Tag: trials

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Bible Original

Lead me on

God's leading

I still have many things to tell you, but you can’t bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth. (John 16:12-13)

Lord Jesus, how many things do you refrain from telling me because I am not yet able to bear it?

The sins in my life that I am yet blind to. Sins that would overwhelm me with guilt if I saw them all now.

The things that will happen in my future. Good things I would try to force into reality if I knew about them now.

And hard things I would fret about if I knew they were coming.

Yet, in your timing, by your Spirit, you will lead me into all truth.

Lead me on, Holy Spirit. 

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Psalms Devotionals 2

Acnowledging God as God

Acknowledging God as God

Acknowledge that the Lord is God.
He made us, and we are his,—
his people, the sheep of his pasture. (Psalm 100:3)

Last week, I was preparing a message on the book of Job. And perhaps because of that, when I came across Psalm 100 in my quiet time, it really struck me that this was a song Job could have sung after all his experiences.

Because verse 3 was the main thing that he learned.

God is God. We are not.

He made us. We are his people, his sheep.

And that’s a good thing.

Why?

Because ultimately, he is good, his faithful love is forever, and his faithfulness through all generations. (5)

There’s a lot in this world that we can’t understand. And because of that, it’s easy to start questioning God. To start questioning his goodness. To start questioning his love toward us.

But the key to finding joy in the midst of our trials is acknowledging the Lord as God. That he is wise. That he is powerful. And most importantly, that he is loving to us.

So with those truths firmly in mind, let us shout triumphantly to the Lord. (1)

Serve the Lord with gladness. Come before him with joyful songs. (2)

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise. (4)

For the Lord is good, and his faithful love endures forever;
his faithfulness, through all generations. (5)

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Bible Original

Throwback Thursday — Prayers every believer needs

Throwback Thursday

A litle something that I wrote a few years ago, but God is really impressing on my heart in recent days.

Prayers that every believer needs
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Exodus Devotions

Hurting? Or defiant?

Complaining to Moses

He named the place Massah and Meribah, because the Israelites complained, and because they tested the Lord, saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?” (Exodus 17:7)

As I was reading those words, it struck me that there are two ways the Israelites could have been saying those words.

They could have been hurting, and saying, “God, I don’t get it. Are you really with us? We have no water. Unless you do something, we’re going to die. Please help us.”

Or they could have been defiant, saying, “Well, God, are you with us or not? What? Are you just going to let us die out here? What kind of God are you, anyway?”

From the way that Moses responded, it seems that the Israelites were speaking more from defiance.

In fact, he warned them against that kind of attitude later. (Deuteronomy 6:16)

When we go through trials, it’s easy to get tossed around by our emotions. And in our hurt, it’s okay for us to express our doubts, our pain, and our fears.

David did this all the time in the Psalms.

But one thing we must guard against is a defiant attitude. To feel like we are in a position to judge God.

We are not. There is so much he knows that we don’t.

And so when we’re hurting, when we don’t understand, we need to take a humble attitude with God.

Satan would have us question God’s goodness, and he would use our trials to destroy our trust in God.

Don’t let him do it.

Instead let’s remember Peter’s words, clinging to God’s goodness, his faithfulness, and his love toward us.

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your cares on him, because he cares about you.

Be sober-minded, be alert.

Your adversary the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour.

Resist him, firm in the faith, knowing that the same kind of sufferings are being experienced by your fellow believers throughout the world.

The God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, establish, strengthen, and support you after you have suffered a little while.” (1 Peter 5:6-10)

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Exodus Devotions

Do I believe You?

Moses

I wonder.

Did Moses tell the Israelites everything God had said?

Did he tell them that Pharaoh would harden his heart against them?

Or did he only tell them that God would deliver them?

I wonder.

Did Moses himself take God’s warning seriously?

He certainly didn’t seem prepared in his heart when Pharaoh said no and the Israelites got upset with him.

How about us? Do we believe God?

Do we believe Jesus when he says, “In this world you will face suffering?” (John 16:33)

Do we believe Paul when he says hard times will come? (2 Timothy 3:1-5)

Do we believe Peter? (1 Peter 4:12)

More importantly, when we do face trials, do we keep believing God is good, that Jesus has overcome this world, and that God will keep his word and ultimately will deliver us?

The question I’m asking today, that all of us need to ask is, “God, do I believe you?”

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Matthew Devotionals

I must tell Jesus

grave

For some reason, verse 12 really struck me today.

Then [John’s] disciples came, removed the corpse, buried it, and went and reported to Jesus. (Matthew 14:12)

After burying John, his disciples’ first thought was, “We must tell Jesus.”

Why?

I suppose one reason might be to warn Jesus about Herod. (Luke 9:9)

But just as importantly, they knew Jesus cared about John.

I wonder, though. Did they know Jesus cared about them? Not this general, “Jesus loves everybody.” But, “Jesus knows my grief, and he cares about me.”

What about you? Do you know Jesus really cares about you? Again, not this general, “Jesus loves everyone,” but “Jesus really does love me.”

When you go through trials and hard times, is your first response, “I must tell Jesus”?

I must tell Jesus all of my trials;
I cannot bear these burdens alone;
In my distress He kindly will help me;
He ever loves and cares for His own.

I must tell Jesus! I must tell Jesus!
I cannot bear my burdens alone;
I must tell Jesus! I must tell Jesus!
Jesus can help me, Jesus alone. — Elisha Hoffman

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Genesis Devotions

Holding on to faith in hard times 

In prison hope

I really wish sometimes that we could see what was going on in Joseph’s heart. We do see a hint of it in chapter 40, and a lot more of his heart in chapters 42-45.

But we have no idea what’s going on in Joseph’s heart in chapter 39.

Because of that, it’s easy to think, “Man, Joseph was such a godly man. No matter what he went through, he was so faithful to God. He never wavered.”

But today I was thinking, “Was it really so easy for him? In his first days as a slave in Egypt, did he ever struggle with bitterness towards his brothers? Did he ever ask God, ‘Why?’

“When he was falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife and he was sitting in his cell, was he ever tempted to be bitter towards God. ‘I did things God’s way, and now look what happened.'”

My guess is yes. He wasn’t perfect. He was human.

But ultimately, he held on to his faith and remained faithful to God.

In that way, he mirrored David. The both experienced mistreatment by others (Psalm 62:3-4).

They both had reasons to be bitter towards others and to God.

But they both chose to keep trusting God. And in the end, God proved himself worthy of that trust.

I was reading Psalm 62 today, and I could just imagine Joseph singing to himself something similar to what David did.

Rest in God alone, my soul,
for my hope comes from him.

He alone is my rock and my salvation,
my stronghold; I will not be shaken.

My salvation and glory depend on God, my strong rock.
My refuge is in God.

Trust in him at all times, you people;
pour out your hearts before him.
God is our refuge. (Psalm 62:5-8)

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Genesis Devotions

When you’re sitting in the pit

Depression

Today, along with reading Genesis 37, by chance, I was also praying Psalm 118.

And as I read it, it struck me that it could have been Joseph’s song as he looked back on the darkest time of his life. (To be clear, this psalm was actually written hundreds of years later.)

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his faithful love endures forever. (Psalm 118:1)

I called to the Lord in distress;
the Lord answered me
and put me in a spacious place,

The Lord is for me; I will not be afraid.
What can a mere mortal do to me?

The Lord is my helper;
therefore, I will look in triumph on those who hate me. (Psalm 118:5-7)

They pushed me hard to make me fall,
but the Lord helped me.

The Lord is my strength and my song;
he has become my salvation. (Psalm 118:13-14)

The interesting thing is that Joseph’s life mirrors Jesus’. And a prophesy about Jesus could also be said of Joseph who would later save his brothers who had rejected and betrayed him.

The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. (Psalm 118:22)

All this would have been easy to sing for Joseph looking back. But in that moment, first sitting in that pit, and then being sold into Egypt as a slave, it would have been hard for Joseph to sing any of that.

And yet somehow, he held on to his faith. He kept believing God was good and that his faithful love endures forever. And his actions reflect that throughout the next few chapters. The result? He learned what Paul did.

We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)

It’s easy to say, “God is good” and believe in his love when things are going well. But when we’re in that pit, can we still say that?

Can we sing with Joseph,

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his faithful love endures forever.

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Acts Devotionals

Necessary?

After they had preached the gospel in that town and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, to Iconium, and to Antioch, strengthening the disciples by encouraging them to continue in the faith and by telling them, “It is necessary to go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.” (Acts 14:21-22)

Necessary.

It is necessary to go through many hardships to enter the kingdom?

I was thinking on those words today.

Why necessary?

Well, what Paul is not saying is that we somehow earn admittance into God’s kingdom by suffering hardship.

But it is necessary in the sense that it’s unavoidable. It’s unavoidable because we live in a world broken by sin. And it’s unavoidable because we have an enemy in Satan who is hostile to us.

But it’s also necessary in that God is putting us through a refining process.

He’s teaching us what’s truly important, and unlike what many people in this world think, an easy life is not. Nor is living for yourself and indulging in your sin.

Trusting and following God is what’s truly important. Because his way leads to true life.

Peter understood that truth. He said,

Therefore, since Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same understanding—because the one who suffers in the flesh is finished with sin— in order to live the remaining time in the flesh no longer for human desires, but for God’s will. (1 Peter 4:1-2)

Paul understood that truth. He not only taught it to the new believers. We see in this chapter that he lived it. He modeled it.

So as Peter said,

Dear friends, don’t be surprised when the fiery ordeal comes among you to test you, as if something unusual were happening to you.

Instead, rejoice as you share in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may also rejoice with great joy when his glory is revealed. (1 Peter 4:12-13)

That’s the heart of a warrior of God.

I love the words of John Newton in the song “Amazing Grace.”

We don’t sing it so often at my church, unfortunately. I wish we did.

Through many dangers, toils, and snares, I have already come;
‘Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.

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John Devotionals

Drinking the cup God has given us

At that, Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword away! Am I not to drink the cup the Father has given me?” (John 18:11)

Sometimes, we go through trials, and as we’re praying, God makes it clear that he is not going to take it away. This is the cup he has given us.

Jesus experienced this (Luke 22:42-43).

Paul also experienced this (2 Corinthians 12:8-9).

And faced with that cup, we have a choice. We can either be bitter, fighting the cup God has given us.

Or we can say, “Your grace is sufficient for me. You are with me. And you are enough for me.”

One path leads to a miserable life and death.

The other leads to joy…and ultimately resurrection.

So the question I’m asking myself today is this. “Is God’s grace enough for me? Is God enough for me?”

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Matthew Devotionals

Your will be done

Therefore, you should pray like this: Our Father in heaven…Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. (Matthew 6:9-10)

My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done. (Matthew 26:42)

Just thinking, Father, the exact words Jesus put in his “disciple’s prayer” is what he prayed the night before he was crucified.

It’s easy to teach others to pray that way.

It’s easy to pray that way as a general prayer to start the day.

It’s so much harder when I’m facing something I don’t want to face.

Can I say, “Your will be done” when it affects my life. When it means going through suffering or hard times? Can I still call you “My Father” during those times and not be bitter, questioning your goodness?

Jesus, I am so weak, as Peter was. As the disciples were.

So especially when I’m facing something bigger than me, something I can’t handle on my own, give me the grace, the strength, the faith, to say as you did, “Father, your will be done.”

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Matthew Devotionals

Deeply rooted faith?

And the one sown on rocky ground—this is one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy.

But he has no root and is short-lived. When distress or persecution comes because of the word, immediately he falls away. (Matthew 13:20-21)

The picture Jesus gives here is of a seed sown in a thin layer of soil over limestone. And because the limestone prevents the roots from growing deep, the plant quickly withers in the heat of the trials and persecution.

