Jesus made it clear that storms will enter every life. But it is through these storms and hardships and tribulations that we will enter God's kingdom.
As Dr. Luke phrased it: "And when they had preached the gospel to that city and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, 'We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God'" (Acts 14:21–22 NKJV).
We don't always like to read a verse like that. It's probably not a passage we want to write in calligraphy on a plaque and hang by our front door.
We would rather the passage read, "Through many days of perpetual happiness, we enter the kingdom of God." But that isn't Scripture, and that isn't life. Trials and tribulations will come.
Job said it well: "Man who is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble" (Job 14:1 NKJV). Another version translates it like this: "How frail is man, how few his days, how full of trouble!" (TLB)
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus told a story about two men who built two homes. One of the builders erected his home on shifting sand, while the other built his home on a stable rock foundation.
Then the storms came, with wind and driving rain hitting both of those houses—hard! The house that had been built on sand collapsed and fell in upon itself, while the one built on the rock stood firm.
The obvious moral of the story is to build your life on a foundation that will last, like the one we find in the pages of God's Word.
But here's an application we sometimes miss. The storm came to both lives. The wind beat on both houses. The rain poured on both building sites.
The man who was wise and carefully chose a stable foundation got hit with the same hurricane-force winds as the man who foolishly took shortcuts and didn't bother to plan ahead.
No one is exempt from experiencing storms in life. Good things will happen to us, as well as tragic and inexplicable things. Every life will have its share of pain.
As much as we would like to believe otherwise, none of us can take an extended vacation beyond the reach of human suffering and tragedy.
Former British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli summed up life in this pessimistic way: "Youth is a blunder. Manhood is a struggle. And old age a regret."
I understand Disraeli's pessimism, but allow me to offer another answer: God is in control of the life of the Christian and can actually bring good out of bad.
That is what the Bible teaches, and that is what I believe. That's not to say that God will make bad into good, because bad is bad. But it is to say that good can come out of bad.
As Romans 8:28 affirms: "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose" (NKJV). A better translation would be, "He is causing all things to work and to continue working together for good."
Life is a process and, as finite beings who live moment to moment, we can't see around the bend. We can't discern God's ultimate purposes.
But we can know this: He is watching and caring—in control and loving us with an everlasting love.
Monday, October 4, 2010
The Promise of Persecution
Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.
If you live a godly life, you will be persecuted. You can count on this. It is not a matter of if; it is a matter of when and how much.— 2 Timothy 3:12
We love to claim the promises of God. We love to claim His promises of provision and protection. But how many of us have claimed this promise: "Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution" (2 Timothy 3:12)? I haven't. Who likes to be persecuted?
Yet Jesus said, "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you" (Matthew 5:10–11).
In all the other beatitudes, the word "blessed" is used once, but in this particular beatitude, Jesus used the word "blessed" twice to emphasize the generous blessing given by God to the persecuted.
Righteousness, by its very nature, is confrontational. The very fact that you believe in Jesus bothers some people, because Jesus said, "For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed" (John 3:20).
People give a lot of excuses as to why they are not Christians, but I would say the real reason people do not come to Christ is they don't want their evil deeds exposed. They don't want to admit they are sinners.
You are a representative of Christ. And the reality is that if you follow Jesus, then you will face persecution. Because "all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution."
Applying Faith
Jesus said to him, "Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
Some people say they cannot have faith because they are practical. They need to know something is true before they can believe it.— John 20:29
But we all apply faith every day. When you go to a restaurant, order a meal, and eat what they bring, that is faith. You are not sure if they followed all the sanitary guidelines they are supposed to follow. You don't know whether the waiter might be a little ticked off at you and has thrown a few little surprises into your entree. You don't know. So you apply faith.
When you go down to the pharmacy to fill your prescription, you assume the little pills the pharmacist gave you are actually the ones you ordered and not a placebo, or even worse, another kind of medication that could be harmful to you. You apply faith.
When you have surgery and are put under anesthesia, you must put complete faith in the anesthesiologist, surgeons, and nurses. Or how about when you board a plane and taxi down the runway in that 747? Do you understand aerodynamics? Most of us wouldn't. Yet we believe those pilots in the cockpit are hopefully not drunk or distracted. We hope they will get us safely to our destination.
My point is this: we apply faith each and every day. Faith is belief plus action. It is what we apply when we initially come to Jesus Christ. We acted on something that we accepted as true. The Bible says, "For by grace you have been saved through faith" (Ephesians 2:8).
