Acceptable Suffering

1 Peter 2:18-25

No man desires to suffer, nor endure the hardships of life, but suffering is inevitable. Although trials and tough times aren’t fun experiences, they aren’t all weighed the same, in the eyes of God. Many who are going through hard seasons, are only reaping the harvest of their own faults. We often cry, moan, and become bitter from things we brought on ourselves. God sees our struggles, but set instructions in place to help us avoid self-inflicted burdens. I’m guilty of this very thing; wanting others to have compassion toward me when I experienced trying seasons, but most of them were brought forth from my own mistakes. Through repentance, a renewed mind, and a refocus on God’s purpose, I was able to avoid repeating some of the errors of my past. On the contrary, suffering for righteousness sake, is acceptable to God. There are many who endure suffering, but at the expense of someone else. When these persons suffer while keeping God in their hearts, He counts this act as thankworthy. Dealing with nasty bosses, disrespectful spouses, or even irate customers at the grocery store with the right spirit, will always get the attention of the Father. “When a man’s ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.” (Proverbs 16:7 KJV). Suffering while maintaining the right attitude and behavior, shows that a person understands the Christian walk, because there was One who suffered for all men, yet did literally nothing to deserve it. Jesus took on the sins of all mankind, and endured a horrendous beating, but knowing that His suffering would save you, gave Him all the motivation He needed to see it through.

“Tough times don’t last, but tough Christians do.” – Ell

The Only Wise God

Isaiah 57:14-21

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isa 55:8-9 KJV). The more I try to understand the intricacies and details of God the Father, the more my head hurts. I often quote Dr. Kent Hovind when he says,”if my little three pound brain could understand the Creator of all things, then He would not be worth worshiping”. Simply reading descriptions of the nature of the Creator and His dwelling place, makes me so excited to soon inhabit eternity with Him! The Lord our God is many wonderful things, including eternal, omnipotent, omniscient, in all places at all times, humble, just, righteous, consistent in love and judgment, and more! God inhabits eternity, and dwells in the high and holy place (with Christ), and His plan is to revive the spirit of those who walk in humility, and restore the hearts of those who’s were broken.

With the state in which the world is today, many, including Christians, have given up hope that God truly cares for those who suffer. But, know this; God never gives up on those He loves, those who walk in His ways, and keep His commandments. Even when we fall short, while trying to walk in the Spirit, God will pardon our iniquities, and restore us to a right place in Him. God sees our suffering and is fully aware that we need Him, but only in His perfect timing, will He step in to deliver His people.

We may not understand all that’s going on today, but focus your attention on being consistent in obeying God, because He made us, and He knows all about what we’re experiencing. In due time, the one whose name is Holy, will show Himself mighty in the lives of His children.

Steps Of A Good Man

Luke 5:1-11

Everywhere Jesus went, He was found doing something to help someone. Whether it was healing a sickness or disease, or casting out demons or raising the dead, the works of the Son of God were always centered on making men better. Aside from the miraculous healings and other blessings, Jesus made preaching the kingdom of God priority over all else. Miracles and blessings are good, but without the Gospel, all is futile.

Jesus’ words were so inspiring, until crowds of people would literally follow His every move, just to hear from Him. Even when He sought seclusion in a desert place, after doing many great works, the people sought Him diligently, and didn’t want Him to leave after they discovered His location. This is an example of how men are to cling to God, and His holy Word. The same God that worked through Christ, the Son, works through His Spirit in all who have been redeemed, even today.

Although we may not see all the miracles that took place during Jesus’ time in the earth, the exact message He preached in the synagogues, and throughout all the lands, is present with us in the Bible. It’s the will of God, that we cling to His Word, just as the people refused to let go of Jesus, and allow the message of the Gospel to penetrate deep into our souls, so that we can be changed, renewed, and prepared to share it properly with others. “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way.” (Psalms 37:23)

The Right Side Of The Ship

John 21:15-19

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to an exciting episode of, “The Right Side of the Ship”! Starring, Peter, the Other Disciples, and the Risen Savior! I’m your host, “holyell”, and I’ll be bringing you all the details of tonight’s most fascinating scenes!