As I was reading, I thought about what that limestone was which kept the roots from growing deep.

Could it be the limestone of unbelief? Namely, doubt about God’s goodness and love toward us?

Some people hear about God’s love and goodness, and they’re immediately excited and joyous.

But then trials come. Persecution comes. And a deep-seeded doubt that lies beneath the surface of their hearts is revealed:

“Is God really good? Does God really love me? Then why are these bad things happening to me?”

The result? They quickly fall away.

How about you? When trials and persecutions come, is your first thought, “If God is good, if God really loves me, why is this happening to me?”

Or is your faith rooted deeply in your conviction of God’s love and goodness toward you?

How deep are your roots?

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James Devotionals

Strengthen your heart

Therefore, brothers and sisters, be patient until the Lord’s coming.

See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth and is patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains.

You also must be patient. Strengthen your hearts, because the Lord’s coming is near. (James 5:7-8)

We saw in chapter 1 that the people James was writing to were going through hard times, and so James encouraged them to persevere. And here in chapter 5, we see James returning to that theme.

As he does so, he says, “Strengthen your hearts.”

But how do we do that?

Just say to yourself, “Be strong! Be strong! Be strong!”?

No.

But consciously remind yourself, the Lord’s coming is near. Our troubles won’t last forever. They may seem long, but in comparison to eternity, they’re a drop in the ocean.

Remind yourself he is merciful and compassionate. Remember stories like Job. But also remind yourself of the times God has shown you his mercy and compassion when you’ve been through hard times.

And finally, remind yourself that even now, Jesus is near. So choose to rejoice. And instead of trying to endure in your own strength, humbly cast your anxieties on him. (Philippians 4:4-7; I Peter 5:6-7)

In short, let’s pray as David did.

The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom should I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life—whom should I dread?

Lord, hear my voice when I call;
be gracious to me and answer me.

My heart says this about you: “Seek his face.”
Lord, I will seek your face…

Even if my father and mother abandon me, the Lord cares for me…

I am certain that I will see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living.

Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart be courageous.

Wait for the Lord. (Psalm 27:1, 7-8, 10, 13-14)

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James Devotionals

Learning endurance

Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance.

And let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing. (James 1:2-4)

“Let endurance have its full effect.”

Those words struck me this morning.

Quite frankly, I’d like to short-circuit the process. Can’t we just skip to the part where we’re mature and complete, lacking nothing?

Not according to James. Only through enduring trials will we become that way.

But this isn’t an endurance that is based on the building of our own strength.

It’s an endurance that comes as we learn to lean more on God and his strength.

The mature and complete person doesn’t live a life independent of God.

The mature and complete person has learned that they can’t make it on their own. That they desperately need God. And in the end, they learn what Paul did.

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness.”

Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me.

So I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and in difficulties, for the sake of Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)

Father, I don’t like trials. When I go through them, I just want them to end as soon as possible.

But if those trials can teach me to lean on you and your strength, if I can learn that your power is made perfect in my weakness, and if you’ll walk with me through the whole process, then I’m willing to do so.

Make me mature and complete. Make me like your Son. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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1 Peter Devotionals

Staying alert

The end of all things is near; therefore, be alert and sober-minded for prayer. (4:7)

Be sober-minded, be alert. Your adversary the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour. (5:8)

I can’t help but wonder if Peter was thinking of his own failures when he wrote those words.

Jesus had warned him that Satan wanted to sift him like wheat (Luke 22:31).

Jesus had told him to watch and pray so that he would not fall into temptation (Matthew 26:41).

So what did Peter do? He fell asleep. And when the time of testing came, he failed the test. (Matthew 26:69-75)

So many of us say, “I want to be strong when I go through times of testing, but I don’t know if I can.”

But we cannot be strong if we’re not connected to the Father, if we are not receiving his strength, his leading, and his wisdom every day.

Jesus knew that and so he constantly took time to be with his Father every day.

That’s why when the time of testing came, unlike Peter, Jesus was able to pass the test.

Do you want to be strong when times of testing come? Are you plugged into the Father daily? In prayer? In his Word?

Or are you asleep?

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1 Peter Devotionals

Just passing through

From Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to those temporarily residing abroad… (1 Peter 1:1, NET)

“To those temporarily residing abroad.”

Those words struck me this morning.

I’ve been living as a resident of Japan for 27 years now, and while it is home in a sense, there are always reminders to me that I don’t totally belong here: struggling with the language, dealing with food that I don’t particularly enjoy. (Can someone say “natto”）

As Christians, it’s the same with us. This world is our “home.” But we don’t truly belong here. We see this particularly in the broken world we live in. Wars. Disease. Sin. Pain. Death.

We are just passing through.

But in this world, we have a living hope. We have been chosen by God to be his children. We have an inheritance that is “imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven” for us. (4)

We know it because Jesus rose from the dead after dying for our sins 2000 years ago. We know it because of the Holy Spirit dwelling in us. We know it because we are guarded for salvation not by our own strength, but by God’s power. (1-2, 5)

And so despite the daily reminders that we don’t belong here, despite our trials that test us in which we suffer grief, we can rejoice with an inexpressible and glorious joy. Because we are receiving the goal of our faith: the salvation of our souls. (6-9)

I say again, “we can rejoice.”

I suppose the question is, “Do we rejoice?”

It’s hard to do, especially when we’re struggling, unless we remember this one truth:

“We are only passing through.”

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Luke Devotionals

A prayer to Jesus

Luke

Simon, Simon, look out. Satan has asked to sift you [all] like wheat. But I have prayed for you (i.e. Simon) that your faith may not fail.

And you, when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers. (LUke 22:31-32)

Lord, the day will come when you will reign and we will reign with you (2 Timothy 2:12). A day when we will eat at your table, enjoying sweet fellowship with you.

But that time is not now. We will face trials as Peter and the other disciples did. And through those trials, Satan desires to sift us all like wheat.

So Lord, as you prayed for Peter, pray for me and your people. Intercede for us.

Lord, I know myself too well. I know there will be times I will fall. But when I do, pick me up. And use me to strengthen my brothers and sisters, reminding them that the grace that you gave to me is also available to them.

And in the times when I’m down and feeling far from your grace, use my brothers and sisters to strengthen me.

In your name, I pray, amen.

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Luke Devotionals

Following our Lord’s example

Luke

“Be on your guard, so that your minds are not dulled from carousing, drunkenness, and worries of life, or that day will come on you unexpectedly like a trap. For it will come on all who live on the face of the whole earth.

But be alert at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place and to stand before the Son of Man.”

During the day, he was teaching in the temple, but in the evening he would go out and spend the night on what is called the Mount of Olives. (Luke 21:34-37)

Jesus never promised an easy life.

Despite all the disciples’ dreams of Jesus throwing down the Roman Empire and setting us his kingdom, Jesus warned them that Jerusalem would be destroyed and that they themselves would be persecuted for his sake.

He also warned them that before he returned in the clouds, there would be many more trials to come. And so he told them to be alert at all times, praying for strength to escape all that would happen.

What I find interesting is that Jesus modeled that for them.

Jesus was facing his own trial. He would soon be crucified for our sins. And so every night he went to the Mount of Olives.

I don’t think he went there to sleep. I think he went there to pray for strength. He could not escape the cross. But he would endure it.

And ultimately, he would escape the grave, rising three days later.

Like Jesus, we are not going to escape all our trials. We’re going to have to go through hard times. And like his disciples, we may have to suffer for Jesus.

You might wonder if you have the strength to get through it.

You don’t. I don’t. We can’t make it through in our own strength.

So let’s follow our Lord’s example and pray for strength. As the Father strengthened Jesus, he will strengthen us. (Luke 22:43)

And though we may face our own crosses, like Jesus, we will find resurrection life.

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Luke Devotionals

Filled, led, and empowered

Luke

And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by the devil…

And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee…(Luke 4:1-2, 14)

Holy Spirit, I can’t live this life without you.

I can’t resist temptations.

I can’t endure trials and spiritual deserts.

I can’t do your work, touching the people around me.

I need you.

So fill me as you filled Jesus.

Lead me as you led Jesus.

Empower me as you empowered Jesus.

In Jesus’ name, amen.

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James Devotionals

Because Jesus is coming

James

In a lot of ways, James is circling back to his point in chapter 1, encouraging people who were facing trials in their lives.

And the main point he gives in this chapter is that Jesus is coming back.

When he does, he will judge those who have unfairly treated us, for all who have done injustice. (James 5:1-6)

And so James tells us: justice is coming. Wait for it. Wait for the Lord as Job and the prophets did. And as we do, we’ll find out that God is indeed good. (7-11)

So until he comes back, keep your eyes on him, in the good times and the bad. (13)

Also, watch how you yourself live, especially in your relationships, knowing that you too will be judged. (9, 12)

Finally, remember you don’t have to stand alone in your struggles. So let your brothers and sisters in Christ support you, and just as importantly, support them, especially when they seem to be falling away from Christ (14-20).

What struggles are you going through now? Let us sing with King David:

I am certain that I will see the Lord’s goodness
in the land of the living.

Wait for the Lord;
be strong, and let your heart be courageous.

Wait for the Lord. (Psalm 27:13-14)

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James Devotionals

Our attitude in the midst of trials

James

Life isn’t always easy. We all go through trials and hardships. But in this passage, James tells us the attitude we should have in the midst of those trials.

What attitude should we have?

1. Remember that God is good. He is not trying to make us fall (James 1:13).

He is not a capricious God, one moment loving toward us, and the next being angry at us for no reason. Even when we are faithless, he is faithful (17).

And when he does allow trials in our lives, his end goal is that we will be mature and complete, lacking nothing (4).

And when this life is through, and we have passed through our final test, he will give the crown of life for all of us who love him (12).

And so with that in mind…

2. Trust him.

Like I said, his goal is to make us mature and complete, lacking nothing.

But in our trials, we sometimes lack wisdom. And so James says in those times, ask God, and he will give without hesitation. But we need to ask with a heart of faith. (8)

What does that mean?

Again it means believing that God is good. That he wants our best. And that his way is best.

So be slow to speak, complaining to God about our trials. Be slow to get angry at God for allowing our suffering and trials.

Rather, be quick to listen to him. And be quick to obey him. As we do so, ultimately, we will find God’s blessing, even in the midst of our trials. (17-25)

Finally,

3. Look outward.

There are other people suffering in this world too. Paul mentions the widows and the orphans (27).

But take note of those who are hurting around you and touch them too.

It’s easy to always look inward at our problems in times of trials. But let us be people that look outward.

Are you struggling through trials right now? What is your attitude?

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2 Corinthians Devotionals

Humble God-reliance

2 Corinthians

I see in this passage a remarkable parallel to chapter 1, verses 8-10. In both passages, Paul faced a trial that was too much for him. A trial that overwhelmed him.

In both passages, the lesson was the same: humble God-reliance.

Too often we fool ourselves into thinking we are wise. That we are strong enough to handle whatever may come.

But God never created us to be self-reliant. He created us to be God-reliant.

That’s why he sometimes allows us to face the trials we do. To remind us we’re not as wise or strong as we think we are.

And to bring us back humbly to his feet, hands raised in dependent, childlike trust.

When we do, we find out his grace is sufficient for us. That his power is made perfect in our weakness.

And we can say with Paul,

Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me.

So I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and in difficulties, for the sake of Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:9b-10)

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2 Corinthians Devotionals

That we might place our trust (and hope) in God

2 Corinthians

When we face trials and difficulties, it’s so easy to rely on ourselves. To depend on our own strength and wisdom to deal with them. I know I do.

And perhaps that is one reason that God sometimes allows things that are too big for us. That overwhelm us. He allows them so that we stop relying on ourselves and start relying on him.

Paul certainly thought so.

