YOU HAVE NO EXCUSES NOT TO SERVE!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

THURSDAY JANUARY 27, 2022. 

SUBJECT: YOU HAVE NO EXCUSES NOT TO SERVE!

Memory verse: "For I wish that all men were even as I myself. But each one has his own gift from God, one in this manner and another in that." (First Corinthians 7 vs 7.)

READ: Romans 12 vs 4 - 8:

12:4: For as we have many members in one body, but all members do not have the same function, 

12:5: so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. 

12:6: Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; 

12:7: or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; 

12:8: he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

INTIMATION:

All God’s works are marvelous, and all His creations are wonderful and are useful to Him for His predetermined purposes. Nothing that He created is useless to Him. All natural positions are gifts from God. And none is morally better than the other, and all are valuable to accomplishing HIs purposes. It is important to us to accept our present situation, knowing that your present situation is a tool in God’s hands to achieve His purposes. Our limitations does not limit God, therefore, cannot be an excuse in your ministry or service.

If you're not involved in any service or ministry, what excuse have you been using? No excuse is admissible in ministry. All the people used by God in the Bible had their limitations which never excused them in ministry or service. Abraham was old, Jacob was insecure, Leah was unattractive, Joseph was abused, Moses stuttered, Gideon was poor, Samson was codependent, Rahab was immoral, David had an affair and all kinds of family problems, Elijah was suicidal, Jeremiah was depressed, Jonah was reluctant, Naomi was a widow, John the Baptist was eccentric to say the least, Peter was impulsive and hot-tempered, Martha worried a lot, the Samaritan woman had several failed marriages, Zacchaeus was unpopular, Thomas had doubts, Paul has poor health, and Timothy was timid. 

That is quite a variety of misfits, but God used each of them in His service. He will use you if you stop making excuses. We have our different callings to serve, and each service is significant. God created us for His specific purposes, and it is His desire that we identify our pathway and follow it to achieve His purpose of creating us. But He left us a choice—to choose His pathway or ours. Obviously, your choice is made when you give your life for something. What will it be; a career, a sport, a hobby, fame, wealth? Or God's pathway for you to serve Him, and others. No choice you make, outside God's pathway of service destined for you, will have lasting significance. 

When you identify your own gifts, ask how you can use them to build up God’s family. At the same time, realize that your gifts can’t do the work of the body of Christ all alone. Be thankful for people whose gifts are completely different from yours. Let your strengths balance their weaknesses, and be grateful that their abilities make up for your deficiencies. The apostle Paul uses the concept of human body to teach how Christians should live and work together. As the human body is, so is the Body of Christ. Each human part finds its significance on its vocation, but all function under the direction of the brain. So Christians are to work together under the command and authority of Jesus Christ, using our different gifts. 

Service is the pathway to real significance. It is through ministry that we discover the meaning of our lives. As we serve together in God's family, our lives take on eternal importance. In human body, the eyes cannot do the work of the legs, nor the tongue the work of the stomach. When any part tries to do the work of another, it fails, and loses its significance. The Bible, in First Corinthians 7 vs 7, 20, 24, says, "..But each one has his own gift from God, one in this manner and another in that. Let each one remain in the same calling in which he was called. Brethren, let each one remain with God in that state in which he was called." 

When you are in the state you were called, God remains with you, hence your significance, because It is only in Him your hope of glory lies (See Colossians 1 vs 28). When one is outside of his calling, you hear people complain; "Upon all I am doing nobody notices me," "I am putting in my best, but it seems like nothing is done," "nobody sees my contribution, but when the other person does the same thing, people will be full of praise for him."

God wants to use you to make a difference in His world. He wants to work through you. What matters is not the duration of your life, but the donation of it. Not how long you lived, but how right you lived. What you might look at as a disadvantage may turn out to be an advantage in your ministry. In acknowledging God's uniqueness and goodness, the psalmist in Psalm 139 vs 14 says, "I praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well."

God is perfect, and His works also are perfect. He never makes mistake, and is forever the same. Find your God's ordained path and follow it, and you will find real significance.

