Blessed be the Lord (Part 1 of 2)
The Right Perspective
The reason why most people struggle during hardships and trials is because they have the wrong starting point in their own perspective. In the average church the only message you will hear is the things that make us feel good in this life alone. Everyone wants to have wealth, possessions, health, and pleasure. While encouragement has its place in the gospel, personal wants is not the message of the gospel. The message of the gospel is quite simple to understand but very difficult to live. In a nutshell, the gospel teaches us that while we were dead in our sins, Jesus took our guilt, shame and penalty, bore them in His body on the cross so our debt could be paid and we could be reconciled to God. Because we are reconciled to God in Christ, we then can be free from our sins by dying to the flesh and living for Christ. We now live by two all encompassing commands – Love God with all our being and love others as ourselves. The focus of our Christian life is to conform to the image of Christ. Let me say it again in a more practical sense: the focus of the Christian life is to become like Christ in every area of our lives.
This is where the great challenge becomes evident. How do I become like Christ in every area of my life? With you, it is impossible because only the Holy Spirit within you can accomplish this work. This is why dying to self becomes so vital. Since this message is rarely preached, very few have any clue what it means to die to self. While popular preachers are writing books about ‘Your Best Life Now’, Jesus is calling you to deny yourself, take up your cross and follow Him (Luke 9:23-24). Those who are living for now are severely short changing themselves. Look at 2 Peter 3:11
11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness,
Not one thing you possess in this life will exist after God completes His work in this world. Since these things are so, what manner of persons ought you to be? Our modern preachers are teaching church members to live like Esau and not like Christ. If you are familiar with Esau, he sold his birthright for one pot of food that was consumed and then gone forever. At the time, Esau said that he could not wait and had to have it now. Since Esau rejected his birthright, God rejected Esau. People are constantly being taught on TV and from pulpits that God wants to give us our inheritance now.
Do you also remember the parable of the ‘Prodigal Son’? He also could not wait and demanded his inheritance now. In the end, he returned to his father’s house in shame. His father gladly received him but his inheritance was lost. The church is being taught that it is good to live like prodigals and forfeit our birthrights and inheritance for the pleasures of this life that will soon pass and be gone forever.
The reason why I say this must be understood is because how we view this life affects how we view obedience. When our eyes are on the pleasures of this life, we will despise the word of the Lord when we see God’s ways taking us away from the pleasures of this life. There are times we will have pleasure from God’s own hand, but God’s goal is not to make us fat and happy. God tests us, tries us, refines us with fire so that we can be pure, holy and complete in Him. God is much more concerned about your eternity than your immediate comfort.
You will NEVER be complete in Christ without trials and suffering. You will never accept suffering if your eyes are on this life. It is your responsibility to set your eyes on God and not on the pleasures of this life. It is your responsibility to set your hearts on things above and not on things of the world.
If your goal is to be like Christ and to fulfill God’s will, you will be willing to be led by God through any trial. If your goal is to be happy in this world, you will resist the chastening of the Lord and never grow from the things God brings in your life. You MUST determine to live for Him and you MUST be willing to die to self daily. Anyone who rejects this rejects the work of God in their life and forfeits the true riches we should inherit.
Accept all things from His hand
Anyone can accept good from the hand of God but only a man or woman of faith can accept adversity. Look at Proverbs 24:
10 If you faint in the day of adversity, Your strength is small.
Where does strength come from? The Bible says that the ‘joy of the Lord is your strength’ (Nehemiah 8:10). Many believe in error that joy equals happiness. Not so. Happiness is dependent on circumstances. You can only be happy when things are going the way you want them to go. We are happy when we buy a new car or house. We are happy when our favorite team wins. We are happy when we get a job, promotion or achieve a goal. We are not happy when we lose a job, wreck a car or any type of hardship comes our way. Look at Hebrews 12:1-3
Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.
Happiness is fragile, but joy is unshakeable. Joy is the expectation of God’s goodness. In Hebrews 12, we are told that it was the joy set before Him that encouraged Jesus to endure the cross even though He despised its shame. We may despise the hardships God brings into our lives, but the joy set before us gives us the strength to endure. Jesus did not focus on the cross, but what lay beyond the cross – our reconciliation and forgiveness. Removing your sins so that you could have fellowship with Him gave Jesus the joy to plunge into the judgment of the cross. In the same sense, hearing Him say, “well done, you have been good and faithful” gives us the joy and strength to overcome the difficulties and press ahead to complete the calling of God in our lives.
