God's Word- the Powerful Weapon and the joy for beleivers

The mighty weapon which the Bible is talking about for a believer is the powerful Word of God. The Gospel is seen, through the death and resurrection of Christ; Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.  For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:1 Cori: 15:1-4.

The Lord opens the eyes of the heart of believers through His Word; And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven  Matt: 16:17.  And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul; Acts 16:14. When we are reluctant to read His Word, that is because of indwelling sin; Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me; Rom 7:17. We are called to put to death our old self; Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin; Rom 6:6; Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry; Col 3:5. The Word of God awakens and strengthens faith;  So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God; Rom 10:17.

The reason for this is the Spirit of God, glorifies Christ; Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you; Jn 16:13-14. Through hearing the Word, God supplies the Holy Spirit, and the Spirit produces a subconscious influence in building us in faith; That, which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit; Jn 3:6-8; But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not; 6:36; It is written in the prophets, and they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me;(v.45),  And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father” ;( v 65).

God’s Word in the Book of Ephesians commands us to be filled with His spirit, addressing one another in Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual songs; And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Eph 5:18-19. The Word of God creates and sustains life; The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly; Jn 10:10. Man’s life is in God’s Word;  But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God; Matt:4:4. The Word of God gives us hope, strength despite earthly trials; For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope; Rom 15:4. The Word of God leads us to freedom, because it is written that God’s truth will set us free from the bondage of sin and death; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free; Jn 8:32. This freedom is the reason, that  we fight for joy, freedom from sinful corruption of our lives. We shall see Jesus, if we are pure in heart away from the sinful corruption; Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God; Matt 5:8. Sin’s substitute promises are deceitful pleasures, and the main streak of self-control, and the liberating power of the Word is the power of promised joy.

The Cross of Christ, is the absolute way to kill joy killing sins. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live; Rom 8:13. John Owen (1616-1683), in his paper on Mortification of Sin in Believers, and his exposition on Rom 8:13, mentions “Be killing sin, or it will be killing you”. The Word of God is the key to answered prayer because we welcome him into our lives, in our hearts, mind and with our whole strength learning to abide in Him; These things I command you, that ye love one another Jn 15:7.  The Word of God is the source of wisdom, and God can provide wisdom for various life situations, for our day today life, because in Him is hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge; Col 2:3. The Word of God admonishes and gives crucial warnings, and there is great reward by keeping His Word; More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover, by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward Ps 19:10-11.

The Word of God enables us to defeat the devil and his schemes, Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. “When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it Jn 8:44; Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil Heb 2:14. We are called to be faithful unto death;  Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life Rev 2:10.

·         Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.  Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.  Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:  Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; Eph:6:10-18.

God’s Word is a powerful weapon to fight for joy and it is crucial to fight for joy, and God’s Word is pleasant in itself; But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper; Ps 1:2-3.  The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver;119: 72. O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day; Psa 119:97. Is it then valuable than anything else in this world? 

References:

Piper, John. When I don’t desire God: How to fight for joy (Wheaton: IL, Crossway Books,2004).

The Matthew Henry Study Bible, King James version: The best of Matthew Henry’s Notes in a Handy One Volume Reference Bible, (Iowa Falls, U.S.A, World Bible Publishers, Inc; 1994).

Joy in God as a justified sinner...

Cross is the central focus for all mankind to fight for joy, and Christ’s death on the Cross is the price that purchases every gift that leads to that deep and lasting joy. Christ’s death on the Cross for the remission sins for mankind must be preached and Gospel must be preached and heralded. Even when true preaching is not available, God can meet our needs through the meditation of His Word, through family worship, through small groups where the Word is discussed and applied, through radio, television, internet, tapes, or CDs. God has called us to enjoy the blessings that comes through godly preachers, and preaching is one precious gift of God. There is tremendous joy among believers when we part take of the Lord’s Supper through the bread and the cup; “For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come” 1 Cori: 11:26. When we partake of the read and the cup we proclaim the death of Christ for our sins, for the forgiveness of sins, for the gift of righteousness, and the continued relationship with Christ and His father through the Spirit of adoption. Preaching God’s Word becomes a joy for a genuine believer, because it is ultimately for the glory of God. Lloyd- Jones, saw in Psalm 42, especially in verse 5, “Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance” that the Psalmist and the preacher of the Word, King David is preaching to himself, and that applies to all who preaches (believers), we must preach the Word to ourselves.

We should not surrender to the victim mentality, but had to defy ourselves from Satan, other people, and from ‘self’. This is war, and Lloyd Jones says, the main art of spiritual living is addressing yourself, preaching to ourselves, questioning ourselves, upbraid, condemn, exhort, and say to ourselves ‘hope in God’. We must constantly remind ourselves about who God is, and what He has done for us through His Son, rather than being downcast, and being depressed. Finally, it is only the Cross of Christ that can kill the joy killers in our lives.

When Christ became the substitute of sins for us, “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures” 1 Cori: 15:3, He became the substitute performer of our righteousness; “For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous” Rom: 5:19; “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth” Rom:10:4; “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” 2 Cori 5:21. So the Doctrine of justification, has become our fight for our joy. It is faith alone, which sees the joy through justification; “Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness” Rom: 4:4-5. One should not confuse between justification and sanctification, because that can kill the joy God has placed within us. Progressive change in believers into the image of God is not justification, and that is called sanctification; “But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life” Rom:6:22. What is settled for our sins through the blood of Christ in twinkling of an eye is justification, and the moral progress goes forward in sanctification. Both are the gifts of God, and confusing them will undermine the Gospel, and turn justification by faith into justification by performance.

