the gospel to all we know. Having made our decisions to accept Jesus before we were teenagers has allowed us to grow spiritually as children, teenagers, as a young married couple and now as seniors so we can understand the mountains and valley’s that one goes through in life. We have been there and as they say done it.

The actions and words of Paul the Apostle in Acts 14 reminds us that Paul was persecuted so he could be an encouragement to others who were or would be persecuted because of their faith.

The Apostle John wrote the book of I John to the believers, so that they may be alerted to and to be able to distinguish between truth and error. In the first four verses he talks about the experiences that the believers have seen, heard and touched concerning the Word of Life. John says to the believers that he reminds us of this so that our joy may be full.

In life today, experience is very important. When one has a job interview one of the first questions asked is about your experience.  Asking about experience even goes down to small children. We can remember choosing players for our little league teams. We looked for children with some experience who had played the game before. When it comes to choosing a leader, a pastor or an executive a key qualification is their experience.

As Christians those of us that have known Jesus for some time need to use the experience that God has given us over the years to proclaim the good news of the gospel to those we touch daily.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse this week is found in Isaiah 53:6.

All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

PRAYER:

Help me this day to seek Your guidance in making me become more mature in my faith with the added experience I can gain by reading and studying Your Word. Open my eyes so I can see the needs of others so I can share the good news of the gospel with them.