Believers are Not Exempt from Pain

Hebrews 12:12-17

How can a loving heavenly Father permit such pain to befall His much-cherished children?  

The natural disasters—earthquakes, hurricanes, mudslides, wildfires, and tsunamis of recent weeks and months often raise these questions because many of God’s children were involved in these terrible events and gravely impacted like all others. You may be aware that some of the most difficult challenges with family, health, employment, and our nation have occurred in the lives of some of God’s choicest servants. Perplexing? It should not be, Joseph, Daniel, Paul, Moses, and Job were fascinating servants of the “Most High,” yet they endured some of the most challenging situations in biblical history! Beloved, God’s children are not exempt from lost, pain, suffering, diseases, and family struggles….

So, why does God permit us, His children, to suffer?

LESSON:

I.                God Allows Suffering for the Purpose of Sanctification: Make the Adjustments to Pursue a Holy Lifestyle (Heb. 12:12-17). In terms of persevering in the spiritual race of Faith (Heb. 12:1-4), what is the meaning of God’s commands in Hebrews 12:12, 13, and 14? What must we do when hardness strikes?

A.    Adjust Your Attitude to Renew Your Strength (Heb. 12:12). God understands our tendency to spiritual weakness, discouragement, and quitting as believers (12:12), and in the light of the truths God has expounded He encourages us to renew our strength. Beloved, we are not to cave in under the adverse circumstances of life; our lapse of faith might have an unfavorable influence on others.

                                                  i.      Shake the discouragement. Drooping hands should be reinvigorated to serve the living Christ.

                                                ii.      Strengthen your resolve. Feeble knees should be strengthened for persevering prayer (12:12).

B.     Adjust Your Course to Continue in Godly Disciplines (Heb. 12:13). If we respect this and pursue the level and “straight paths” which entails real righteousness, transparent prayer, trusting the Word, and spiritual power that the weakest among us (the lame) would not be further disabled, but rather healed. Our lives strengthened in the Lord would benefit weaker Christians.

                                                  i.      Faltering feet should be guided in straight paths of Christian discipleship.

                                                ii.      Williams writes:

All who follow the Lord fully smooth the path of faith for feeble brethren; but those who do not follow fully, roughen the path for others’ feet and create spiritual cripples.

                                              iii.      G. H. Lang gives a fine illustration:

A weary traveler, tired of the road and the buffeting of the tempest, stands dispirited and limp. With shoulders bowed, hands hanging slack, knees bent and shaking, he is ready to give up and sink to the ground. Such can God’s pilgrim become, as pictured by our writer.

But one comes to him confident of mien [demeanor], with kindly smile and firm voice, and says, “Cheer up, stand erect, brace your limbs, take heart of grace. You have already come far; throw not away your former toils. A noble home is at the end of the journey. See, yonder is the direct road to it; keep straight on; seek from the great Physician healing for your lameness. ... Your Forerunner went this same hard road to the palace of God; others before you have won through; others are on the way; you are not alone; only press on! And you too shall reach the goal and win the prize.”

                                              iv.      Happy is he who knows how to sustain with words him that is weary (Isaiah 50:4). Happy is he who accepts exhortation (Hebrews 13:22). And thrice happy is he whose faith is simple and strong so that he finds no occasion of stumbling in the Lord when His discipline is severe. –MacDonald: Believer's Bible Commentary

C.    Adjust Your Relationships to Pursue Peace with Others (Heb. 12:14).

                                                  i.      As we run the Christian race, what is our goal? The writer explained the goal in Hebrews 12:14: Peace with all men, and holiness before the Lord. (Remember “the peaceable fruit of righteousness,” Heb. 12:11.) These two goals remind us of our Lord’s high priestly ministry—King of peace and King of righteousness (Heb. 7:1–2). –Wiersbe: The Bible Exposition Commentary

                                                ii.      Pursue Peace with all people (14).

1.      Peace with all men as well as personal holiness must be vigorously sought since without holiness no one will see the Lord. Christians should strive for peaceable relations with all people and at all times (Ps. 34:14; Matt 5:9; Mk 9:50; Rom. 12:18; 14:19; Js. 3:17-18).

2.      But this exhortation is especially needful when persecution is prevalent, when some are defecting from the faith, and when nerves are frayed. At such times it is all too easy to vent one’s frustration and fears on those who are nearest and dearest. This is the first danger.