The effect of the Word of the Cross when one sees with the eyes of the heart, can touch anyone and we have both secular, historical, and Biblical records like John Bunyan, and prophet Micah. Micah’s guilt seems gutsy, because there was ‘reasonable’ accusations from self, Satan, and from the people around, and yet he was preaching about justification by faith. Prophet Micah lived outside of the governmental centers of power in his nation, and he has a strong concern for the lowly, less unfortunate in the society, the lame and the blind, and the outcasts, and the afflicted; “In that day, saith the Lord, will I assemble her that halteth, and I will gather her that is driven out, and her that I have afflicted” Mic: 4:6. Much of the book of Micah revolves around major two significant predictions: the judgment of Judah and Israel; Micah 1-3; and the other of the restoration of God’s people in the millennial Kingdom; Micah  4-5.  If Micah was living on this side of the Cross, he would have preached about God’s mercy, and the righteousness of Christ. In a nut shell, gutsy guilt is the opposite of cheap grace. Listening to the word of the Cross, preaching to ourselves becomes the main theme for sinners to fight for joy. The Cross, the joy, the sacrificial love all for the glory of God.   

References:

Piper, John. When I don’t desire God: How to fight for joy (Wheaton: IL, Crossway Books,2004).

The Matthew Henry Study Bible, King James version: The best of Matthew Henry’s Notes in a Handy One Volume Reference Bible, (Iowa Falls, U.S.A, World Bible Publishers, Inc; 1994).

Seeing Jesus through the eyes of our heart and mind- to fight for joy in God

There are ample Scriptures which talks about two different kinds of sight; eyes of the heart, and the eyes of the mind; Matt: 13:13; Eze: 12:2; Jer: 5:21.

Therefore, speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:  For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them; Mat 13:13-15.

Son of man, thou dwellest in the midst of a rebellious house, which have eyes to see, and see not; they have ears to hear, and hear not: for they are a rebellious house; Eze 12:2.

Hear now this, O foolish people, and without understanding; which have eyes, and see not; which have ears, and hear not: Jer 5:21.

Seeing is essential because, God is glorified by being seen because this involves understanding, and God communicates in the hearts of people who can see. God’s glory is revealed in the nature; The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge” Ps 19:1-2.

Paul says, that the ‘invisible attributes of God in this Universe display God’s glory; For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so, that they are without excuse: Rom:1:20. When we look at God’s display of His glory from the minutest atom to the supernova, we clearly see the glory of God with much joy. It is our ungodliness and unrighteousness, whereby we suppress the truth; “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness”; Rom 1:18, and that becomes tragic. This joy killing blindness, the veil can be removed in the presence of Christ, which is through the good news of the Gospel. While Satan can do all that, he can to hinder us from enjoying that joy, when the light shines in our hearts, that gives the knowledge of the glory of God; But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ; 2 Cori:4:3-6.

God also reveals Himself through His Word, and the relationship between the Word and the glory of God is explained in Exodus 33-34; when Moses asked God in Mt. Sinai to show God’s glory to him. When we hear the Word of God, and when the hearing succeeds, we begin to see His glory, because it is written, Faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the Word of God; Rom 10:17. Being enthralled in God’s glory brings ultimate joy to a believer, and is a special gift of God, and we are constantly being transformed in to His image and into His glory. Jesus expressed the love of Christ for His Disciples, in His final prayer in John 13. “Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world”; Jn 17:24.  Seeing Jesus with the eyes of our heart is very much related to knowing Him; “And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God” Eph:3:19. So, our challenge is, to fight to see and enjoy the glory of the ‘Risen Christ’.

References:

Piper, John. When I don’t desire God: How to fight for joy (Wheaton: IL, Crossway Books,2004).

The Matthew Henry Study Bible, King James version: The best of Matthew Henry’s Notes in a Handy One Volume Reference Bible, (Iowa Falls, U.S.A, World Bible Publishers, Inc; 1994).

Call to fight for joy in God is indeed a gift of God

Fighting for joy embracing the truth itself is a gift from God and His work is enabled by God within us. Joy is the fruit of the Spirit that grows on the tree of faith, Gal: 5:22, and not a wage that God should pay for our work or for our fight. We believers had to learn to fight against the weeds, the crows, and the rodents. The author warns against the blinding of Satan from seeing the glory of Jesus Christ in the Gospel which awakens joy; 2 Cori: 2:2. We will continue to fight for joy in a way that does not replace grace, and at the end of our lives we should be able to say that we have fought the good fight, and if the joy comes that indeed is a true gift. 

He Whose heart is kind beyond all measure Gives unto each day what He deems best— Lovingly, it’s part of pain and pleasure, Mingling toil with peace and rest- Karolina Wilhelmina Sandell-Berg (1832- 1903).

We have moved a hundred miles from Pilgrim’s Progress where Christian labors and struggles and fights all his life “for the joy that was set before him” (Heb. 12:2) in the Celestial City. - John Piper

This is both liberating and devastating because it is good news for the hopeless and bad news for the self-reliant. Sometimes people know intuitively that this delight in God is beyond their control and they believe what is beyond their control cannot be required and this could be partially right. The Word of God require us to delight in the Lord always; Phil 4:4; Ps: 32:4; 97: 12; 100:1; Joel: 2:23.

Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say Rejoice (v. 4). All our joy must terminate in God; and our thoughts of God must be delightful thoughts. Delight Thyself in the Lord (Ps. 37:4) . . . . Observe, it is our duty and privilege to rejoice in God, and to rejoice in him always; always, in all conditions; even when we suffer for him, or are afflicted by him. We must not think the worse of him or of his ways for the hardships we meet with in his service. There is enough in God to furnish us with matter of joy in the worst circumstance on earth. . . . Joy in God is a duty of great consequence in the Christian life; and Christians need to be again and again called to it. - Matthew Henry

“The ordinary man may feel ashamed of doing wrong: but the saint, endowed with a superior refinement of moral sensibility, and keener powers of introspection, is ashamed of being the kind of man who is liable to do wrong.”- N. P. Williams

Ever since our fallenness in Genesis 3, we need not commit sins to be sinners, because sins power is deeply rooted within humanity, and on conversion the Holy Spirit gives the power to overcome the fallen, sinful nature. Prophet Jeramiah bemoans “the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” (Jer. 17:9). This proves that our hearts are deceitful, and we are disobedient, rebellious, and hardened towards the things of God ever since the Fall. King David traced this condition back to his birth: “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me” (Ps. 51:5). This proves that inborn corruption is within us. When Paul mentions ‘flesh’ that means the natural self apart from the redemption of Christ, or the natural person.  1 Corinthians 2:14, “The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned”. This means the natural person and the flesh agitates against the things of God, and such person cannot delight in God. The natural heart is so corrupt it cannot see or savor the beauty and the heart of God for that person. Paul says that the mind of the flesh is so hostile to God and it cannot and will not submit to the laws of God; Rom: 8:7-8. In other words, our own natural mind is so hostile to God’s glorious authority and cannot rejoice in God. ^“That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit; Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.”; Jn 3:6-7.  This means until the Spirit of God again bear us, all we are is flesh, and natural people with no spirit life, and we do not have any taste buds in the soul for the sweetness of Christ. The focus of this chapter is that the Spirit of God is free, and when one begins to see Jesus as our treasure, the Spirit has blown through our heart. Genuine repentance is a gift from God, and the central mystery of Christian life is, Christ has died for our sins, and because of his blood and righteousness we are forgiven and counted righteous by God in Christ; 2 Cori:5:21; Phil:3:9; Rom:5:19. The other part of the mystery is we are commanded to rejoice in the Lord, and this seems impossible, because of our willful and culpable corruption. So, obedience is a gift from God, and we are called to obey, so that we do not perish. Christian life is all about grace, and God continues to supply the strength to serve and believing that joy is in God, is a huge gift from God.

References:

Piper, John. When I don’t desire God: How to fight for joy (Wheaton: IL, Crossway Books,2004).

The Matthew Henry Study Bible, King James version: The best of Matthew Henry’s Notes in a Handy One Volume Reference Bible, (Iowa Falls, U.S.A, World Bible Publishers, Inc; 1994).

What is the difference between desiring and delighting in God?

^“Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.  My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion forever”; Psa: 73: 25-26. Asaph, the God entranced Psalmist has a great desire for God, and this desire is so strong and that makes all other things nothing. King David expresses his desire for God with the image of a deer panting for water; As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God; Psa:42:1.Apostle Paul in his letter to Philippians expresses his desire for God in the following way; “My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. . . . Whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake, I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ” (Phil. 1:23; 3:7-8).

Delighting in God or rejoicing in God is found in Psalms and other books both in the Old Testament and New Testament.  Habakkuk delights in the Lord, “Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the God of my salvation;” Hab: 3:17-18.

So we have both the desire and the delight; desiring, yearning, craving, longing, and the joy is the delight, pleasure happiness or satisfaction. There is always more in God to enjoy, because God is infinite, perfect in holiness. God is more glorified when we find satisfaction in Him alone. Love for God and faith goes together to find joy in God and faith in Jesus involves delighting in Him. Once we begin to delight in Jesus, a believing heart cannot forsake Christ for the broken cisterns of the world. In our Western Churches the last two hundred years there was incredible devaluation of the fight for joy because the truth of the Gospel is little understood. Christian life was understood as an earnest warfare from beginning to end, and the fruit bearing fields of joy in God was defended and strengthened throughout. Paul’s ministry was working for the joy of Christ for people, and maintaining joy needs work, because one had to fight against every impulse for alien joy which is apart from Christ. In Phil: 1:25, he says that he is wrestling with two competing desires: one to be with Christ, and the other to stay and minister to the churches.

References:

1. The Matthew Henry Study Bible, King James version: The best of Matthew Henry’s Notes in a Handy One Volume Reference Bible (Iowa Falls, U.S. A, World Bible Publishers, Inc; 1994). 