He said,

We don’t want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, of our affliction that took place in Asia. We were completely overwhelmed—beyond our strength—so that we even despaired of life itself.

Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death, so that we would not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead. (2 Corinthians 1:8-9)

And in learning to trust and rely on God, he found hope.

He has delivered us from such a terrible death, and he will deliver us. We have put our hope in him that he will deliver us again. (10)

What trials or difficulties are you going through now?

In whom are you placing your trust? In whom are you placing your hope?

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Mark Devotionals

Watching and praying

Mark

Therefore be alert, since you don’t know when the master of the house is coming—whether in the evening or at midnight or at the crowing of the rooster or early in the morning.

Otherwise, when he comes suddenly he might find you sleeping. And what I say to you, I say to everyone: Be alert!” (Mark 13:35-37)

He said to them, “I am deeply grieved to the point of death. Remain here and stay awake.”…Then he came and found them sleeping. (Mark 14:34, 37)

It’s interesting to me that in the garden of Gethsemane, the disciples lived out the parable Jesus had just told them.

In the parable and in the garden, Jesus told them, “Be alert. Stay awake.” (In the Greek, those two commands are exactly the same.)

But when their Master returned, the disciples were sleeping. Why? Luke tells us the reason: they were exhausted from grief. (Luke 22:45)

Grief from hearing Jesus was leaving them (John 16:5-6).

Grief that one of them would betray him (Mark 14:18).

Grief that all would forsake him. (Mark 14:27)

And because of their grief, they failed to watch and pray. So when the time of trial came, they fell. (50)

Sometimes, we are so burdened by our problems that we say, “I can’t pray. I’m too exhausted. I’m feeling too weak.”

But it’s precisely during those times that we need to watch and pray the most.

Jesus was exhausted. He was emotionally drained. But in the garden, he watched and he prayed. So when the time of trial came, he was able to stand.

Are you feeling exhausted? Are you feeling emotionally drained? Now especially is the time to watch and pray.

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Luke Devotionals

Our need for prayer

Luke

I couldn’t help but see the connections in Jesus’ words in chapter 21 and what happened in chapter 22.

Jesus told his disciples,

Be on your guard, so that your minds are not dulled from carousing, drunkenness, and worries of life, or that day will come on you unexpectedly like a trap.

For it will come on all who live on the face of the whole earth.

But be alert at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place and to stand before the Son of Man. (Luke 21:34-36)

Jesus himself kept his own words. In the midst of much anguish and distress, he prayed to his Father, and his Father strengthened him for the trials he would face. (Luke 22:41-43)

The disciples, on the other hand, slept. Why? Just because they were tired? No, they were “exhausted from grief.” (Luke 22:45)

They were mentally and emotionally drained from all Jesus had told them. And so they slept.

It was a totally understandable response. I can’t help but wonder if I wouldn’t have done the same. But when trials came, they fled (Matthew 26:56). 

Peter followed Jesus, but ended up denying him. Instead of being able to stand before Jesus, he too left in shame. (Luke 22:54-60)

We are all weak. And it’s understandable that many of us are tired and emotionally drained because of how long Corona has been dragging on. 

But it’s especially in these times that we need to be in prayer. Because without the Father’s help, we will not be able to stand.  

But if we come to him, he will strengthen us. 

And if we have fallen, don’t lose heart. Just as Jesus showed Peter and the disciples grace, he shows us grace and he restores us. 

So as the writer of Hebrews said, 

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens—Jesus the Son of God—let us hold fast to our confession.

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin.

Therefore, let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need. (Hebrews 4:14-16)

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Ecclesiastes Devotionals

In a world where we see evil.

Ecclesiastes

I don’t think anyone can deny we live in an evil world. None of us are untouched by it. But how do we deal with evil when we are touched by it?

I think there are three answers we find in this passage.

1. Don’t break your brains trying to find out all the whys for evil in the world.

As I mentioned in my last article, Solomon was the wisest person who ever lived besides Jesus, and he couldn’t figure it out. Neither will you. (Ecclesiastes 8:16-17)

2. Trust that God will bring justice in the end. (12-13)

We may never see justice here on earth. (10-11). But our God is good, and ultimately, the Judge of all the earth will do what is right. (Genesis 18:25)

3. Seek God’s wisdom.

We live in a world where people have the power to hurt others. (9) 

Just because we are Christians doesn’t mean we’ll escape that. So when people hurt you, seek God’s wisdom on how to deal with them.

When do we seek justice? When do we show mercy? When do we simply leave justice in God’s hands? To answer those questions, we need God’s wisdom.

Solomon said, 

…a wise heart knows the right time and procedure. For every activity there is a right time and procedure, even though a person’s troubles are heavy on him. (Ecclesiastes 8:5-6)

4. Choose to rejoice. (15) 

If our focus is always on our troubles, it will suck us into a pit of despair.

But the Lord is near. He is good. So in the midst of our troubles, let us focus on him, and his goodness to us.

And as we lay our burdens before him, let us not forget all the things we have to be thankful for.

As you do, even though you may be touched by evil in this world, you will know God’s peace. (Philippians 4:5-7)

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Proverbs Devotionals

In times of trials

As I looked at today’s passage, two verses struck me.

A crucible for silver, and a smelter for gold,
and the Lord is the tester of hearts. (Proverbs 17:3)

Throughout scripture, it’s clear that God allows his people to go through trials. And one reason is to test their hearts.

But why would he need to do that? Doesn’t he know our hearts already?

Of course he does. But often times we don’t. And through our trials, all our faults and weaknesses rise to the surface.

On the other hand, sometimes through our trials, we come to realize that we are stronger than we had thought.

Either way, God’s purpose isn’t to destroy us, it is to make us more like Jesus.

But there is another important thing to remember: we don’t have to go through our trials alone.

Solomon wrote,

A friend loves at all times,
and a brother is born for a difficult time. (17)

God’s desire is that as we go through our trials, we support one another.

So when you’re struggling, don’t feel ashamed to reach out to others for help. And when you see others struggling, be quick to reach out to help them.

More importantly though, remember that Jesus is a friend that loves us at all times. And he will be there for us in our most difficult times.

I think of the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in Daniel 3. When they were literally going through the fire, they were there to support each other. And Jesus himself walked through the fire with them.

The result? They all came forth as gold.

And so will we.

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Psalms Devotionals

When God allows hard times

Psalms

You caused me to experience
many troubles and misfortunes… (Psalm 71:20a)

That seems a little cruel doesn’t it?

God causes us to experience many troubles and misfortunes?

Yes, he does.

This is not to say that God actively wields a bat against us.

Many times, the troubles and misfortunes we face are of our own making. Sometimes, they are the results of others’ actions. And other times, they are the result of living in a broken world.

God could, I suppose, actively intervene and keep those troubles and misfortunes from us. And by his grace, he sometimes does.

I would dare say there are many troubles or misfortunes that God in his grace has protected us from that we are totally unaware of.

But he does allow us to experience troubles and misfortunes in our lives.

Why? Because God is cruel? Because he hates us?

No.

Rather, as David says,

…but you will revive me again. You will bring me up again, even from the depths of the earth. (20b)

Through our troubles, we learn to lean on him. (6)

We learn to hope in him. (14)

And as he raises us up, we learn that he is indeed good. (16-17)

We stand in awe of him and cry out with David,

 Your righteousness reaches the heights, God, you who have done great things; God, who is like you? (19)

But as you go through your trials, remember one more thing. Jesus knows what it means to endure suffering too.

The writer of Hebrews says,

For in bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was entirely appropriate that God—for whom and through whom all things exist—should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through sufferings…

[Jesus] had to be like his brothers and sisters in every way, so that he could become a merciful and faithful high priest in matters pertaining to God, to make atonement, for the sins of the people. (Hebrews 2:10, 17)

Yes, God causes us to go through suffering. But he caused his Son to go through it first. And because of that, the writer of Hebrews can tell us,

For since he himself has suffered when he was tempted (or “tested”, the word is the same in Greek), [Jesus] is able to help those who are tempted (“tested”). (Hebrews 2:18)

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Psalms Devotionals

Made to see hard things

Psalms

You have made your people see hard things;
you have given us wine to drink that made us stagger. (Psalm 60:3, ESV)

Those words struck me today. Sometimes God does make his people see hard things, things that make us stagger.

I’ve seen my father go blind in an accident. Years later, I saw his life fading away in a hospital.

I have seen the company I work at go bankrupt forcing me into unemployment for nine months.

I have seen friends die before their time.

And of course, we have all seen the effects of Covid-19.

And yet David says,

You have set up a banner for those who fear you,
that they may flee to it from the bow. (4, ESV)

Those words remind me of Exodus 17:15, where Moses called the Lord Himself, “Our Banner!”

He is the one we run to. He is the one we rally to when are afraid and struggling. And he is the one who brings us salvation.

Suffering and hard times are a part of life. But those times are never in vain for those who love God and who are called according to his purpose. Rather, as Paul said,

…affliction produces endurance, endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope.

This hope will not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. (Romans 5:3-5)

That love was proven to us on the cross (Romans 5:6-8).

So in these times, let us rally to the cross, remembering that Jesus is no longer hanging there, but has conquered death itself. And because of him, we will ultimately find victory! (Psalm 60:12)

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John Devotionals

Believe!

John

Do not be unbelieving, but believing. (John 20:27, NASB)

Jesus’ words to Thomas resonated with me this morning. They echo Jesus’ earlier words to the disciples the night before his crucifixion.

Don’t let your heart be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. (John 14:1)

In a world filled with trouble, we have hope. We have hope because of the resurrection.

Peter talks about that hope we have.

Because of his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you.

You are being guarded by God’s power through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. (1 Peter 1:3-5)

As I said a few days ago, the world is not our home. We have something far greater awaiting us.

For that reason, Peter said,

You rejoice in this, even though now for a short time, if necessary, you suffer grief in various trials that the proven character of your faith—more valuable than gold which, though perishable, is refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 1:6-7)

That’s the hope we cling to.

But we need choose to believe.

To a large degree, after the resurrection, it was easy for Thomas to believe. After all, he saw the risen Lord with his own eyes and was able to touch Jesus’ hands and his side.

But Jesus told him,

Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe. (John 20:29)

Peter would later remember these words and say this to people like us who had never seen Jesus with their own eyes.

Though you have not seen him, you love him; though not seeing him now, you believe in him, and you rejoice with inexpressible and glorious joy, because you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls. (1 Peter 1:8-9)

Are you troubled by all that is going on in the world? Are you struggling with personal trials?

Remember the resurrection. Remember the hope we have in Jesus. Trust the Father. Trust Jesus.

Do not be unbelieving, but believing.

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Romans Devotionals

Though we may not all understand all the whys

Romans


When authors in the New Testament quote the Old Testament, it’s always a good idea to read the original passage.

In verse 36, Paul quotes from Psalm 44.

Psalm 44 is kind of a depressing psalm. It starts out by talking about God’s faithfulness and goodness, but suddenly changes to asking why they were suffering defeat against their enemies.

Unlike many psalms where the psalmist confess their sins, in Psalm 44, there seems to be no sin to confess. Rather, despite their faithfulness to God, the Israelites were struggling, leading them to say,

Because of you we are being put to death all day long;
we are counted as sheep to be slaughtered. (Psalm 44:22)

The psalm ends by asking God why he was sleeping, and asking him to rise up and help them.

Sometimes we feel the same way. We feel abandoned by God. But are we? Are we doomed to defeat? Not according to Paul.

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. (Romans 8:37)

As Paul pointed out, God showed his love for us by predestining us, calling us, justifying us, and glorifying us. (29-30)

And in order to accomplish all this, he sent his Son to die for us. So Paul says,

What, then, are we to say about these things?