So when someone refuses to put their faith in God, it leaves me wondering. They can put faith in a waiter, in a pharmacist, in a surgeon, and in a pilot, but they won't put their faith in God Almighty.
The Sword of the Spirit
And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Have you ever noticed that when you plan to spend some time reading your Bible, all kinds of crazy things start happening? You can get up in the morning and read the newspaper, every section of it, and everything is fine. There are no phone calls, no disturbances. Nothing is going on. But when you say, "I'm going to read my Bible," the phone starts ringing. Kids start screaming. You remember that you forgot to pick up the dry cleaning or return a phone call. They are not necessarily evil things that are keeping you from God's Word—they are just things. They are distractions. The devil doesn't want you to read your Bible. Did you know that? He wants to distract you, because the Bible is a crucial weapon for spiritual battle.— Ephesians 6:17
Ephesians 6:17 refers to God's Word as "the sword of the Spirit." It is the only piece of offensive weaponry listed with the armor of God in Ephesians 6. The breastplate and helmet are for protection. The shoes help a soldier gain ground. The shield is something to stand behind. But the sword is for attacking and inflicting damage.
So we want to sharpen our sword. We want to study it and know the weight of it. We want to know how it works and how it moves. And most importantly, we want to know how we are going to use it.
What shape is your sword in? Is it polished from daily use? Has it been sharpened on the anvil of experience as you have applied and obeyed its truth in your life? Or, is your sword dulled from disobedience? Is it rusty from lack of preparation?
It has been said that a Bible that is falling apart usually belongs to someone who isn't.
Victory!
He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.
"Finished" is the word we use after a job is done. It is a word that says we don't need to work anymore, because it is done. "Finished" is also the word Jesus used from the cross. He said, "It is finished!" (John 19:30). In other words, "It is accomplished!"— Colossians 2:14
The devil was soundly defeated at the cross of Calvary—and that is something he doesn't want us to know. Referring to His impending crucifixion, Jesus said, "The time for judging this world has come, when Satan, the ruler of this world, will be cast out." Through His death, Jesus destroyed the one who had the power of death, which is the devil. And when we put our faith in Jesus Christ, the stranglehold of Satan is broken. He cannot control us. We can rest in the finished work of Christ.
This means that when we face spiritual battles, we are not fighting for victory; we are fighting from it. We don't fight to get victory. We fight because it has already been obtained. We don't need to pray, "Lord, give me victory." Rather, we should pray, "Lord, I have victory, and I will live accordingly." As Romans 8:37 tells us, "Despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ."
We can win in the spiritual battle. We can overcome the enemy. I am not saying we will win every skirmish and every conflict, but I am saying we will win the war. I am not saying we never will sin and never will stumble, because we will. We all will. But we can win the battle overall, because we stand in the righteousness of Christ.
So when the devil tries to strike that fatal blow against you, it no doubt will be repelled, because you are standing right with God.
Strength in Weakness
And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Why does God allow hardship? Why does God allow illness? Why does God allow tragedy? We can go on and on asking why, but we can't always answer these questions. Yet listen to what the apostle Paul said as he explains why it was allowed in his life in particular:— 2 Corinthians 12:9–10
And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. (2 Corinthians 12:7–8)
We don't know what Paul's "thorn in the flesh" was. Most commentators believe it was some kind of physical disability that he probably acquired after one of his multiple beatings or stonings. Whatever it was, the devil wanted to use it to get Paul down. And it worked. Paul got down on his knees and called on God. The devil wanted to drive Paul away from God, but instead the apostle clung to Him that much tighter.
When we go through suffering and hardship, it can be so difficult at times. I have never had a more difficult time in my life than the past 19 months. Yet the fellowship I have had with God has never been sweeter. I have never been more dependent on Him. There are times I don't think I can handle it, and then God gives me the strength that I need. And I have learned things that I would not have learned anywhere else. I don't know the "why" of it all, but I trust God, cling to God, and rely on God.
Are you facing hardship and suffering today? Pour out your heart to God. He is trustworthy.
Why?
When tragedy hits us, we often ask the question, "Why?" The book of Job is filled with moments when Job asks the question "Why?"
Now, there isn't anything necessarily wrong with asking God, "Why?" It's OK to ask, as long as we don't get the idea that God somehow owes us an answer. Frankly, God does not owe you or me an explanation.
Yet we may still wonder, "Why?"
