by HARVEYOPP | Aug 5, 2014 | Scott Henry
“Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer…” Romans 12:12
To be patient in tribulation means we joyfully accept God’s will while at the same time pray that God would give us the strength to endure for His honor, glory and praise! Do you realize how this practice would change the way we live? One of the most blessed responses I’ve heard a believer give when cancer, sickness or death came upon them is this, “It’s very hard, but it’s God’s will and He will give me strength to endure.” You see, it’s our calling, not merely to accept God’s will, but to love and rejoice in God’s will, which is always good, perfect and acceptable (Rom. 12:2).
Habakkuk 3:17-18: “Though the fig tree may not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines; Though the labor of the olive may fail, and the fields yield no food; though the flock may be cut off from the fold & there be no herd in the stalls; Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.” Would you respond like this? If you suffered total financial ruin this year would you still be able to say, “I will rejoice in the Lord?” Do you truly love God or only the blessings He gives? It’s important for us to be patient in tribulation because regardless of what God sends upon us … we deserve infinitely worse! Psalm 103:10: “He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.” If God dealt with us according to our sins we would be in hell right now because the wages of sin is death (Rom. 6:23). Remember that when you begin to murmur and complain about the troubles God sends your way.
We should also be patient in tribulation because many times it’s through tribulation that God leads us away from sin. Psalm 119:67: “Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep Your word.” Through tribulation God strengthens our faith and causes believers to grow in grace. Paul said in Romans 5:3: “…knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.” A Christian desires to grow in patience yet the very thing God uses to cause us to grow is tribulation. Tribulation humbles us! Because of the remaining sin in our heart we are often prideful and think way too highly of ourselves (Rom. 12:3), yet tribulation has a way of cutting us down to our knees and causing us to cry out to God, and that, beloved, is a humbling experience. James 4:4 tells us that God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. 1 Peter 5:5 calls us to be clothed with humility and tribulation is the very thing that produces humility. Truly, God uses tribulation for His glory and our good! Therefore, Christian, when God sends tribulation upon you don’t murmur or complain, but receive it patiently by rejoicing in hope and continuing steadfastly in prayer to God. In this way you will rest confident in the promise that God will provide all things necessary for body and soul and that whatever evil He sends upon you in this troubled life, He will turn to your good; for He is able to do it, being Almighty God, and willing also, being a faithful Father. Amen!
by HARVEYOPP | Aug 1, 2014 | Scott Henry
“Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer…” Romans 12:12.
How often do you become discontent and angry with the things God providentially sends into your life? Discontentment is one of the Christian’s greatest sins and it’s displayed in our complaining and murmuring against the providence of God. “Why have you done this to me?” or “God must not love me – look what He’s doing to my life!” That’s the way many Christian’s talk when tribulation comes upon them. How often have you complained against God about all the problems in your life?
Our greatest testimony to the unbelieving world should be our patience in tribulation. Remember Job? God sent tribulation upon him that most of us will never have to bear. In one day, he lost 500 oxen, 500 donkeys, 3,000 camels, 7,000 sheep, 7 sons, 3 daughters and many servants, but Scripture testifies that Job accepted it patiently without murmuring or complaining. Job 1:20-21: “Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshiped. And he said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; Blessed be the name of the LORD.”
Would you respond this way to these devastating events? If you were to go home and find all of your blessings from God have been stolen or destroyed would you fall down and worship God or would you curse Him? Our calling as believers is to patiently bear the tribulation God sends upon us, submit our will to God’s will, and faithfully pray to the Lord … “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” That’s how Jesus responded when he faced the greatest tribulation of all … eternal damnation! He said, “Father, take this cup from me; nevertheless not My will but Thy will be done.” If there’s no other way to redeem sinners except by suffering eternal wrath on the cross then “Thy will be done!” Jesus came to do His Father’s will.
