A WORD WITH YOU By Ron Hutchcraft #4928 - "Handling the Overwhelming" Deuteronomy 7:17 Listen to the audio broadcast! http://www.gospelcom.net/cgi-bin/ramhurl?p=pnm&f=/rhm/sounds/awwy/awwy4928.rm When five-year-old Jeremy started school, it was more than he bargained for. It was the second morning of his kindergarten experience. Mom got Jeremy up and started helping him get ready. Then came his question, "Do I have to go back?" Oops! He wasn't counting on an encore. His rationale, "Well, I already went yesterday." His mother told us, "I didn't have the heart to tell him there's twelve more years of this!" Well, he went off to day two, of year one, of twelve more years! I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Handling the Overwhelming." I think Jeremy was feeling overwhelmed, and he sure would have sunk if his mother had tried to explain the educational marathon he has ahead. He has no idea. But Jeremy's going to make it. Hey, look, you did. I did. Not by thinking about twelve years, but by doing that school thing one day at a time. You've probably gotten over the idea of school being overwhelming, but little Jeremy could never guess that life is a series of challenges that seem overwhelming. School's the least of it. Maybe you're facing one of those right now and it looks huge; a bombardment of responsibilities and it's too much; stressful deadlines, trying to raise your child, trying to make your marriage work, facing a long medical marathon, digging out of that financial pit, or even trying to live your life for Jesus Christ. Our word for today from the Word of God is from Deuteronomy 7:17. I think it will help. To God's ancient people He says, "You may say to yourselves, these nations are stronger than we are. How can we drive them out? But do not be afraid." They're facing, as they entered the Promised Land, huge walled cities and barbaric tribes - overwhelming obstacles, overwhelming challenges. Verse 22 says, "Do not be terrified by them for the Lord your God is among you, and He's a great and awesome God. The Lord your God will drive out those nations before you, little by little." What hope-giving words! God will win this one with you and for you, but not in one great victory. Jeremy won't be able to get his education cared for in one day, or in one week. It's going to be little by little. And that's God's plan for you to handle the overwhelming - little by little. Break it into daily chunks - manageable pieces. Have a good day. Let Jesus be the Lord of the undone at the end of that day. Remember, daily is how He promised He would give you His strength. He said, "Your strength will equal your days." There is no strength for Friday when it's Thursday. You've only got Thursday's strength. You run ahead of your strength and you'll sink. Maybe you've been wondering how you'll ever beat some sin that's been beating you, or how you can carry out your desire to dedicate your whole life to Jesus. Win for one day. You let Jesus be the Lord of that weakness for this one day. Tomorrow you have another twenty-four hour victory. And don't try to dedicate your life to Jesus unless you do it by dedicating each new day. You give Him a day, and then another day, and then the day after that. He'll make a life out of it. The Christian life is the sum total of a thousand little victories a day at a time. Just like little Jeremy going to school. He doesn't have to worry, and you don't have to worry about all those months and all those years ahead. The secret of handling the overwhelming is to do it little by little. Remember, this is the day the Lord has made! --------------------------------------------------------------------- Discuss today's "A Word With You," post your comments, or encourage others in our discussion forum! http://forums.gospelcom.net/view/rhm/awwy How can I help support the work of Ron Hutchcraft Ministries? http://rhm.gospelcom.net/support/ To find out how you can begin a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, please visit YOURS FOR LIFE: HOW TO HAVE LIFE'S MOST IMPORTANT RELATIONSHIP at: http://www.yoursforlife.net Or, call 1-888-NEED HIM. "A Word With You" by Ron Hutchcraft is a daily radio challenge, with slice-of-life illustrations and insights - providing practical help on the issues that matter most. If your local Christian radio station does not air "A Word With You," please let them know how much you value this program. Over six years of transcripts are available online, at http://rhm.gospelcom.net/awwy/ Ron Hutchcraft Ministries is a member of the Gospel Communications Network - http://www.gospelcom.net "A Word With You" is a production of: Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc. http://rhm.gospelcom.net/ Email: RHM@... Phone: 1-877-741-1200