I was thinking the other day about how gracious God Is to provide us with a book full of people we can identify with. I am like Abraham and Abraham is like me. I am like Noah. I am like Joseph. I am like 'doubting' Thomas (a nickname I imagine he is not fond of). They are like me.
Perhaps we have all heard a person who was a pioneer in something say, 'Growing up I never saw someone of my race or gender doing this but I had a desire and so I pushed through'. God has given us a book filled with spiritual pioneers. We may not have all the qualities of these people but there is overlap and because of that there is a identification and that identification can bring out qualities that are embedded in our physical and spiritual DNA.
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith--more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire--may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ." - 1 Peter 1:3-7 ESV
These people in the scriptures had encounters with God and went through things. That can and will happen to us also.
God had Joshua say this to a group many years ago and it resonates with me today.
"At the end of three days the officers went through the camp and commanded the people, 'As soon as you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God being carried by the Levitical priests, then you shall set out from your place and follow it. Yet there shall be a distance between you and it, about 2,000 cubits in length. Do not come near it, in order that you may know the way you shall go, for you have not passed this way before.' " - Joshua 3:2-4 ESV
Let's keep close but also at a healthy distance so we have perspective. Let's look at those who have gone before us and live in identification.
God has been very gracious to many people throughout history. That same grace is available to us also.
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Showing posts with label Suffering. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Suffering. Show all posts
Friday, April 6, 2018
Monday, January 22, 2018
God's Desire To Bless
It is Monday and I don't know who has a capacity to hear this on a Monday morning but this passage keeps coming to mind. It explains an invisible dynamic.
Job's wife seems to fall into the trap but not Job.
"And the LORD said to Satan, 'Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?' Then Satan answered the LORD and said, 'Does Job fear God for no reason? Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.' And the LORD said to Satan, 'Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.' So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD." - Job 1:8-12 ESV
"But stretch out your hand and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse you to your face.' And the LORD said to Satan, 'Behold, he is in your hand; only spare his life.' So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD and struck Job with loathsome sores from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. And he took a piece of broken pottery with which to scrape himself while he sat in the ashes. Then his wife said to him, 'Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die.' But he said to her, 'You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?' In all this Job did not sin with his lips." - Job 2:5-10 ESV
Grace is a beautiful thing. We may say, 'Wow. I hope that never happens to me.' and I think that is a good natural response but then we see something about God. He wants to bless us. He blessed Job and then after this trial He blessed him even more.
"And the LORD blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning. And he had 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 yoke of oxen, and 1,000 female donkeys. He had also seven sons and three daughters. And he called the name of the first daughter Jemimah, and the name of the second Keziah, and the name of the third Keren-happuch. And in all the land there were no women so beautiful as Job's daughters. And their father gave them an inheritance among their brothers. And after this Job lived 140 years, and saw his sons, and his sons' sons, four generations. And Job died, an old man, and full of days." - Job 42:12-17 ESV
Times of uncertainty are part of it. God is interrelational. He allows things but His activity is blessing. His joy is to bring blessings. He loves us and trusts that grace can and does create a deep abiding bond that goes beyond sight and material things.
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Job's wife seems to fall into the trap but not Job.
"And the LORD said to Satan, 'Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?' Then Satan answered the LORD and said, 'Does Job fear God for no reason? Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.' And the LORD said to Satan, 'Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.' So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD." - Job 1:8-12 ESV
"But stretch out your hand and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse you to your face.' And the LORD said to Satan, 'Behold, he is in your hand; only spare his life.' So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD and struck Job with loathsome sores from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. And he took a piece of broken pottery with which to scrape himself while he sat in the ashes. Then his wife said to him, 'Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die.' But he said to her, 'You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?' In all this Job did not sin with his lips." - Job 2:5-10 ESV
Grace is a beautiful thing. We may say, 'Wow. I hope that never happens to me.' and I think that is a good natural response but then we see something about God. He wants to bless us. He blessed Job and then after this trial He blessed him even more.
"And the LORD blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning. And he had 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 yoke of oxen, and 1,000 female donkeys. He had also seven sons and three daughters. And he called the name of the first daughter Jemimah, and the name of the second Keziah, and the name of the third Keren-happuch. And in all the land there were no women so beautiful as Job's daughters. And their father gave them an inheritance among their brothers. And after this Job lived 140 years, and saw his sons, and his sons' sons, four generations. And Job died, an old man, and full of days." - Job 42:12-17 ESV
Times of uncertainty are part of it. God is interrelational. He allows things but His activity is blessing. His joy is to bring blessings. He loves us and trusts that grace can and does create a deep abiding bond that goes beyond sight and material things.
