trials

Pain And Gain 

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Ecclesiastes 7:14
“In the day of prosperity be joyful, But in the day of adversity consider: Surely God has appointed the one as well as the other…”

Adversity is part of life, and for the believer, it is something that should be embraced. It is not that we desire to suffer, but that we realize, God will use the difficulties we face to develop the character of Christ within us, and to shine the light of the gospel from us. As we work our way through the pages of the Scripture, we find the Bible heroes were forged through suffering.

Abraham became the father of faith, when he embraced his calling and left his home and family, for a land where he would forever live as a stranger. Moses embraced the suffering that came with choosing to identify with the people of God, rather than the palace of Egypt. David embraced the hardship of being the forgotten son, who was ridiculed by his brothers. Rather than weeping, whining, and expressing how unfair life is, he turned his eyes upward and wrote beautiful praise choruses that still comfort the hurting heart.

Life is filled with difficulty, adversity, trial, and hardship. As a follower of Christ it is important, that instead of wallowing in the mire of the unfair, we embrace the hardship, and allow the Lord to draw us near to Himself, and produce what is lacking in our faith.

If you are struggling through a painful experience, take the time to consider what God wants to accomplish in your life, and how the light of the Gospel of Christ can shine forth in your pain.

Pastor Jim

 

Qualified

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2 Corinthians 11:23
“Are they ministers of Christ? —I speak as a fool—I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often.”

Part of the reason for writing this letter, was Paul’s authority as an apostle was being challenged. When he came to Corinth, Paul chose not to receive a salary from the Corinthian church, instead he worked with his hands, and received support from the churches in Macedonia. He also chose not to use his great intellect or skills as an orator to persuade the people, but resolved to emphasize the simplicity of Christ, and relied upon the work of the Holy Spirit. As a result, after his departure, many ridiculed him and his teaching, calling his authority into question. Rather than responding to the criticism by referring to the seminary degree, the books he had written, or churches he started, Paul reminds them of the difficulties he faced in order to bring the Gospel to a lost world. This passage was admittedly difficult for the Apostle to write. He was not one who derived pleasure from boasting of his own accomplishments. As difficult as it may have been, I am glad he wrote it. For it reveals the hardships he was willing to endure for others to come to Christ.

“. . . In labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often.”

Notice the short list of Paul’s experiences: labors, stripes, prisons and death. In addition, he speaks in great length of perils and shipwrecks. To sum up, Paul was willing to endure great opposition in order to see others come to saving faith in Christ. Not every time Paul shared Christ was he met with beating, prison or threats of death. Albeit, even during those times, he was willing to invest the Gospel in the ears of others. He speaks of the difficulty of travel. The Jewish people were not known for being seafaring. In fact, it could be said of many, that they hated ocean travel. Paul was willing to set aside his fear of travel to bring Christ to others. He traveled to difficult places. He speaks of “peril”. This peril was due to the fact that not every road he took, or destination at which he arrived, was safe. Yet, he pressed on to bring Christ to a dying world.

Whether he faced threats, beatings or prison, Paul was willing to open His mouth to invite others to Christ. What are you willing to endure to see others come to Christ? Rather than living in the realm of theory, take a few moments to look back over the last few months and ask “What have I endured to invite others to Christ?” Perhaps today is the day to step out and take some risks for the Kingdom.

Pastor Jim

 

Full Of Grace 

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2 Corinthians 8:9
“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.”

Grace is a beautiful word. We use it today to speak of the beauty of motion. We might refer to the “grace” of a gymnast or a figure skater. The word used in the Bible speaks of the giving nature of God. Webster defines it as, “the free unmerited love and favor of God, the spring and source of all the benefits men receive from Him.” In other words, grace is the character trait of God that causes Him to want to give what is best to men. This grace is immeasurable. Paul wrote to the Ephesians regarding the giving nature of God,

“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace. . . “ Ephesians 1:7

“. . . that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” Ephesians 2:7

Notice, he spoke of the riches of grace, and of the exceeding riches of grace. Riches refer to having a great amount. The term exceeding, means too much, or an over abundance. We could say, God has too much grace. So much, He cannot help but pour it out on those who belong to Him.

“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.”

While His grace is more than we could ever completely fathom, it is also something we can measure and experience. It is measured at the cross. It was on the cross, ‘the exceeding riches of His grace” was poured out; Jesus used the simple phrase “He gave His only Son.” Because of the gift of Christ, the grace of God should never be questioned. Instead, it should be scrutinized. We should take our experiences, and measure them in light of the cross of Christ. While I will not even pretend to understand why each of us experiences the particular trial we are facing, I will take my trial and look at it through the eyes of grace, or the shadow of the cross. At the place where Jesus laid down the riches of His glory, in order to pave a way for me to come to God.