D.    Adjust Your Surveillance to Pursue Righteous Values and Principles (Heb. 12:14-17).

What dangers must a strong Christian avoid, and why must we avoid them? (Heb. 12:14-17). The dangers Christians must avoid are all related to some degree of apostasy. These include: lack of spiritual diligence—failing to watch over their lives, bitterness against the Lord or others (see Deut. 29:18), sexual immorality, and decision making that reflect worldly and fleshly priorities.  How can we avoid these dangers?

                                                  i.      By Habitually Pursuing Practical Holiness (12:14).

1.      Pursue a holy lifestyle before God constantly (14).

a.       We should also strive for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord (12:14).  Since no sin can stand in God’s presence, Christians must—and will be—sinless when we see the Lord (1 John 3:2). That realization offers motivation for pursuing holiness here and now (Ps. 15:2; 94:15; Rom 6:22; 2Cor 6:17; 7:1; Phil. 3:12; 1 Thess. 4:7; 1 Pet 1:15-16).

b.      It is not that we earn the right to see God by living holy lives; Jesus Christ is our only claim to heaven. But there must be a pursuit of practical holiness as this evidences new life within. A pursuit of holiness and growing in righteous living, is proof the Spirit is leading the believer and the Spirit’s life is within (Rom. 8:11-14). When the Holy Spirit indwells a person, He manifests His presence by a separated life. It is a matter of cause and effect; if Christ has been received, the rivers of living water will flow.

2.      Pursue holiness to see God more clearly. I believe something else is intimated here…. The thought that our perception of God even now is conditioned by our real measure of personal holiness (see Matt. 5:8; 1Jn. 3:2-3). 

3.      Pursue holiness continually. Practical or progressive holiness is something that involves our obedience and cooperation; we must cultivate such devotion continually. The fact that we must follow it is proof that we do not fully attain it in this life. The second danger is a failure to progress in holiness. 

                                                ii.      By Diligently Walking in Grace to Avoid the Dangers (12:15-17).

It requires diligence to run the race successfully lest we “fail of the grace of God” (Heb. 12:15).  To fail means to fall behind in the race and/or fail to reach the goal. Grace is once more emphasized at the end of the chapter (Heb. 12:28). If we fail to take advantage of God’s grace, we will face the following conditions.

1.      Lest we fail of the grace of God (15).

a.       God’s grace does not fail, but we can fail to take advantage of His grace and therefore not finish our course or reach our spiritual potential. We are encouraged to depend on the grace of God by considering the failure of Esau.

b.      Esau certainly failed to act on God’s grace. The account is given in Genesis 25:27–34; 27:30–45.  God’s grace will never let you down or prove inadequate for any obstacle or challenge we face, but we can choose to get angry instead of trust God or blame God for all our problems and not depend on God’s grace (Gal. 5:4). Esau is a warning to us not to live for lesser things.

2.      Lest we are troubled by bitterness (15).

a.       As a grim reminder of what can happen among believers, we are warned that if we fail to use the grace of God we may become like a bitter root whose infidelity to God affects others. Deuteronomy 29:18 comes to mind where an OT apostate was called a “root that beareth gall and wormwood;” the “root” produces a bitter poison that negatively influences others. It is clear from Moses that the “root’ is a person who is inclined towards apostasy and departing from the True and Living God. Perhaps they are inclined to revert back to Judaism or the pursuit of some form of sensuality. They perhaps view apostasy as a safe and easier way to handle the persecutions and troubles instead of continuing in faithfulness to Christ. This is another warning against the single sin of apostasy and these sins are all related to it.

b.      Full apostasy is a root of bitterness; such individuals may have failed to obtain the grace of God. They may look like a Christian, talks like a Christian, professes to be a Christian, but they have never been born again. Such a person turns sour against the Lord because of suffering and repudiates the Christian faith (Matt 13:20-22). His defection can become contagious. Others are defiled by his complaints, doubts, and denials.