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Friday, October 23, 2015
Getting Established
A few subjects are on my mind this morning from our conversation at coffee last night.
One is prophecy in the Hebrew scriptures versus in the Greek scriptures.
The other is the desire to see people 'established'.
This passage (a long one) contains both ideas.
"But since we were torn away from you, brothers, for a short time, in person not in heart, we endeavored the more eagerly and with great desire to see you face to face, because we wanted to come to you - I, Paul, again and again - but Satan hindered us. For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you? For you are our glory and joy. Therefore when we could bear it no longer, we were willing to be left behind at Athens alone, and we sent Timothy, our brother and God's coworker in the gospel of Christ, to establish and exhort you in your faith, that no one be moved by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we are destined for this. For when we were with you, we kept telling you beforehand that we were to suffer affliction, just as it has come to pass, and just as you know. For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to learn about your faith, for fear that somehow the tempter had tempted you and our labor would be in vain. But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us the good news of your faith and love and reported that you always remember us kindly and long to see us, as we long to see you - for this reason, brothers, in all our distress and affliction we have been comforted about you through your faith. For now we live, if you are standing fast in the Lord. For what thanksgiving can we return to God for you, for all the joy that we feel for your sake before our God, as we pray most earnestly night and day that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking in your faith? Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you, and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you," - 1 Thessalonians 2:17-3:12 ESV
Old testament prophets gave glimpses of future events. The Messiah had not come yet. The Greek NT scriptures are all written after the cross and point back to what has happened not what will happen but there are some rare instances where that is not the case.
Paul told these believers at Thessaloniki that the team was going to suffer hardship before it happened and he later feared that somehow these people would leave the faith and get taken out by deception but then the opposite happened. God kept them.
Can you see the love in the words?
I think seeing people established makes our suffering seem worthwhile. We see a miracle in other people's lives when they persevere also.
Grace is what is able to establish people. It is what is able to establish us. It is the only thing that can truly establish us on the rock that can't be moved.
"To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. Of David. Hear my cry, O God, listen to my prayer; from the end of the earth I call to you when my heart is faint. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I," - Psalm 61:1-2 ESV
"Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it." - Matthew 7:24-27 ESV
I so want the people in my sphere of influence to be established. The Gospel of Grace is what establishes people. Jesus died for sin and rose to reign and we as individuals just believe in what He has done and who He Is. Mysteriously those who mix faith with that truth can persevere because they are anchored to the eternal reality of God and not the transitory difficult situations that we all must face sooner or later.
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One is prophecy in the Hebrew scriptures versus in the Greek scriptures.
The other is the desire to see people 'established'.
This passage (a long one) contains both ideas.
"But since we were torn away from you, brothers, for a short time, in person not in heart, we endeavored the more eagerly and with great desire to see you face to face, because we wanted to come to you - I, Paul, again and again - but Satan hindered us. For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you? For you are our glory and joy. Therefore when we could bear it no longer, we were willing to be left behind at Athens alone, and we sent Timothy, our brother and God's coworker in the gospel of Christ, to establish and exhort you in your faith, that no one be moved by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we are destined for this. For when we were with you, we kept telling you beforehand that we were to suffer affliction, just as it has come to pass, and just as you know. For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to learn about your faith, for fear that somehow the tempter had tempted you and our labor would be in vain. But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us the good news of your faith and love and reported that you always remember us kindly and long to see us, as we long to see you - for this reason, brothers, in all our distress and affliction we have been comforted about you through your faith. For now we live, if you are standing fast in the Lord. For what thanksgiving can we return to God for you, for all the joy that we feel for your sake before our God, as we pray most earnestly night and day that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking in your faith? Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you, and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you," - 1 Thessalonians 2:17-3:12 ESV
Old testament prophets gave glimpses of future events. The Messiah had not come yet. The Greek NT scriptures are all written after the cross and point back to what has happened not what will happen but there are some rare instances where that is not the case.
Paul told these believers at Thessaloniki that the team was going to suffer hardship before it happened and he later feared that somehow these people would leave the faith and get taken out by deception but then the opposite happened. God kept them.
Can you see the love in the words?
I think seeing people established makes our suffering seem worthwhile. We see a miracle in other people's lives when they persevere also.
Grace is what is able to establish people. It is what is able to establish us. It is the only thing that can truly establish us on the rock that can't be moved.
