Adversity Means Advance

Text: Philippians 1:12-15 

 

"Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. Phil 1:12"

 

Paul is in jail in Rome, writing to his friends far across the sea in Philippi. He manifests a reaction that inevitably makes the world sit up and take notice. He understood that adversity means advance. The manifestation of this kind of attitude is a test of Christian maturity. The Christian who has become well enough acquainted with the God of the impossible whom he serves, knows that even through apparent defeat, God still is able to work. Such a Christian has begun to grow up in the Lord. He recognizes that in God obstacles are really opportunities, and nothing can really imperil the gospel. That is an amazing declaration when you think about it. Nothing that is intended to defeat ever brings defeat, that God works His way despite the obstacles, and all obstacles only serve ultimately to spread Christian faith.

I ran across the story of a Swiss French pastor who was imprisoned by the Nazis during World War II. He said this: "I was not able to stand firm except by remembering every day that the Gestapo was the hand of God — the left hand. The worst of tyrants will only end by accomplishing Christ's will."

That is the glorious mark of Christianity that has made it an invincible force through all the centuries. Here is Paul, under arrest, chained day and night to a Roman soldier, unable to leave the house or the city of Rome. Imagine what this must have meant to the restless, surging spirit of this man. God had sent him out under His commission that was to take him to the very ends of the earth.

It must have been easy for Paul to be discouraged. There is no doubt he was tempted many times to feel sorry for himself and to wonder why God would ever let this kind of thing happen to him when all he was trying to do was fulfill God's will. Do you ever feel that way? It must have been easy for him to chafe under these circumstances as month by month goes grinding on and there seems to be no change. But as we read the letters that come from him out of those days there is not one word of complaint. Instead there is a marvelously triumphant spirit, and an expression of confidence. Why? When he was tempted he undoubtedly fell back on what he knew about his God. In other words, in the face of temptation to fret and chafe, he believed God.

Earlier he had written to these very Roman Christians with whom he was now meeting. "All things work together for good to those who love God, who are the called according to His purpose." He believed that! Even though the immediate hour didn't bring relief, he believed Him, and out of that confidence he could see that even those things that seem to be against him are working out the purposes of God.

Copyright| Ray Stedman Ministries | www.raystedman.org

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Fear Not, I Am With Thee

“Fear not, I am with thee“;
Blessed golden ray,
Like a star of glory,
Lighting up my way!
Through the clouds of midnight,
This bright promise shone,
“I will never leave thee,
Never will leave thee alone.”

No, never alone,

No, never alone;

He promised never to leave me,

Never to leave me alone;

No, never alone,

No, never alone;

He promised never to leave me,

Never to leave me alone.

Roses fade around me,
Lilies bloom and die,
Earthly sunbeams vanish—
Radiant still the sky!
Jesus, Henna-flower,
Blooming for His own,
Jesus, heaven’s sunshine,
Never will leave me alone.

Steps unseen before me,
Hidden dangers near;
Nearer still my Savior,
Whispering, “Be of cheer“;
Joys, like birds of springtime,
To my heart have flown,
Singing all so sweetly,
“He will not leave me alone.”

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God Can Heal You

TEXT: LUKE 13:11-22

Key verse: “And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity. And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God” (Luke 13:12,13). 

Dr. Will Mayo, one of the founders of Mayo Clinic Minnesota, United States of America told a story of some patients who were miraculously healed. He said: “We knew they could not live. But I have seen a minister come to the bedside and do something for them that I could not do, although I had done everything in my professional power, but something touched some immortal spark in them and in defiance of medical knowledge and materialistic common sense, that patient lived.” 

That was the healing power of God. Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour, who came to give life in abundance, manifested His healing virtue upon the woman with the spirit of infirmity. When He encountered her, He loosed her from an eighteen-year infirmity. Not even the hypocritical upbraiding of the ruler of the synagogue, who took offense that the woman was healed on the Sabbath day, could dampen Christ’s compassion for her. If men could feed their animals on the Sabbath day, why would this long-suffering woman not be healed on the same day?