Peter: Brethren, it’s been a good while since we left this place of hiding, after our Lord was crucified and risen. It was an amazing experience to see Him miraculously enter our dwelling, even while the doors were locked, to breath on us, and give us the Holy Ghost.

Other Disciples: Yes, it was uplifting and life-changing to be in the presence of our risen Savior again. It was even more touching to see doubting Thomas believe, after our Master revealed to him His wounds.

Peter: Indeed our Savior has risen, and graced us with His resurrected body, but we must not abide behind these walls for too long, or our food and supplies will run out. I will go fishing, and bring back food, so that we may eat.

Other Disciples: That’s a good idea. We will come also.

Peter: Alright. Grab all your tools and supplies, then meet me by the shore.

(Peter and six of the disciples set out to go fishing)

Peter: (Shouts out orders to the other disciples.) Let’s get ready to sail gentlemen! You two, perform a detailed inspection of the ship and all the equipment! James and John, inspect all the standing rigging and the turnbuckles and cotter pins! Nathanael, point the ship toward the wind! Now turn the ship to the starboard side so it’s about 90 degrees off the wind!

(The men set out, in hopes of bringing in a decent catch.)

(After hours of fishing, night came, yet the disciples caught nothing. All of a sudden, a voice cries out from the shore.)

Mystery Man: Hello out there! Have you children caught anything yet? If not, try casting your net on the right side of the ship, and you’ll catch as many as you desire.

Other Disciples: Who is that standing on the shore?

Peter: I’m uncertain.

John: Hey, Peter…I think that’s Him!

Peter: Who John?

John: It’s Him Peter! It is the Lord!

(Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he quickly put on his clothes, then dove into the water to meet the Risen Savior.)

*How prepared will you be to meet Jesus when He comes? Will you tell Him to wait a minute, while you get things in order? Or, will you dive into the water, as Peter did, in haste and excitement?

Peter: Master! You come again unto us! It is a blessing to be with you again!

(The Other Disciples arrive on shore to greet the Lord also.)

Risen Savior: As you can see, I have already prepared the table for you to dine with me tonight, but bring the fish you caught also, so we can set them over the coals as well.

(The disciples enjoy a yummy dinner with the Lord, then the focus is centered on Him and Peter.)

Risen Savior: Simon, son of Jonas, do you love me more than these?

Peter: Yes Lord, you know I love you.

Risen Savior: Feed my lambs.

(Peter holds a look of confusion on his face.)

Risen Savior: Simon, son of Jonas, do you love me?

Peter: Yes Lord. You know I love you.

Risen Savior: Feed my sheep.

(Peter continues to hold the gazed look of confusion.)

Risen Savior: Simon, son of Jonas, do you love me?

(Peter was grieved because the Lord asked three times if he loved Him.)

Peter: Lord, you know all things; you know I love you.

Risen Savior: Feed my sheep.

*This story brings to remembrance, the moment when Peter denied Jesus three time. In the time when Jesus needed the most support, His most loyal follower denied Him. It’s one thing to say you love the Lord, but it’s another thing to prove it through your actions. Although he was forgiven of his error, Jesus reassured the disciple that his life still had purpose and meaning.

*If you feel down and in the dumps for not living according to God’s expectations, repent, and allow this story to reenergize and spark the flame of your purpose. Don’t let your past mistakes keep you down, no matter how severe, because God is love, and His forgiveness is certain. Peter had to face his true feelings and motives when confronted by Jesus. How would you respond if Jesus asked do you love Him? What side of the ship are you fishing on?

This concludes the exciting episode of, “The Right Side of the Ship”! Thanks for tuning in.