"To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. Of David. Hear my cry, O God, listen to my prayer; from the end of the earth I call to you when my heart is faint. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I," - Psalm 61:1-2 ESV
"Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it." - Matthew 7:24-27 ESV
I so want the people in my sphere of influence to be established. The Gospel of Grace is what establishes people. Jesus died for sin and rose to reign and we as individuals just believe in what He has done and who He Is. Mysteriously those who mix faith with that truth can persevere because they are anchored to the eternal reality of God and not the transitory difficult situations that we all must face sooner or later.
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Monday, August 26, 2013
The Science of Suffering
In today's devotional in "Reaching Towards the Heights" Richard Wurmbrand uses the term 'Sufferology'. If you know anything about his life he certainly has an understanding of that subject matter.
For many people I think this is a subject they would rather avoid not something to be studied or systematically understood. Some time in the classroom benefits us for our time in the field and some practical application turns theory into something beneficial.
"Great is the LORD and greatly to be praised in the city of our God! His holy mountain, beautiful in elevation, is the joy of all the earth, Mount Zion, in the far north, the city of the great King. Within her citadels God has made himself known as a fortress." Psalms 48:1-3 ESV
Yes. God is beautiful in His elevation... even in this subject. There is a lowness that a sufferer can experience but God elevates the sufferer who suffers in Him.
"For affliction does not come from the dust, nor does trouble sprout from the ground, but man is born to trouble as the sparks fly upward. As for me, I would seek God, and to God would I commit my cause, who does great things and unsearchable, marvelous things without number" Job 5:6-9 ESV
Here is an interesting exchange God had with a man, Ananias, regarding Paul the Apostle:
"But Ananias answered, 'Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.' But the Lord said to him, 'Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.' " - Acts 9:13-16 ESV
Ananias spoke to God about the Earthy authority that had been given to Paul and God answered with the Heavenly authority grace would soon give to the man. Paul's authority was in his ability to suffer well.
Grace gives us many things in unsearchable quantities... Love... Freedom... Forgiveness... Access... It also gives this great ability to survive the un-survivable. Those who suffer with grief might rather not survive it but God elevates us.
Yes. Suffering can be seen as a science. The Bible is it's textbook. We can learn it's principles and laws and then it will not seem so scary.
"Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful - for he cannot deny himself." 2 Timothy 2:10-13 ESV
Positional salvation is assured by faith in Christ's death burial and Resurrection. It is a once and for all thing. Situational salvation is a science of faith. Learning endurance qualifies us for leadership. How can we bring someone else down a path we have not ourselves traveled before?
Christ is our Shepherd. He suffered what none of us could and will teach us this art if we are willing to be His students.
For many people I think this is a subject they would rather avoid not something to be studied or systematically understood. Some time in the classroom benefits us for our time in the field and some practical application turns theory into something beneficial.
"Great is the LORD and greatly to be praised in the city of our God! His holy mountain, beautiful in elevation, is the joy of all the earth, Mount Zion, in the far north, the city of the great King. Within her citadels God has made himself known as a fortress." Psalms 48:1-3 ESV
Yes. God is beautiful in His elevation... even in this subject. There is a lowness that a sufferer can experience but God elevates the sufferer who suffers in Him.
"For affliction does not come from the dust, nor does trouble sprout from the ground, but man is born to trouble as the sparks fly upward. As for me, I would seek God, and to God would I commit my cause, who does great things and unsearchable, marvelous things without number" Job 5:6-9 ESV
Here is an interesting exchange God had with a man, Ananias, regarding Paul the Apostle:
"But Ananias answered, 'Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.' But the Lord said to him, 'Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.' " - Acts 9:13-16 ESV
Ananias spoke to God about the Earthy authority that had been given to Paul and God answered with the Heavenly authority grace would soon give to the man. Paul's authority was in his ability to suffer well.
Grace gives us many things in unsearchable quantities... Love... Freedom... Forgiveness... Access... It also gives this great ability to survive the un-survivable. Those who suffer with grief might rather not survive it but God elevates us.
Yes. Suffering can be seen as a science. The Bible is it's textbook. We can learn it's principles and laws and then it will not seem so scary.
"Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful - for he cannot deny himself." 2 Timothy 2:10-13 ESV
Positional salvation is assured by faith in Christ's death burial and Resurrection. It is a once and for all thing. Situational salvation is a science of faith. Learning endurance qualifies us for leadership. How can we bring someone else down a path we have not ourselves traveled before?
Christ is our Shepherd. He suffered what none of us could and will teach us this art if we are willing to be His students.
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