2. John Piper, When I don’t Desire God: How to Fight for Joy (Wheaton, Illinois: Crossway Publisher, 2004).

What do we understand by 'Sustaining the Sacrifice of Love'

Here we are talking about the liberating discovery of pursuing joy in God which is also a devastating discovery. This is because our indwelling sin, opposes and perverts the pursuit of God and stands in our way of our full satisfaction in God. In fallenness, our pursuit of the things of the world are more desirable than God, and this perverts our thinking that we are pursuing God, which is devastating and makes the Christian living impossible. Now the hope for Christian living is found only in God, because He alone can make the depraved heart desire for God. The apostle Paul said, “If anyone has no love for the Lord, let him be accursed” (1 Cor. 16:22); Christ must be cherished in our hearts, sustaining the sacrificial love of Christ with all of our hearts, mind, soul and in our strength. When we see trials and persecutions of Christians around the world, what do we do as Western Christians? “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you” (1 Pet. 4:12). “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22). “We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance” (Rom. 5:3). “Blessed are you when others . . . persecute you. . . . Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven” (Matt. 5:11-12). Fighting for joy is not to reduce the Western comforts, but is a fight to join Jesus on the Calvary road and stay with him no matter what our situations, and trials may be and looking at Jesus and the joy that was set before him and enduring the cross. The aim is not to salve the conscience of the well to do Western acquisition, but to sustain love’s ability to endure the worse, and that is may be to endure the sacrificial losses of property and security in life, by the power of joy in the path of love. Through this the aim is to make known to the world that Jesus Christ is all powerful, all wise, all merciful, all righteous, and the most satisfying treasure of the whole Universe which God has created. “Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured. For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come” (Heb. 13:13-14).

They are discovering that there is nothing new about Christian Hedonism at all, but that it is simple, old-fashioned, historic, biblical, radical Christian living. – John Piper    

Piper, John. When I don’t desire God: How to fight for joy (Wheaton: IL, Crossway Books,2004).

Complete in Thee …….

Sin affects all of us in all areas of our life and total depravity affects us mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually. Ever since fall, inherent sin affects manhood and we are constantly battling in the lust of the yes, the lust of flesh and with the pride of life. Genesis 3: 1-8, speaks about the Fall of man, and it is so dramatic, that our parents hid themselves from the presence of the Lord among the trees of the garden, because they knew they were naked.

Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?  And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden.

The effects of the Fall are narrated in the remaining chapter of Genesis 3.

Biblical references: Gen 3:1-8 (How sin entered in); Matt: 4 (Jesus was tempted: lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life), Rom:6(Dead to sin and alive to God).

What is the moral decision about sin?
What do we understand about the moral decision we make about sin? It does take some time and some thinking to come to that position that the sin in us as fallen people must be killed and we must come to the humble acknowledgement that we are sinful. No one can bring anyone else to this humble position, except the Lord Jesus Christ who took the sin of the whole humanity on the cross when He was crucified. If I may call it, co- crucifixion, that is our sinful nature is being crucified with Christ and though we are religiously motivated and earnestly convinced to do this, the work is of the Lord through the power of the Holy Spirit. This work, the amazing work of God, for any person, who want to come to this moral decision about sin, is freely available by the redemptive power of Christ, and no flesh can do it on their own, because the glory belongs to God alone, and He does not want any flesh to glory, in His redemptive work which was done on Calvary through His Son.

How do we do this?
Take a simple analysis of our heart, and let us identify ourselves with the death of Christ on the cross, and acknowledge that our sin is dead on the cross with Jesus; lust of the flesh, the lust of eyes, and the pride of life....the sin which affects humanity in all areas of our life. Ask the help of the Holy Spirit to invade us, our hearts, the possible areas where sin can lurk, and have the Divine anticipation that God is able to help us when we earnestly seek Him while making the moral decision about sin. In a nut shell I would like to say, anything rising within us which could exalt itself against the knowledge of God. Then we can agree with God's verdict through His Word that disposition of sin, and make a moral decision about sin, "dead indeed unto sin" “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.  For he that is dead is freed from sin”; Rom:6:6-7.
This indeed is a glorious privilege for all of us, to be crucified with Christ, and we begin to understand in our life on this part of eternity “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me”; Gal 2:20.

What do we understand regarding 'Moral Divinity'?
“For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection”: Rom 6:5.
The proof that we have been crucified with Christ will be revealed in our life, that we live on this earth. We will have a decided likeness to Him, and our personal life, will reflect the beauty of Christ in all areas and this can be called as Co-resurrection. This means the life I live, will be one like that of the likeness of the Son of God, on this earth, because the resurrection of the Son of God has imparted that authority in my mortal flesh. This new life in Christ will show itself in holiness, and the resurrection life of Jesus invades us in every part of our personal, professional, community and spiritual lives. The work of the Holy Spirit invades us in all areas of our lives, because He is not a guest, in our life, and He changes our old man and the heredity of sin. We begin to operate in a new order, because the gift of God is parted within us, and this will lead us in the path of holiness and purity of God's Son.

What do we understand by the Moral Dominion?
“Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.  For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord;” Rom:6: 9-11.
In this section I would like to talk about the Co-eternal life, the eternal life with Jesus which is the gift of God. In other words once we make the moral decision on sin, the enabling power of the Holy Spirit will help us in our weaknesses, and live a godly life, pleasing God. The full life of God begin to operate within us, and that we may be filled with the fullness of God. Eternal life means living life with God, and this has nothing to do with time, and this is the life Jesus lived while He was living with us. Even the weakest of all saints can experience this power of the Deity of the Son of God once he /she is willing to let go of any strand of their own energy and will that will blur the life of Jesus. Slowly but surely when our will is replaced by His Divine will, and when our energy is replaced by the power of the Holy Spirit, God can invade every part of us. The beautiful thing which could happen when this replacement slowly happens would be that men will know that Jesus is with us and our hearts will reflect the heart of Jesus and this will draw many men towards that Divine love!