Inseparable

Luke 9:57-62

Following in the footsteps of Jesus may require that we give up things we hold to dearly, so as not to be distracted by them once we begin to progress in His will. When Jesus gathered His disciples, they were all commanded to give up what they loved, to follow after Him. Jesus is in no way insensitive to others, but He was fully aware that the path He walked, wouldn’t be an easy one. In addition, holding on to their past could potentially distract the disciples from fulfilling the will God had set in place, and Jesus needed men by His side, who were willing to go the distance, and not give in to their past. Even today, there are countless things that distract God’s people from staying consistent to His will. We get drawn away from godliness by investing too much time in things like television, relationships, personal goals, or even our careers. But, we shouldn’t allow anything, including family, to separate us from the love of God. God’s will is priority, and it’s of the upmost importance that we strive to do our part, to see it fulfilled. We can’t allow the opinions of others, or our own desires to distract us from doing as we were commanded by the Father. “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39).

God Is With You

Isaiah 6:1-8

In the past few lessons, we were reminded of men who were humbled by their frailty, yet inspired by God to do great things. Moses was known to have a sort of speech impediment, and was asked of God to confront Pharoah on His behalf. While he could have wallowed in his natural insufficient state, he chose rather to trust that God would speak for him, and guide him to a promising end. Gideon’s weak faith, and understandable doubts weren’t enough to keep God’s power from working through him either. Despite feeling unequipped to handle such a great task given by God, his faith and trust was restored, after God proved to him, He was on his side. The prophet Isaiah was also a man with a humble spirit, and felt unworthy to spearhead a worthy task from the Father, but after being cleansed from his iniquities, and purged of his sin, the great prophet quickly answered the call of God, to go out and proclaim His words to the world. This year will have its inevitable struggles and times of suffering, but never think you have to take on the challenges of life alone. God is with those who love Him, and are true to His Word. Just as He revealed His power through the men of old, He will imbue the church of today with the same awesome power, to make His name glorious!

I’m Doing This, Because I Love You

Judges 6:1-16

Can you recall a time, when your parent or guardian advised you of the dangers of making a certain decision, yet you chose to ignore their warning, and made the decision out of ignorance anyway? After you made the mistake, and was left helpless, you cried out to your parent or guardian for help. One would think you would have learned your lesson after this instance, but you would later find yourself in the same cycle over and over. Surprisingly, your parent was always there to pull you out of trouble, and into a safe place. This was the relationship Israel had toward God, unfortunately.

In times of plenty, and being protected from their enemies, Israel would often find themselves doing evil in the sight of the Lord, thus forcing His hand to turn them over to those who would oppress them. While some may think it was harsh and cruel for God to deliver Israel to their enemies, His actions were justified because of their disobedience. If the people were to consistently obey God’s commands, He would bless them, but for their disobedience, they would suffer chastisement.

In our text, the children of Israel suffered greatly, as the Midianites, Amalekites, and the children of the east came against them and destroyed all their crops, so much until nothing was left for them to feed from. Israel was greatly impoverished, and finally realized that God was waiting on their cry for help. God loved His people unconditionally, but when they willingly strayed away from His leading, He had to allow pain and suffering to overtake them, in order to bring them back to right focus.

When we stray too far away from living for God, He won’t allow it to go unnoticed. He loves each and every one of us so much, that He’ll allow a season of pain and suffering, but only to help direct our attention back toward Him. Learn to appreciate hard seasons, because they may be scheduled to help keep your faith rooted in God.

Who Am I?

Exodus 3:1-12

God created all men special, and not one person deserves more esteem than another. From the least of mankind, to the greatest, all people were made fearfully and wonderfully by God, and are capable of doing amazing things through His power. Oftentimes, when in the presence of men and women who are considered famous or popular by worldly standards, some can become nervous, and feel unworthy to be amongst them. But, no matter who the world promotes as great, no man is greater than the almighty God.