Prayer: Abba Father, thank You, most precious God, for Your marvelous works in me, and how You fearfully and wonderfully made me for Your predetermined purposes. Engrace me to identify my ordained pathway that I may walk in it, and be relevance in service to You and others, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

He Knows Your Need

 “Do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.” (Matthew 6:31–32)

Jesus wants his followers to be free from worry. In Matthew 6:25–34, he gives at least seven arguments designed to take away our anxiety. One of them lists food and drink and clothing, and then says, “Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all” (Matthew 6:32).

Jesus must mean that God’s knowing is accompanied by his desiring to meet our need. He is emphasizing we have a Father. And this Father is better than any earthly father.

I have five children. I love to meet their needs. But my knowing falls short of God’s knowing in at least three ways.

First, right now I don’t know where any of my children are. I could guess. They’re in their homes or at work or school, healthy and safe. But they might be lying on a sidewalk with a heart attack.

Second, I don’t know what is in their heart at any given moment. I can guess from time to time. But they may be feeling some fear or hurt or anger or lust or greed or joy or hope. I can’t see their hearts. They don’t even know their own hearts perfectly.

Third, I don’t know their future. Right now they may seem well and steady. But tomorrow some great sorrow may befall them.

This means I can’t be for them a very strong reason not to worry. There are things that may be happening to them now, or may happen tomorrow, that I do not even know about. But it is totally different with their Father in heaven. Our Father in heaven! He knows everything about us, where we are, now and tomorrow, inside and out. He sees every need.

Add to that, his huge eagerness to meet our needs. Remember the “much more” of Matthew 6:30, “If God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you?”

Add to that his complete ability to do what he is eager to do (he feeds billions of birds hourly, around the world, Matthew 6:26).

So join me in trusting the promise of Jesus to meet our needs. That’s what Jesus is calling for when he says, “Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.”

The Spirit-Filled Life

 The Spirit-Filled Life

Bible Studies and more The Spirit-Filled Life

Have You Made the Wonderful Discovery of the Spirit-Filled Life?

by Dr. Bill Bright. – The following is taken from a booklet written called ‘How to be Filled with the Holy Spirit’. It explains how Christians can live their Christian lives with fulfillment and not become defeated by sin.

Every day can be an exciting adventure for the Christian who knows the reality of being filled with the Holy Spirit and who lives constantly, moment by moment, under His gracious direction.

The Bible tells us that there are three kinds of people.

1. Natural Man

(one who has not received Christ)

“A natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised” (1 Corinthians 2:14).

2. Spiritual Man

(One who is directed and empowered by the Holy Spirit)



“He who is spiritual appraises all things…We have the mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:15)

3. Carnal Man

(One who has received Christ, but who lives in defeat because he is trying to live the Christian life in his own strength)



“And I brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to carnal men, as to babes in Christ. I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able, for you are still carnal. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshy, and are you not walking like mere men?”

(1 Corinthians 3:1-3).



God has Provided for Us an Abundant and Fruitful Christian Life

Jesus said,  “I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly” (John 10:10).

“I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me, and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).

“But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law” (Galatians 5:22, 23).

“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

“I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly” (John 10:10).”I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me, and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).”But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law” (Galatians 5:22, 23).”But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

The Spiritual Person

Some spiritual traits which result from trusting God:

TRAITS

The degree to which these traits are manifested in the life depends upon the extent to which the Christian trusts the Lord with every detail of his life, and upon his maturity in Christ. One who is only beginning to understand the ministry of the Holy Spirit should not be discouraged if he is not as fruitful as more mature Christians who have known and experienced this truth for a longer period.

Why is it that most Christians are not experiencing the abundant life?

Carnal Christians cannot experience the Abundant and Fruitful Christian Life

The carnal man trusts in his own efforts to live the Christian life:

He is either uninformed about, or has forgotten, God’s love, forgiveness, and power (Romans 5:8-10; Hebrews 10:1-25; 1 John 1; 2:1-3; 2 Peter 1:9; Acts 1:8).

He has an up-and-down spiritual experience.

He cannot understand himself – he wants to do what is right, but cannot.