3.      Lest we become profane (godless and worldly) fornicators (16-17).

a.       Esau was “a profane person,” which means “a common person, one who lives for the world and not God.” (Our English word literally means “outside the temple,” or not belonging to God.) A profane person is a godless, unholy, secular, desecrated person with zero respect for spiritual things—a reprobate. Esau despised his birthright and sold it to Jacob, and he missed the blessing because it was given to Jacob. (It was supposed to go to Jacob anyway, but it was wrong for Jacob to use trickery to get it. See Gen. 25:19–26.) Afterward, Esau tried to get Isaac to change his mind, but it was too late. Even Esau’s tears availed nothing.

b.      What sins will rob us of the enabling of God’s grace? These verses tell us: lack of spiritual diligence, bitterness against others (see Deut. 29:18), sexual immorality, and living for the world and the flesh. Some people have the idea that a “profane person” is blasphemous and filthy; but Esau was a congenial fellow, a good hunter, and a man who loved his father. He would have made a fine neighbor—but he was not interested in the things of God. –Wiersbe: The Bible Exposition Commentary

Conclusion:

We are clearly warned not to yield to temporary pressures and forfeit our spiritual blessings and inheritances. If some do, they will ultimately regret the foolish step and might find their inheritance privileges irrevocably lost as were Esau’s. This would of course be true of any believer who ended his Christian experience in some backslidden state. The book of Hebrews has continually warned against this possibility. –Adapted from MacDonald,

So, why does God allow His children to suffer? Well, he permits suffering to correct and change us. Holiness, righteousness, faith, and continuing with holy power are His grand designs for us. He is wise and patient in this task and there is much we need to learn…. Trust Him still, Beloved. Trust Him still.

Jowett explains:

The purpose of God’s chastening is not punitive but creative. He chastens “that we may share His holiness.” The phrase “that we may share” has direction in it, and the direction points toward a purified and beautified life. The fire which is kindled is not a bonfire, blazing heedlessly and unguardedly, and consuming precious things; it is a refiner’s fire, and the Refiner sits by it, and He is firmly and patiently and gently bringing holiness out of carelessness and stability out of weakness. God is always creating even when He is using the darker means of grace. He is producing the fruits and flowers of the Spirit. His love is always in quest of lovely things. –MacDonald, W. (1995). Believer’s Bible Commentary

The Burden Bearer

ROMANS 15:1-3

SUBJECT: BUILDING UNITY & FELLOWSHIP

THEME: we are encouraged by the example of our Lord Jesus’ and his servant the Apostle Paul to bear one another's burdens. This kind of consideration for each other and ministry towards one another will forge unity in the church even though it may be ethnically diverse. 

INTRODUCTION:

Sometimes Believers from differing backgrounds find it difficult to respect/relate to each other. This challenge is amplified when their church is comprised of believers from different cultures. The first thirteen verses of Romans 15 continue the subject of the previous chapter—matters of moral indifference–questionable issues. Tensions had arisen between the converts from Judaism and those from paganism, so Paul here pleads for harmonious relations between these Jewish and Gentile Christians, saying, “We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves” (Rom. 15:1).

Those who are strong (that is, they have full liberty regarding things that are morally indifferent) are not to please themselves by selfishly asserting their rights and freedom. Rather, they should treat their weak brothers with kindness and consideration, making full allowance for their excessive scruples—weak conscious. Paul wisely goes on to say in Romans 15:2, “Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.” This type of selflessness will certainly bridge the cultural divides!  

The principle is this: don’t live to please yourself. Live to please your neighbor, to do him good, to build him up in the walk of faith. This is the Christian approach; we should seek to help, build-up, comfort, and strengthen each other. If we do this, we will forge unity and cooperation in the church regardless of our ethnic backgrounds and cultural moorings. Kindness and consideration will begat the like; other believers in the church will reciprocate!

LESSON:

CONSIDER THE EXAMPLE OF CHRIST, THE BURDEN BEARER  

When we catch the heartbeat of Christ and Paul for bearing the burdens of others it will not be long before their example must be translated into our own actions. Our Lord Jesus Christ “came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). His whole life was characterized by helping others and by bearing their burdens. Paul was perhaps the greatest of the apostles. He was so because he had learned to follow Christ, especially in sharing the weaknesses, pains and personal sorrows of others. May the examples left by our Lord and His apostle teach us what it means to truly bear one another’s burdens.

CHRIST FOCUSED ON OTHERS, NOT HIMSELF (Rom. 15:1-3).

Romans 15:3, For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.

Christ’s attitude of humility was constantly and consistently expressed in his willingness to forfeit his pleasures or advantages. Our Lord suffered because of his loyalty and commitment to the Father. So much so that those who resented the Father lashed out at Christ who was loyal to Him. Jesus did not live for Himself, but to please His Father. Instead of securing his own advantages or declaring his rights, He bore the reproaches of another. Ultimately our Savior took our complete sin burden on Himself at the cross of Calvary. Note these references to this very matter:

Matt. 8:17, That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.

