God prepares great men for great tasks by great trials Life is a struggle. The desire of most people is to be happy, to avoid pain and suffering, and to escape from the bleak life of woe that so many seem to lead. we want to live the good life. and why not? What fool would seek out a life of suffering? And God does want to bless our lives with an abundance. we shouldnt go looking for it, but neither should be surprised when it finds us. Everyone is going to suffer. the only decision is whether you are going to suffer with Christ or without Him. A unique fellowship with Christ comes into our lives when we suffer... Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may enjoyed when His glory is revealed. (1 Peter 4:12-13). The questions which float through our minds when we suffer tell the story: Does God care about me? Does He know how much agony I am going through? Does He want to help me? Is He able to help me? What is His will for me? Is it to help me or to let me fall? The plain truth is that when life goes our way we dont carefully examine our ways. God cant receive the glory for blessing us because we often take the credit. If nothing else, suffering does get our attention. But why we suffer? Does God cause it? Or does he just allow it? Or does it happen independently of Him? Consider this scenario: Picture a loving father comforting his teary eyed son. We dont know exactly why the boy has been crying, but we do notice concerned the father is. The son tells his dad exactly how he feels, though we cant make out the words. Finally, the father embraces his son, and the comfort and consolation of the fathers love begins to flow into his boy. In the same way, we come into the presence of our Heavenly Father when we suffer, and He dries our tears. Humble yourselves, therefore, under Gods mighty head, that He may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety upon Him because He cares for you (1 Peter 5:6-7). No matter how rough your life gets, remember, it isnt over till its over. Never quit. Until the knife has pierced the heart and the wrist no longer registers a pulse, there is always another way. God will always restore His children. Thats why Job was able to maintain his integrity before God when he suffered, because he trusted God completely; he knew God was in control. We suffer for many different reasons, but we have one hope. We can try to resist or avoid suffering, but every man is marked for suffering; it is a part of life which can be sweet if we dont try to run and hide. And the top of that we must have faith...What is faith? Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see (Hebrews 11:1). Faith is always oriented toward the future. We dont know the details of what will happen in the future, but we do know God will take care of our needs and unite us with Himself forever. Thats what faith is. An old saying sums it up, We dont know what the future holds, but we know who holds the future. Jesus is the author and perfecter of our faith see (Hebrews 12:2). As we fix our eyes on Him, He increases and perfects our faith. many times I have hear Dr. Bill say, Faith is like a muscle. The more you exercise it, the bigger it grows. So when we find ourselves standing on the cliff of fear, peering across the wide expanse toward the cliff of courage, lets remember that faith in Jesus and the certain future He controls in our bridge across. So you must no doubt. You must shield your faith from doubt. When you allow doubt to mix with your faith, it will weaken, then kill it. Strong faith is of utmost importance. Through faith we understand that the world were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which don appear (Hebrews 11:3). Many times we seek and do not find because we do not know what finding is. When it comes to faith the same is true; many busy themselves trying to find more faith, when they have had all they needed right along. I would like you to think of faith a little differently, as an organ like an ear or eye. When you lie in bed at night, your ear rest, but never sleep. If someone starts to break into your house, your ear awakens you in order that you might act! The ear does not create sound, but receives it. Faith, is an organ of the Spirit allowing us to receive whatever God is doing. We can readily see why if we have faith as a mustard seed we can move a mountain; the eye of an ant and the eye of a camel both receive light. Faith itself, not quantity of faith, is the issue. when everything fails, we begin to complain, making the error that so many do: In the midst of misfortune we do not simply remain silent and wait, but instead begin to blame God to the whole situation. WE become sick of the whole situation. Blind, irrational, and void of hope, it becomes impossible any longer to see Gods hand in the process. WE must have our eyes opened. On another occasion, a friend came to me, told me she was concerned about my situation and asked how I was doing. And I said, I really wasnt worried. I had a little savings to last six months. For now I have to wait six months before the Lord give me a job....But my point is, if I have to loss my savings (the thing I was trusting) into true faith and trust in God as provider! So it is with the promises of God. We must wait, and the greatness of faith is proven in the ability of the believer to rest until harvest, knowing all the while that the work that must be done is a supernatural one that God alone can be accomplish.
Posted on: Sun, 24 Nov 2013 09:08:09 +0000
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