04/08/2020
When we accept God as our Father, and Jesus as His Son, and our Savior, we struggle and suffer immensely in our newly found life. During these early days we are tempted and challenged; in them we have to determine whether we will go forward in our faith... or not. Suffering for our faith is not a punishment for the believer, but hardens us like cold water tempers iron, and sets in us the image of Christ.
“It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. But recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings,”
Hebrews 10:31-32 ESV
There came a time in my life when my faith began to bloom and bring forth much fruit. It occurred after I had faced a particularly terrible ordeal in my life, and Jesus had brought me through it... this challenge quickened me, and transformed me like none other had. I had been transformed once when I first believed, and again with each subsequent hardship in my life, I was being made stronger in faith, but this particular challenge tested me like I had never been tested before, and the affect it had on me spiritually lifted me to a place I couldn’t have possibly predicted.
“The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.”
Romans 8:16-17 ESV
Shortly after thIs total remake of my faith, something remarkable occurred. I was asked to join a three man Intercessory prayer group at my church. This group had been praying for our church, and it’s members, for over 30 years, but Jim the founding member had passed away, and I was asked to become his replacement as the third voice of prayer. To say I was humbled, and uncertain as to whether I was strong enough in faith, couldn’t have begun to express my feelings, but the Lord confirmed In prayer that this was what I was being called to do. So I accepted the calling.
“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”
Matthew 6:33-34 ESV
We meet every Monday night, and I had prayed twice with the group when I was diagnosed with cancer; so on our third night together I told Jack, and John, what my situation was. Jack looked at me and in a voice that was almost nonchalant he said “Oh, I guess we should have told you about this.” He went on to tell me how when he first joined with Jim (who I replaced) to form the group, that a car ran off the road and into the living room of his house. John had a similarly hard experience in his life, and now I was facing cancer. He went on to say that when you are called to a higher place of faith that Satan attacks you all the more intensely... then they prayed for me, others prayed for me, and three months later (Following the removal of a tumor) I was told I was cancer free. I tell you this because it strengthened my faith yet again, and over the years I have received many blessings, followed by subsequent trials, attacks and temptations, but always there has been great spiritual growth. I have glowed red hot in hardship and pain, before being plunged into the cool water of Christ over and over again... each time becoming stronger in faith... able to hold an edge that would have been impossible otherwise. This is the life of a Christian...this is our Easter with Christ.
“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. For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.”
Romans 5:3-6 ESV
As a Christian you are not sheltered from the hot forge of life, instead, you will face its intense heat repeatedly, but each time your faith will see you through, and Jesus will be sufficient, you will be plunged into his living water, and there He will transform you further each time. Our rest is not now, but is yet to come. When Jesus’ time had come He was led into the wilderness, then tempted, before he was able to preach...
“From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."”
Matthew 4:17 ESV
Then He suffered to heal our wounds, and today we suffer too as we become like Him...
“He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.”
Isaiah 53:3-5 ESV
Prayer:
Father, thank you for transforming us in the forge of your will, and thank you for your Son Jesus whose living water tempers us, and sets us in our faith. Help us Holy Father to not only see that suffering isn’t always punishment, but that we should revel in it as we become stronger Christians as a result of enduring it by leaning on you. Your Son was sent to serve as mankind’s sacrificial lamb, and in this way you committed Him to suffer. Help us to realize the good you have planned for us in your will as we pick up our crosses and follow Him. Show us the rest that you have waiting for us when we are made complete, and reach heaven. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you our God who perfects us through our suffering, and encourages us in times of peace. We praise you Holy Father for the comfortable times of your joy, and we worship you from suffering, and as we pick up our cross and follow Jesus to Calvary. Great are you, and amazing is the unfathomable depth of your love, goodness, and mercy. You lift us from our darkest moments to transform us in your Glorious Light; you instill in us new and unthinkable faith, and hope. Your grace is poured over us now, and forevermore as your Glory is made made known to the world through your Son Jesus, and its manifestation in us.
“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.”
1 Peter 5:8-11 ESV
Rich Forbes