Who can fathom fully?

When I walked the steps of Jesus recently in Jerusalem and Galilee and Bethlehem, and especially when I walked the path of Jesus during his passion week my mind constantly thought about the trials and persecutions of Jesus. When I walked through the different stations of the Cross via Dolorosa Jerusalem I thought about the three Falls of Jesus: at station three, station seven and station nine. The Fall was beyond what Jesus could carry at that time and his body was weak, and He was mentally and physically exhausted and He needed help. The greatest mental agony of Jesus could be the initial separation from His Father, carrying the whole burden of the sins of world, and being persecuted, beaten, heavily interrogated by the leaders both in the religious and secular circles for trying to fulfill what His Father in Heaven had for Him. I could sit on this topic for days, because this whole scene is beyond me to comprehend and I cannot fathom why Jesus had to do this for me and for the whole humanity! Isn’t there any other way of redeeming the humanity? I can try to understand the immense love of God the Father for humanity, and still this love of God is beyond me and unexplainable. Yes, the Word of God says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life”; Jn 3:16. Yes, God’s Word is the ultimate truth, but my comprehension of trying to fathom God’s love in giving His Only Son Jesus Christ seem to be partial and a mystery. In my comprehension, this seem to be an ‘unscalable mystery’.

Here I am trying to understand God and His natural attributes. God is not a fearful celestial policeman nor a sentimental grandfather in the sky, nor He is a ball of consuming fire. The natural attributes of God revealed by His self-disclosure of Scripture says, God is all powerful, transcendent who excels above all and He is exalted and eternal and the world’s Creator, who is Sovereign and the Perfect Judge. God is immanent and near as well as transcendent and He is Omnipotent, who is all powerful, Omnipresent who is in all places at all time, and Omniscient who knows all things. God never had a beginning and has no end, and He is God Eternal, timeless. God is infinite and unlimited and he is unchangeable against injustice, cruelty or deceit and yet He is love. I cannot even fully wrap my mind adequately to conceive of the infinite quantity of space, creation, the vastness of the Universe, the billions of stars in the galaxies, and the times and the change of seasons. Time and again, I come to the humble adoration of God and His characteristic attributes and acknowledge that God’s power, Omni potency is at work and in control of everything, anywhere at work. His Holiness has no limitations and no defects and yet He is a very personal God and created me in His own image after His own likeness;  ^“ And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth”; Gen: 1:26. This is an awesome ‘unscalable mystery’ to me.

Time and again when I faced the ‘unscalables’ in my life, the only ‘Fount of Love’ who understands me completely was God, through His Son and His Spirit because He suffered the most, the mental, emotional and physical agony while he was on this earth so He can empathize and sympathize with my whole situation. There are no impossibilities for our Triune God, who is Omniscient, Omnipotent and Omnipresent. I acknowledge that God can take me ‘my unscalables’ to the end of the tunnel because His Word says, “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not”; Jer:33:3. I can also say that God can take anyone by giving His answers to prayer which is beyond the realm of reason, Science, and knowledge. No one can fully fathom the depth, the beauty and dimension of the answer from God because it is so special for that person who calls upon Him. Indeed, God is near to the broken hearted when one faces the ‘unscalable’ and there is absolutely nothing which is ‘unscalable’ to Him.  

Devotion: My times and seasons in His Hands...

“But as for me, I trust in You, O Lord; I say, “You are my God.” My times are in Your hand; Deliver me from the hand of my enemies, and from those who persecute me.” Psa: 31: 14-15.

Conflicts seem to be the package of King David’s life and it seemed they would never end. It seemed to sap his energy and caused him to rely on another’s strength. 2 Samuel 22:1-51, talks about the testimony of King David in Lyrics with a great passion. King David presents these words to the Lord, because God has delivered him from the hand of his enemies in His time; from Absalom his own son, King Saul and also delivered him from the pit of despair. Some of us can empathize with King David, and maybe we are facing similar challenges. The focus of this writing is that we do have a hope, and the hope is in God and in His written Word, and in the power of His might.  

Any Christian who is attempting to live a life of self-sufficiency may not be able to relate to having a close personal relationship with God. Claiming God personally is the most precious right of any believer because of our Risen Savior Jesus Christ and blessed Calvary. What God has done through Jesus Christ, has given us the promise of ‘heir’ to His Kingdom as His adopted children. Please visit the following website to get a glimpse of the meaning of the word ‘heir’.

heir Meaning in the Cambridge English Dictionary

dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/heir

heir meaning, definition, what is heir: a person who will legally receive money, property, or a title from another person…. Learn more.

The circumstances one faces may be completely different, but we may be in constant struggle. May be the enemy has succeeded in pushing you into a corner, or being held in a small place with little hope of escape; and in all this one can be strengthened by God’s Word. “I will be glad and rejoice in Your mercy, for You have considered my trouble; You have known my soul in adversities; and have not shut me up into the hand of the enemy; You have set my feet in a wide place.” Psa 31: 7-8.

The One who delivered David from his enemies was the object of his deepest emotions, and he shared an authentic relationship with the Living God. King David deeply loved God and he is the man after God’s own heart because of his deep desire to please God and love Him.

Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8; talks about ‘Times and Seasons’ and to realize God’s promises in our lives we should set ourselves to God’s heartbeat. When we talk about His heartbeat, it is His rhythm, sequence, order, structure and timings of our lives. If we miss His timing by moving too fast or too slow we will fall out of step, and that will affect everything else in our lives. Can we say that everything in our lives must be in God’s predetermined time so that we can be effective and fruitful? 

For every problem and situation in our lives there is a set time for its answer and God is very much involved in a believer’s situation. We may have to wait for God and step back because what He is going to do in our lives is a matter of timing and it is His timing. As we are anxiously asking God for an answer right now, He is thinking beyond our anxious heart about our requests or His purpose may be to fine-tune us through adversity. Out of our brokenness is coming something valuable – a man or a woman after His own heart!

With references to 2 Samuel 22 and Psalm 18, can we say; God is our strength when we are weak; He is our Rock when we are on a slippery slope; He is our Deliverer when we are fenced and trapped by our enemies; He is our strong Fortress when we are crumbling down to thousand pieces; He is our Refuge when our enemies chases us and conflicts seem to be part of our package of our life; He is our only shield when we are exposed to our enemies; and He is our Lord, our God when life spins out of control in all directions?

  

We all can say with one accord that focusing on God alone is hard when life issues spins on a down ward spiral and spins out of control. King David’s life continuously challenges each one of us about our walk with God. Are we becoming committed to God more and more? “For I have kept the ways of the Lord; and have not wickedly departed from my God?” 2 Sam 22; 22. 2 Samuel 22 shows the history of King David with God, and he has allowed God to reveal himself in many experiences of life.

Do we actively build a history with God? Have we done lots of living together with God ever since our salvation? Can we remember the various times and seasons we have experienced with the Living God as our Father? Can we genuinely say that our ‘Times are in His hand’? If we believe can we say, “Lord, teach me the timing and sequence You have set for my life so that I may dance to Your heartbeat, for me?”

Can we take encouragement in the following Word of God?

·    O, Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether. Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.  Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?  If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.  If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;  Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.  Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee. For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.  I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.  My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.  How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!  If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.  Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men. For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain.  Do not I hate them, O Lord, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee?  I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.  Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:  And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Book References:

1.The Matthew Henry Study Bible, ‘King James version’. The best of Matthew Henry’s Notes in a Handy One Volume Reference Bible. World Bible Publishers Inc; 1994, Iowa Falls, U.S.A.

2. Beth Moore. David Seeking A Heart Like His. Life Way Christian resources: Nashville, Tennessee, 2010, pgs: 206-210.

3. Jay E. Adams. ‘Critical Stages of Biblical Counseling’ Finishing Well, Breaking Through, Getting Started. (New Jersey: Zondervan, 2002, p.6-7)

4. Jay E. Adams. ‘How to Help People Change’ The Four-step Biblical Process. (Grand rapids: Zondervan, 1986, p. 20-28)

5. John F. MacArthur, JR. Wayne A. Mack & The Master’s College Faculty. ‘Introduction To Biblical Counseling’. “A Basic Guide To The Principles And Practice Of Counseling.” (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers,1994, P. 76-77)

6. Jay E. Adams. ‘The Christian Counselor’s Manual, The Practice of Nouthetic Counseling’.  (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1973, p. 15-16, 21-23; 92-97)

7. Jay E. Adams. ‘Lectures on Counseling.’ (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1978, p.192-203)

8.The Holy Bible, New King James version, Women of Destiny Bible. “Women Mentoring Women Through the Scriptures” A Spirit Filled Life Bible. Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee, Copyright 1982. 

How do we understand the Sovereignty of God?

The theology of the ‘Doctrine of Sovereignty of God’ is one of the most comforting and enlivening truths which could help us with our worries, anxieties, fear, especially when we face the mountain of ‘unscalables’ in our lives. When clients come to me, I would ask them so many questions, to find out who they are, and about their present situation where they needed help. Their statements define themselves and I would listen to their answers. Let us see what God says, about Himself in His Word, by God’s own testimony. God’s own testimony is reliable because He is completely acquainted with His own nature, and God’s self-knowledge about Himself is without error. Above all, there is no reason why God would deceive us or confuse us about His purpose or power, so we can safely trust God’s testimony about Himself.

God is completely holy and it is not at all possible for Him to sin. He is perfectly holy, perfectly just, perfectly loving, and perfectly wise, He is the God of wisdom, majesty, honour and power. If He is anything less than the above He is not God, and He is not a celestial policeman and neither he is a malicious despot. When I travelled to Greece I have visited many of the Greek temples of gods and goddesses. Our Father in Heaven is not one of the Greek gods, who can be moody and temperamental and who would decide to mess with the lives of people for fun. Our God is the creator of heaven and earth and mankind who loves, mankind unconditionally to give His One and only Son for the remission of our sins and for the sins of the whole world. Let us see what the Word of God says about God.

God says, He controls and orchestrates every event of the world for His glory and honour; 1 Chro: 29:10-11; Psa: 103: 19; Prov: 16:33.

God can determine the times and season, the weather, the growth of crops, and the fall and rise of Kings and Kingdoms; Gen: 8:22; 1 King: 8:35; 2 Chro: 7:13-14; Amos: 4:7; Isa: 5:6; Hag: 1:10-11.

God determines the length of our lives; Job: 14:5; Psa: 68:20; Acts: 17: 26.