1 Pet. 2:24, Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. 

2 Cor. 8:9, For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.

Jesus is the Burden Bearer like no other! It is Christ who took upon himself the sicknesses and physical infirmities of Israel, He bore the sins of the entire world at Calvary, Jesus sacrifice all and every advantage he had to secure a wealthy redemption for you and me! Aren’t you glad he willingly focused on our needs instead of his personal interests? Let us now consider and ponder astutely these simple observations. As a Burden Bearer, Jesus is…

The Supreme Example  

Paul points us to Christ's example in verse 3, “For even Christ pleased not Himself . . .”   And in Verse 5 says’ “be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus.”  Again, in verse 7, “Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us….”

Christ has given us the highest example. He lived to please His Father, not Himself. He said, “The reproaches [Criticism] of them that reproached Thee fell on Me” (Ps. 69:9).

This means that He was so completely taken up with God's honor that when men insulted God He took it as a personal insult to Himself.  Christ loved the Father so much that when people cursed God, Jesus felt the pain! Jesus paid a tremendous price to minister to sinful humanity and to satisfy His Father’s will.  It would have been much easier to adopt His own will!  But, he didn’t; He went to Calvary any way! (W. MacDonald)

Paul is appealing to the stronger or mature saints to sacrifice their liberties for the benefit of their weaker brother in Christ. The stronger saint may feel like God is requiring too much and that the sacrifice he is being asked to make is too great.  But here Paul reminds us all that no sacrifice is great in comparison to Calvary where the Son of Glory died for a sinful undeserving world!  The next time you curtail your lifestyle because your actions could be offensive to a weaker Christian, remember the Example of our Lord and sacrifice your liberty to save your brother or sister from a fall.

The Sound Exhortation 

Paul instructs us now to follow our Lord’s Example of unselfishness in Verse 1. When he tells us “to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves,” we began to see how Jesus’ model can shape our behaviors and motives. While anyone can be self-absorbed, consumed with personal interests, and too busy to be bothered with others, Christians are called upon to weave ourselves into the lives of others. The stronger believers are to sense discipleship and mentoring opportunities and seize them unto a fellow believer’s edification. Yes, like a mother must put up with some things to raise her infant properly, so the mentor must put up with the weaknesses of the younger believer to aid his growth. Those who consider themselves strong in faith are to help weaker Christians with their burdens.

True Christian Love Is Not Selfish; Rather it Seeks to Share with Others, and it Seeks the Happiness of Others. It is even willing to carry the younger believer, to help them along with their spiritual development. We should not be merely enduring or tolerating them, we should be encouraging them! Remember anybody can criticize the new convert because they are novice indeed. What are you doing to help them grow and become stronger?  

A Christian’s Spiritual Maturity is Revealed by His Ability to Discern God’s Will, and the Sacrifices He is Willing to Makes for the Benefit of Others. Is he or she willing to temporarily give up his Christian Liberties and Spiritual Rights that others might be helped? Does he/she do this as a blessing and not a burden? Does he/she give up or quit and become cross and impatient with the younger believer?  If we answered these questions honestly, then we know if we are mature or if we are more like babies in the Lord.

    

Think about it…. Just as loving parents make sacrifices for their children, so must the mature believer sacrifice their liberties to help younger Christians grow in the faith. A good father will never tell his hungry young child to go out and earn some money so that he can have bread to eat.  He doesn’t say, “I have a right to eat because I worked for what I have.”  No, he gladly provides for his children the things they need even at his own expense. Often parents will forfeit their higher education, so their children can go to college. They may even be convinced a degree or a higher degree what help them professionally, but instead they opt for their children's future. Good parents may even wear simple inexpensive clothing to ensure their children are properly clothed. Some parents work two jobs to meet their children’s most basic needs. In addition, the children may not even appreciate it until they grow-up themselves, but a good parent will deny themselves certain privileges and rights to help their children. Beloved, the same is true regarding the way mature saint’s treat younger believers. They understand the younger believer needs time and opportunity to grow. 

The Serious Emergency 

There is not a person on earth today who is not hurting or needy in some way. Everyone you and I know has a burden—a heartfelt need. Behind every plastic smile there is a world of burdens that we are struggling and straining to cover up. We don’t want anyone to know our pain…we want to appear strong so that we don’t cause others to stumble. Remember, every set of eyes you will ever gaze into have shed hundreds of tears in secret when no one else but God was watching. That lady who is always smiling at church will one day need a shoulder to cry on. That guy who loves to laugh, cut up, and tell jokes will need encouraging one day.  Our world is in a state of emergency and the disease is “an overdose of hurts and burdens,” and the medicine they need is someone unselfish enough to help when they hurt. Someone to love them and reassure them of God’s great love for them!