God strengthens our minds by His word and by the Holy Spirit working within us. We are repeatedly told that God gives us strength when we are weak and that we are to be ‘strong in the Lord and the power of His might’. If all you want is God, He will always be all that you need. If all you want is selfish desires, the things of this life will never be enough.
Our starting point must be Christ-focused or we will wither away. Jesus told a parable about a sower in Matthew. The sower is the one who spreads the word of God. Many received it but few became productive in the word. I want to take a moment to focus on those who were offended in the word. Look at these passages:
Matthew 13:5-6 5 "Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. 6 "But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away.
Matthew 13:20-21 20 "But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21 "yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles.
This example fits many in the church. They receive the word and even get excited about the things of God. How many times have we seen people get on fire for God but then suddenly are quenched and even fall out of the church completely. Many times it is because they are offended when God allows or even brings the things into their lives that go against their ideas of what is right and just. Some are offended when persecution arises; some are offended when the preached message steps on their toes; some are offended when suffering enters their lives. In stead of looking expectantly to God for hope in suffering, they ask ‘Why God?’ and become discouraged in their souls. Why are they offended when God allows suffering? It is because they are looking to this life as the blessing when it is not. There are blessings we will receive, but the blessing, riches and promises God has given us are for the life to come. Some things we will see in this life but most we will have to wait patiently for with joy.
Look at this wonderful example in Job. When I read the book of Job, I am both convicted and encouraged. I am convicted because I see how Job’s first response was not “Why?” but instead he acknowledged God’s right to whatever He desires. If you read the account of Job, God initiated Job’s testing by asking Satan if he has considered Job and his faithfulness. God said this knowing Job’s faith and that Satan could not break him. Satan pleaded that God would remove his protection and God agreed but gave Satan boundaries. In one day, Job went from having a life at ease to losing his wealth, friends, family and shortly he would also lose his health. One by one the reports came in telling Job that bands of armed men slew his servants and took his cattle, sheep, camels and then the worst blow of all, a strong wind destroyed a house where his children were dining together killing them. All of this happened at once. Look at Job’s response:
Job 1:20-22 20 Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshiped. 21 And he said: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, And naked shall I return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; Blessed be the name of the LORD." 22 In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong.
As Job mourned for his children, his faith did not waiver. His health was soon taken from him and each day was misery. What is even more amazing is his response when ridiculed by his wife. Look at Job 2:9-10
9 Then his wife said to him, "Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die!" 10 But he said to her, "You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?" In all this Job did not sin with his lips.
This statement won’t build a mega-church. Shall we accept good from God and not adversity? Suffering is not the message Christians want to hear. All of these trials were indeed from God (see Job 2:3). Indeed Job did hold on to his integrity and even made the greatest statement of faith in God found in the Bible, “though He slay me, yet will I trust Him” (Job 13:15). When ridiculed by his so-called friends who claimed he had some secret sin, Job said, “I know my Redeemer lives and even though my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God”.
Where was Job’s focus? The reason why Job was able to endure is because his love was not in the blessings but in God. Even after everything good in this life was stripped from him, his hope was still to see the God he loved. If your focus is on seeing the Lord and fulfilling His will, you cannot be shaken. If God is your strength, nothing can move you. Even in sorrow you will have great hope. You cannot find this in the world or even in the blessings of God.
One ultimate truth in the Christian life is that if we are walking in truth, all things work for our good. Do not let yourself be blinded by false doctrine that only accepts good in this life. God seeks your good – not in worthless temporal pleasures, but in your eternal benefit. Why should we be surprised if God allows this life to try us so that we inherit true riches in eternity? Why should we become bitter against God for stripping us of what is worthless so that we gain what is priceless? The blessings gained in this life are for our encouragement so that we don’t become weary but they are not our inheritance. They can be if we put our hope in this life alone. Look again at Hebrews 12:1-3
Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.
Set your eyes upon Jesus. Set your joy before you so that you are encouraged to run the race that God has set before you. Consider the hostility against Jesus so that you do not become weary and discouraged. Instead of saying “Why God?”, say “What, God? What are you teaching me?” Allow God to shape you so that your suffering is not in vain. Don’t be like the dumb mule that has no understanding (Psalm 32:9) but seek to understand God and know Him. Rejoice in all things knowing that God is working in your life so that you will lay hold of that for which God has laid hold of you (Phil 3:12).