While leading his father-in-law’s flock through a desert, Moses was unaware of the great responsibility that was moments away. As he approached Mount Horeb, the angel of the Lord appeared in a flame of fire, in the midst of a bush. This definitely caught Moses’ attention, and he turned to get a closer look. But, before he could take another step, God called unto him, and made known that he was on holy ground, and to remove his shoes. During this time, the children of Israel were being severely oppressed by the Egyptians, and God would not allow it to continue any longer. From the fiery bush, God told Moses He would send him unto Pharoah, so that he could bring His people out of Egypt. Humility is always revealed in the hearts of those who love God, and Moses proved this by asking God, “Who am I, that I should go unto Pharoah, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt” (vs.11). God assured the humble servant, He would certainly be with him as he carried out this task, and commanded him to return to the same place where he was standing, to reverence God after delivering the Israelites from the Egyptians. God knew His plan would work, and that Moses would do his part, so He wanted him to return to Mount Horeb, as he and Israel serve God from that point on.

Moses felt intimidated and unworthy to stand before the great Pharoah, but with God, he had all the confidence he needed, to do as God commanded. For every situation you face in life, whether great or small, don’t allow them to intimidate you, especially if God commanded you to go through it. God is all powerful, and He can equip you with all you need to be bold, no matter what you face in this life. Don’t let men and women shame or make you feel unworthy, because with God you are more than worthy!

They Just Don’t Understand

Luke 4:23-30

There are some people in life, who try hard to shine in the spotlight, and are willing to go over and beyond normal means, simply to gain the attention and approval of others. On the other hand, there are those who try hard to remain hidden from the realm of popularity, but their righteous acts keep them at the forefront. Jesus came to the earth to make no reputation for Himself, rather to do as His Father commanded Him to do. As His fame began to spread during the early moments of His ministry, He decided to return to the place where He had been brought up. Walking through the streets of Nazareth must have brought many old memories to Jesus, one of which led Him to visit the synagogue on the Sabbath day.

While in the midst of those gathered together, Jesus read a familiar passage from the book of Isaiah, that was a literal reference to His mission. Rather than appreciate the son of Joseph for all the great works they heard Him perform in Capernaum, the people became filled with wrath instead. They allowed their familiarity with who Jesus was in a natural sense to cloud their judgment of who He was in the spirit realm. The Son of God had just told the people His purpose for His time in the earth, yet they deliberately rejected Him, and literally tried to throw Him over a cliff! Say what?! Yes, they were ready to kill Jesus, knowing He was of their own people, and the son of Joseph and Mary. I’m convinced, Jesus could only shake His head, and repeat in His mind, “No prophet is accepted in His own country” (vs.24).

Are you guilty of rejecting people who have gifts and talents, but are too familiar? Learn to love and accept those who you may be accustomed to, and appreciate their gifts, rather than showing more respect to strangers who seem to be experts. Be not surprised when your Christian life and faith are not easily understood by those who know you well, but keep doing what you do, and God will see you through.

Fighting Temptation

Luke 4:1-13

The following is a brief excerpt from the Life Application Study Bible (King James Version)

Sometimes we feel that if the Holy Spirit leads us, it will always be “beside the still waters.” But that is not necessarily true. He led Jesus into the wilderness for a long and difficult time of testing, and he may also lead us into difficult situations. When facing trials, first make sure you haven’t brought them on yourself through sin or unwise choices. If you find no sin to confess or unwise behavior to change, then ask God to strengthen you for your test. Finally, be careful to follow faithfully where the Holy Spirit leads.

Temptation often comes after a high point in our spiritual lives or ministries. Remember that satan chooses the times for his attacks. We need to be on guard in times of victory just as much as in times of discouragement. Satan often tempts us when we are most vulnerable.

The devil, who tempted Adam and Eve in the Garden, also tempted Jesus in the wilderness. Satan is a real being, a created but rebellious fallen angel, not a symbol or an idea. He constantly fights against God and those who follow and obey God. Jesus was a prime target for his temptations. Satan succeeded with with Adam and Eve, and he hoped to succeed with Jesus too.

Knowing and obeying God’s Word is an effective weapon against temptation, the only offensive weapon provided in the Christian’s armor. Jesus used Scripture to counter satan’s attacks, and you can too. But to use it effectively you must have faith in God’s promises, because satan also knows Scripture and is adept at twisting it to suit his purpose. Obeying the Scriptures is more important than simply having a verse to quote, so read them daily and apply them to your life. Then your “sword” will always be sharp.