persecutions – Praying Pint

30.m. “Immediately they left their nets and followed him”

Matthew 4:18 While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Immediately they left their nets and followed him. And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

Mark 10:28-31 Peter began to say to him, “See, we have left everything and followed you.” Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

Luke 14:33 So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.

God usually calls people as they are busy doing something. Jesus called the apostles as they were casting a net into the sea or mending their nets. “They were busy in a lawful occupation when he called them to be ministers: our Lord does not call idlers but fishers.” (Spurgeon) Look at men of God; Saul was looking for his father’s donkeys, David was keeping his father’s sheep, The shepherds were guarding their flocks, Amos was farming in Tekoa, Matthew was working at the tax collector’s table, Moses was tending his father-in-law’s flock, Gideon was threshing wheat, Abraham was a very busy man with large herds and flocks, Luke was a physician, Paul was a high ranking official. All of these men heard the calling of God and responded to that calling with obedience. Therein is the difference between those that hear and obey and those that hear and don’t. It does not matter when or where you hear God’s calling of you to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. It does matter what you do after you hear Him calling. People deny hearing it, deafen their ears to hear it, neglect it, cast it aside as foolishness, delay acting upon it, and a host of other “not nows”. The day of salvation is now. Hebrews 3:7 Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.

25.x. “The LORD detests all the proud of heart.”

2 Corinthians 12:5 I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses— though if I should wish to boast, I would not be a fool, for I would be speaking the truth; but I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me. So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

2 Chronicles 26:16   But when he was strong, he grew proud, to his destruction. For he was unfaithful to the LORD his God

2 Chronicles 32:25-26    But Hezekiah did not make return according to the benefit done to him, for his heart was proud. Therefore wrath came upon him

Daniel 5:20    But when his heart was lifted up and his spirit was hardened so that he dealt proudly, he was brought down from his kingly throne, and his glory was taken from him.

Judges 2:3   So now I say, I will not drive them out before you, but they shall become thorns in your sides,

Job 2:7   So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD and struck Job with loathsome sores from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head.

Luke 13:16    And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?”

Do you ever wonder what turns the heart and soul of a person, proud? What is it that flips a switch in us and makes us think highly of what we have accomplished? We read of Paul who was given a thorn in the flesh and we know that it was given to him, by God, through Satan. The purpose was to keep in from not becoming proud. A proud heart will put self in front of God, think more highly of themselves than they ought, and look at others as less than they are. We are not immune to pride. It can attack us when we least expect it. It can start with simple enough thoughts of accomplishment but then on our own or with a nudge from Satan can turn into more. It is something I did. It is something I can do better than you. It is something reflecting my talent and superiority. It is something I can afford and you can’t. It is something your children have succeeded in. It can be in your intellect, strength, physical appearance. We are not immune to this. So how does a person fall for the bait of pride? When we are lax in studying His Word. When we are living in the presence of this world and not in the presence of God. We live to please ourselves more than God. When we honor and glorify ourselves rather than God. When we are consumed with worldly desires and wants over things of God. Yes, it will happen when we put anything number 1 and God somewhere else down in the list of priorities.

Do we think that any of our abilities came about by the sheer will of our mind or strength? Do we think it is of our doing? Our physical strength, mental intellect, and other abilities all come from God. Some will use these abilities to do some of the most vicious and hardhearted crimes against mankind. We know scripture tells us of times when bad things were done by people to Christians and God used it for good. We seem to have the ability to use our abilities that were given to us for good and what should be used for the single purpose of honoring and glorifying Jesus Christ into or for something bad and contrary to that very purpose. Our ability to think, do, speak, reason, understand, etc…. were all given to us, by God, and how we use them is freely given to us as well. Feed your heart, mind, and soul with God’s Word and pray for the ability to discern the temptation of pride.