What about you? Do you truly pray to the Father, “Thy will be done”? Would you pray, “Thy will be done” if you knew God’s will for you included persecution, sickness, cancer or death? What would you say to the Lord if He said of you what he said of the Apostle Paul in Acts 9:16: “I must show him how many things he must suffer for my name sake.” Would you then say, “Lord, your will be done?” Most believers pray the Lord’s Prayer every Sunday, but do we mean what we pray or are we just going through the motions? Sitting and pouting or murmuring and complaining about the things God sends upon us in this life is NOT being patient in tribulation. Rather, patience in tribulation is demonstrated by praying, “Father, Thy will be done.” Ask the Lord this day to give you a greater measure of endurance in order that you might glorify Him in the midst of all the trials, tribulation and difficulties that our sovereign, loving, merciful, gracious, just, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent God sends into your life. Take time and meditate on the truth of God’s governance of this universe … from the hairs of your head to the vast expanse of the universe. In this way, you will learn to be patient in tribulation, thankful in prosperity, and will diligently trust the Lord for what is future.
by HARVEYOPP | Jul 29, 2014 | Scott Henry
“Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer…” (Romans 12:12).
Why is life filled with so many problems? The first reason is simple … sin! Sin is the reason for the tribulation and trials in our lives. Before Adam fell into sin there was no sickness, disease or death … no troubles! Tribulation immediately began after the fall of man. We read in Genesis 3 that the woman’s child-bearing will be filled with pain and sorrow as a result of sin. We also read that the ground is cursed because of man’s sin, and it now bears thorns and thistles. As a result of sin, man now sweats in order to provide food for his family.
But believers also have tribulation because of the hatred of the world. John 15:19-20: “If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you.” In other words, if you’re faithful to Christ’s Word by standing for the truth you will be persecuted by the unbelieving world. 2 Timothy 3:12: “Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.”
But there’s another reason for our tribulation. God is ultimately the source of all our troubles and difficulties. If we believe God rules and governs everything in this world then when we get sick or when a loved one dies we have to say, “This is the Lord’s will … this is what God has brought to pass.” That’s Job’s confession: “Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?” (Job 2:10). Notice also what David says in 2 Samuel 16:10-11 when he’s being cursed by Shimei: “So let him curse, because the LORD has said to him, ‘Curse David.’ Who then shall say, ‘Why have you done so?'” And David said to Abishai and all his servants, “See how my son who came from my own body seeks my life. How much more now may this Benjamite? Let him alone, and let him curse; for so the LORD has ordered him.” We also read in Amos 3:6: “Shall the trumpet be blown in a city, and the people not be afraid? Shall evil befall a city, and Jehovah hath not done it?” And the Heidelberg Catechism, Q&A 26, declares “…that whatever evil He sends upon me in this troubled life, He will turn to my good; for He is able to do it, being Almighty God, and willing also being a faithful Father.”
Ultimately God sends all the tribulation that comes into our lives and He does so for His glory and the good of every believer (Isaiah 43:7; Romans 8:28). And we must understand and believe this truth if we are going to respond biblically to the trials that inevitably come upon us. According to our text, we are called to be “patient in tribulation.” The word “patient” literally means “to remain, to persevere or to endure.” In other words, our calling as believers when we suffer tribulation is to persevere with a calm courage that trusts God. To be patient in tribulation does not mean inactivity … notice that our text also exhorts believers to “rejoice in hope, and continue steadfastly in prayer.” Are you going through tribulation? Then rejoice in hope because hope in God never disappoints, and continue steadfast in prayer to God expressing your love, your need, and your thanksgiving to Him.
by HARVEYOPP | Jul 18, 2014 | Scott Henry
“My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth” (Psalm 121:2)
The sovereignty of God is one of the most comforting doctrines in Scripture for the child of God. What comfort it brings to our heart to know that God is ruling, reigning, and directing all things in this universe for His glory and the edification of His church. Every event in this world, from the falling of a sparrow to the coronation of a world ruler, is under the governance of the God of Scripture who created and sustains all things by Word of His power. Understanding God’s sovereignty enables the believer to be patient when afflicted, thankful in prosperity, and for what is future have good confidence that our sovereign God will always supply our needs. No enemy can befall us, no sickness can over take us, and no disaster can come upon us but what is filtered through the hands of our loving heavenly Father, who is the sovereign of the universe; and what a joy for every Christian to know that our God has promised that “All things work together for good to those who love Him” (Romans 8:28).