Trials and Temptations are the Universal Lot of Us All, and Only Christ Can Give That Measure of Strength Necessary to Overcome Them. (See 1 Cor. 10:13)

1 Cor. 10:13, There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

Look to the Lord for that way of escape and the power to endure until the temptation pass. Be assured He will never lead you into a scenario that is more than you can deal with. His grace is sufficient for you and me.

Christians Desperately Need to be Sensitive to the Needs of Others and to Help Bear Another’s Burdens (Rom. 15:1). This is a repeated instruction in the Word.

Gal 6:2, Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

1Thes 5:14, Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.

Gal 5:13-14, For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. 14, For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Because We All Face Similar Trials We May Be Used of God to Help Another overcome a Challenge We Have Previously Experienced Ourselves. That is one reason why God allows us to suffer hardships. We learn to accept His help, strength, and comfort and as a result we can be of aid to someone else. (See 2 Cor. 1:3, 4.)

2 Cor. 1:3-4, Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; [4] Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

God Himself comforts us when life hurts, and He provides fellow comforters among the brethren as we receive His comfort through our personal trials. All of this says that God cares about what hurts you. Many of you know exactly what I mean when I say, “The pain can overwhelm us at times….” We can become confused, perplexed, and our souls ache beyond our ability to express…. We can become lost in our sorrows were it not for the sweet Savior, the Lord Jesus.

So, what is your burden today?

What are some weighty challenges you must bear? Does anyone really care about your burdens? What can we do for each other to assist one another with our various burdens? Does God really care about our problems? 

Consider a bit of encouragement from Mr. Max Lucado,

 “When it comes to the major-league difficulties like death, disease, sin and disaster—you already know that God deeply cares.But what about the smaller things? What about grouchy bosses or flat tires or lost dogs? What about broken dishes, late flights, toothaches, or a crashed hard drive? Do these matter to God? John [the Apostle] added this phrase for you (1Jn. 3:2).
“Beloved, now are we the sons of God,” We really are His children!
As a result, if something is important to you, it's important to God.…  God wants to share your burden . . . .  He wants to Lift Your Burden . . . .
    
Heb. 4:15, For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 

Heb. 4:16, Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. 

 So, go ahead. Tell God what hurts. Talk to him. He won’t turn you away. He won’t think it’s silly. For our high priest is able to understand our weaknesses. When he lived on earth, he was tempted in every way that we are, but He did not sin. Let us, then, with full assurance come before God’s throne where we can secure grace to help in our time of need . . . when the burden is too heavy to bare alone. . .  When no one else will understand . . . . when your secret is a dark one . . .  Take it to Him who cares and understands.
Does God care about the burdens and little things in our lives? You better believe it.If it matters to you, it matters to him.” (From He Still Moves Stones by Max Lucado)

I have had times when I could not help myself much less anybody else, but in those instances God Himself was faithful to comfort and encourage me when I needed it most. He has used His Word, afforded grace, imparted peace, provided relief, and met the needs! As my Pastor, Dr. Baldwin, says of Jesus, “He is a burden Bearer, and he is a heavy-load Sharer!” Like you, I have also been comforted by precious believers whom God had touched with His encouraging hands. I praise God for my precious wife, Patrice, God has used her repeatedly to comfort and encourage this preacher! Nothing knits people together like enduring painful times together. So, why not become a burden bearer like our Lord for the benefit of the brethren?

God Knows What He Is Doing!

God Knows What He is Doing!

Feeling a bit overwhelmed? Why must 'everything' go haywire on the same day?! "My spouse, the kids, the car, the rent, my work, and now my health; certainly, things cannot get any worse than this!" Does this sound like anyone living at your address? Would not it be great to find a place in life where everything is easy from now on? I know the feeling, but there is no such reality on this side of eternity. No, the truth is we face one trial after another crashing on the shores of our lives like billows and waves ceaselessly coming...coming...and coming….Then there are those awful days when 'everything' goes wrong at once...missed deadlines, a flat tire, the kids have a virus, the computer crashed, and I can't take anymore.... Sometimes it feels like pure madness; it makes no sense at all. That is, until we use our faith to recognize what is actually happening, and what is truly at stake. The Lord weighs in on this very issue; consider these perspective-shaping admonitions from the Apostle Paul,