Let me ask you this: if the Lord did tell you why things happen the way they do, would that ease your pain or heal your broken heart? I don't think so. In fact, it would raise even more questions.
God says, "My ways are above your ways, and my thoughts above yours." We live on promises, not explanations, so we shouldn't spend too much time asking God why.
I too have asked, "Why?" When my oldest son was suddenly called home to heaven, I asked, why did God take my son, and not me?
He was only 33 years old, with so much promise. He was a loving husband and father. He was a much-loved son and brother and friend to many. He was walking with God and serving Him.
Why? I don't know. That is my answer.
A friend of mine told me recently that we should never trade what you don't know for what you do know.
So what do I know?
In his commentary on the book of Job, Chuck Swindoll wrote:
We could ask the question, "Why?" about many people in the Bible. Why take Stephen at such a young age as a martyr? Later, we read of James being beheaded while Peter is spared.
Why? I don't know. It was God's plan. His mysterious, at times frustrating, unknowable plan.
The Bible says, "The secret things belong to the Lord" (Deuteronomy 29:29 NKJV).
Poor old Job did not know how his life would turn out. All he knew was that one day things were delightful and the next day they were dreadful.
He lost his home, his health, and, worst of all, his children. He had not read the last chapter of his book, so he did not know God would bless him later.
Oh sure, his health would return, his possessions would multiply, but the children he lost were not replaced, so there was still great pain.
Sometimes, when a child has died, people will ask if you have any other children and say, "Well, at least you still have your other kids." But every child is precious and irreplaceable and dear, whether you have two children or 20.
An eternal perspective
In John 11, after the unexpected death of her brother, Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died!" (John 11:21 NKJV)
Martha was saying to Jesus, "Unfair, foul, not right!" But she still cried out to Jesus.
That is what we must do as well. Go to Jesus with your frustrations, anguish, and questions. Call out to Him. Just make sure you listen to His response!
Jesus did not correct Martha for making this statement. Rather, He sought to get Martha back to an eternal perspective here.
Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?" (John 11:25-26 NKJV)
Death is not the end. Jesus has overcome it.
Now, there isn't anything necessarily wrong with asking God, "Why?" It's OK to ask, as long as we don't get the idea that God somehow owes us an answer. Frankly, God does not owe you or me an explanation.
Yet we may still wonder, "Why?"
Let me ask you this: if the Lord did tell you why things happen the way they do, would that ease your pain or heal your broken heart? I don't think so. In fact, it would raise even more questions.
God says, "My ways are above your ways, and my thoughts above yours." We live on promises, not explanations, so we shouldn't spend too much time asking God why.
I too have asked, "Why?" When my oldest son was suddenly called home to heaven, I asked, why did God take my son, and not me?
He was only 33 years old, with so much promise. He was a loving husband and father. He was a much-loved son and brother and friend to many. He was walking with God and serving Him.
Why? I don't know. That is my answer.
A friend of mine told me recently that we should never trade what you don't know for what you do know.
So what do I know?
- I know God loves me.
- I know God loves my son, my wife, my daughter-in-law, my granddaughters, and my other son.
- I know God can make good things come out of bad.
In his commentary on the book of Job, Chuck Swindoll wrote:
God never promised He would inform us all about His plan ahead of time; He's just promised He has one. Ultimately, it's for our good and His glory. He knows–we don't. That's why we shrug and admit, 'I don't know.'Secret things
But I do know this: The death of His Son was not in vain; Christ died for you; and if you believe in Him, He will forgive your sins, and you will go to live with Him forever. You'll have heaven and all the blessings of it, I do know that.
It's a tough journey, getting there. Full of confusion, struggle, and shrugs, followed by a lot of "I don't knows." But when the heavens open and we're there, hey, there will be no more shrugs, and you'll be able to say, "Now I know!"
We could ask the question, "Why?" about many people in the Bible. Why take Stephen at such a young age as a martyr? Later, we read of James being beheaded while Peter is spared.
Why? I don't know. It was God's plan. His mysterious, at times frustrating, unknowable plan.
The Bible says, "The secret things belong to the Lord" (Deuteronomy 29:29 NKJV).
Poor old Job did not know how his life would turn out. All he knew was that one day things were delightful and the next day they were dreadful.
He lost his home, his health, and, worst of all, his children. He had not read the last chapter of his book, so he did not know God would bless him later.
Oh sure, his health would return, his possessions would multiply, but the children he lost were not replaced, so there was still great pain.