He fails to draw upon the power of the Holy Spirit to live the Christian life.  (1 Corinthians 3:1-3; Romans 7:15-24; 8:7; Galatians 5:16-18)

The Carnal Person

Some or all of the following traits may characterize the Christian who does not fully trust God:

TRAITS

(The individual who professes to be a Christian but who continues to practice sin should realize that he may not be a Christian at all, according to 1 John 2:3; 3:6, 9; Ephesians 5:5).

The third truth gives us the only solution to this problem…

Jesus Promised the Abundant and Fruitful Life as the result of

being filled (directed and empowered) by the Holy Spirit

The Spirit-filled life is the Christ-directed life by which Christ lives His life in and through us in the power of the Holy Spirit (John 15).

One becomes a Christian through the ministry of the Holy Spirit, according to John 3:1-8. From the moment of spiritual birth, the Christian is indwelt by the Holy Spirit at all times (John 1:12; Colossians 2:9, 10; John 14:16, 17).Though all Christians are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, not all Christians are filled (directed and empowered) by the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is the source of the overflowing life (John 7:37-39).

The Holy Spirit came to glorify Christ (John 16:1-15). When one is filled with the Holy Spirit, he is a true disciple of Christ.

In His last command before His ascension, Christ promised the power of the Holy Spirit to enable us to be witnesses for Him (Acts 1:1-9).

How, then, can one be filled with the Holy Spirit?

We are filled by the Holy Spirit by faith; then we can experience the abundant and fruitful life which Christ promised to each Christian

You can appropriate the filling of the Holy Spirit right now if you:

Sincerely desire to be directed and empowered by the Holy Spirit (Matthew 5:6; John 7:37-39).

Confess your sins. By faith thank God that He has forgiven all of your sins – past, present and future – because Christ died for you (Colossians 2:13-15; 1 John 1; 2:1-3; Hebrews 10:1-17).

Present every area of your life to God (Romans 12:1, 2).

By faith claim the fullness of the Holy Spirit, according to:His Command: Be filled with the Spirit. “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18).

His Promise: He will always answer when we pray according to His will. “And this is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked of Him” (1 John 5:14, 15).

Faith can be expressed through prayer…

How to pray in faith to be filled with the Holy Spirit

We are filled with the Holy Spirit by faith alone. However, true prayer is one way of expressing your faith. The following is a suggested prayer:

“Dear Father, I need You. I acknowledge that I have been directing my own life and that, as a result, I have sinned against You. I thank You that You have forgiven my sins through Christ’s death on the cross for me. I now invite Christ to again take His place on the throne of my life. Fill me with the Holy Spirit as You commanded me to be filled, and as You promised in Your Word that You would do if I asked in faith. I now thank You for directing my life and for filling me with the Holy Spirit.”

Does this prayer express the desire of your heart? If so, ask God to fill you with the Holy Spirit right now and trust Him to do so.

How to know that you are filled (directed and empowered) with the Holy Spirit

Did you ask God to fill you with the Holy Spirit? Do you know that you are now filled with the Holy Spirit? On what authority? (On the trustworthiness of God Himself and His Word: Hebrews 11:6; Romans 14:22, 23.)

Do not depend upon feelings. The promise of God’s Word, not our feelings, is our authority. The Christian lives by faith (trust) in the trustworthiness of God Himself and His Word. This train diagram illustrates the relationship between fact (God and His Word), faith (our trust in God and His Word), and feeling (the result of our faith and obedience) (John 14:21).

The train will run with or without the caboose. However, it would be futile to attempt to pull the train by the caboose. In the same way, we, as Christians, do not depend upon feelings or emotions, but we place our faith (trust) in the trustworthiness of God and the promises of His Word.

How to Walk in the Spirit

Faith (trust in God and in His promises) is the only means by which a Christian can live the Spirit-directed life. As you continue to trust Christ moment by moment:

Your life will demonstrate more and more of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22, 23) and will be more and more conformed to the image of Christ (Romans 12:2; 2 Corinthians 3:18).

Your prayer life and study of God’s Word will become more meaningful.

You will experience His power in witnessing (Acts 1:8).