If God is for us, who is against us?

He did not even spare his own Son but gave him up for us all.

How will he not also with him grant us everything? (Romans 8:31-32)

And that’s why we can conclude,

For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39)

Like the psalmist, we may not understand the whys in our lives. We may not understand until heaven. Actually, by the time we get there, we may not even care anymore.

But in the meantime, let us hold on to these precious promises of God.

And remember: he is faithful.

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Romans Devotionals

A reason to rejoice

Romans

I’m currently in the process of translating all my posts on Hebrews into Japanese, so as I read today’s passage, I saw a link between this chapter and Hebrews 10 that I had never seen before.

Paul says,

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

We have also obtained access through him by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we boast in the hope of the glory of God. (Romans 5:1-2)

The writer of Hebrews says something very similar in chapter ten of his letter.

Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have boldness to enter the sanctuary through the blood of Jesus— he has inaugurated for us a new and living way through the curtain (that is, through his flesh)— and since we have a great high priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water. (Hebrews 10:19-22)

The idea in both passages are the same. Through Jesus, we now have free access to God. We no longer have to stand in fear of God. Rather, we now have peace with him, standing in his grace.

In the Old Testament days, God manifested his glory in the tabernacle, particularly in a room called the Most Holy Place.

For this reason, only the high priest could come into that room, and he could only come in once a year.

For him, to stand in the presence of God’s glory was an awesome thing, but also a fearsome thing.

The Israelites themselves feared drawing anywhere near to God and his glory (Exodus 20:18-21), and God himself warned against it (Exodus 19:11-12; 20-22).

But through his death, Jesus tore down the barrier between us and God. We no longer need to be fearful as stand in the presence of God’s glory.

Rather, we can stand boldly by grace in his presence and rejoice in that glory.

The question is, do we truly understand the grace on which we stand?

Do we grasp it to the point that we understand the sufferings we go through are not punishments from God? Do we instead have hope in our sufferings?

What is the basis of our hope? The peace we have with God.

When we were still God’s enemies, Christ died for us. He didn’t wait for us to make ourselves good before he died for us. When we were still hostile toward him, he died for us.

And if Jesus did that for us while we are his enemies, how can we now think he has turned against us and is punishing us when we are his friends?

Rather, the same God who loved and saved us when we were his enemies, now pours out his love and mercy on us as his friends.

So whatever trials you may be facing, remember: we are at peace with God. Jesus made that peace possible 2000 years ago on a cross.

Let us now rest in that peace.

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Acts Devotionals

Mega-power, mega-grace

Acts

In a world filled with all kinds of problems right now, the response of the early church to their troubles is really worth noting. What did they do?

1. They went to their Christian friends. (Acts 4:23)

They shared their problems with them. We aren’t meant to make it through this life in our own strength. We are to lean on each other and support one another.

2. Together with their friends, they lifted their voices together to God. (24a)

While it’s great to have the support of Christian friends, that is not enough. As friends we are to point each other to God, and approach his throne together.

3. They remembered who God is. (24b, 27-28)

They remembered that he is the Lord who is sovereign over everything. That he is the one who created all things with just a word. And he does whatever his hand and his will predestined before time began. Nothing is out of his control.

4. They prayed for strength to do what God had told them to do.

The result? The Holy Spirit fell upon them, and they were filled with great power and grace in their time of trouble. (31, 33)

The word for “great” in both cases is the Greek word “megas,” where we get our word “mega” from.

In short, they received not just power and grace from God, but “mega-power” and “mega-grace.”

In these times, don’t we all need more of both?

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Luke Devotionals

Strengthened in our trials

Luke

This past Sunday, I gave a message at church on 2 Corinthians 1.

In that passage, I pointed out that God does sometimes give us more than we can bear…in our own strength. And he does that so that we learn to rely on him. As we do so, he imparts courage and strength to us.

We see that here in Jesus’ life. He told his disciples, “Pray that you may not fall into temptation.” (Luke 22:40)

I mentioned in my message that the words for “trial” and “temptation” are basically the same word in Greek.

And we see in the very next verse Jesus praying that he himself would not have to be tested.

But then he said, “nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” (42)

Just as God allows trials into our lives, he allowed Jesus to go through the greatest trial a human ever endured: the cross.

But as God did with Paul, God did with his Son. He imparted courage and strength to Jesus so that he could endure the cross. (43)

That’s why the writer of Hebrews could say,

During [Jesus’] earthly life, he offered prayers and appeals with loud cries and tears to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence.

Although he was the Son, he learned obedience from what he suffered.

After he was perfected, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him, and he was declared by God a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek. (Hebrews 5:7-10)

It is also why the writer could also say,

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens—Jesus the Son of God—let us hold fast to our confession.

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin.

Therefore, let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need. (Hebrews 4:14-16)

So when we are going through trials, let us look to Jesus. He understands what it means to go through trials that are too much for us. And as our high priest, he will pray for us, strengthen us, and encourage us.

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2 Corinthians Devotionals

Take pleasure?

2 Corinthians

2 Corinthians 12:9 is probably one of the most famous in the Bible.

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness.”

I wonder, though, how often we notice Paul’ application of those words.

Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me.

So I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and in difficulties, for the sake of Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (9b-10)

Do you take pleasure when you see your weaknesses? When people insult you? When you go through trials? When you suffer for being a Christian?

That seems crazy. Take pleasure?

In some Bibles, it translates Paul’s words, “I’m content.”

But the words are actually much stronger. They’re the same words God used when he said, “This is my Son. In Him I am well pleased.”

How could Paul say, “I take pleasure in weaknesses, and in all my trials and sufferings?”

Is he a masochist or something?

I don’t know about you, but it’s much easier for me to complain. To ask “Why, God? I don’t deserve this!”

I think Paul could say he took pleasure in those things, because in his weakness, he rediscovered the joy of grace.

What’s the joy of grace?

It’s recognizing first: “God I need you.”

And then it’s seeing that though you’re weak, though you fail, and though you have nothing to give God that would cause him to help you in your time of trouble, yet in love, he does.

“You have nothing to give to God that would cause him to help you.”

That’s something I think we especially tend to forget.

So often we think, “I deserve God’s blessings, because I do this, and this, and this.”

That’s why we get so frustrated when we face struggles and trials in our lives. We think we don’t deserve them.

But the truth is we fail God so often every day.

How often do we take him for granted? How often do prioritize other things over him? How often do we neglect him completely?

Maybe we read our Bible in the morning and pray. But then the rest of the day, we barely give him a second thought.

Instead every decision we make, every thing that we do is done in our own wisdom and strength. That’s true even for people in ministry. I do that sometimes.

But that’s not living by God’s grace.

But when we are confronted with our weaknesses, when we are confronted with situations that we can’t handle, it forces us to remember God and to rely on his grace once again.

And though we don’t deserve it, God pours his grace and love on us again.

So when Paul faced his weaknesses, when he faced his trials and struggles, he treated them as reminders from God, and he cried out once again, “God, I can’t do this! I need you!”

And in remembering that, he rediscovered the joy of a relationship with God.

Are you ashamed of your weaknesses? Of your failures? Are you struggling with trials bigger than you?

Don’t run from God in shame or anger.

Instead, cry out, “God, I can’t do this! I need you!”

And if you do, you will learn the meaning of the words,

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness.”

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2 Thessalonians Devotionals

Prayers that every believer needs

Worship at the cross

As I was reading 2 Thessalonians today, Paul’s prayers really touched me.

The things that he prayed for the Thessalonians is what I need prayer for.

They’re what every Christian needs prayer for.

He said,

We always pray for you that our God will make you worthy of his calling, and by his power fulfill your every desire to do good and your work produced by faith, so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified by you, and you by him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Thessalonians 1:11-12)

So often we think that we have to make ourselves good. To change our lives by our own strength and will.

But here Paul prays that God would make us worthy of his calling, and by his power fulfill our every desire to do good, and to bring to fulfillment every work we do by faith.

And as we do so, Jesus will be glorified in us, and us in him.

Not because of how good and wonderful we are, but because of the grace of the Father and the Son operating in our lives.

He then prays,

May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us eternal encouragement and good hope by grace, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good work and word. (2:16-17)

And again,

May the Lord direct your hearts to God’s love and Christ’s endurance. (3:5)

At the root of our Christian faith is one basic fact: God loves us.

And Paul prays that Jesus would drive us to the Father’s love each day, so that we can receive the encouragement and hope we all need. As we do, he will strengthen us in every good work we do and every word we speak.

More, Paul prayed that when we face trials and afflictions as the Thessalonians did, that we would look to Christ and take courage from the endurance he showed in going to the cross for us to pay for our sins.

Like I said, so often we look inwardly as we walk this Christian life, trying to live in our own strength.

But let Jesus direct you to the Father’s love.

Remember the cross on which Jesus died.

And as you meditate on these things, let these be the things drive you each day in everything you say and do.

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James Devotionals

Angry at God?

James

Sometimes we get angry with God because of the trials we go through. We shout, “Do you really hate me that much? Do you WANT me to walk away from you?”

But James reminds us of something important. God is good. He proved it by choosing us to be his children.

He didn’t have to do that. He could have let us die and go to hell for our sin. But because he loved us, he saved us and chose us to be his children.

And God is not like shifting shadows, one day saying, “I love you,” and the next saying, “I think I’ll make your life miserable today.”

Instead every good and perfect gift comes from above. In short, he is a good father.

And no, he doesn’t want you to walk away. He wants you to grow stronger. He doesn’t want you to stay a baby. He wants you to become mature and complete lacking nothing.

But that can only happen when we face adversity in the face, and say in faith, “God is still good. I will not doubt his Word. I will keep obeying no matter what.”

So be quick to listen to God, slow to speak, and slow to get angry at him. That kind of anger does not product God’s righteousness in your life. Instead, humbly receive his word in your life.

And when you have stood the test, you will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

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1 Peter Devotionals

Resting in grace

1 Peter

Two blogs in one day. Pretty unusual, but I wrote something for my church, and I figured I might as well share it here as well.

You know it’s easy as we’re facing trials and struggles in our lives to think, “I have to get through this myself! I have to do all I can to make it through these problems.”

But it strikes me that that’s not how God wants us to live. Peter says,

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your care on Him, because He cares about you. (I Peter 5:6-7)

Some English versions separate verses 6-7, but it’s really just one thought. In short, “Don’t think you have to solve all your problems on your own. Humble yourself. Admit that you can’t make it without God. Ask for his help. And he will lift you up because he cares for you.”

This doesn’t mean that we just “Let go and let God.” Peter calls us to resist Satan and stand firm in our faith. (8-9) But we are to do so in God’s strength, not ours.

And then Peter says,

Now the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ Jesus, will personally restore, establish, strengthen, and support you after you have suffered a little. (10)

God allows us to struggle sometimes, to suffer. But by the same grace that saves us and will bring us into his eternal kingdom, he will personally restore, establish, strengthen, and support us.

So never think you have to fight through your struggles on your own. Humble yourself. Cast your cares on him. And rest in his grace.

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Revelation

Though we may go through trial and tribulation

Revelation

I mentioned a couple of blogs ago that these letters to the churches were meant to prepare us for the antichrists and tribulations to come .

And again, I know many of you who read this believe that we won’t see the final antichrist when he comes or have to endure the great tribulation.

But as I read through Revelation and the other books of the New Testament, I don’t see that at all. What comes through time and again is that we will go through trial and trouble in this world, and particularly when antichrist comes.

I don’t see anything in scripture that makes me believe we’ll escape these things entirely.

What I do see is that though we may not escape these things, that God will never abandon us. That these things are only for a time. And that God calls us to keep holding onto him no matter what happens.

And we see all these things in this passage.

