1Peter 1:6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:
Without a doubt many times we go through very hard testings and trials. It is hard to understand what God is doing and why.
Our instructions here seem to be that we should rejoice. We should know that God is not doing or allowing anything in our lives that He will not use for His honor and glory.
We have all sorts of troubles and trials. These trials are very hard for us. That cause sadness and heaviness if we are not careful.
But there are several truths about this testing that we can see in the verse. There appears to be a reason for what I am going through, “if need be!” God knows what He is doing. He has a purpose. It is not a coincidence nor is it an accident.
He is using this trial to grow me and mature me for something that will bring Him honor and glory.
The trial is for a season. It is not forever. It will be over when God has accomplished His purpose. We can know that there is an end sooner or later.
We can rejoice because we know that our God only does what brings honor and glory to His name. We can rejoice because He would never harm us if it were not for His glory and our good.
So be careful with the attitude. He is at work in your life. He is working something out. It will be worth it sooner or later. We will understand even if it is in Heaven.
Our God is good. We can rejoice in all that He does or allows to happen in our lives!
James 1:21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
This verse holds the secret to our spiritual growth. If you are born again and desire to mature in your faith then this is your verse. If you long to be what the Lord Jesus wants you to be then here you have it.
The first step is to lay apart, lay aside your old man with his ways. Get rid of the things that you know do not please God. You know now that some things simply do not bring you joy. They hurt your spirit. You feel strange doing them. Then lay these to one side. They do not represent who you are as a new creature.
Next approach the Scriptures with a humble spirit. Realize that God is speaking to you. He has a better way of thinking for you. This is not about what you but about who you are. This is not an exterior change but an interior change.
You approach the Bible and allow God through His Word to change the way you think. You begin a process of thought change. You, effectively, cut out the old thought patterns and replace them with new thought patterns.
You so study and meditate in the Scriptures that they become a part of you and your thought processes. You replace your old thoughts with His thoughts.
As you do this the Holy Spirit will take these new thoughts and use them to begin transforming you. You are already saved by grace but your practice doesn’t always live up to your position.
You do not know how to think correctly but now you will. You will think as the Scriptures think. You will be renewing your mind. Romans 12:2
All of a sudden you will find yourself living out the new life that you have in Christ. It will not be a hard thing. It will be rather natural or spiritual because you have filled your heart with His Word and you will live out what is in your heart.
More important than ever trying to change your behavior is simply living in the Word and letting the Word live in you!
Ephesians is a power packed book for sure. We are learning what it means to not walk like everyone else and to learn to walk worthily of our position in Christ. We want to learn Christ. We want to put off the old way of living and live a new life in Christ. I hope you are allowing these truths to drive into your heart and grow you in the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Get on your calendar that we will be honoring our Grandparents on September 6th. That is next Sunday. It is a great honor for Betty and me to be grandparents. God has given us 11 wonderful grandchildren. As grandparents we are responsible to show our children the way to honor and serve God.
Also be sure and be praying about our Mission’s Conference that will be held September 17-20. Lord willing we will have 10 families here with us. That is going to be the most exciting time in our church’s history. You are not going to want to miss it.
Congratulations to Philip Bassham on getting married. Philip has been a great blessing to Vision and we thank God for him. I know that God will continue to richly bless him as he serves him in this next phase of his life.
Thank you all for the privilege of serving the Lord with you.
Philip Bassham has been an integral part of Vision since before our first services. He has been a tremendous blessing. I love Philip like he was my own son! I am very excited to see what God is doing.
God has given Philip a very fine young lady to be his wife. Lori comes from a very godly family and I believe is going to be exactly what Philip needs as he goes forward in the service of the Lord.
Several of us are here in Texas for the wedding. We will be back, Lord willing, for the service in the morning but I wanted you to remember to pray for this fine couple.
Hebrews 10:34 For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance.
The writer of Hebrews makes some very strong statements in this verse.
First the believers were concerned for the man of God and what was happening in his life. They loved him so dearly that they wanted to help. He was in prison. He was paying a high price for serving God but the people did not forget him but rather had compassion.