Sometimes, when a child has died, people will ask if you have any other children and say, "Well, at least you still have your other kids." But every child is precious and irreplaceable and dear, whether you have two children or 20.
An eternal perspective
In John 11, after the unexpected death of her brother, Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died!" (John 11:21 NKJV)
Martha was saying to Jesus, "Unfair, foul, not right!" But she still cried out to Jesus.
That is what we must do as well. Go to Jesus with your frustrations, anguish, and questions. Call out to Him. Just make sure you listen to His response!
Jesus did not correct Martha for making this statement. Rather, He sought to get Martha back to an eternal perspective here.
Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?" (John 11:25-26 NKJV)
Death is not the end. Jesus has overcome it.
Out of His Control
We know that God's children do not make a practice of sinning, for God's Son holds them securely, and the evil one cannot touch them.
When Jesus Christ comes into your life, he becomes the sole occupant. Yet some people have suggested that Christians can be demon-possessed. However, Jesus is not in a timeshare program with your heart. The Bible says, "What harmony can there be between Christ and the devil? How can a believer be a partner with an unbeliever? And what union can there be between God's temple and idols? For we are the temple of the living God" (2 Corinthians 6:15–16).— 1 John 5:18
Yet the devil would love you to think that you are powerless against his attacks, that you have no recourse, that you are no match. He would love you to believe that you will always be a victim, an addict, a puppet for him to control. And I want to tell you that is 100 percent wrong. Though it is true that a believer can be hassled or tempted or oppressed by the devil and his minions, he cannot control us.
If we yield to his power, he will have his sway in our lives. But if we resist him, we can be free from it. And here is what you need to remember: God is greater than Satan. As the Bible says, "But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world" (1 John 4:4).
You cannot cast out temptation. You cannot cast out things that attack you. Instead, you need to deny and resist them. You need to put your spiritual armor on. The Bible says, "So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" (James 4:7). The key is to stay as close to God as you possibly can.
The Way Out
No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
As believers, we have God's promise that He will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we can handle. But here is the problem: sometimes we unnecessarily put ourselves in the way of temptation. As one person put it, "Lead me not into temptation. I can find it myself." Instead of hearing what God is saying and taking practical steps to stay away from the things that could drag us down, we unnecessarily put ourselves in the path of temptation.— 1 Corinthians 10:13
We live in the real world, and all around us are things that can distract us, things that could ultimately entice us. But it is another thing to put ourselves in places where we know we are weak.
The person who has a problem with drinking shouldn't be spending time in a bar. The single guy who is struggling with sexual temptation shouldn't be spending time alone with his girlfriend late at night, in the dark. That is putting oneself unnecessarily in the way of temptation.
We know that God "will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it" (1 Corinthians 10:13). And sometimes the way of escape is the door.
Case in point: Joseph. Day in and day out, Potiphar's wife was trying to seduce him. Eventually, she cast all subtlety aside and just pulled him down on the bed. So what did Joseph do? He did what any clear-thinking young man would do under the circumstances: he ran like crazy.
God will never give us more than we can handle. There is always a way out. But sometimes we just need to take practical steps to resist temptation. What steps are you taking today?
A Wall of Protection
And don't let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.
God is omniscient, which means that He is all-knowing. God is omnipotent, which means that He is all-powerful. And God is omnipresent, which means that He is present everywhere.— Matthew 6:13
In sharp and direct contrast to this, the devil does not reflect God's divine attributes. He is not omnipotent. Although he has great power, his power is clearly limited, and he is nowhere near to being God's equal. Nor is the devil omniscient. He knows many things, but he doesn't know all things. And, he is not omnipresent. He can only be in one place at one time.
What the devil doesn't want you to know is that he can do nothing in the life of a Christian without God's permission. The devil complained that God had put a wall of protection around Job (see Job 1:10). So we see from this that even though Satan has a wicked agenda, he has to ask permission to touch the child of God. There is an impenetrable wall that God has placed around you that Satan cannot breach. That doesn't mean you can't be tempted. It doesn't mean you can't be harassed. It doesn't mean you can't be attacked. But God never will give you more than you can handle. So when the devil comes knocking at your door, I would suggest that you say, "Jesus, would You mind getting that?" I am so glad He is there, because I am no match for the devil. And neither are you.
Temptation will come into your life. Jesus even taught us to pray, "And don't let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one" (Matthew 6:13). So the next time you are facing temptation, remember that God never will give you too much. He will provide a way out.
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