Jesus is talking to a church called Smyrna. And as Jesus addresses them, he refers to himself as the first and the last, the one who died and came to life again. (8)

That latter is particularly interesting because Smyrna itself died and came to life again. It was destroyed in 600 BC and remarkably restored in 290 BC.

Now, the Christians in Smyrna were facing death because of their faith in Christ.

And so Jesus encourages them by reminding them that no matter what happens, he is in control for he is the first and the last. He had the first word when this world was created, and he will have the last when all is said and done.

More, he was the one who conquered death. And though these Christians were facing death, like Jesus, they too would rise again to eternal life.

He told them,

I know your afflictions and your poverty — yet you are rich!

I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. (Revelation 2:9)

Apparently, these people were being persecuted by the Jews.

By this time in history, the Jews were starting to tell the Roman Empire, “These Christians are not a sect of Judaism. Many are not Jews at all. They’re Gentiles. So when they refuse to worship the emperor like your law requires, they are not under the same religious protections we are under. Go after them.”

As a result, persecution was starting to come to the Christians.

But Jesus tells them, “Don’t let them tell you that you are not true Jews. You are. You are the true descendants of Abraham because you have come to me by faith just as Abraham did.

“They are the false Jews. And their synagogue is not a synagogue of God, but of Satan.”

Then he tells them, “Don’t worry, persecution won’t come your way. I’ll rescue from all trouble that may come your way.”

Is that what he said? Hardly. He said,

Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. (Revelation 2:10a)

In short, “You will suffer. But don’t be afraid. Satan will have his way with you, but it won’t be forever. It will only be for a little while.”

The same is true today and the same will be true when we face antichrist. We will face suffering. But Jesus reminds us, “It’s only for a moment.”

And so he admonishes us,

Be faithful even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death. (Revelation 2:10b-11)

Jesus said pretty much the same thing to his disciples when he was still on earth. He said,

He said,

Don’t be afraid of those who can kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One (God) who can destroy both soul and body in hell. (Matthew 10:28)

If you fear God, you need not fear anything else, not even death. For though people can destroy your body, they can’t touch your soul. And Jesus says the second death, that is hell, won’t touch you.

Instead you will have life with him forever in heaven.

How about you? Are you facing persecution because of your faith? Remember that it is but for a short time. And no matter what people may say or do to you, they can’t touch what’s really important.

So be faithful. For even if you should die for his sake, yet shall you live. (John 11:25)

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James

How faith responds to suffering

James

James started this letter by talking about how God uses trials to make us mature and complete.

And for the last several chapters, he talked about how true faith should look as it matures. That true faith causes people to grow in love, speech, and in purity.

That is the endgame for God. That we would become more like Christ as we draw near to him.

Now having drawn that picture, he comes back to how we should deal with our trials.

On first glance, the first six verses of chapter 5 look like a continuation of his condemnation of the wealthy Christians that we saw in the last few verses of chapter 4.

But taking a closer look, it seems much more likely that James is echoing the Old Testament prophets who condemned those who persecuted or oppressed God’s people.

There were rich people who hoarded their wealth and failed to pay their workers their wages. Who condemned and murdered innocent men by their greed and self-indulgence.

And James warns, “Your time of judgment is coming.”

But then he turns to the suffering Christian. And he says,

Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming.

See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains?

You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. (James 5:7-8)

In short, part of perseverance is faith. Faith that God will judge the unjust and that justice will ultimately come.

Just as the farmer trusts God to provide the rains he needs so that his crop will grow, so we should trust God to provide the justice that we all long for. And as we wait in faith, we will bear the fruit of righteousness in our lives.

That’s hard, though. And sometimes in our frustration, we not only get angry with God, but we turn on each other. So James says,

Don’t grumble against each other brothers, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door! (9)

If in our impatience and anger at our situation, we turn on each other, God will hold us accountable for that. So James tells us,

Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.

As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy. (11)

When you look at the lives of the prophets, many, if not all, suffered greatly. Yet in the midst of their struggle, they continued to to be faithful, preaching the Word of the Lord, no matter how much they were reviled.

Job too suffered, and though he struggled with understanding the whys, he never gave up on his faith on God either. And in the end, God vindicated them all.

And so James tells us, “Learn from them. In the midst of your trials, be patient.”

It’s easy to say God is good when all is going well. It’s much harder when we’re going through trial.

Finally James says,

Above all, my brothers, do not swear — not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. Let your “Yes” be yes, and your “No”,” no, or you will be condemned. (12)

Here I think James is saying, “No matter how bad things get, hold on to your integrity. Don’t let your trials take that away with you. Always stay unflinchingly honest lest your dishonesty detract from your testimony.”

How do you face your trials? Do you turn against God? Do you turn against those around you? Do you let your trials take away from your integrity?

Or do you stand unflinchingly in the face of it all, believing that God is good and will bring you through?

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James

Open hearts

James

At times, I must admit this letter James wrote seems a bit disjointed. He just seems to jump from topic to topic. But the more I’ve been reading this letter as a whole, the more united it has become.

In this passage, at first glance, seemingly out of nowhere, James brings up something very similar to what we see in Proverbs. He says,

My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. (James 1:19-20)

There is, of course, much truth to this in our relationships. If we would be quicker to listen to people, slower to speak, and slower to get angry, our relationships would be much better.

But I’m not so sure that James is talking here about our relationships with others. I think he’s talking about our relationship with God.

Earlier he talked about how God uses our trials to make us mature and complete. That during these times, he teaches us to trust him and to do things his way.

The problem is that during times in of trials, too many times, we’re not willing to listen. Instead we rage at God, saying, “Why are you letting this happen to me!”

But James told us in verse 18 that through his word of truth, he gave birth to us.

Through the word of the gospel we heard and accepted, he saved us from our sin and made us his children.

And it is that same word that transforms us day by day into Christ’s likeness, making us whole and complete.

So James is saying here, “Be quick to listen to that word. In your times of trial be quick to listen to what God is trying to tell you. Be slow to speak. Be slow to complain. Be slow to rage against God because of your trials.

“For that kind of anger will not bring about the righteous life that God desires to develop in you.”

He then says,

Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. (21)

In short, God is trying to purify you through these trials and his word. So when he speaks, open your heart to what he’s trying to teach you.

His word can save you not only from your trials, but save you from the multiple problems that come when you sin.

So don’t just mentally assent to what God is saying to you. Do it.

James puts it this way,

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.

But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it — he will be blessed in what he does. (22-25)

A lot of people think of God’s law as taking away our freedom. They think his law takes away from the enjoyment of life. But God’s law actually brings us freedom.

It frees us from bitterness and resentment.

It frees us from the chains that destroy our marriages, our relationships, and our lives.

It frees us to have the full life that God intended for us from the very beginning.

And as a result, we find blessing.

How about you? As you go through struggles in your life, are you getting resentful and bitter toward God?

Or do you open your heart to him? God wants to use your trials to make you whole.

When he whispers, do you listen?

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James

For our good

James

“Why is God doing this to me? Does he want me to fall?”

Sometimes, as we go through trials, that’s how we feel. That God actually wants us to fail so that he can punish us.

But nothing could be further from the truth. Yes, God allows trials in our lives, but it is not to punish us or break us. Rather, he allows these trials that we might become “mature and complete, lacking nothing.” (James 1:4)

And so James tells us,

When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed.

Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. (James 1:13-15)

The word “tempt” in Greek is actually the verb form of the word “trial.” Because of that, perhaps James’ readers got confused when hearing that God “tests” us. Many people have the same confusion today.

Yes, God tests us. He wants to see what is inside of us, and he wants to use these tests to strengthen our faith in him.

But God never tempts us to do evil. He never says, “Hey why don’t you lust after this girl,” or, “Why don’t you start berating your spouse,” or, “Why don’t you curse me?”

All these temptations, James tells us, come not from God, but from our own sinful selves. Our own sinful desires lure us, and if we take the bait, it gives birth to sin, and eventually leads to death.

But that’s not what God desires for us.

Rather James tells us,

Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created. (16-18)

In other words, every act of giving from God is good. And every gift that he gives us is perfect. There is no malicious giving on his part. And there is no gift that he gives that is defective.

And that shows in the gift of salvation. God could have left us to die in our sins. But rather, he chose to give us life through his Son.

And God is not like shifting shadows, who one day will seek to bless us, and the other to destroy us.

Rather, again, his goal is that we might become whole and complete. That we would, as the writer of Hebrews puts it, “share in his holiness.” (Hebrews 12:10).

So remember that whatever you’re going through, God is not trying to destroy you. He’s not trying to wreck your life. We do enough of that on our own. Rather, through our trials, he’s trying to teach us to trust him.

And as we learn this, we see God’s goodness and faithfulness, and come out through the fire as pure gold, whole, complete, lacking nothing.

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James

Where we put our trust

James

Who or what do you put your trust in? Trials tend to reveal this clearly.

For many, it’s in worldly wealth. They think that money is the solution to all their problems. And so for those who have wealth, they pour all their money into their problems. And for those without, they waste all their time pining after it.

But in doing so, they become double-minded. While they may be asking God for wisdom to deal with their trials, they’re really looking toward money to solve their problems.

So James says,

The brother in humble circumstances ought to take pride in his high position. But the one who is rich should take pride in his low position—because he will pass away like a wild flower.

For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will fade away even while he goes about his business. (James 1:9-11) 

In times of trial, it’s easy for those without worldly wealth and status to moan after them as if these things would be the solution to all their problems.

But James says, “It’s not wealth or worldly status that counts, but the heavenly wealth and status that you have in Christ.

“So though you may be struggling through these trials, keep your eyes on the things that are eternal, not the things of this world.

“And be content with what you have, knowing that God is with you and will help you through your trials, whether you have money or not.”

It’s in fact very similar to what the writer of Hebrew said to his readers.

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”

So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” (Hebrews 13:5-6) 

On the other hand, it’s easy for those who are rich and who think they should have it all together to be humbled by their trials and to wonder what’s going on. To wonder if God has abandoned them.

But James tells the rich, “Take a lesson from the low position you are now in. All your wealth is not saving you from your trials. All your riches, all your possessions will pass away. You will pass away.

“So let your trials refocus you on the things that really matter. And stop relying on the things of this world to save you. Put your faith in God.”

Then he says to both rich and poor,

Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. (12)

In short, don’t waver under trial. Don’t waver by seeking the things of this earth and putting your trust in them.

This earth with all its wealth and all its trouble will pass away. But you are looking toward something that will never fade away, everlasting life in heaven, and rewards that will never perish.

What trials are you going through now? Where is your focus in the midst of them? Where are you putting your faith? In money? Or in God?

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James

That we may be mature and complete

Wholeness

What is God’s intention and desire for us?

In a word, “wholeness.”

That we would be whole in our relationship with him. That we would be whole in our relationships with each other. That we would be whole in every aspect of our lives.

That’s a comforting thought, isn’t it? We all want to be made whole.

The next thought might not be so comforting: It is for the purpose of being made whole that we go through many of the trials and struggles we do.

That’s why it’s hard for us to accept James’ word to us when he says,

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. (James 1:2-3)

Pure joy? When we face suffering?

Yes. Pure joy. Why? Because these trials produce perseverance in our lives. Why is perseverance so important?

Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. (4)

In short, the path to wholeness is one of persevering through trial. For through those trials, we learn to cast aside trusting ourselves and our own wisdom.

The reason our lives are so broken is that we have spent our entire lives trusting ourselves and our own wisdom. But through our trials, we learn just how vain life is living that way.

But when we turn to God, learning to trust him and his ways, and we persevere in living that way even through trial, then we find wholeness. In our relationship with him, with each other, and in every aspect of our lives.

That’s why James tells us in the next verse,

If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.

But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.