They took joyfully the spoiling of their goods. That implies very strong, sacrificial giving. That was the idea that the man of God had come in and taken it all. Wow, not just an offering but something that cost them greatly.
Then the strongest statement of all was that these Christians realized that they had something more important and more lasting than money. They realized that they had an account in heaven. They realized that God was going to meet their needs now and reward them in heaven.
This brings us to the application to our lives:
What relationship do you have to God’s men? Are you involved and caring enough to feel such compassion in their hour of need?
How would you deal with giving more than just a minimum? God’s people have almost begun to use the tithe as an excuse to give a minimum and never ask Him what He would have them to give.
Have you ever given an offering that cost you to the point it could have been called “spoiling your goods?”
Have you matured to the point in your spiritual life that you know that what you have here on earth and what you save is not nearly as important as what you invest in Heaven?
Does your money have a very strong hold on you that will not allow you to get involved in giving to the cause of God around the world?
Hebrews 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.
We have a great high priest in heaven. We can talk to God. We can get a message through to the Father. There is not need to fear or draw back from Him. Hebrews 4:14
Our high priest feels our pain. He understands us. He knows what we are going through. He has been there before us. Since we know we have a high priest that can sympathize we us we should come boldly with joy before the throne of God knowing that He will hear and answer. Hebrews 4:15.
So the writer of Hebrews here encourages us to come to the throne of grace with boldness or confidence. We can know that our God hears and answers our prayer.
We know that we can obtain mercy. That is what we need. We know that we could never boldly demand anything from God. We are undeserving in ourselves. But we do have a high priest that knows us and understands us. He invites us to come. He has mercy for us. He doesn’t give us what we deserve but is kind to us.
We need him to be merciful but that would simply mean that we are not punished as we deserve but He does much more than that. He has grace for us. He gives us what we do not deserve simply because He is good.
Are you in trouble right now? Are you experiencing a time of great need? Then you have a high priest. Go boldly to the presence of God and present your needs.
If you are not certain that you have a high priest you can no you are saved today. Simply realize that you have sinned against a Holy God and deserve His wrath and punishment. Then believe that Jesus, God in human flesh came to earth and paid your sin debt. You can know you are born again today.
God blessed us with 6 new members tonight. Welcome Chuck and Leisa Littlefield and their children, Hannah, Luke, and Lydia! They are a wonderful family and God has blessed us!
Also welcome Kyle Shreve-Young as a new member! Kyle is a student in the Our Generation Training Center preparing to be a missionary!
Titus 3:14 And let ours also learn to maintain good works for necessary uses, that they be not unfruitful.
Paul in his letter to Titus tells him to get God’s people involved in good works where there are needy people. He wants God’s people to be fruitful. They need to accomplish something with their life.
We are not to do the occasional good work but to maintain them. It should be our lifestyle.
Have you ever wondered why so many people get their feelings hurt at church? Could it be that they are so busy worrying about themselves and their feelings that they see everything said or done having to do with them?
Could it be that if they got real busy serving and helping others that they would not have time to feel so sorry for themselves?
The church isn’t friendly. That is a constant complaint but God’s Word says, “Proverbs 18:24 A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.”
If I am very busy being a friend then I will have friends, the church will be friendly, and I will have been a solution to the problem rather than contributing to the problem.
Booker T Washington said that “all forms of labor are honorable and that all forms of idleness disgraceful!” That is so true in our churches as well.
God’s people are guilty of sitting, soaking, and souring! Church becomes a question of what is in it for me! Church has become a spectator sport. People come to be blessed not be a blessing! They want to be served not serve!
That is not God’s plan.
I ask you, what are you doing to maintain good, necessary works? What are you doing to serve others? How many hands do you go out of your way to shake at each service? How many smiles and kind words do you give out? Who are you serving at church, in church, outside of church, in your neighborhood, etc.?
How much do you carry your feelings on your sleeves or a chip on your shoulder?
There is much you can do. I ask you to ask God to show you needs. I ask you to find that need and meet it. You can make a difference. Step out of your self and into service!