You will be prepared for spiritual conflict against the world (1 John 2:15-17); against the flesh (Galatians 5:16-17); and against Satan (1 Peter 5:7-9; Ephesians 6:10-13).

You will experience His power to resist temptation and sin (1 Corinthians 10:13; Philippians 4:13; Ephesians 1:19-23; 2 Timothy 1:7; Romans 6:1-16).

Spiritual Breathing

By faith you can continue to experience God’s love and forgiveness.

If you become aware of an area of your life (an attitude or an action) that is displeasing to the Lord, even though you are walking with Him and sincerely desiring to serve Him, simply thank God that He has forgiven your sins – past, present and future – on the basis of Christ’s death on the cross. Claim His love and forgiveness by faith and continue to have fellowship with Him.

If you retake the throne of your life through sin — a definite act of disobedience — breathe spiritually.

Spiritual breathing (exhaling the impure and inhaling the pure) is an exercise in faith that enables you to continue to experience God’s love and forgiveness.

Exhale — confess your sin — agree with God concerning your sin and thank Him for His forgiveness of it, according to 1 John 1:9 and Hebrews 10:1-25. Confession involves repentance – a change in attitude and action.

Inhale — surrender the control of your life to Christ, and appropriate (receive) the fullness of the Holy Spirit by faith. Trust that He now directs and empowers you; according to the command of Ephesians 5:18, and the promise of 1 John 5:14, 15.

Adapted from Have You Made the Wonderful Discovery of the Spirit-Filled Life? by Dr. Bill Bright, co-founder of Campus Crusade for Christ. © Cru. All rights reserved.

THE INEVITABLE JUDGEMENT!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

WEDNESDAY JANUARY 26, 2022.

SUBJECT: THE INEVITABLE JUDGEMENT!

Memory verse: "So then each of us shall give account of himself to God." (Romans 14 vs 12.)

READ: Second Corinthians 5 vs 10; Romans 2 vs 5 - 11:

"For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad."

Romans 2:5: But in accordance with your hardness and your impertinent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgement of God, 

2:6: who will render to each one according to his deeds": 

2:7: eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; 

2:8: but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness - indignation and wrath, 

2:9: tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;

2:10: but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good. 

2:11: For there is no partiality with God." 

INTIMATION:

At the end of your life on earth you will stand before God, and He is going to evaluate you on how well you served here on earth with your life. While eternal life is a free gift given on the basis of God's grace, each of us will still be judged by Christ. This judgement will reward us for how we have lived. God's gracious gift of salvation does not free us from the requirement for faithful obedience. We are not saved by good deeds, but when we commit our life fully to God, we want to please Him and do His will. As such, our good deeds are a grateful response to what God has done, not a prerequisite to earning His favor.

The purpose of Jesus’ first mission on earth was not to judge people, but to show them the way to find salvation and eternal life. When He comes again, one of His main purposes will be to judge people for how they lived on earth. Christ’s words which we would not accept and obey will condemn us. On the day of judgement, those who accepted Jesus and lived His way will be raised to eternal life, and those who rejected Jesus and lived any way they pleased will face eternal punishment. 

Jesus Christ has been given the authority to judge all the earth. Although His judgement is already working in our lives, there is a future, final judgement when Christ returns, and everyone’s life will be reviewed and evaluated. This will not be confined to unbelievers; Christians too, will face judgement. Their eternal destiny is secure, but Jesus will look at how they handled gifts, opportunities, and responsibilities in order to determine their heavenly rewards. At the time of judgement. God will deliver the righteous and condemn the wicked. 

At judgement, the “books” will be opened. The “Book of Life” will also be opened, and it contains the names of those who have put their trust in Christ to save them. The “books” contain the recorded deeds of everyone, good or evil. Everyone’s life will be reviewed and evaluated. No one is saved by deeds, but deeds are seen as clear evidence of a person’s actual relationship with God. His gracious gift of salvation does not free us from the requirement of faithful obedience and service. Each of us must serve Christ in the best way we know and live each day knowing the “books” will one day be opened. 