That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does. (5-8)

As I read this, I can’t help but think of Hebrews 11:6, where it says,

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

Wholeness comes down to trusting God. If we doubt God’s goodness in our lives, we will never do the things he asks. And if we don’t do the things he asks, our lives will remain the broken shells they are.

How about you? Do you want to be whole, when all the while you’re holding on to your wisdom and your ways? You can never be made that whole that way. That way leads only to brokenness and despair.

But if you will trust in God, he will bring you out of the trials you are going through. And he will bring you out mature, whole, and complete.

What will you do?

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Hebrews

When we face trials

Hebrews

No one likes to face trials in life. But God does allow them. Why? The writer of Hebrews tells us in verse 10.

God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. (Hebrews 12:10)

We are broken people in a broken world. But God’s goal is to heal us and make us into the whole people he created us to be.

He desires to purge all the filth from our lives and make us holy as he is holy. To make us perfect reflections of him.

And he does so by fire. Our character is revealed by fire. What we really are is revealed, not during the good times, but during the bad.

If our character is good, trials will reveal it, just as they did with Job. If our character is not, that will be revealed too as it was with King Saul.

But in facing ourselves for who we really are, we are then confronted us with a choice. To stay the way we are, unholy and sinful. Or to turn to God and cry out, “God I’m a wretch. Save me. Change me.”

And when we do, we will see not only God’s amazing grace, but God’s amazing transforming power.

As we listen to him and by faith obey him, doing the things he tells us to do, we’ll see him shape our character into his likeness.

Is it a pleasant process? Generally not. The writer of Hebrews tells us,

No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. (11)

The question is again, though, what will we do when we are in the fire?

What should we do?

First look to Jesus.

Look to him in faith knowing that he started the process of salvation in your life, and he will finish it.

He hasn’t merely said, “Well, I’ve given you all the tools to change. You’re on your own now.”

Rather he says, “Let me show you how to use those tools.”

And step by step he works with us. And he will not leave our side until the job is complete.

Look to Jesus knowing that he endured hardship too. He endured the cross itself. He knows how hard life can be. But his trust in the Father was rewarded, and he is now sitting at the Father’s side.

Our trust too will be rewarded, and we will be seated with him in glory someday if we persevere.

Second, remember that all that you’re suffering through is not because God hates you or is because he is sadistic, wanting you to suffer. Rather, he disciplines you because he loves you. He wants the very best for you.

Our earthly fathers may or may not have shown the loving discipline they should have. Their motives or methods may have been wrong at times. But God’s motives and methods are always pure and loving.

Therefore.

Strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. (12)

Or, as my sister likes to say, “Buck up, baby.”

And,

Make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed. (verse 13 from the ESV)

In other words, do what is right. Follow the path God has shown you.

You’re already lame. You’re already hurting. And if you keep following the path you’re on, your bones will go out of joint.

But if you follow the path God is showing you, you will find healing. It may be hard. It may be unpleasant. But you will find healing.

What will you do?

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2 Thessalonians

When we’re in the midst of trial

Paul in the storm

I’ve mentioned many times that God has never promised us an easy life.

Paul certainly didn’t have an easy life. He was beaten and persecuted for the sake of the gospel. He was shipwrecked and stretched beyond his ability to endure. And ultimately, he was martyred for his faith.

And yet through all his trials, he kept on. How was he able to do so?

He asked the Thessalonians,

Finally, brothers, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you. 

And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men, for not everyone has faith. (2 Thessalonians 3:1-2)

I think there were several things that gave Paul the ability to keep going.

First, he saw the fruit of what he was suffering. That through the Thessalonians, the Philippians, and others, he could see God working and was reassured that all his work and suffering was not in vain.

Second, he had people praying for him. And he always made sure to ask people to pray for him. He never said, “I’m okay. I can get through all these trials on my own.”

Rather, he said time and again, “Pray for me. There is a lot of evil out there. And there are a lot of evil people around me. So pray. I need it.”

Third, he realized the Lord is faithful and good, even when he was among hostile people. He said

Not everyone has faith. But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one. (2-3)

And so he encouraged the Thessalonians to keep on as he was keeping on, saying,

We have confidence in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command. (4)

He then concludes with the key to being able to stand in the midst of trial. He prayed,

May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance. (5)

So often, we let trials lead us into bitterness, anger, and feelings of abandonment by God and others. And because we feel this way, we turn inward and throw pity parties. How could anyone, after all, understand what we are going through?

But Paul prays, “Don’t let your trials lead you away from God. Instead, let them lead you to him. Don’t run away from God because of your trials. Run to him.”

More, he says, “Remember Christ. Remember what he endured for you. That he was betrayed and abandoned by those he loved. That he was mocked, beaten, and then crucified. And yet he endured. Why? Because he loves you.

“So when you are feeling like you can’t endure any more, look to him. He understands exactly what you’re going through. And he cares. You have not been abandoned.”

The writer of Hebrews put it this way,

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 

Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. (Hebrews 12:2-3) 

And again,

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are–yet was without sin. 

Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. (Hebrews 4:15-16)

So if you are feeling beaten down by life and abandoned, my prayer for you is the same as Paul’s.

May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance. (1 Thessalonians 3:5)

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2 Corinthians

How not to lose hope

2 Corinthians

Paul closes this chapter the same way he opens it: with hope.

Here was a man that had experienced so much that it would have been easy for him to lose hope.

He had been hard pressed on every side, with conflicts from without and fears from within (2 Corinthians 7:5).

We often face the same problem. Not only do we have to fight our circumstances, but we have to fight our own feelings. We have to fight our fears, our frustrations, our sorrows, our hurt.

Paul had gone through times where he felt perplexed. Literally, the word perplexed in Greek means “no way,” meaning that he was at a loss, seeing no way out of his situation.

He had been persecuted for his faith and even stoned and left for dead. On top of that, we saw all the problems he had with the Corinthian church, leaving him wondering if all he had done had been in vain.

And yet he had hope. Though he was hard pressed, he was not crushed, neither by his circumstances nor his feelings.

Though he was at a loss, he was not “utterly at a loss.” He knew that if he sought God, eventually he would find a way out (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Though he was persecuted, he knew Jesus had not abandoned him. And though he was struck down, he was not destroyed.

Why? How could he hold on to this hope in spite of his circumstances?

Because he knew God had a plan.

He says in verse 1,

Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. (2 Corinthians 4:1)

Paul knew God had given him the ministry that he had. And God didn’t give him that ministry for nothing. But God had given him that ministry to accomplish His purposes.

More, Paul knew that he didn’t even deserve to be given that ministry. He had hated Jesus and had even persecuted the church.

But by God’s mercy, God showed him the truth. God had even told him beforehand, “You will suffer for my name.” (Acts 9:16).

So Paul knew that this suffering he was going through was not a surprise to God.

God didn’t say, “Whoa, I didn’t see that coming. Sorry about that Paul.”

Rather, everything that Paul went through, God knew about in advance.

And Paul knew that the same mercy that pulled him out of the darkness of his sin into the light of life, would pull him out of the darkness of his trials into the light of glory as well.

So at the end of this chapter he says again,

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.

For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.

So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)

In other words, though we may suffer in this life, even though we may feel like we are falling apart physically and emotionally, day by day God is doing a work in us.

He is using our trials to transform us into the likeness of his Son that we may reflect his glory (2 Corinthians 3:18).

So how do we maintain hope in the midst of trial? By fixing our eyes not on our troubles that we can see. But by focusing on Him who is unseen.

Though we may not be able to see his plan, we need to trust that he has one.

We need to trust that these trials will not last forever. That he will bring us through. And that if we hang in there, we will see his glory, not just in himself, but in our situation and in ourselves.

I like the New King James version of verse 17.

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.

So let us remember that. God is not surprised by anything that you’re going through. He has a plan.

So whatever you’re going through, put your trust in him that he will work out his plans, and if you do, you will find hope.

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1 Corinthians

Because we have hope

Hope

Nobody said life was easy.

And neither did Paul. He was a man who had been stoned, shipwrecked, persecuted, imprisoned, and even more.

What could keep a person going in the face of all these trials? The hope that he had.

Paul had told the Corinthians earlier in this chapter,

Now if there is no resurrection…why do we endanger ourselves every hour?

I die every day–I mean that, brothers–just as surely as I glory over you in Christ Jesus our Lord.

If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus for merely human reasons, what have I gained?

If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” (1 Corinthians 15:29-32)

But there is a resurrection. And after talking of the hope he had, that one day we will be changed, raised imperishable, and immortal, Paul exhorts us,

Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you.

Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. (1 Corinthians 15:58)

There is so much in this world that can shake us. Our troubles, our trials, our worries. And they may cause us to think that it isn’t worth it anymore to keep living as a Christian. To keep serving the Lord.

But Paul encourages us not to let the storms of life move us. To keep doing the things God has called us to do.

Why? Because in the end, we will find that it was all worth it. And one day, we’ll look into the face of Christ, and he will say to us with a smile, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

And on seeing his face, all that we went through will be revealed for what they truly are: “light and momentary troubles” which are far exceeded and outweighed by the glory that awaits us.

I love how the Living Bible put it in Psalm 17:15.

When I awake in heaven, I will be fully satisfied, for I will see you face-to-face. (Psalm 17:15, TLB)

So if you’re discouraged, if you are feeling down because of what you are suffering through, if you feel like you’re losing hope, then as the old song goes,

Turn your eyes upon Jesus.
Look full in his wonderful face.

And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of his glory and grace.

Categories
1 Corinthians

Warning and encouragement

1 Corinthians

In this passage, we see both warning and encouragement concerning temptation.

First Paul writes,

So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! (1 Corinthians 10:12)

I think this was especially pertinent for those who thought they were “strong” in their faith.

As I mentioned before, there were many who were “weak” in faith in that they had tender consciences. In particular, they could not eat meat that had been sacrificed to idols without feeling guilty.

Others today may not have that particular problem, but they feel guilty about drinking a glass of wine or beer. Others may feel guilty about playing cards.

And it would be easy for the “strong” to look down on the “weak” and say, “Look how much more mature as a Christian I am. Look how much stronger my faith is. I can do things that these others can’t.”

But Paul tells them, “Be careful. You may think you’re strong, but if you stand in your pride, you could easily fall yourself and prove yourself weak.”

A glass of beer, for example, could turn into two or three or four leading you to get drunk. And if that happens too often, that could turn into alcoholism. In either case, you have just stepped over the line into sin.

But even if you never do, you can fall into the sin of pride, such that you look down on others and abuse your freedom causing them to fall.

Or you could fall into other sins entirely.

You start to fail to trust God in your decisions at work and start compromising God’s values for the sake of the business or for your own position.

Or you lose your temper with those around you.

Or someone hurts you and you cling to unforgiveness and bitterness in your heart.

There are numerous ways in which we can fall. But if we walk around in pride, we can become blinded to our own faults just as the Pharisees did in Jesus’ day.

So Paul warns us, “Watch yourself. You may not be as strong as you think you are, and you can fall just as easily as anyone else.”

But then he gives a word of encouragement.

No temptation has seized you except what is common to man.

And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.

But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. (1 Corinthians 10:13)

The word “temptation” has two senses. One, of course, is temptation to sin. But it can also mean trials.

And Paul says that whatever temptation or trial you may go through, God knows your limits.

He will not let you go through more than you can handle, but he will always provide a way for you to stand despite what pressures come against you.

There’s also comfort in knowing that we are not alone. Some people think, “I’m the only Christian who struggles with this. Why am I so bad?” And Satan would have you believe that.

But Paul makes clear that whatever temptation you go through, others have gone through it too.

One of the benefits of confessing your sins to others is that you soon find out that many of them struggle with the same things you do. And while you may be weak individually, together, in the Lord, you can find strength.

How about you? Are you feeling strong? Be careful lest you fall.