God does not need anything from us to enable Him to rule sovereignly; Acts: 17: 24-25.

Understanding God’s sovereignty is important to a believer, because God’s sovereignty is a safe harbor against fear, anxieties and worries. If we deny the sovereignty of God in all situations, circumstances and events, we can lose all the security. One had to come to the humbling position that every atom, in the universe is under His sovereign control and He has the power to turn things the way He wanted and He is perfectly just and holy as He testifies about Himself in His Word. Jesus Christ before He was crucified He prepared the Disciples for the trials, persecution, that the Disciples are going to face after His departure. The disciples could not understand then the events which are going to happen are within God’s sovereign control. “Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world;” Jn 16:32-33. Jesus Christ was telling them that His Disciples will desert him, and that is all within the Sovereign control of God, and not under the power of Judas, Pilate and the chief priests who had brought Jesus to trial. God was indeed in control of the Roman governor the Pilate, in control of the Pharisees, in control of Judas, and in control of the chief priests. No one absolutely no one will be able to overcome God and His plan, and Jesus wanted His Disciples to have peace, understanding God’s sovereignty in spite of the storm which will be raging soon around them.

Can we trust God, in our tribulations? Why does God allow tribulations if He is sovereign? The Bible tells us to rejoice in our sufferings, and this is especially very hard, when we are overwhelmed with fear of the sufferings and rejoicing in our suffering is abnormal for the fallen humanity. The truth of the matter is, that we are slowly being made to fit for heaven, and being prepared to experience the splendor, magnificence, the honor, and happiness of the eternal world. I am not trying to say, that we should all look for trials and persecutions around us all the time.  Suffering does this for us, and we have to understand God’s Word, in the light of eternity, and learning to trust God in the storm is a lesson, and is a process. The Word of God confirms this, ^“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal;” 2 Cori:4:17-18.  

If we look through the Scriptures, we find many stories of our Patriarchs, who have gone through much trials, and persecutions, and God had chosen them to fulfill many big things for His glory. Our Patriarchs, Abraham, Moses, Deborah, Jacob, Gideon, Barack, and Paul then Saul were some of the examples and there are many other examples and Bible is full of it. I also love the story of the founder of the Protestant Reformation, Martin Luther. In 1521, he was called to appear before a tribunal, and was commanded to retract his writings. Luther, wisely asked the church and the government officials, ‘a night’ to consider his answer. He wrestled the whole night with God, and when Luther met the next day, with the officials he said the following: “Unless you prove from the Bible that he had made wrong statements; he will not take back anything he has written.” God is a God of wisdom and majesty, and He does gives his wisdom to His children, when we genuinely ask of Him. Luther’s words, resounds through the ages for many martyrs when they stood before their persecutors! Beloved, when we face fears, worries, anxieties, fear of being persecuted for righteousness sake, we can take comfort, and refuge, and peace, with God, who gave His one and only Son for us; who still is ruling the universe and is Sovereign. May God be our safe harbor where we can anchor our faith and may He be our refuge. Now let us hear what God says for those who mourn in Isaiah 54.   

·         Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the Lord.  Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes;  For thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited.  Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashamed: neither be thou confounded; for thou shalt not be put to shame: for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more.  For thy Maker is thine husband; the Lord of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called. For the Lord hath called thee as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth, when thou wast refused, saith thy God.  For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer.    For this is as the waters of Noah unto me: for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth; so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee.  For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee. O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colours, and lay thy foundations with sapphires. And I will make thy windows of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles, and all thy borders of pleasant stones.  And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children. In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee. Behold, they shall surely gather together, but not by me: whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall for thy sake.  Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire, and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy.  No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord.

Fear of God, is the beginning of all wisdom and it is an antidote against perplexing fear, anxiety and worry when trouble assails us. Godly reverence for our heavenly Father gives us hope when the storm rages around us. Prophet Habakkuk looks at the experiences of the church in the former days, and he was comforted when he saw trouble, agony and strife among Christian brothers, and was not without hope but was filled with holy joy and peace. He knew when all is gone from the nation, and from him, God is not gone and he pens the following:

·         Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments; Hab 3:17-19.

Habakkuk’s prayer was that even when the vines and the fig trees are gone, the prosperity is gone, and the mirth of the carnal hearts are gone, still God is not gone; so we have all the reason to rejoice in the God of our salvation. When we meet the losses, and the crosses of this world, it is only the joy of the Lord, which keeps us moving forward. This is a great reason to rejoice in the eternal salvation and the faith in Lord Jesus Christ, the only Son of God prepares us for eternity. The name of Jesus which heals us of all wounds, sheds fragrance for our soul and gives us the hope for the heavenly crown. This is the one and only reason why we should all sit loosely on earthly possessions, material benefits, and comforts, and all earthly relationship ties. We are in a process; a process of learning continuously to place our trust in God, and not on our situations, whatever it may be. Habakkuk decided to trust God, even if it does not make sense to him.

Points to ponder when we face the ‘unscalables’ in our lives:

·         Understanding God’s view of the situation.

·         What does the Bible say about trials?

·         What does the Bible require of the believer’s way of life?

·         When everything fails, does God fail?

·         Remember God is Sovereign.

·         Always remember, that God can use all the failures around us for our good and for His glory.

·         Remember with the temptation, He also provides a way of escape.