Now all these things happened unto them [Israel] for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. 12, Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. 13, There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. (1 Cor. 10:11-13)

A number of helpful insights should be noted from this text. The Lord desires that we learn from Israel's mistakes to avoid moral failures. He likewise cautions us by making us aware of our susceptibility to overconfidence because of past victories and/or certain advantages. He then offers us His revelation (the Bible) to help us accept the reality of trials and temptations; He desires to shape our concept of challenges—even the painful ones. Then He also makes provisions to help us resist temptations and endure trials most effectively. Our Heavenly Father faithfully prepares, postures, and powers us through ever escalating challenges. Our obligation is to adopt His guiding perspective on life's tests. This involves trusting Him to supply the grace, wisdom, strategies, and power to manage the trials and temptations life seems to indiscriminately throw at us.

In fact, God faithfully prepares us for the big challenges in life by providing us with opportunities to face the smaller challenges victoriously. This strategy reflects His grand intent to avoid over burdening us with more than we can handle (1 Cor. 10:13). At first young David's task was simple--guard the family's sheep. On occasion, his guarding the sheep escalated to protecting the sheep. First, he fought against a bear and then a lion to do so. Then as a young man he faced down a Goliath in the strength of the Lord. Ultimately we see him on the throne of Israel fighting the mighty battles of the Lord against the enemy nations. His life is marked by ever escalating crises, oppositions, and triumphs! God did not put him on the throne until after He had taken David through the caves! In due course his challenges increased in magnitude and intensity under God's watchful eye.

No doubt someone will object saying, “But, I don’t want any more big challenges!” If this is your response, then you are in good company because many of us are honest enough to admit the same. You see, we are also a bit intimidated by the idea of bigger and even bigger challenges to overcome. However, we must understand that God is not like the mother who over protects her children, or the father who attempts to make life’s challenges as easy as possible for his children. Such well-meaning parents actually cripple their children and limit their ability to discern and handle life as it is. A cursory reading of the Book of Proverbs with our children will expose them to all the hardness, and wretchedness this life is capable of belching out. The Word helps prepare us all for the ugly times.

No, God is more like the battle-hardened drill sergeant who knows exactly what it takes to face battles and wars effectively. So instead of mollycoddling the new military recruits, he drives, drills, and demands more and more and yet more of them pushing them to their utmost limits! When he perceives the new recruits are at their wits end, he kicks out the walls and pushes them yet further to stretch their endurance and concentration. His aim is to develop their discipline in extremely challenging situations. Why? Because that is the true nature of war! No, he is not crazy, and this is not an amusing game to him. His purpose is crucial and his approach is serious. He does know precisely what lies ahead and how much is at stake….

And so it is with our Heavenly Father, He knows where you are presently, what lies ahead, what is at stake, how much you and I can handle, and what He needs to take us through to prepare us for yet other significant battles. Anticipating bigger challenges is a little scary; we naturally recoil at the thought of greater pain, trouble, opposition, complexity, confusion, and heartache…. We deeply yearn for life to level off and just leave us alone while we enjoy some time free of any heavy worries, problems, or perplexities. We even question God’s love for us when He permits us to experience pains and sorrows in rapid succession. We feel abandoned and alone…It is vital that we remember that even the very difficult and painful crises are tests of our faith. The immediate challenges will lead to greater ones to be sure, but God is entrusting us with His work and He does not want us to fail. He wants to increase our faith so that bigger challenges seem surprisingly smaller when He has adequately prepared us to face them. Be assured God knows exactly what He is doing. I said, God know what He is doing! Therefore, Beloved, trust in Him. Your measure of peace in the midst of war will always be proportionate to your degree of trust in the Lord. Let Him stretch you to increase your readiness for the next battle.

Give God Your Lemons

I recall while in high school, a football coach barking this admonition at me, “Son, when life hands you a lemon, make lemonade! Now, get back out there!” His forceful counsel was the classic encouragement to make the best out of a bad situation. In affect ‘Coach’ was saying, be resilient, get tougher, refuse to quit, and turn this thing around to your advantage. In our modern marketing savvy world, I would be further encouraged to not only make good lemonade, but sell it at a nice profit!