Are you feeling weak? Be encouraged. You are not alone.

Others have gone through the same things you are going through now.

And God will always be with you to help you stand.

Categories
Romans

But isn’t God punishing me?

Romans

I talked about verses 6-8 in yesterday’s blog, but I think it would be good to place them back in their context, so that we can get the full picture of all that Paul is saying.

Paul was talking about how we can rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that sufferings produce perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.

But for many Christians, they don’t rejoice in their sufferings; they become bitter. They don’t persevere; they give up. They don’t find hope; they despair.

Why?

Because they start to get the feeling that the reason they’re suffering is because God is punishing them. That because they messed up, God’s really angry and so he’s taking it out on them.

What’s even worse, though, is if they feel this way and they’re not even sure what they did wrong. Or they feel like God is punishing them unjustly.

But what is Paul saying here?

He’s telling them, “Get out of your heads the idea that God is punishing you.”

“Think about it,” he says.

“Before you became a Christian, at a time when you had turned your back on God, and were utterly lost in your sin, Christ died for you.

He didn’t wait for you to turn back to him. He didn’t wait for you to clean yourself up. Before you ever reached out to him, he reached out to you.

Very rarely, will anyone die for the ‘morally correct person,’ though some may die for the ‘good guy.’

But you were neither and yet God showed his love for you. He gave up everything for you.

With that in mind, how can you possibly think that God has it out for you?

Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!

For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! (Romans 5:9-10)

In other words, he’s already justified us. How can you then think he’s now pouring his wrath on you? We’ve been saved from that.

And if God reached out to us when we were his enemies, won’t he reach out to us in our trials when we are his friends?

It is for these reasons that we can rejoice in our sufferings.

God isn’t punishing us. Nor is he turning a blind eye to our circumstances.

Rather, in the same way he saved us from our sins, he will deliver us from our trials.

And so Paul can say,

Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. (Romans 5:11)

Are you going through hardships? Are you wondering if God is punishing you?

He’s not. If you have put your trust in him, he will bring you through the fire you’re passing through, and it will not consume you. Rather, it will purify you and make you stronger.

So hang in there. Don’t lose hope. Keep putting your trust in God, and as Paul says,

Hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. (Romans 5:5)

Categories
Psalms

Where we turn

Psalms

Where do we turn when things are against us? When people are against us? It’s a question that David had to ask himself numerous times.

He could have, as so many people do, turned to himself. To his wisdom, to his strength to get him out of the situation.

But instead he turned to God. From the very beginning of Psalm 143, he prays,

O LORD, hear my prayer,
listen to my cry for mercy;

in your faithfulness and righteousness
come to my relief. (Psalm 143:1)

And in the midst of his darkness, in the midst of his despair, he cried out,

Show me the way I should go,
for to you I lift up my soul.

Rescue me from my enemies, O LORD,
for I hide myself in you.

Teach me to do your will,
for you are my God;
may your good Spirit lead me
on level ground. (8–10)

How often do we take things into our own hands, instead of hiding ourselves in God. How often do we trust in our own wisdom instead of listening to him and what he says we should do?

David didn’t do this. Instead, he always looked to God for wisdom on what to do. And he trusted in God’s Spirit to lead him.

So as the apostle James put it,

If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. (James 1:5)

Categories
Psalms

Guarding our hearts in times of trouble

Psalms

Solomon once wrote “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” (Proverbs 4:23)

This is always true, of course, but especially in times of trouble. And Solomon’s father David certainly had his share of it.

Yet in his times of trouble, we can see why God called him a man after his own heart.

He starts out the psalm by crying out for God’s help. And in doing so, we see where he placed his trust. Not in his own wisdom and strength to get him through his problems.

Rather, he said,

I put my trust in you. (Psalm 86:4)

Then he turns his thoughts to the nature of the God in whom he trusted. He prayed,

You, Lord, are forgiving and good,
abounding in love to all who call to you.

Hear my prayer, Lord;
listen to my cry for mercy.

When I am in distress, I call to you,
because you answer me. (5–7)

In other words, “In spite of my problems, I know that you care for me. And that you are good. What’s more, I believe you will answer me when I call.”

I suppose as Christians, we should all believe these things, but when we’re facing trials, it’s easy for doubt to creep into our hearts. But despite his problems, David held fast to these truths.

He then focused on the greatness of God. On how God was so much greater than his problems. He sang,

Among the gods there is none like you, Lord;
no deeds can compare with yours.

All the nations you have made
will come and worship before you, Lord;
they will bring glory to your name.

For you are great and do marvelous deeds;
you alone are God. (8–10)

After focusing on God’s greatness, David turned to his own heart. And he prayed,

Teach me your way, O LORD,
and I will walk in your truth;
give me an undivided heart,
that I may fear your name. (11)

The new NIV (which to be honest, I don’t particularly care for — bring back version ’84, Zondervan!) puts it,

Teach me your way, Lord,
that I may rely on your faithfulness.

I think this verse is so important as we face trials in our lives. Life’s problems can tend to cause our hearts to fray and unravel.

But David prays in the midst of trial, “Lord, teach me your way. Give me a heart that’s undivided. A heart that’s united (NASB) in its desire to follow you. May I walk in your truth and trust in your faithfulness in spite of all I’m going through.”

That’s the attitude we need to have too. To never lose focus or trust in God. But to have a heart that’s totally united in its desire to follow him.

Let us be like David, constantly focusing on God and his goodness and his faithfulness toward us, even in times of trouble. Like him, let’s continue praising him singing,

I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart;
I will glorify your name forever.

For great is your love toward me. (12–13)

Categories
Psalms

Our hope and confidence

Psalms

Psalm 71 is probably not the most well-known of the Psalms, but the more I read it, the more I like it. It shows the hope and confidence that the psalmist had from knowing God, even during the darkest of times.

He wrote,

In you, Lord, I have taken refuge;
let me never be put to shame.

In your righteousness, rescue me and deliver me;
turn your ear to me and save me.

Be my rock of refuge, to which I can always go;
give the command to save me,
for you are my rock and my fortress. (Psalm 71:1–2)

I love verse 5 where he writes,

For you have been my hope, Sovereign Lord,
my confidence since my youth.

And as he prays for deliverance from his enemies, he once again sings,

As for me, I will always have hope;
I will praise you more and more. (14)

In a world where people often lose hope because of what they’re going through, this verse resonates with me: “As for me, I will always have hope.”

Why did he have that hope? We see the answer in verse 20.

Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter,
you will restore my life again;
from the depths of the earth you will again bring me up.

So many times people get angry with God for the trials they have to endure.

But here, the psalmist expresses confidence in God’s goodness. That though God allowed him to go through many trials, that God would raise him up once again.

And so throughout the psalm we see his heart of praise towards God, as he sings things like,

Your righteousness, God, reaches to the heavens,
you who have done great things.
Who is like you, God? (19)

And,

My lips will shout for joy
when I sing praise to you—
I whom you have delivered. (23)

How about you? In the midst of what you’re going through now, have you lost hope?

Or like the psalmist, are you filled with hope and confidence that God will see you through?

Categories
Psalms

The God who brings us through trial

Psalms

Nobody likes trials. At least, I can’t say I do. But in Psalm 66, we see the rejoicing of God’s people having come through those trials.

The psalmist sings,

Shout for joy to God, all the earth!

Sing the glory of his name;
make his praise glorious.

Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds!

So great is your power that your enemies cringe before you.

All the earth bows down to you;
they sing praise to you,
they sing the praises of your name.” (Psalm 66:1–4)

He then points out the reasons for his rejoicing. He tells the people,

Come and see what God has done,
his awesome deeds for mankind!

He turned the sea into dry land,
they passed through the waters on foot—
come, let us rejoice in him. (5–6)

The obvious reference is to God’s deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt and how he made a way of escape for them through the Red Sea.

In doing so, he showed his power not only to Israel, but to all the nations. And so the psalmist warns,

He rules forever by his power,
his eyes watch the nations—
let not the rebellious rise up against him. (7)

He then looks back to their time of bondage in Egypt, and perhaps also to their time of wandering in the desert, and as he does, he sees God’s hand in all that happened. He writes,

Praise our God, all peoples,
let the sound of his praise be heard;
he has preserved our lives
and kept our feet from slipping.

For you, God, tested us;
you refined us like silver.
You brought us into prison
and laid burdens on our backs.

You let people ride over our heads;
we went through fire and water,
but you brought us to a place of abundance. (8–12)

It’s interesting to me here that he says it is God that brought about their troubles. It was he that brought them into prison and let people rule over them.

This is not to say that God is directly responsible for evil in our lives. Evil is part and parcel of a broken world.

But nothing passes into our lives without passing through the hands of God first. And God sometimes allows evil to come into our lives.

Why? Because he hates us?

No. To refine us. To purge out of our lives all of our pride and sin in order that we might become the pure and holy people that he desires.

But even through the fire, he never takes his hands off of us. Rather, he preserves us and keeps our feet from slipping to destruction. More than that, he will bring us out of our trials victorious.

Having come through the fire, the psalmist then offers his sacrifices of praise to God. But not only that, he shares his experiences with all those who would hear. He sings,

Come and hear, all you who fear God;
let me tell you what he has done for me.

I cried out to him with my mouth;
his praise was on my tongue.

If I had cherished sin in my heart,
the Lord would not have listened;
but God has surely listened
and has heard my prayer.

Praise be to God,
who has not rejected my prayer
or withheld his love from me! (16–20)

How about you? What trials are you going through now? Know that whatever you may be going through, God still has his hand on you.

So don’t lose heart. Cry out to him. Pour out your heart to him and you will see his deliverance.

And when you do, be sure to let all those around you know what he has done for you.

Categories
Psalms

Remembering our times of victory

Psalms

We’re taking a brief jump to Psalm 108, basically because it’s a combination of Psalms 57 and 60.

Verses 1–5 come from the latter part of Psalm 57 while verses 6–13 come from the latter part of Psalm 60.

Whether it was meant to be a medley of the two psalms or David created new music for the combination of the two, I don’t know. One wonders though why he would do this.

I have two guesses.

One is that it was written at the same time as Psalm 60 after Israel’s defeat at the hands of their enemy. And perhaps, David was recalling his time when Saul had him trapped in the cave and God delivered him.

So as he was struggling with doubt and despair after defeat, he turned his thoughts to the time at the cave, and was basically saying to himself, “Don’t get discouraged by this defeat. Look at what God did for me in the past. If he delivered me before, he’ll deliver me now.”

The other possibility is that it was written after both incidences. And now looking back on both, David was singing a psalm of praise to God for all that he had done for him.

Whatever the case may be, I think it’s important that like David, we remember our times of victory. That in times of trouble, we recall how God delivered us in the past.

And that after times of deliverance, we remember to thank God for what he’s done.

Why?

Hope.

Remembering these things give us hope for the future when things look grim.

Without hope, it’s hard to go on when we face trials in our lives.

But with hope, we can face anything that comes against us, knowing that God’s on our side and that he will help us.

What victories have you had in your life? Take the time to write them down. Write down the times God has answered prayer. Write down the times God has delivered you. Praise him for it.

By doing so, when you face trials in your life, you’ll find them easier to bear.

Categories
Psalms

Crying out for God

Psalms

I often wish that we had a little more insight as to the background of the songs that David wrote. Some of the psalms have the background written in the title. This one, unfortunately, does not.

But what strikes me in Psalm 25 is the cry in his soul for God in the midst of the troubles in his life.

He sings,

To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul;
in you I trust, O my God. (Psalm 25:1–2)

In other words, “Lord, I give my everything to you. Everything that I am, I lift to you. And in you, I put my complete trust.”

It’s so easy to say those words. It’s so difficult to live them.

