How do we respond when hard times come our way? Where do we turn when suffering comes in to our life? Just like we know the hot weather we’ve been having is coming to an end, so does our suffering. Everybody experiences suffering in their life, but we must remember it is just temporary.
Romans 8:18
“I know that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared to the glory which will be revealed in us”.
Suffering is for an end result! In 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 we are taught to not look at that which is seen but that which is unseen. That which is seen is temporary but that which is unseen is eternal.
The more we listen to the Spirit, the more we see the Lord moving around us. Just last week a young couple came to know Jesus in our home, as did another couple the previous week. There are so many stories that could be shared of the ministry out of our home and the time we spend walking at the mall. All because we are prayerfully listening to the Holy Spirit!
Isaiah 30:19b-21
“How gracious he will be when you cry for help! As soon as he hears, he will answer you. 20 Although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them. 21 Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”
What promises from God! He WILL hear us! He WILL answer us.
He nourishes us with the bread of affliction and the water of adversity – this is how we are trained! Tough things are for a purpose.
2 Corinthians 1:8-9
“9 Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead”.
There are amazing results to being nourished with “the bread of adversity and the water of affliction.” God promises that “our teachers will be hidden no more; with our own eyes we will see them!”
Let me share a good story about that. I had a broken truck in my driveway that needed moving. As I watched from the doorway, 3 strong men trying to push it just couldn’t budge it. I felt the Spirit saying to go out and help, but having a bum leg I knew I wasn’t going to do much good. I walked out and as soon as I put my hand on the truck – it moved! I instantly “saw my teachers”. I saw that we are ALL members of the body of Christ. Even one who is seemingly insignificant is actually of great importance to the Body of Christ and may make all the difference in whether the tasks the LORD is calling us to will be completed or not!
Hear the whole teaching here:
Spiritual DNA is just like natural DNA in this way: At your spiritual birth you were given a spiritual DNA that you didn’t have before you were born again, and just like your physical abilities need exercise to grow in strength, so do your spiritual gifts! Imagine for a moment a nine year old boy. If you were to ask this boy what he was good at, wouldn’t you expect him to be able to tell you? He would probably get quite animated telling you all about his favorite video game or how he is so good on his bmx bike. It’s quite likely he would keep talking about it until you found a way to excuse yourself!
Now, imagine asking that same boy what he was good at and he simply shrugs, looks up at you and says “I dunno. Not sure if I’m really good at anything.” Who’s at fault here, the boy or his parents? Clearly his parents! They have not helped this child find his strengths and encouraged him to spend time enjoying them, using them, getting good at them! It is much the same with spiritual gifts in the church today. Walk into most any church in this country – and I mean COUNTRY, not county or state – and ask the question “what are your spiritual gifts….what spiritual gifts are you good at?” 95% to 98% will answer ‘I don’t know”. Tell me that is not a travesty against the body of Christ!!!!!
The members of the Body of Christ should be answering with animation and excitement… “Let me TELL you what God has been teaching me to do!! He’s given me this gift and this gift, and this is the ministry He has shown me to use it in, and this is how He is showing me to use it each week!! Wow! PRAISE GOD!” They just wouldn’t want to stop sharing their excitement about what God is doing in their lives and how God is using them! THAT is the way it is SUPPOSED to be when we listen to the LORD!
All of this ties in to 2 Corinthians 10:4, 5.
4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
Karen shared how the Lord has been showing her things about strongholds and about holding thoughts captive in her mind. She shared some thoughts from the book, Praying Gods Word, and how if left un-captured thoughts can turn from fairly small issues to insurmountable mountains.
We are to hold thoughts captive for the purpose of being OBEDIENT to CHRIST! We can focus on the things of God, not on those things trying to build themselves up in our minds. It IS within our power, as we surrender our lives to the Holy Spirit! If we allow our thoughts to wander wherever they wish to go we cannot hear GOD’S voice. This can make prayer very difficult. Holding our thoughts captive can change our prayer life. We become so much more focused on our prayers and time with God.
Do not let the noise of the world distract us from being able to listen to the voice of the Lord. That is what this morning has been all about! Spend time meditating; ask the Lord to strengthen you in all these areas!
Hear the whole teaching here:
Now, imagine asking that same boy what he was good at and he simply shrugs, looks up at you and says “I dunno. Not sure if I’m really good at anything.” Who’s at fault here, the boy or his parents? Clearly his parents! They have not helped this child find his strengths and encouraged him to spend time enjoying them, using them, getting good at them! It is much the same with spiritual gifts in the church today. Walk into most any church in this country – and I mean COUNTRY, not county or state – and ask the question “what are your spiritual gifts….what spiritual gifts are you good at?” 95% to 98% will answer ‘I don’t know”. Tell me that is not a travesty against the body of Christ!!!!!
The members of the Body of Christ should be answering with animation and excitement… “Let me TELL you what God has been teaching me to do!! He’s given me this gift and this gift, and this is the ministry He has shown me to use it in, and this is how He is showing me to use it each week!! Wow! PRAISE GOD!” They just wouldn’t want to stop sharing their excitement about what God is doing in their lives and how God is using them! THAT is the way it is SUPPOSED to be when we listen to the LORD!
All of this ties in to 2 Corinthians 10:4, 5.
4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
Karen shared how the Lord has been showing her things about strongholds and about holding thoughts captive in her mind. She shared some thoughts from the book, Praying Gods Word, and how if left un-captured thoughts can turn from fairly small issues to insurmountable mountains.
We are to hold thoughts captive for the purpose of being OBEDIENT to CHRIST! We can focus on the things of God, not on those things trying to build themselves up in our minds. It IS within our power, as we surrender our lives to the Holy Spirit! If we allow our thoughts to wander wherever they wish to go we cannot hear GOD’S voice. This can make prayer very difficult. Holding our thoughts captive can change our prayer life. We become so much more focused on our prayers and time with God.
Do not let the noise of the world distract us from being able to listen to the voice of the Lord. That is what this morning has been all about! Spend time meditating; ask the Lord to strengthen you in all these areas!
Hear the whole teaching here:
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