Much to the joy of the crowd, Christ illustrated the benefits inherent in the kingdom of God with the grain of mustard seed, which could grow into a great tree, with branches spread far and wide, and providing succour for needy birds. Similarly, He spoke about leaven, which, when used for baking bread, could permeate a bowl of flour and turn it into a big meal. Such is the influence of the grace of God in the lives of men.

Jesus cares for you. He is interested in your spiritual, physical and material well-being. He saves from sin, heals all sicknesses and diseases and delivers from all infirmities. Whatever affliction you may be suffering today, whatever infirmity, sickness or disease you may have been coping with all these years, Jesus is able to take it away. Pray to Him and you will not be disappointed.

THOUGHT FOR THE YOU: God heals the broken-hearted and binds up their wounds.

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Fear Not, I Will Help You!

Who is there who will give ear to this? Who will try to listen and read through these words? In the midst of these plagues we see today – depression, economic melt down, global recession, earthquakes, tsunami, wars, ethnic and religious conflicts, sicknesses as cancer, Ebola; etc – are you scared? In the midst of all the agony and the pain and the adversity, will you give up now?

It has been told that these omens will arise as the end of age draws near: “you will hear of wars and rumours of wars; see that you are not frightened or troubled, for this must take place, but the end is not yet.

“For nation will rise against nation (Palestine and Israel clash where thousands of both innocent and sinful souls have been swallowed by the ground), and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famine and earthquakes in place after place; All these are but the beginning of the birth pangs…” (Matthew 24:6-8), and the world is being consumed by this with dread and misery and despair already conquering people’s hearts.

As children of God (true believers), no matter the havoc and the calamity, the peace of the Lord must not forsake our hearts. For “God did not give us the Spirit of fear but of power, love and sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7), to withstand these storms of life in the world today.

Daily do we hear of murders, assassinations, rape, impacts of terrorism, suicides, afflictions and all, but these I tell you that “the Angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him” (Psalm 34:7). “Fear not because of evil doers…for they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb. Trust in the Lord and do good; so shall you dwell in the land and feed surely on His faithfulness, and truly you shall be fed” (Psalm 37:1-3).

“The Lord knows the days of upright and the blameless, and their heritage will abide forever. They shall not be put to shame in the time of evil; and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied…” (Psalm 37:18-19). “Behold, God is your helper and ally; the Lord is ‘your’ upholder (in the midst of trials)… He will pay back evil to ‘your’ enemies; and in His faithfulness will put an end to them for you” (Psalm 54:4-5).

Only “cast your burden on the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never allow (you) the righteous to be moved.” When you lay your all before the Lord and surrender to His will, He becomes “your Rock and Salvation; your Defense and Fortress, and you shall not be moved” (Psalm 62:6) whether the storms rage and your foes press harder.

Do Something For Others

Many a soul in the battle of life

Trembles with fear at the din and the strife,

Bearing alone, amid trial and care,

Burdens and sorrows God bids you to share.

Do something for others,

Something for others today!...

Duty demands it, and Jesus commands it!

Do something for others today!

Many in doubt or in fear of the way

Mutely appeal for your guidance today;

On your demeanour the choice may depend-

Are you concerned for the stranger or friend?

Many, disheartened by cruel deceit,

Broken and worn by the pangs of defeat,

Doubting, despairing, helplessly stand,

Waiting, perhaps, for your strengthening hand.

Many are turning away from the right

Into the maze of the shadows of night;

Go to them, speak to them, over them pray,

Help them, support them-do something today.

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Giving Up Everything

TEXT: LUKE 14:25-35

KEY VERSE: “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:26).

