Be Somebody's Barnabas

When [Saul] came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus. So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord.

Acts 9:26-28

You may remember that Saul had been a Pharisee and was an eager persecutor of the church. He had gone to Damascus to arrest Christians, but on the way there the risen Lord Jesus had appeared to him and changed his life forever. Saul became a Christian. Eventually he was run out of Damascus narrowly escaping with his life. But when he came to the church in Jerusalem, he wasn’t welcomed with open arms. He was met with suspicion.

You see the last time the Christians in Jerusalem had encountered Saul he was one of their most ardent persecutors, so they didn’t trust him. They thought that perhaps this was a trick. They couldn’t risk letting a wolf in amongst the sheep. So Saul was left isolated and alone. This new believer and powerful preacher had no one to pray with, no one to worship with, no one to study Scripture with, no real friend or brother in Christ. He was rejected by everyone, until Barnabas found him. 

Where others saw an enemy, Barnabas saw a brother. Where others saw potential for evil, Barnabas saw potential for good. When every other Christian in Jerusalem saw only the worst in Saul, Barnabas saw the best in him. Barnabas came alongside Saul and nurtured and encouraged him. He took him under his wing. He took him to the apostles and personally vouched for him. Think about this, Barnabas introduced the apostles to the man who would write half the New Testament! And because the apostles knew and trusted Barnabas, Saul was welcomed into the church in Jerusalem. It says “he stayed with them and he moved about freely in Jerusalem and spoke boldly of Jesus.” 

Who knows how many Saul’s there are in our churches right now? How many future preachers, future missionaries, music ministers, youth ministers, deacons and Sunday School teachers are in our churches right now and all they need is for someone to come alongside them, for someone to encourage them and nurture them and give them a chance. You’ll never know the difference a little encouragement can make in someone’s life... a little belief in their abilities... a little nurturing of their talents... a little grace for their failures. You will never know what kind of impact you can have on somebody until you come alongside and encourage them.

 

Be like Barnabas! Where others saw risk, he saw potential. Where everyone else saw the worst, Barnabas saw the best. Who do you need to encourage today? It might be your spouse or a child. It might be someone who is isolated and alone like Saul was. Someone who needs a friend, a brother in Christ to come alongside them and encourage them. Will you be that brother or sister in Christ? Will you be that friend? Be somebody's Barnabas today.

Encourage Somebody Already

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

1 Thessalonians 5:11

A recent study found that 85% of people hate being encouraged. Wait. No, that's not true. It turns out pretty much everyone likes being encouraged, and we all need people to nudge us in the right direction every now and again. So it makes sense that this is something we do for one another in the church.

In context this verse means something like: Because of the certainty of Jesus' return and because of our solid hope in the salvation that awaits us when He returns, we ought to do two things:

1. Give encouragement to one another as a means to urge fellow believers to continue walking rightly with God.
2. Promote Christian growth in one another.

But do we actually do this? When was the last time you gave some encouragement to an adult friend at church because of what you saw God doing in their life? One of the best ways to do this is to share with them how something they did or said touched you. Or when was the last time you did something to help develop an adult friend further in their faith? Maybe you invited them to join you in some spiritual discipline or suggested a book to them. 

There are hundreds of ways to do this. Only you know what is right for your particular friend or family member in the context of your friendship, but here are some ideas to help you get started. 

• Commit to pray for them and ask if there is anything you can pray specifically about.
• Have you read a Scripture, article or book that ministered to you? Suggest it to them.
• Tell them how God has ministered to you or others through them.
• Ask them how they are doing in their personal walk with the Lord right now.
• Ask them to be your prayer partner, Bible study partner, Accountability partner, etc...
• Send a sermon to them either via email, CD or DVD. 
• Start theological and biblical discussions with them.
• If you are farther along in the faith than them, offer to disciple or mentor them.
• Write them an encouraging card, text or email. 
• Write a song about them and all they mean to you. (Ha! Just kidding! I had to make sure you were still paying attention.)

Look, it isn't that hard to do. I know it can seem unnatural at first, but this is an important role that all of us are called to play in the family of God. Remember, there is an enemy who is actively scheming to deceive your friends and bring them to ruin. Satan wants to destroy and devour them. You can't just sit by and silently hope they survive his attacks. There are people in your church who need you. So suck it up! Get out there and encourage somebody already. Choose at least one person and encourage or build them up today. 

Don't Quit

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.

I Corinthians 15:58

Do you ever feel like quitting on God? Maybe you'll keep going to church, but you're ready to throw in the towel on everything else. You're tired of sharing the gospel with that family member or friend over and over again only to be rejected. You're tired of prepping Bible study lessons for hours on end only to teach it to people who don't get it and couldn't seem to care any less. You're tired of serving behind the scenes only to have someone else take the credit. You've reached the end of yourself and you're done, ready to give up.

It isn't just church staff members and missionaries who feel this way. I work with many believers who give hours to volunteer ministry every week. They don't get paid to minister but they do it on top of their responsibilities at work, at home, and within their extended families. They get discouraged just like me. I bet that sometimes you do too.

When we are tempted to give up we should consider Paul's encouragement in today's verse. We should strive to "be steadfast and immovable" in our service to the Lord. In the original language the word 'steadfast' could mean that a person was immovable, firm, or even sitting (Blue Letter Bible). In other words, we should persevere in doing good so resolutely that we are absolutely unchanged by the challenges and discouragements that come our way.