Paul, once he understood and knew why God had “given” him this thorn in the flesh he was happy to bear it. He knew it was to keep him from becoming proud. Paul also knew this “Proverbs 11:2 “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.” Proverbs 16:5 “The LORD detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.” Proverbs 16:18 “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” We all ought to be so set against being proud that we seek God continually to expose it so that we can live to give Him “ALL” honor and glory.

21. j. “Have this mind among yourselves”

Romans 15:1 We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.”

2 Corinthians 12:10    For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

1 Corinthians 9:22    To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some.

Philippians 2:4-5    Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.  Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,

If you consider yourself strong in comparison to your brother, use your strength to serve your brothers in Christ – instead of using your “strength” just to please yourself. The idea isn’t really bearing with, but bearing up the weaker brother – supporting him with your strength. This goes against the whole tenor of our times, which counsels people to “look out for number 1” and despises those who live lives of real sacrifice for the sake of others. Yet, undeniably Paul points the way to true happiness and fulfillment in life – get your eyes off of yourself, start building up others and you will find yourself built up. It is a simple yet challenging call to simply put our neighbor first. Paul later wrote much the same thing in Philippians 2:3-4: Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. This does not mean that the church is ruled by the whims of the weak. “A genuine concern for the weak will mean an attempt to make them strong by leading them out of their irrational scruples so that they, too, can be strong.” (Morris) All too often, Christians find it easier to tear each other down instead of building each other up.

Make it a priority today to build someone up.

19.k. “For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

Romans 5:3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10  But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

James 1:12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.

James 1:2-3  Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,  for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.

2 Corinthians 4:17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,

Hebrews 12:11  For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

Romans 15:4  For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

We can glory in tribulations (literally, stresses) because they are the occasion to produce perseverance (endurance). Spurgeon said it something like this; “A Christian should expect and know trials and troubles come to them as well as the unsaved.” Our faith untested by troubles and trials is much like a runner who never trains for the race. All of his ability is in his mind, and when the race begins he is quickly unable to continue.

“Whatever virtues tribulation finds us in, it develops more fully. If anyone is carnal, weak, blind, wicked, irascible, haughty, and so forth, tribulation will make him more carnal, weak, blind, wicked, and irritable. On the other hand, if one is spiritual, strong, wise, pious, gentle and humble, he will become more spiritual, powerful, wise, pious, gentle and humble.” (Martin Luther)

“‘Tribulation worketh patience,’ says the apostle. Naturally it is not so. Tribulation worketh impatience, and impatience misses the fruit of experience, and sours into hopelessness. Ask many who have buried a dear child, or have lost their wealth, or have suffered pain of body, and they will tell you that the natural result of affliction is to produce irritation against providence, rebellion against God, questioning, unbelief, bad-tempered, and all sorts of evils. But what a wonderful alteration takes place when the heart is renewed by the Holy Spirit!” (Spurgeon)

More than likely we would rather have God just sprinkle perseverance and character and hope on us as we sleep. We could wake up a much better Christian! But that isn’t God’s plan for us or for any Christian.

“Lord, I won’t seek trials and search out tribulation, but I won’t despise them or lose hope when they come. I trust Your love in everything You allow. I surrender to Your perfect will, plan, and purpose for and in my life. You are my God and I trust You for you are my rock, refuge, and fortress whatever the trials or troubles are.”

You will seek me and find me

Psalms 107:4 Some wandered in desert wastes, finding no way to a city to dwell in; hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted within them. Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He led them by a straight way till they reached a city to dwell in. Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man! For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things.

Deuteronomy 8:15 who led you through the great and terrifying wilderness, with its fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty ground where there was no water, who brought you water out of the flinty rock,

Deuteronomy 32:10 “He found him in a desert land, and in the howling waste of the wilderness; he encircled him, he cared for him, he kept him as the apple of his eye.

Ezekiel 34:12 As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness.

Numbers 14:33 And your children shall be shepherds in the wilderness forty years and shall suffer for your faithlessness, until the last of your dead bodies lies in the wilderness.