Have confidence in God
The only way we can look expectantly to God during hardships is to have confidence in God. It is amazing how little faith we truly have in our daily lives. Go outside at night and look up. We can see thousands of stars and this is only a tiny fraction of what is out there. Through telescopes we have discovered that there are thousands of galaxies each with many planets and trillions of stars. God counts each star and calls them by name (Psalm 147:4). God keeps the entire universe together and moving in unison. What would happen if one star collided with another in our solar system? The result would be devastating. Do you lay down at night and worry about if God is going to keep each star in place? Do you worry about whether the earth will remain in its orbit? We never even give it a thought. We have complete confidence that God is able to maintain our entire universe, yet we worry about whether God can resolve the problem we are currently facing. We can trust God to handle the big things but we struggle to believe He is in control of our lives. We also fail to realize how insignificant most of our problems are in the grand scheme of our eternal lives.
Either we fail to realize that God has predestined our lives and we are called to walk in His plan, or we do not believe He is able to direct our paths. Look at these passages:
Psalm 139:14-18 14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well. 15 My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. 16 Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them. 17 How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! 18 If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand;
Romans 8:25-31 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. 26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27 Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. 31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
Ephesians 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
One thing that we MUST realize is that all of these promises are fulfilled in those who are walking according to God’s will. If you are living for yourself, you can never be confident that all things are of God. Often times God uses hardships to drive us to the right path. Sometimes we can only see the worthlessness of this life when we have no pleasure in it. God has predestined us to conform to the image of Christ and nothing in this life can stand between us and that destiny. Only we can resist the work of God in our lives. When we look at life, we can confidently say, “If God is for us, who can be against us”?
Therefore, we know in confidence that God is directing our steps. This offers great encouragement to the believer. My problems may appear big but if it is from the plan of God, it is for my good. This means that all problems are good for they either direct our paths, change our character or refine our lives. We are like refined gold. When we go through the refiners fire, it does not feel good, but it is good. A Christian must have faith in God. If God is our hope, our strength, and our focus then we can rest in Him even when our circumstances are anything but restful. Who can say, “Lord you have prepared a table before me in the presence of my enemies” (Psalm 23:5)? Only those whose lives abide in Christ.
God has a plan for each individual. His plan is good and His plan is eternal. Our physical eyes only see the temporal world around us but eyes of faith can see the plan of God. You must walk by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). Eyes of faith do not look at suffering as a curse but as the goodness of God. There is nothing wrong with sorrowing over our suffering, but we sorrow with hope. We are able to endure because of the joy beyond our sufferings. The apostle Paul said it best, “the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that will be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18).
God must be our strong tower and our confidence. Without confidence in God, we will be as the parable of the seeds that fell on stony ground – we will wither away when trouble arises. Take a moment and look at these three passages:
Psalm 18:2 The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
Psalm 20:7-8 Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; But we will remember the name of the LORD our God. 8 They have bowed down and fallen; But we have risen and stand upright.
Nahum 1:7 The LORD is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble; And He knows those who trust in Him.
Notice that these passages reveal that trouble is a part of the believer’s life; however, we can confidently endure because the Lord is our trust. Do you believe the Lord is good? If you believe He is good, you will trust in Him and He will become your stronghold. God does not promise to shelter us from trouble; God promises to uphold us in our trouble. God also promises to plan everything in our lives for our good and to reveal His glory in us.
Circumstances will always challenge the Christian walk, but those who walk by faith will see the hand of God in everything. Do not think that life is meant to be easy, comfortable and happy all the time. Life is a struggle and all who desire to live godly will suffer. It is through many tribulations that we must enter the kingdom of heaven (Acts 14:22). Even so, we draw encouragement because the Spirit working within us is greater than anything that is in the world (1 John 4:4). We must count the cost of discipleship, set our minds on Christ and set our hearts on a pilgrimage. Circumstances, people and your own flesh will become obstacles in your way; however, God works His plan in the lives of any who will forsake all and follow Him. None who trust in Him will be put to shame (1 Peter 2:6, Romans 10:11). It is your responsibility to remove your trust from people and all things in the flesh and place your faith in Christ.
Eddie Snipes
Exchanged Life Outreach
http://www.exchangedlife.com
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