His grace is not only measured at the cross, but can also be experienced daily by the believer. Paul wrote, “for you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ…” This grace was something they were experiencing; because He became poor, they were becoming rich. Now, it is important we understand the language that Paul is using. He is not stating that following Jesus is the path to financial success or great earthly wealth. This is not a get rich quick scheme where, if you follow Jesus and are a faithful tither, you will end up the richest guy on the block. Paul is referring to the wealth of spiritual blessings that belong to the child of God. Earlier in the chapter, he spoke of the Macedonians who, though they were very poor, they were big givers and filled with great joy. As you daily walk with Jesus, you will experience the abundance of His grace flowing out to minister to you, regardless of the difficulty you are facing. If you are questioning His grace, go back to the cross and measure it. Reflect on how God gave His Son.

Pastor Jim

 

Where Are You? 

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Job 23:8-9
“Look, I go forward, but He is not there, and backward, but I cannot perceive Him; when He works on the left hand, I cannot behold Him; when He turns to the right hand, I cannot see Him.”

I am sure each of us has felt this way at one time or another. We might be going through a particularly difficult season of life, and it seems God is hiding in the shadows. We may look in all the obvious places and not seem to be able to find His purposes in what we are facing. I think it is valuable to notice that righteous Job, not only experienced this same dilemma, but gives us the steps he took along the way. There are four important steps he took when it seemed God was hiding.

Job 23:10 “But He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold.”

First, Job realized part of what he was experiencing was designed to test him. Tests, or trials, as they are often called, are designed by God with a purpose. While it is not always easy to uncover what God is desiring to show us, it is important to recognize what we are going through is not random; God has a plan. Trials might be defined as difficulties we are facing over which we have no control. When the economy crashes, our place of employment goes bankrupt, a storm knocks a tree onto our roof, or any number of other things; these events are beyond our control. Trials are different than consequences. If we disobey God and suffer something as a result, that is not a trial, and the proper response is to turn back to God and walk with Him. If we are, in fact, in the midst of a trial, we must remember God has a purpose in it.

Job 23:11 “My foot has held fast to His steps; I have kept His way and not turned aside.”

Second, Job determined, in the midst of his trial, he would not turn from the Lord. In the Parable of the Soils, Jesus explained that many turn from Him because of the difficulties of life (Matthew 13:5-7). Like the sun scorching a small plant, the difficulties of life become an excuse for many to turn from the Lord. Too often, the first thing we do when times get tough is to blame God. We question His love and His right to allow us to go through anything difficult. The seeds of this way of thinking will often sprout into disobedience. Job determined, in his difficulty, he would not turn from the Lord.

Job 23:12 “I have not departed from the commandment of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food.”

Third, and perhaps most important of all, Job realized the only way to endure was by clinging to the precious promises found in the pages of God’s Word. It is all too common, in the midst of difficulty, to neglect the promises that have been designed to keep us going. In the midst of difficulty, we need to cling to the promises of God and see Him carry us through. Whatever the trial might be, we should go to the promises as often as we go to the fridge.

Job 23:13 “But He is unique, and who can make Him change? And whatever His soul desires, that He does.”

Finally, Job understood the ways of God were much bigger than he could ever understand. This should not be an excuse to neglect getting to know Him through His Word, but should serve as a guide in times of trouble. Since we are finite, and cannot see around the corner, we often fail to realize that much of what we face has been designed with the long term in mind. God is in the business of ministering to us, and reaching the next generation for the kingdom. I think we spend too much time blaming God for the difficulties we are facing, instead of looking to Him for comfort and direction.

Pastor Jim

 

He Loves Me…

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Job 16:9
“He tears me in His wrath, and hates me; He gnashes at me with His teeth; My adversary sharpens His gaze on me.”

When we find ourselves in times of great trial, it is often difficult to discern the voice of God. In Job’s case, the voices of pain, sorrow, suffering, and loss were screaming so loud, the voice of God was drowned out. He could no longer hear God’s Word reminding Him of the great love with which he had been loved. He could no longer hear the voice of compassion, mercy or providence, explaining He would make all things right. All Job could hear was the voice of his anguish, and it was screaming, “God must hate me.”