All of this is well and good…in a certain way, I suppose...but…. One important ingredient is missing. What? Assurance, a guarantee…a sure promise is what is missing. The advice of my coach is purely dependent upon my efforts, strength, wisdom, and determination. You see in a purely human scenario, there is no one bigger than life who can guarantee everything will work out good in the end and ultimately. As Christians, we have a God who promises beneficial final outcomes no matter how many lemons life dumps on us! Consider this clear promise of God writing by the Apostle Paul,   

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. (Romans 8:28, 29)

Often when we are working through heartbreak, tragedy, disappointment, frustration, and bereavement, we find ourselves wondering…. Why? Why THIS? What "good" could possibly come out of THIS? God permits such challenges to invade our experiences to mold us into the image of His darling Son, Jesus Christ (8:29). As perplexing as it may seem, our Majestic LORD even has beneficial designs for pure chaos! Christ-likeness is His goal for us. He can even use bad things to mold and shape us into good (Christ-like) people. Our Lord is bigger than life!

 Joseph understood the way God works and fully embraced His will. He viewed  his experiences at the hands of his brothers and the time in Egypt as a sovereign choice and activity of a caring God. He firmly believed the ordeals he suffered were for his good and the good of others.  In Genesis 50:19-21, Moses writes,

And Joseph said unto them [his brothers who betrayed him], Fear not: for am I in the place of God?  But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them.

Because Joseph’s perspective was riveted on God’s designs, he realized his sufferings were beneficial to him personally, and the nations working through that awful enduring drought. He was freed from any entertainment of revengeful notions, bitterness, and hatred towards his brothers. He could treat his betrayer with extraordinary kindness because he believed God was handling the entire situation! Yes, Joseph understood the way God operates in a broken and fallen world. He believed with his entire being that God can overcome evil with good. Beloved, God was making lemonade with Joseph's lemons!

Not everyone in the Bible possessed such a clear perspective about troubles. Jacob, Joseph’s father, did not understand the way God works in troubles and he battled his burdens. Jacob struggled miserably during challenging times. In essence, his lack of faith and insight stirred him to resist, complicate, and belabor the outworking of God’s designs. He was reluctant to give God his lemons. Note the record in Genesis 42:35-36, where Moses says,

And it came to pass as they [Jacob’s sons] emptied their sacks, that, behold, every man's bundle of money was in his sack: and when both they and their father saw the bundles of money, they were afraid. And Jacob their father said unto them, Me have ye bereaved of my children: Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin away: all these things are against me.

In spite of Jacob’s past experiences, He did not have this confidence in God’s sovereign watch care over his concerns! In Jacob’s eyes trials, suffering, bereavement, and tragedy were just awful distresses that served no beneficial purposes at all! No doubt, Jacob was reaping some of the harvest of his deceptive youth; this is a safe assertion. One writer summarized Jacob’s lament over his circumstances in this way,

Joseph was gone; Reuben was disgraced; Judah was dishonored; Simeon and Levi had broken his heart; Dinah was defiled; Simeon was currently in prison; his beloved Rachel was dead; famine threaten the family.  Then came the demand from Egypt that young Benjamin must appear there before its governor before any additional food supplies will be authorized. Old Jacob wept and said: “all these things are against me.”

But he was completely wrong! God Almighty was busy working all these developments together for Jacob's good. It certainly did not seem this way at the time, but that does not change the truth. We can take the perspective of Jacob and struggle with hardnesses for the remainder of our days, or we could embrace them like Joseph realizing that troubles can be used of God to bring about the best outcomes! God is bigger than life, and He makes great lemonade! The Apostle Paul agrees in 2 Corinthians 4:17-18, affirming,

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Beloved, God is continually arranging every event in life for our ultimate good and His glory (Rom 8:28).  No one handles the worst things a broken world can belch out at us transforming them into “good” like God can! I know the pains and sufferings we have experienced may argue against this truth, but they are powerless to change or diminish it. Do not believe your pain; believe your God. Again the Apostle Paul says, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” (Rom. 8:28). Again God's purpose is to use even pain to conform each of us to the likeness of His Son, Jesus Christ (8:29). Yes, God uses the Bible, Christian teachers, faithful biblical counselors, pastors, and good schools, but He also uses the dark experiences of life as well. Do not respond to this with perplexity; respond with faith in the character and promises of God.

Now, does this passage hold up under close scrutiny? Does Romans 8:28, 29 really promise all that I claim it does? Well, I did a little extra research and read after many other writers concerning these incredible verses/promise. Here is what I came up with as we consider Romans 8:28, phrase by phrase:

·       The Surety: “And we know”: the idea of the word “know” is absolute full perfect knowledge. We should be absolutely confident that God is working all things together for our good.