So often I take back from God what I once surrendered. So often, I lack in faith, failing to trust him completely.

Yet despite my failings, it is the cry of my heart, just as it was David’s.

He then prays,

Show me your ways, O LORD,
teach me your paths;
guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my Savior,
and my hope is in you all day long. (4–5)

Here we see the humility of David.

So often we think we know it all. That we don’t need to inquire of God.

But David humbles himself and says, “I don’t know everything. I don’t know the best path to take. Please teach me. Please guide me.”

Why did he seek God’s ways and path? Because of his love for God, and his desire to please him. He said, “You are my God my Savior. My hope is in you.”

Then in the midst of this psalm, he pleads,

Remember, O LORD, your great mercy and love,
for they are from of old.

Remember not the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways;
according to your love remember me,
for you are good, O LORD…

For the sake of your name, O LORD,
forgive my iniquity, though it is great. (6–7, 11)

I wonder from these verses if perhaps David wrote this during his flight from Absalom.

Perhaps he saw how his sin with Bathsheba, though forgiven by God, had nevertheless led to the events that led to his exile.

And so once again, he prayed, “Lord, don’t hold my sin against me, though I know it was great. Forgive me. Not because I deserve it, but because of your love and mercy.”

So often we look at our own lives, and see how our sins, though forgiven, have nevertheless brought about the trouble we are in. And we wonder if God has truly forgiven us.

God has. And he will have mercy on us on the day of judgment though we don’t deserve it.

But that doesn’t mean he will necessarily take away the consequences of what we’ve sown in our lives here on earth.

Nevertheless, he will stand with us through the things we’ve brought upon ourselves, as he did with David.

And so David said,

Good and upright is the LORD;
therefore he instructs sinners in his ways.

He guides the humble in what is right
and teaches them his way.

All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful
for those who keep the demands of his covenant. (8–10)

In other words, even though we sin, as long as we seek him, he will never give up on us. He will continue to lead us and teach us.

Of course, the big difference between us and David is that we live not under law, but under grace.

And so though we fail to keep his law, nevertheless his love and faithfulness towards us never changes. As Paul wrote,

If we are faithless, he remains faithful,
for he cannot disown himself. (2 Timothy 2:13)

David then closes by asking for God’s protection, saying,

Guard my life and rescue me;
let me not be put to shame,
for I take refuge in you.

May integrity and uprightness protect me,
because my hope is in you. (20–21)

As he started the psalm, so he finishes. By putting his soul in the hands of God, and his hope in God as well.

Through the trials that we go through in this life, may we do the same.

Categories
Psalms

Petitioning the King

Psalms

Psalm 5 is probably one of my favorite psalms. I still love to sing the old chorus that goes to the King James Version.

Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my meditation. Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray.

My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up. (Psalm 5:1–3)

As I look at this psalm, I get the picture of a person coming into the king’s courtroom, asking for justice and help.

Bowing before him, they cry out, “My King and my God, have mercy on me. I need your help. Listen to my plea.”

There is an air of utter humility there, but also of loving trust.

“Lord, in the morning when I get up, my first thought turns to you. I lay down my requests before you and wait in expectation knowing that you do love me, that you do care, and will answer my cry.”

What problem David was going through at this time, we don’t know. But as usual, when he faced troubles, fears, and anxieties, he turned to his King. And so should we.

We can come before him not because we are more righteous than the people that hurt us, but because of his great mercy towards us.

And though people may hurt us and lie to us, we can know that God will never do so. He is a good King and will grant us justice when we cry to him. And he will spread his wings over us.

David prayed,

Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you.

For surely, O LORD, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield. (11–12)

As I read this, I think of the parable of Jesus where he talked about a woman who sought justice from an unjust judge. And it was only after harassing him day after day that the judge granted her the justice she sought.

Jesus contrasts that judge with our loving Father, saying,

Will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?

I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly.

However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:7–8)

There were times when David had to wait day after day, year after year for God to deliver him from his troubles. But he never lost his faith in God.

Morning after morning, he kept coming before God with his petitions. God in his love heard him. And ultimately he delivered him.

When we face troubles in this life, may we too have the faith of David, knowing that God hears, that he cares, and that he will answer.

Categories
Job

Suffering, humility, and grace

Job

There are a lot of problems in trying to interpret Job, and one of the biggest problems is what to do with Elihu.

I’ve seen commentary that basically call him a big windbag full of hot air, which is why (they say) Job, his friends, and even God essentially ignore him.

And I’ve seen other commentators commending him, saying that his speeches were a precursor to God’s own confrontation with Job.

I’m more inclined, after reading everything, to go with the idea that Elihu basically said what was right.

I think the key verse for me is found in chapter 32, where it says of Elihu,

[He] became very angry with Job for justifying himself rather than God.

He was also angry with the three friends, because they had found no way to refute Job, and yet had condemned him. (Job 32:2–3)

What was he angry about? Two things.

First, that Job questioned God’s justice.

Second, that Job’s friends never refuted Job’s wrong ideas about God. All they did was say he was a sinner, and that God was punishing him for it. This without any shred of proof.

In chapter 33, he addresses Job’s complaints that God had made himself Job’s enemy for no reason, and that God wouldn’t answer Job’s complaints.

Elihu replies by saying God does speak; it’s just that many times, we aren’t listening.

Elihu mentions that God sometimes uses dreams to speak, perhaps referring to the nightmares that Job had been experiencing. The purpose of these dreams?

To turn them from wrongdoing and keep them from pride, to preserve them from the pit, their lives from perishing by the sword. (Job 33:17–18)

In the same way, Elihu says that God also speaks to us through our suffering in order to chasten us.

Some commentators take these words as Elihu’s backhanded way of saying to Job, “You’ve sinned, and that’s why you’re being punished, so repent.”

But perhaps what spared Elihu the fate of Job’s friends was that he wasn’t saying the trials Job was going through were the result of some great sin he was trying to hide, but rather that God was using these trials to purge out the sin and pride latent in all of us.

And Elihu points out to Job that God was not doing this because he is our enemy. Rather, he loves us and is constantly working to save us. He tells Job,

God does all these things to a person—twice, even three times—to turn them back from the pit, that the light of life may shine on them. (33:29–30)

What’s more, there’s an element of grace in all this.

In verses 23–25, we find an interesting passage where Elihu talks of a mediator that not only teaches a man what is right, but intercedes for him saying,

Spare them from going down to the pit;
I have found a ransom for them (33:24)

And because of that intercession, that person can pray and find favor with God. And when they do, they cry out,

I have sinned, I have perverted what is right, but I did not get what I deserved.

God has delivered me from going down to the pit, and I shall live to enjoy the light of life. (27–28)

Isn’t this the picture of salvation God gives us in the New Testament?

What I take from this is that God doesn’t allow trials into our lives for no reason. He allows trials to humble us, and to remind us that we are all sinners in need of grace.

And if we ever doubt his intentions as Job did, let us remember that it was God that found a ransom for us that saved us from death and hell. A ransom that cost his own Son his life.

So when we face suffering in our lives, remember that God allows it not because he hates us. Rather in his love, he will use it both to save us and refine us. And as Job himself said,

When he has tested me, I will come forth as gold. (Job 23:10)

Categories
Job

What we cannot see

Job

In this chapter, Job is really at a point of despair. Almost all that was dear to him had been stripped from him.

His children were dead, his wife was of no comfort, he had lost his possessions, and now he was covered with sores from head to foot. I think that would’ve been enough to break any man.

And here, Job pours out his soul. He curses the day he was born and wishes that he had been stillborn.

Although he was by no means suicidal, nevertheless, he did wish that when he finally fell asleep at night, he would never wake again.

But each day, he did awake, and things were no better. And he wondered why it is that people have to live like that—living only to see misery and bitterness in life.

He then asked,

Why is life given to a man whose way is hidden,
whom God has hedged in? (Job 3:23)

In other words, “I can’t see the purpose of my own life. Why has God given me life, when all I have is trouble and there seems to be no way out?”

He concludes by saying,

For sighing has become my daily food;
my groans pour out like water.

What I feared has come upon me;
what I dreaded has happened to me.

I have no peace, no quietness;
I have no rest, but only turmoil. (24–26)

That was his view from down on earth.

But what of heaven’s perspective? This is something, interestingly enough to me, that is never shown to Job.

He never knew that God was actually very proud of him. That God actually boasted about him among the angels and to Satan himself.

He never knew that God allowed these trials not because God was against him, but because God was so confident that he’d make it through.

And he also never saw the fact that despite all that happened to him, God’s hand was still very much upon him. That though Satan would have destroyed him, God refused to let him do so.

So often as we face trials in our lives, we can’t understand why things are happening to us. It seems like God is against us. That he either no longer loves us, or that he simply no longer cares what happens to us.

But let us never forget that God never stops loving us. That he instead looks upon us as a proud father and that he believes in us.

More than that, let us never forget that he will never take his hand of protection from us despite all that happens to us, and will never, ever let us go through trials beyond what we can bear.

As Paul wrote,

No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.

But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. (1 Corinthians 10:13)

Categories
Zechariah

Purified

Zechariah

In this passage, it continues talking about the repentance of the Jews. That during the last days, by God’s grace and the blood of the one they had pierced two thousand years ago, they will be purified and cleansed from their sins.

All idolatry and all the false prophets will be wiped out from the land, and it will truly be a land holy to the Lord.

But before that could happen, the Good Shepherd had to be struck, and the flock scattered.

That’s exactly what happened to Jesus. He was arrested, and all his followers fled. He was mocked, whipped, beaten, and ultimately crucified.

And because the Jews had rejected their Savior, God’s hand fell against them, and their nation was destroyed.

Even so, God’s grace continues to shine through. Though many Jews will perish, there will be a remnant of those who will follow the Messiah, and God says of them,

This third I will put into the fire;
I will refine them like silver
and test them like gold.

They will call on my name
and I will answer them;
I will say, ‘They are my people,’
and they will say, ‘The Lord is our God.’ (Zechariah 13:9)

God never does promise that we won’t go through times of trial and trouble. In fact, Jesus warned us, “In this world you will have trouble.” (John 16:33)

But God will use them to refine us and make us into the pure ones he created us to be. And when we call on him, he will answer.

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Isaiah

A temporary relief, an eternal hope.

Isaiah

These were prophesies made against Edom (Dumah) and Arabia. And these prophesies let them know in uncertain terms that disaster was coming to both.

In verse 11, the Edomites cry out, “What is left of the night?”

In other words, “We’re suffering! How much longer are we going to suffer at the hands of the Assyrians?”

The answer of Isaiah is bleak, “Morning is coming, but also the night.” (Isaiah 21:12)

In other words, “You will get a temporary relief from the Assyrians. They will be overthrown…but not by you. And their conquerors (the Babylonians) will make your life even more miserable.”

The people of Arabia would also suffer disaster, as they would be overthrown within a year.

“Boy, that’s cheerful! Thanks for the word, Bruce!”

You’re welcome. 🙂

But there is something to take from this. All of us go through tough times in our lives. All of us go through suffering. For the most part, these tough times come and go. Everyone has good times and bad times in their lives.

But for those without God, like the Edomites and Arabians, ultimately there is no hope. Darkness will fall, and they will go to hell for all eternity.

But for us who have Christ in our lives, we can know that in the end, there is a light we can look forward to. Paul wrote,

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us…

We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.

Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit groan inwardly as we eagerly wait for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.

For in this hope we are saved. (Romans 8:18, 22–23)

Paul knew that our sufferings, though painful, are temporary. And so despite all that he went through in his life, he had hope. And so do we.

Our suffering will not last forever. So if you are struggling, if you are suffering, turn to God. Look to him. And know that even now, the Spirit of God is praying for us.

It’s precisely because God’s Spirit himself is praying for us that,

We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)