While we may never face trials as grievous as Job endured, we will no doubt, encounter difficulty that will call into question the character of God. We will all experience times when looking at our circumstances will make it difficult to perceive the love and mercy of God. It is in those times, I lean upon the advice I received from my pastor. He told me when I do not know, I should always fall back on what I do know. In other words, there are foundational truths about God we can cling to in difficult times. Having a grip on those truths will take us through our darkest hours.

First, we must remember, God is good and everything that flows from Him is good. The psalmist put it this way,

“Truly God is good to Israel, to such as are pure in heart. But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled; my steps had nearly slipped.” Psalm 73:1-2

He declared the circumstances he faced brought him to the brink of falling, but the cure was to remember the goodness of God. Not only is He good, but He also promises to work all things out for our good. That means He has a plan to work with the circumstances we are facing, in order to accomplish His best for our lives. Often, we fail to see any value in the trials we endure, because we are by nature shortsighted, we cannot see into the future, or understand the big things of God.

Another important, even foundational truth, to rely upon in times of confusion is, God is in all this for the long haul. He is making decisions that will effect, not just the moment we are in, but the generations that will follow. Abraham was promised descendants as the stars, but at his death only Isaac had been born. It was not that the promise failed, but that the vantage point of God was much more far-reaching than Abraham could see. Keep in mind, the way we choose to react to the difficulties we face, will have an affect upon those who come after us.

Finally, no matter how loud your trials may scream that God hates you, the cross cries out emphatically, God is love. The very fact that God initiated the steps to redeem man back to Himself, knowing those steps would lead to the brutal death of His only begotten Son, are proof enough of the magnificence of His love.

In your sorrow, pain or confusion, take the time right now to focus upon the majesty of the cross and allow God to bathe you in His infinite love.

Pastor Jim

 

Guidance 

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Job 5:8
“But as for me, I would seek God, And to God I would commit my cause”

One of the reasons the book of Job is so difficult is, though much of the counsel he receives is correct, the application is misplaced. Eliphaz wrongly believed Job was in sin, and his trials were brought about entirely by his disobedience. That being said, we find in this verse, some of the wisest counsel we will ever receive,

“But as for me, I would seek God, And to God I would commit my cause”

Whatever you are facing, the right approach is to seek God and commit your ways to Him. If you are facing a time of great trial, instead of complaining about how hard it is, or looking for an easy way out, take some time to seek God. It may be, you will learn why you are facing the trial, or more importantly, you will learn something about who God is and what He wants to accomplish in your life. When Paul faced a difficult time, he took the counsel of Eliphaz and sought the Lord. He learned God wanted him to understand the sufficiency of His grace in times of need.

Another important aspect of moving ahead through difficult times, is to learn to commit our ways to the Lord. This will ensure that we walk in the right direction, and are involved in the things that are pleasing to God. It is too common among Christians, to use our difficulties as an excuse to sin. We think a rough day at work, gives us the freedom to blow off steam with a few drinks, or to unload on our wife and kids. We think a difficult situation with a friend gives us the liberty to gossip about them, or tear apart their character to make us feel better. One way to guard against allowing hardship to lead to sin, is to commit our ways to the Lord.

Whatever you are facing, whether a devastating trial or a tremendous blessing, take some time to seek the Lord and commit your day to Him.

Pastor Jim

 

Neglect

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Joshua 18:3
“Then Joshua said to the children of Israel: ‘How long will you neglect to go and possess the land which the Lord God of your fathers has given you?’”

After the great deliverance from Egypt, forty years in the wilderness, and five years in the Promised Land, there were still tribes who were neglecting to possess their possessions. In other words, the land that had been promised and distributed to them, remained in the hand of their enemies. Joshua, in a form of harsh rebuke, declares that the reason for their failure to take the land was simple neglect. Perhaps some used the age old excuse of “I have just been so busy” or “I don’t have time right now.” We know for sure, some of them made the excuse of the task being too difficult.

Joshua 17:16
“But the children of Joseph said, ‘The mountain country is not enough for us; and all the Canaanites who dwell in the land of the valley have chariots of iron…’”

For the tribes of Joseph, the excuse was the enemy was too strong for them. As a result, they wanted to be given a different lot; one that was easier. It is almost as though they looked at the land the other tribes were given and thought, “My life is way more difficult than theirs. If I had their lot I could possess it.”