·         Thanking God in our trials, and even for ungodly leaderships.

·         Continue to place our trust in God, and not on our circumstances.

·         Continuous dependence on God’s grace and for His help in our trials.

·         Change the way we react to our trials: how?

a.        How to be an example of giving a godly response?

b.      How to pray for different trials, and also for ungodly authorities over us?

c.       Focus on our work and God and not on the circumstances.

d.      Learning to respond as Christ did.

e.       Learning to do good and not evil.

·         With prayer and supplication present our requests to God in all circumstances.

·         Remember the God who can orchestrate the world events are still in control of our lives.

As Mathew Henry once said, the trials of a Saint are orchestrated by the counsels of God, and no one can add or delete from it. What one can do for that person in trial is to pray for them.

Luke 22 Commentary - Matthew Henry ... - Bible Study Tools

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Read Luke 22 commentary using Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible ... of the saints under their sufferings, nor the counsel of God concerning their ..

Verses 29–30 - Matthew Henry's Commentary - Bible Gateway

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Study; App; Store .... Matthew Henry's Commentary – Verses 29–30 ... The counselsand decrees of God do not truckle to the frail and fickle will of ... Christ is the express image of his Father, and the saints are conformed to the image of Christ.

Prayer is a powerful weapon against the inflation of worry, anxiety, and fear when one faces the storm in their lives and to acknowledge that God is Sovereign in our lives. When we stretch our minds in our fallenness that He does not care for our needs when we face the unscalables we are indeed wrong, because we are losing sight of the broader picture by focusing on minute details. Dark nights of failure, betrayal, sickness, and even in death, God still cares. When the desperation comes, and when we think God is silent, God is still acting. In our dark nights of silence, we all need reassurance just like Habakkuk; “Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvelously: for I will work a work in your days, which ye will not believe, though it be told you;” Hab 1:5.  Below is a prayer to encourage our hearts.

Dear Father in heaven, in our fallenness and frailty, very often when troubles assail us we fail to realize Thou Art God Almighty, maker of heaven and earth and all its inhabitants. We fail to acknowledge that Thou hast made man in Thine image, and Thou hast seen each one of us, at the time of conception. This knowledge is beyond us, and we ask forgiveness for our lack of understanding. We want to acknowledge that Thou Art a Sovereign Lord, in all of our circumstances. When trials and difficulties come around us, still Thou art our God, the Father who love us with an everlasting love.

We acknowledge that Thou art preparing each one of us for Thine Heavenly Kingdom, to enjoy the glory, splendor, the majesty, and help each one of us to understand Thine everlasting love in the midst of our trials. Lord, give us grace so that we may understand that trials and difficulties prepares us to get an everlasting glimpse of Thine Kingdom. Give us grace so that we begin to understand the depth and width of Thine love. Thank You for giving Your Only Son, to die for us and go through severe trials while in this earth for our sake. Thank You for the Holy Spirit, the comforter, to comfort us when we are assailed by tribulations.

Jesus Christ our burden bearer we lift up our voices to Your throne room, so that You will bear the burden with us, because You said my yoke is light. We pray for those who need comfort, when faced with varied trials, and may the Spirit of God, the comforter, gives comfort to those who mourn. May their mourning be changed to dancing and joy. 

We acknowledge that Thou Art a Sovereign God, even when the storm rages around us, because You alone can calm the storm, and orchestrate events around us. We want to ascribe greatness to Your Holy Name. Thou art everlasting, and Your love never fails. Thou art good and there is none like Thee Oh! Lord. We pray that we trust Your Words, that You would carry us on eagles’ wings and make us shine like the sun, and carry us on the palm of His hands for Your glory and honour. In the Name of God the Father, God the Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit we pray, Amen. 

For further reading:

1. Millard J. Erickson. Christian Theology. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House: 1983-85. 

2. R.T. Kendall. Understanding Theology, Developing a Healthy Church in the 21^st Century. 1996.

3. Jay E. Adams. A Theology of Christian Counseling, More than Redemption. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1979.

4. Louis Berkhof. Systematic Theology. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1996.

5.  Robert P Lightner. Handbook of Evangelical Theology, Historical, Biblical, and Contemporary Survey and Review. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1986.

6. Charles Ryrie. Basic Theology. Chicago: Moody Press, 1986, 1999.

7.  A. H. Strong. Systematic Theology. New Jersey: Fleming H. Revell Co, 1907.

8.  Wayne Grudem. Systematic Theology, An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1994.

9. Steven W. Waterhouse. Not By Bread Alone, An Outlined Guide To Bible Doctrine. Amarillo: Westcliffe Press, 2007. 

10. John Theodore Muller, Th.D. Christian Dogmatics, A handbook of Doctrinal Theology for Pastors, Teachers, and Laymen.  St. Louis, Mo: Concordia Publishing House, 1934.  

11. Prayers To Move Your Mountains. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2000.

12. John White. Parables, the Greatest Stories ever Told. Illinois: Inter varsity Press, 1988, 1999.

13. ESV Study Bible. English Standard Version. Crossway Bibles, Wheaton, Illinois: Publishing ministry of Good News publishers, 2008.

14. The Matthew Henry Study Bible. King James Version. Iowa falls: World Bible Publishers, Inc. 1990.

15. Elyse Fitzpatrick. Overcoming Fear, Worry and Anxiety. Harvest House Publishers: Eugene, Oregon,2001.