One day, Dr. J. Wilbur Chapman asked General William Booth to reveal the secret of his success. Booth, after some hesitation, had tears dropping from his eyes and said: “I will tell you the secret. God has had all there was of me. There have been men with greater brains than I have, men with greater opportunities, but from the day that I got the poor of London on my heart and caught a vision of what Jesus could do with them, on that day I made up my mind that God should have all of William Booth there was.” Booth’s total surrender moved Chapman to conviction and he remarked: “I learned from William Booth that the greatness of a man’s power is the measure of his surrender.”

Answering the call to follow Christ always requires a change, but the change may not be in physical location, profession, or status. The change is in our heart, as we take our cross to follow Him. It is a change where we learn the secret of living in righteousness and serving God with eternity in view.

Peter, James and John were partners in a small fishing business on the sea of Galilee. This was their source of support for themselves as well as their families. Yet, when they heard the call to become “fishers of men,” they eagerly responded and followed. Matthew was a tax collector, but he walked away from his life of security when Jesus called. He left everything and followed. Abraham in the Old Testament moved his entire household to follow God without even knowing where he was being sent (Genesis 12:1-5). Moses, at eighty years of age, left the tending of flocks to follow God’s call to lead His people out of bondage to Pharaoh. Elisha slaughtered his yoke of oxen and burnt the plowing equipment as he set out to follow Elijah.

Following Christ is a divine call to lose mundane things to gain eternity of blissful and enduring happiness. As we draw closer to our heavenly Father, we will find His call to be irresistible. 

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THOUGHT FOR YOU: The greatness of a man’s power is the measure of his absolute surrender.

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Life Is A Temporary Assignment

LORD, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered, and that my life is fleeing away. Psalm 39:4 (NET)

I am here on earth for just a little while. Psalm 119:19 (TEV)

LIFE ON EARTH IS A TEMPORARY ASSIGNMENT.

 

The Bible is full of metaphors that teach about the brief, temporary, transient nature of life on earth. Life is described as a mist, a fast runner, a breath, and a wisp of smoke. The Bible says, "For we were born but yesterday.... Our days on earth are as transient as a shadow."

To make the best use of your life, you must never forget two truths: First, compared with eternity, life is extremely brief. Second, earth is only a temporary residence. You won't be here long, so don't get too attached. Ask God to help you see life on earth as he sees it. David prayed, "Lord, help me to realize how brief my time on earth will be. Help me to know that I am here for but a moment more."

Repeatedly the Bible compares life on earth to temporarily living in a foreign country. This is not your permanent home or final destination. You're just passing through, just visiting earth. The Bible uses terms like alien, pilgrim, foreigner, stranger, visitor, and traveller to describe our brief stay on earth. David said, "I am but a foreigner here on earth," and Peter explained, "If you call God your Father, live your time as temporary residents on earth."

In California, where I live, many people have moved from other parts of the world to work here, but they keep their citizenship with their home country. They are required to carry a visitor registration card (called a "green card"), which allows them to work here even though they aren't citizens. Christians should carry spiritual green cards to remind us that our citizenship is in heaven. God says his children are to think differently about life from the way unbelievers do. "All they think about is this life here on earth. But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives." Real believers understand that there is far more to life than just the few years we live on this planet.

Your identity is in eternity, and your homeland is heaven. When you grasp this truth, you will stop worrying about "having it all" on earth. God is very blunt about the danger of living for the here and now and adopting the values, priorities, and lifestyles of the world around us. When we flirt with the temptations of this world, God calls it spiritual adultery. The Bible says, "You’re cheating on God. If all you want is your own way, flirting with the world every chance you get, you end up enemies of God and his way.'

Destined For A Fall

There was a people long ago

Who had great riches, wealth untold;

They built a city with a wall,

A kingdom they thought would never fall.

How they labored unceasingly

To lay up treasure increasingly;

They gave no thought to what lay beyond,

That their kingdom would someday be gone.

But one by one the stones came down;

The city was leveled to the ground,

No more fortune to be found,

No one left to wear a crown.

