This morning as I was reading and studying two books I was struck by the following thoughts. As you read these excerpts may the Holy Spirit speak to your heart and mind, time and life havde reasssured me, I am not in this season of life alone. Blessings on your head and any other part of your baody you may need it. Love, ellen
There are times of darkness and loneliness when you and I suffer. There are hours of anguish and sense of isolation. But they often are followed by times of closer fellowship with God. Suffering demands that we surrender to God. Surrender means we have accepted His will and are trusting His power to see us through. Surrender doesn’t mean that we give up the struggle; it means rather that we give up trying to struggle in our own wisdom and strength. We lean on Him. Pray that you and I won’t waste all of this suffering.”
The cross does not deny the reality of human suffering; it transforms it.
God’s goal for His people is maturity; He wants us to be mature sons and daughters, not immature children who must constantly be rewarded or punished. God wants children who obey Him because they love Him, not because they hope to get some gift from Him.
However, children are immature and must be controlled by rewards and punishments. Sons are mature and have the privilege of freedom, because their “controls” are within their hearts. Outward discipline has become inward character.
Faith puts us in contact with divine resources, and divine resources make it possible for us to turn disappointment into victory. Looking at the disciples and the torture, and hardship they went through we need to come to the conclusion that; “sometimes our faith delivers us from difficulties, and sometimes it delivers us in difficulties” (Warren Wiersbe). Either way, God honors our faith and He gets the glory.
First, we must accept our suffering as God’s gift. This is not always easy for many reasons, but is a must if we desire to grow and bring Him glory.
Second, we must surrender what He has given us back to Him. Assess what you
Third, we must listen for His message. Maybe you don't like what you hear, think it is too harsh, silly, or impossible. Ask yourself why, and check your heart attitude.
Finally, we must live for God’s glory. Are you a glory seeker, or willing to give it to God who is the deserving party to receive any, I mean any, glory that comes our way. Ask yourself why do I need to hold onto it, what is absent in my heart that God needs to heal or fill.
A passive approach to suffering can never build Christlike character. The process by which God builds character is outlined in Romans 5: 1– 5. The word translated “character” in Romans 5: 4 was used in Paul’s day to describe gold tested in the fire, as well as soldiers who proved themselves in battle. Our English word character actually comes from a Greek word that means “an engraving tool, a die for stamping an image.” It’s used only once in the New Testament when Jesus Christ is described in Hebrews 1: 3
If we have proved the faithfulness of God in the afflictions of life, then we know He can handle whatever may lie ahead. In fact, “we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God” (Rom. 5: 2). It’s impossible in the will of God to separate suffering and glory! Persons of true godly character are neither optimists nor pessimists, but realists who have confidence in God.
People find themselves defeated because they are more proned to giving into their own feelings instead of surrendering to the Holy Spirit within them. However, apart from His power, God’s people can never build character out of affliction.
When we ask, “Why am I in this situation or why has God made me this way?” A wise reply is, “God has not made you— He is making you!” The Craftsman is our loving Father. We are the raw material. Whether, we like it or not, suffering is the tool God uses to produce Christlike character.
Review the following, and share what these titles for Christ mean to you, and how they have been demonstrated in your life.
Christ the Savior, (Died so that I might be born-again; a new creation, the old is passed away.)
Christ the Sovereign, (Make Him Lord of my very existence, and life. Master and Lord)
Christ the Sufficiency, (He meets all my needs.)
Christ the Strength, (I am weak, and He strengthens me to face, endure all that transpires in my life.)
Christ the Supplier, (He supplies what I need, not always what I want. Protector-Provider)
Christ the Security, (I need no longer fear death, trials, tribulations, testing’s, knowing I am secure in His Hands and nothing can touch me unless it passes through His Hands first, as long as I do not step out of His will.)
Christ the Soon-Coming King. ( I await His return, Maranatha.)
To keep growing in our faith, one needs to start sharing their faith:.
Jesus had godly, faithful parents whom God used to give him birth, love him, raise him, and— to an important though limited degree— help him develop his walk with his Father in heaven (Luke 1– 2). If, your parents are not godly, then pary for and look to those who are.