·        The Quantity: “that all things”: every experience and every event without any exceptions. This is full-orb and comprehensive—all encompassing! No development, situation, or circumstance is excluded. All means all!

·        The Activity: “work together”: refers to being fellow-workers or helpers together on a project—cooperating in a certain task—working in concert. The same idea is clearly conveyed in Mark 16:20, “And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.” Thus, our Lord uses every circumstance as His “helper,” “co-worker,” or “partner” in the task of making us Christlike, and to bring Himself glory. He is fully able to produce beauty from ashes!

·        The Longevity: “work together”: the verb tense indicates a continuous working influence. God’s work is always a present action which reveals how He is in full CONTROL of our lives and everything that touches them for the entire length of our earthly existence and on into eternity! His attention is constantly on our spiritual welfare!

·        The Quality: “for good”: a reference to our ultimate good, of course. Thus, that which is good in its character or construction is good in its effect! It is a good God bringing about a good end for His children. The nature of our final destiny can only be described as good because a good God is on our case! The following verses illustrate this truth; they employ this same word “good.” Consider Matthew 7:17, “Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.” Now look at Luke 8:8, which says “And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.” With God, it’s all good!

So you have some challenges huh? Yea, me too. I know it seems there are times in life when an entire grocery cart full of lemons has been dumped on you all at once. For you life has been one giant lemon! It has turned completely sour...there is no sweetness anymore.... I mean the car is broke, the rent is overdue, your faith is wobbling, your job is laying folks off, and your heart has been broken for months.... Lemons, lemons, more lemons! Life only gives you more lemons, and you are tired of people telling you, "When life hands you lemons make lemonade." They don't understand, and they don't know what you have been through, or what you are dealing with. They have no clue about what you have been navigating for years...things have been messed up for decades now. You're tired of trying only to realize another failure.... You have concluded that life is against you. Life's a giant lemon and you have grown to hate the sour taste of it all!

From your past you can recall some hard times, but for a long time you had the hope things would get better. The problem is...it never really did...in fact things got worse. Even though you tried hard to make life work...things only got worse and then worse. What can you do? Is it really hopeless?

Well, believe it or not there is hope and a special promise from God with your name on it. Yes, my friend it is safe to hope again because of the promise of Romans 8:28, 29. But understand your hope is not in how hard you try or how smart you are. It is in the Lord the great "Lemonade Maker!" Instead of trying to make your own lemonade, give God your lemons and trust Him to sweetened life and remove the bitterness that is presently stealing your joy and peace. Beloved, it is time to give God your lemons.

So, there you have it; God makes fantastic lemonade. Therefore, give Him your lemons…all of them. Come on...give them to Him. Place everyone of them in His capable hands. Do not hold on to a single slice. Since God is bigger than life, he can make lemonade with your lemons. You are assured of this by the promises of God. Beloved, our lives are not controlled by impersonal and insensible forces such as luck, chance, karma, the stars, the alignment of the planets, or fate! Nor are we merely “dancing to our DNA!” No, we are in the omnipotent hands of Almighty God. He can make lemonade with our lemons! Stop talking about your lemons. Stop comparing your lemons with others. God knows what to do with lemons; He designed them! Therefore, even now...give Him your lemons. Yes, give Him your "stale lemons." Those that have been lying around your life perpetuating your failures, mistakes, and problems from your past, give them to the Lemonade Maker. Give the Lord your "old lemons;" all that bad stuff from your childhood that has haunted you throughout your life must be surrendered to Him. Yield it over to the One who works it together for your good. Give Him your "rotten lemons" all that absolute junk that you are convinced has no useful purpose or value at all. If you feel it is too late for you and nothing can be salvaged in your situation...still give God your "rotten lemons." Be assured He knows what He is doing. Give God your "fresh lemons;" that stuff that went wrong last week, last night, or this morning. Let the God Who is bigger than life turn your lemons into sweet refreshing lemonade! Can't your life use some refreshing about now? Isn't it time for some fresh hope and promise? Beloved, we are assured of this. Refresh your tired and perplexed soul with this incredible truth! Drink deeply from this well of promise, hope, grace, and assurance (Rom. 8:28, 29). Our wonderful, personal Lord, is too loving to be unkind, too powerful to be incompetent, and too wise to make a mistake. What Great ASSURANCE we have throughout our lives because of Him! Now, about those lemons….