Think about the implication of giving account of our stewardship. One day God will compare how much time and energy we spent on ourselves compared with what we invested in serving others and His interest. The evaluation comes with attendant reward. The Bible tells us in Revelation 22 vs 12, "And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to His work." 

At the point of judgement, all excuses for self-centeredness will sound hollow: "I was too busy" or "I had my own goals" or "I was preoccupied with working, attending to my needs, or had a tight schedule, and could hardly find time." To all excuses God will respond, "Sorry, wrong answer. I created, saved, and called you, and commanded you to live a life of service. What part did you play or did you not understand?"

Although God does not usually punish us immediately for sin, His eventual judgement is certain. We don't know exactly when it will happen, but we know that no one will escape that final encounter with the Creator. God will pour out His anger and wrath on those who lived for themselves. But for guilty Christians, though they will be saved, it will mean a loss of eternal rewards.

Prayer: Abba Father, give me the grace to live a life of service; serving others and the interest of Your kingdom, that I may lead a life worthy of Your eternal reward, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD! 

The Giver Gets the Glory

 

To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Thessalonians 1:11–12)

It is very good news that God designs his glory to be magnified through the exercise of his grace.

To be sure, God is glorified through the power of his wrath (Romans 9:22), but repeatedly the New Testament (and the Old Testament, for example, Isaiah 30:18) says that we should experience God’s grace so that God gets glory.

Ponder how this works in the prayer of 2 Thessalonians 1:11–12.

Paul prays that God would fulfill our good resolves.

How? He prays that they would be done “by [God’s] power.” That is, that they would be “[works] of faith.”

Why? So that Jesus would be glorified in us.

That means the giver gets the glory. God gave the power. God gets the glory. We have faith; he gives power. We get the help; he gets the glory. That’s the deal that keeps us humble and happy, and keeps him supreme and glorious.

Then Paul says that this glorification of Christ is “according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus.”

God’s answer to Paul’s prayer that we rely on God’s power to do good works is grace. God’s power to enable you to do what you resolve to do is grace.

That’s the way it works in the New Testament over and over. Trust God for gracious enabling, and he gets the glory when the help comes.

We get the help. He gets the glory.

That’s why Christian living, not just Christian conversion, is good news.

WHEN THE RIGHTEOUS SUFFER!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

TUESDAY JANUARY 25, 2022. 

SUBJECT : WHEN THE RIGHTEOUS SUFFER!

Memory verse: “Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and an upright man, one who fears God, and shuns evil?” (Job 1 vs 8.)

READ: Job 1 vs 13 - 19:

1:13: Now there was a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house;

1:14: and a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing, and the asses feeding beside them,

1:15: when the Sabeans raided them and took them away—indeed they have killed the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.!”

1:16: While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants, and consumed them; and I alone have escaped to tell you!”

1:17: While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “The Chaldeans formed three bands, raided the camels, and took them away, yes, and killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you!”

1:18: While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house,

1:19: and suddenly a great wind came from across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people, and they are dead, and I alone have escaped to tell you!”

INTIMATION:

The world view of life is that misfortune comes as a direct result of sin. Suffering can be, but is not always, a penalty of sin. When the righteous suffer, it is obvious that it is not sin related. Though, some people try to say that if you suffer, it’s because you have sinned and angered God. But this outlook is incorrect. For instance, Job did nothing to deserve what happened to him. In Job, it says that Job was “blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil.” (Job 1 vs 1.) It is noteworthy that those who love God are not exempt from trouble. Simply because one is a child of God does mot mean that he will escape hardships in this life. 

Job was a righteous man in the Bible who went through many trials, but his faith in God stayed anchored even through all of them. According to the book of Job, the reason the righteous suffer is to test their faith in God, to make them more like Him, and to bring Him glory. Throughout all the drama that took place in Job’s life, he did not sin with his lips (Job 2 vs 10). As a reward for his faithfulness throughout the calamity of his life, God gave him an additional 140 years of life, plus restitution in double of his possessions that he had lost, with more sons and daughters.