Jesus obeyed his parents and, in turn, obeyed his heavenly Father (Luke 2: 41-51). Obedience is not opional whether they are godly [parents or not, as long as you are not ased to be immoral, and unbiblical. If so, obey God and allow HIm to help you accept whatever comes your waY.
Jesus kept increasing (Luke 2: 52) in “wisdom” (the development of his mind, life experience, and sound judgment) “and stature” (physical growth and maturity) “and in favor with God” (his spiritual growth and maturity) “and [in favor with] men” (his social growth and maturity). Stagnation or unwillingness to grow is a poor option for the believer.
Jesus was baptized in obedience, pleasing his Father (Luke 3: 21-22). If you have not been baptized, it is never too late to be a testimony for what He has done in your life. I was 43 years old when I went into the batismal waters and received greta joy for my obedience to His command,
Jesus spent time alone talking with his Father, practicing the disciplines of solitude, fasting, and prayer (Luke 4: 1-13, 42). These are sweet moments, just you and the Lord. Priceless!
Jesus knew Scripture and resisted temptation by quoting Scripture (Luke 4: 1-32). Paul told us to study and show ourselves apporved and rightly handling the Word of God. (ellen's paraphrase)
Jesus let the Holy Spirit prepare him for a life of ministry and had a clear sense of what he was sent to do and what he was to accomplish (Luke 4: 1, 14, 18, 42-44). This is imperative, but not always easy for those of us who the Lord continues to break our independant nature. It is a constant releasing and dying to self.
Be sure to model the ministry using Christ’s example by, (not your own bent)Leading the way (His Way, not to meet your need for adulation from others). Showing our disciples how it’s done (Live out what you preach and teach). Once taught you are to send them out to do the same as they have learned.
We must teach people what the “full armor of God” is and how and why to put it on (Ephesians 6: 10-20).
We must teach people to stand firm against spiritual attacks and give the enemy no opening, foothold, or advantage by clothing themselves with “truth” and “righteousness” (Ephesians 6: 14).
We must teach people to be fully prepared to move quickly to communicate the Good News to every nation on the face of the earth, “having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace” (Ephesians 6: 15).
We must teach people to shield and protect themselves when the full attacks of the enemy come— to hunker in the bunker when necessary—“ taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one” (Ephesians 6: 16).
We must teach people to go on the offensive by learning to effectively handle “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6: 17).
We must teach people to “pray at all times” for all the saints and to pray that those on the front lines of the faith will “make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel” (Ephesians 6: 18-19).
We must also teach people to operate as a team, in fellowship with a tight-knit biblical community who will help them find spiritual peace rather than become spiritual casualties (Ephesians 6: 21-24).
Bottom line: we must teach disciples not to trust in their own strength and power but to be constantly filled to overflowing with the power of the Holy Spirit. 6 We must teach them the greatness of our great God and teach them to wholly lean on the Lord Jesus, who reminded us in the Great Commission that he has been given “all authority in heaven and on earth” and “therefore” we can go and make disciples of all nations. And we can rest on his promise that he will be with us always, “to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28: 18-20, NIV).
Questions:
What are the three most dramatic ways Jesus has changed your life since you’ve become a Christian? How might this testimony help younger believers grow? Read Mark 3: 13-15.
What are four distinctive elements of the way Jesus discipled men?
How would you say you’re doing in each of these four areas?
Look up the following passages. Describe the role of the Holy Spirit in the life of Jesus and his disciples. Matthew 12: 18 Mark 1: 10 Luke 4: 1, 14, 18 John 16: 7-15
Look up the following passages. Describe the role the Holy Spirit should play in our lives as disciples and disciple makers. John 4: 24 Galatians 5: 16 Ephesians 5: 18
Ephesians 6: 17:
Evaluate yourself.
Do you ask God every morning to fill you with his Holy Spirit?
Do you continue to ask him throughout the day to keep you filled with his Spirit?
How well would you say you understand what it means to do ministry in the power of the Holy Spirit?
In what areas would you like to improve?
Rosenberg, Joel C.; Koshy, T. E. (2012-08-17). The Invested Life: Making Disciples of All Nations One Person at a Time (p. 94). Tyndale House Publishers. Kindle Edition.
Wiersbe, Warren W. (2012-06-01). Looking Up When Life Gets You Down (Kindle Locations 1606-1607). Baker Book Group. Kindle Edition.
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