The mighty kingdom fell at last;

Its beauty's gone, its pleasure's past;

All was lost they sought to gain,

Their lives were wasted, their labor vain.

You can build a kingdom with a mighty wall,

But like the kingdom long ago, it is destined for a fall,

Unless Christ the Lord becomes your King

And ruler of everything.

==Written by: Perry Boardman ==

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Where Is He Not?

“Where was God when my mother died of cancer? Where was He when I was abused and raped? Where was He when my son was killed by a drunk driver? Where was He when I broke my leg, spinal cord and now paralyzed? Where was He when I lost my job, my house got burnt and my business crashed? Where was He when earthquakes and typhoons destroyed my community and took my friends away? Where is He now that I barely survive in poverty? Where is He with all the murder, assassination and terrorism? Where was He? Where is He?”

You can imagine these questions begging for answers all day long from depressed, despaired, weary and broken-hearted people all around the world, who have gone through or are still going through terrible and catastrophic phases in their lives. I have no answers to all these questions myself but these I can boldly say: God sees it all and knows it all. He knows you are hurting and won’t leave you helpless.

However, when He called you to repentance and asked that you heed His word, did you obey? When he told you to lean on Him and rely not on your understanding, did you hearken to His voice? Thus, He says: “because He called you and you have refused to answer, have stretched out His hands and you didn’t heed, and you treated as nothing all His counsel and would accept none of His reproof, I (God) also will laugh at your calamity; I (God) will mock when the thing comes that shall cause you terror and panic – when your panic comes as a storm and desolation and your calamity comes as a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you.

“Then will they call upon me but I will not answer; they will seek me early and diligently but they will not find me… But whoso hearkens to me shall dwell securely and in confident trust and shall be quiet, without fear or dread of evil.” (Proverbs 1:24-33) Amplified Bible.

Far from it to even nurture the thought of saying God is wicked. He isn’t. He is a loving, just and righteous God. He shows no partiality and all He does are out of His love for you and I. “Truly, God would not do wickedly, neither will the Almighty pervert justice. God is not partial to princes, nor does He regard the rich more than the poor, for they all are the work of His hands.” (Job 34:12, 19). Amplified Bible.

It Pays To Be Humble

TEXT: LUKE 14:1-11

Key verse: “For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted” (Luke 14:11).

William Carey, who is considered as the father of modern missions, was said to have spent his early years as a cobbler. He later became one of the greatest linguists the Church has ever known, having translated parts of the Bible into about 24 Indian languages. However, when he first went to India, some people regarded him with dislike and contempt. At a dinner party, a distinguished guest, in an attempt to humiliate Carey, said in a loud voice: “I suppose, Mr. Carey, you once worked as a shoemaker.” But Carey responded humbly: “No, your lordship, not as a shoemaker, only a cobbler.” Carey could not claim to make shoes, but only to mend them. That is humility.

From Jesus’ remarks, in our text, it is equally clear that high spiritual or social attainment does not violate humility or personal disposition and good manners toward those who may appear to rank below us in life. The fact that a person is born again does not give him license to breach normal civility or to be rude or despise others including sound protocols.

In most of our churches, it is the norm of some Christians to resist ushers’ directives and be bent on having their way in choosing the place they want to seat. In public places and in traffic, there are others who would resist everyone, including law enforcement agents, and ignore procedures just because of their position in society.

Jesus is teaching us today to imbibe humility. We do not need grab honour or arrogate it to ourselves; God honours and gives place of importance to the one He chooses according to His will and divine evaluation. There is no place for the proud because God resists the proud, and gives grace to the humble (1 Peter 5:5). To continue in sin is to resist God, which is an expression of pride. Confession, genuine repentance and faith in the atoning blood of Jesus will bestow upon you the saving grace.

THOUGHT FOR THE YOU: Pride goes before a fall.
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