Yet so often when we encounter problems in life our first response is to run to some human source instead of calmly seeking the Lord through His Word and prayer. So often we seek out the counsel of the ‘expert’ instead of seeking the true wisdom of God in His Word. Yet Psalm 121 declares that our help comes from the Lord, maker of heaven, earth, the sea, and every creature that exists. Our God is a God who possesses all wisdom and knowledge of every event, person, place and thing that dwells in heaven and on earth. There’s NOTHING that escapes the knowledge of our God and there’s NOTHING that can resist His almighty power. “All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; He does according to His will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand or say to Him, what have You done?” (Daniel 4:35)
Therefore, let us look to the Lord in every situation of life knowing that OUR HELPS COMES FROM THE LORD, who faithfully works all things together for good to those who love Him. What a joy to the Christian’s soul to understand the sovereign rule of God. May your heart rest fully assured in our God as you meditate upon the truth that He ALONE is the sovereign of the universe “…declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’ calling a bird of prey from the east, the man of my counsel from a far country. I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass; I have purposed, and I will do it” (Isaiah 46:10-11).
by HARVEYOPP | Jul 15, 2014 | Scott Henry
“For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10).
Notice from our text that Jesus saves those whom he seeks … “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” In other words, the reason Jesus came seeking certain individuals who were lost was to save them. Now what does it mean to be saved? It means forgiveness of sins and reconciliation with God. It means being granted the perfect righteousness of Christ. It means redemption … being purchased by the blood of Christ. To be saved means God’s justice is satisfied against our sins and God accepts us as His dear children for the sake of Christ’s merits. It means that we are no longer enslaved to sin and enemies of God, but now we live by the principle of grace. To be saved means we no longer walk in darkness, but have been translated into the kingdom of light. To be saved also means we have been granted everlasting life and will nevermore come under condemnation for our sins; in Christ, we have escaped the second death. We have been rescued from the guilt, penalty and consequences of our sin by the perfect law-abiding life and sin-atoning death of the Savior, Jesus the Christ.
Romans 6:23: “The wages of sin is death” and we all have earned these wages. “But the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” And so to be saved is to be spared from the just judgment of God against our sins and granted everlasting life. To be saved by Christ also means to be justified, and being justified is to be declared right with God even though we are still sinful. If Christ has saved you, God has declared that your debt of sin is wiped clean … it will never be remembered against you again … your sins are cast as far as the east is from the west. Not because of what you or I have done, but because of what Christ has done … He has saved that which was lost!
Do you realize the sinfulness of your heart and how hopeless your situation would be apart from Jesus Christ? Do you confess that Jesus came to seek and save sinners, and by faith do you cast yourself only upon Jesus as your faithful Savior? Jesus came to seek and to save – not all sinners (John 6:37, John 17:9) – but He came to seek and to save His people from their sins (Matthew 1:21) … He came for His sheep (John 10:15-17) … His elect and chosen ones (Ephesians 1) … all those sheep given to Him by His Father (John 6:37).
Are you anxious? Is your heart unsettled because of your sin? Well, our text gives us great hope that will bring peace to your soul and a renewed confidence in the God of Scripture: “The Son of man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Dear Christian, may we never lose the wonder and amazement of the Gospel … that Jesus Christ came into this world to fulfill all righteousness and to suffer God’s just judgment against our sins in order that we might become the righteousness of God in Him!
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