2 Corinthians 10:12
“…But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.”

I think we are making a great mistake when we compare ourselves with others, to the neglect of God’s call on our lives. When facing giants with iron chariots, it is natural to think, “no one else has it as hard as I do”. The problem is, that is not true. The other tribes were facing difficulties as great as the ones Ephraim and Manasseh faced. The lot distributed to them was so they might learn to trust in the strength of God, and walk in His victory.

Instead of looking over the fence and complaining about how much easier everyone else has it, we should be looking up to the Lord. We should be seeking how He would have us successfully live out the lot He has placed before us. For all of us, there remains much land to possess in our walk with Christ. That land includes conquering personal sin, bearing the fruit of the Spirit, and winning others for the kingdom of Heaven.

Pastor Jim

 

Shelter From The Storm

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Deuteronomy 33:27
“The eternal God is your refuge,
And underneath are the everlasting arms…”

Israel stood on the edge of the Promised Land. Soon they would cross the Jordan and face the giants. After forty years in the wilderness, their task had not become any easier. Knowing he was about to die, Moses reminded the people of their true source of strength.

The eternal God is their strength. ‘Eternal’ carries the idea of being both timeless and limitless. Before time existed, there was God. He is what the philosophers call the “uncaused cause.” It is through Him that all things were brought into being. According to Paul, it is in Him that all things are held together (Colossians 1:17). Although Moses would not be able to lead the people into the land and against their foes, the eternal God would be their refuge and strength. No matter what they faced, the eternal God would provide for their needs.

Notice, Moses reminds the nation of Israel, the eternal God is a source of refuge. A refuge is a hide out. It is a place we go in the midst of the storm, the battle, or the times of confusion. Moses promises that God is the hiding place for all who are facing the storms of life.

A few years ago, we had a large hurricane coming straight at our town. People began to “button up” their homes, to withstand the coming storm. Those with hurricane shutters installed them, while those without, began to fashion plywood, to cover their windows. It did not take long for all the available plywood to run out. I remember seeing one individual, in a panic, covering his windows with drywall. His fear created a panic which caused him to run to a refuge that would not support him in the midst of the storm.

Whatever you are facing, no matter how large or small, remember the eternal God is your refuge. He desires you would run to Him for shelter and security.

Pastor Jim

 

Life Lessons

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Deuteronomy 31:4
“And the Lord will do to them as He did to Sihon and Og, the kings of the Amorites and their land, when He destroyed them.”

As the wilderness wanderings came to an end, Israel came face to face with two formidable foes. Sihon and the Amorites, and Og and the soldiers from Bashan. Both of these enemies seemed too great a force for the children of Israel, yet they found strength in the Lord and overcame these obstacles. As Moses prepares Israel to enter the Land without him, he reminds them of these victories. In fact, as a reminder of these events, Sihon is mentioned twenty-two times in the Old Testament, and Og nineteen times. God never wanted Israel to forget the victories they experienced in the early years.

I wonder what victories have you accomplished in your walk with the Lord? Are there times when you faced insurmountable odds, chose to trust in the Lord, and saw Him accomplish the impossible? We work so hard to ensure that we never get to a place where we need to trust the Lord. We want to have all the comforts and ease, and keep ourselves from any sort of difficulty that requires the miraculous. It is in the times when we face obstacles beyond ourselves, and determine to trust the Lord, that we will have victories that will bear fruit for a lifetime.

Whatever your are facing today, lean upon the Lord for your strength, peace, comfort and direction. He will not only support you in your time of need, but will bring lessons that will last a lifetime.

Pastor Jim

 

Where Are You Going?

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Exodus 19:4
“You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself.”

IMG_1421I imagine if any of the people in this massive caravan were asked where they were headed, they all would have given the same answer, “We are going to the Promised Land.” They had grown up with stories of a land flowing with milk and honey; had been dreaming of this day for generations. Their goal was to reach a land where they were free from the tyranny of Egypt. At the same time, if we were able to look up and ask the Lord where this multitude of people was headed, His answer would not be the same. To Him the destination was somewhere entirely different. God said “I am bringing them to myself.”

That is always the desire of God. Whatever situation you are facing, God is seeking to bring you closer to Himself. You may be experiencing difficult financial times, problems at home, hardship at work, or any number of other struggles. From our perspective, the goal may be to reach the end of the trial, but from God’s perspective, the goal is to bring us closer to Himself. The verses following this statement encourage the people to obey the Word, make a commitment to the Lord, and separate themselves from things that are displeasing to God.

If we want to reach the destination God is calling us to, that place of being closer to Christ and more like Him, we need to separate ourselves from any sin, and obey His Word.

Pastor Jim