The suffering that God allowed Satan to unleash on Job was to prove the point that the righteous can remain faithful in the presence of great personal suffering. Job was a model of trust and obedience to God, yet God permitted Satan to attack him in an especially harsh manner. Although God loves us, believing and obeying him do not shelter us from life’s calamities. Setbacks, tragedies, and sorrows strike Christians and non-Christians alike. But in our tests and trials, God expects us to express our faith to the world. How do you respond to your troubles? Do you ask God, “Why me?” or do you say, “Use me?”

Through no fault of his own, Job lost his wealth, children, and health. For Job, the greatest trial was not the pain or the loss; it was not being able to understand why God allowed him to suffer—in all his righteousness. God alone knew the purpose behind Job’s suffering, and yet He never explained it to Job. In spite of this, Job never gave up on God—even in the midst of suffering. He never placed his hope in his experience, his wisdom, his friends, or his wealth. Job focused on God.

Job showed the kind of trust we are to have. When everything is stripped away, we are to recognize that God is all we ever really had. We should not demand that God explain everything. God gives us Himself, but not all the details of His plans. We must remember that this life, with all its pain, is not our final destiny. Although we may not be able to understand fully the pain the righteous experience, it can lead him or her to rediscover God. However, knowing that God will not allow His children to be tempted beyond what they are able to endure encourages them to remain true to their faith.

God does not punish us through our trials. He sends us those trials to test and deepen our relationship and faith in Him. Job says, “Put him to test every moment” (Job 7 vs 18). The apostle James says, “Knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. But let patience have I s perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” (James 1 vs 3 - 4). God wants us to run the race with endurance, and testing our faith is one reason He sends us trials. In sharing in Christ’s sufferings, we also become more mature in the faith, and we begin to imitate His character.

God sends us trial to make us more like Himself. So then you should, “…rejoice as you share in the sufferings of the Messiah,” (First Peter 4 vs 13) because our character matures through trials. If you ask anyone who has recently had a hard time, they will never say that it hurt them or they have bad character because of it. Those people will say it has made them stronger and more mature by refining their character. In the end, we’ll be refined and purified by the fire of trials. We’ll come out as sparkling gold; “When He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold,” (Job 23 vs 10) as Job confirms.

Everything we do as Christians should glorify God. But you might be asking, “How could suffering bring God glory?” When the righteous endure until the end, praise God amidst tribulation, and trust His control, He gets glory. He even gets glory at the end when we witness to others and we testify of how faithful He has been through it all. The apostle Paul says, “..that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or death.” (Philippians 1 vs 20). “Why should God be glorified?” you might ask. Because God deserves all our glory and praise, even when we can’t see what He is doing. 

Suffering affects all of humanity. But we as Christians have hope through Christ. We learn from Job that we shouldn’t fear the outcome, because God is in control of our trials, and He is right there with us through it all.

 

Prayer: Abba Father, You are the Lord that controls all circumstances, and in You all things consist. I know nothing can separate me from the love of Christ! Yes, not tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword. In all these things I am more than a conqueror through You who loves me. I am an overcomer, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Delayed Deliverances

 

Immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened. (Acts 16:26)

In this age, God rescues his people from some harm. Not all harm. That’s comforting to know, because otherwise we might conclude from our harm that he has forgotten us or rejected us.

So be encouraged by the simple reminder that in Acts 16:19–24, Paul and Silas were not delivered, but in verses 25–26, they were.

First, no deliverance:

“They seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace.” (verse 19)“The magistrates tore the garments off them.” (verse 22)They “inflicted many blows upon them.” (verse 23)The jailer “fastened their feet in the stocks.” (verse 24)

But then, deliverance:

About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God . . . and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened. (verses 25–26)

God could have stepped in sooner. He didn’t. He has his reasons. He loves Paul and Silas.

Question for you: If you plot your life along this continuum of Paul’s initial suffering and later deliverance, where are you? Are you in the stripped-and-beaten stage, or the unshackled, door-flung-open stage?

Both are God’s stages of care for you. He has not left you or forsaken you (Hebrews 13:5).

If you are in the fettered stage, don’t despair. Sing. Freedom is on the way. It is only a matter of time. Even if it comes through death. “Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Revelation 2:10).