Judges 15:18-19 And he was very thirsty, and he called upon the LORD and said, “You have granted this great salvation by the hand of your servant, and shall I now die of thirst and fall into the hands of the uncircumcised?” And God split open the hollow place that is at Lehi, and water came out from it. And when he drank, his spirit returned, and he revived. Therefore the name of it was called En-hakkore; it is at Lehi to this day.

Lamentations 2:19 “Arise, cry out in the night, at the beginning of the night watches! Pour out your heart like water before the presence of the Lord! Lift your hands to him for the lives of your children, who faint for hunger at the head of every street.”

2 Corinthians 12:8-10 Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Jeremiah 29:12-14 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the LORD, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the LORD, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.

2 Corinthians 1:8-10 For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again.

There is no changing in God. He remains the same, creator, mighty, awesome in power, steadfast love, grace, mercy, and long-suffering toward His creation, mankind. Life would tell us there is little that changes for mankind as our nature would experience – pleasure, pain, purpose, satisfaction, toil, trouble, sickness, death, life, joy, anger, pride, humbleness, laughter, bitterness, praise, judgmental, forgiving, and crying. We try to find much of our way in this life apart from God. Apart from trusting in, relying on, clinging to, and giving thanks to Him. Even when we think we are walking each day with Him, we limit what we think He can do. Scripture has been given to us so that we might know Him more, understand Him more, love Him more, rely on Him more, trust in Him more, run to Him faster, listen to His quiet whispers of guidance more, seek Him more, and believe in Him more. He never changes. He is the same today and forever. Spend time in His word. Seek Him and you will find Him. Sometimes we need someone to just encourage us to run to Him. It seems so obvious but many times it is the last thing we do.

Resurrection and the Life

“ For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

John 5:19 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing. And greater works than these will he show him, so that you may marvel. For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will.

John 11:25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

Philippians 3:21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.

Colossians 1:16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.

Psalms 27:14 Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!

God’s promise of life “Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.” The corner stone of our foundation is in and through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Upon this foundation throughout our life we have opportunity to build; love, faith, joy, hope, happiness, patience, courage, power, generosity, kindness for the single purpose of humbly serving, honoring, following and obeying God. Look at life with this lens and commit to that which glorifies Him alone.

Content in all things

“but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint”

“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,”

Psalms 68:28 Summon your power, O God, the power, O God, by which you have worked for us.

Psalms 68:32 O kingdoms of the earth, sing to God; sing praises to the Lord, to him who rides in the heavens, the ancient heavens; behold, he sends out his voice, his mighty voice. Ascribe power to God, whose majesty is over Israel, and whose power is in the skies. Awesome is God from his sanctuary; the God of Israel—he is the one who gives power and strength to his people. Blessed be God!

Psalms 42:8 By day the LORD commands his steadfast love, and at night his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life.

Psalms 71:3 Be to me a rock of refuge, to which I may continually come; you have given the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.

Psalms 138:8 The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.

Being content in the hands of God is both hard and easy. It depends on our choice to have faith in Him, to wait on Him, to trust in Him, and to believe in Him and His purpose for our lives. We must believe He is sovereign and in control of all there is. And then patiently wait for His mighty and awesome timing. Sometimes it is immediate and other times it is not. In our culture our access is almost unlimited to anything we are seeking. I wonder if this doesn’t play a part in our lack of seeking God and His purpose. When problems arise we run ahead on our own without giving second thought to Him. Other times we are so blessed we even forget that these blessings come from Him. I recently heard a man tell of great success he was having in training dogs. He said at one point he just thought it was too easy. Then God showed him it was not easy and gave him a time of trials in this training. He said he was humbled by God and knows all success is at the hands of God. If we listen, God will speak to our heart and lead us on paths where we continually see His sovereignty. Commit to humbly serve, honor, follow and obey Him.