God acknowledges that ministry is hard. The verse says that we can know our "toil" is not in vain. That word 'toil' in the original language can mean "intense labor united with trouble and toil" (Blue Letter Bible). I have to admit that some days quote captures exactly how my ministry feels, but we shouldn't give up. Why? Because we know our toil is not in vain. It isn't fruitless. How do we know this?    

Our hope in the resurrection gives us the strength to endure and even press on. You see, Paul puts this verse at the end of a long section on our hope in the resurrection. This verse is the conclusion or application that he draws from the precious truth that all believers will one day be raised in victory. 

We may feel as though we are losing every battle now, but one day we will leave all of this toil behind. One day the seemingly endless struggle will give way to truly endless victory. Then we will receive the reward for all our labor. On that day even death will be swallowed up in victory. 

We dare not give in to discouragement now for fear of missing out on any of the reward later. So if you are discouraged, if you are thinking about quitting, or have already done so; take heart. Remind yourself of the coming victory and press on in faith knowing that your toil is not in vain. One day you will reap your reward. There may be no sign of the harvest now, but it is coming. In this world or the next your reward will come.

Father, help us to press on in faithful service. Give us the strength to walk in the good works You have prepared in advance for us to do. And sanctify our efforts to your glory, to advance your kingdom. Be pleased with us. May we be a blessing to You and Your children. In Jesus' name, Amen. 

For further reading...

• I Corinthians 15- Read the passage in context.

He Daily Bears Your Burdens

Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens.

Psalm 68:19

The pace of my life can sometimes feel like a crushing burden to me. There are so many things I need to do. Then there are those things that I know I will never be able to do. And the list of things I feel guilty for not having already done. Sometimes, it feels like too much. 

That's why this verse jumped out at me the other day. It was exactly what I needed to hear from the Lord. It is as refreshing as a drink of cool water to me. I need to be reminded periodically that I am not alone. That God is with me. That He daily bears the burdens of His children. God's salvation extends far beyond forgiveness of your sin.

Psalm 68 praises God for saving and caring for His righteous people in a number of ways. It depicts God as taking a special interest in the weak and "bearing their burdens." He is a "father to the fatherless, a defender of widows" (vs. 5). He "sets the lonely in families" (vs. 6). He frees prisoners (vs. 6). He provides richly for His people (vs. 7-13). Maybe some of these identifiers describe you. Maybe not. For you it may be debt collectors, broken relationships, an overcrowded schedule, an impossible boss or unruly children that weigh you down. 

Whatever your burden, remember that God daily bears it up. Being reminded of that brought a powerful peace into my life. I pray that it would for you as well, and I urge you to take Jesus' advice...

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. - Matthew 11:28-30

Bite the Wax Tadpole (W.o.W. Rewind)

He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.”

He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough.”

Matthew 13:31-33 

We live in a global age. Nowadays most large companies have adjusted to this fact and are sensitive to cultural and linguistic differences that may arise in their global marketing campaigns. This wasn't always the case though. Many companies made big mistakes when they first went abroad because they didn't pay attention to the little things. As the old adage goes, "The little things can make a big difference." Here's one example. When Coca-Cola first entered the Chinese market it chose a series of characters which rendered a sound similar to Coca-Cola. Literally it sounded like Ke-ke-ken-la. It wasn't until after they had already printed thousands of signs that the executives at Coke discovered that the literal rendering of the characters meant "bite the wax tadpole" in one Chinese dialect. Needless to say this probably didn't help sales. Coke later changed it's Chinese brand name to Ko-kou-ko-le which means "happiness in the mouth."

Little things really do make a big difference! This pretty well sums up what Jesus meant by his parable of the mustard seed. It's easy for us to think about Christianity (or as Jesus liked to call it "the kingdom of God") from a 21st century perspective and forget that it was ever small. It's easy for us to forget that the kingdom must have seemed insignificant back then. It consisted of mainly a carpenter turned preacher and his ragtag group of uneducated disciples. We look back over the centuries and see the millions of believers, all the great thinkers and theologians, the famous sermons, and the great revivals. But Jesus spoke these words sometime around 30AD. Christ is going around and teaching people that the kingdom of God is at hand. It could arrive anytime now. Be ready! Watch! But people expected a glorious king to arrive in pomp and splendor and by comparison Jesus may have seemed a little disappointing. He couldn't even keep all of His followers (John 6:60-71).

Christ reminds his contemporaries about the properties of the mustard seed. Though it was the smallest of their seeds, when planted and given time it grew into a tree which was large enough for birds to nest in its branches. So too is the kingdom. God chose to start small but over time it has gown larger than anyone could have imagined. This is a helpful reminder for me because there are days when what I have to offer God doesn't seem much bigger than a mustard seed. There are days when the work I am doing for the kingdom seems insignificant. On those days, it is helpful to be reminded that we serve a God who uses the small things.  A God who oftentimes starts with what little we have to offer and then multiplies it by the power of His Spirit to do great things. (John 6:1-15).

So if you are feeling like what you have to offer God is a little insignificant today, remember that we serve the guy who bragged on a widow for offering a mite! (Mark 12:41-44) So stop worrying about the fact that you aren't the next Billy Graham. Simply do what God has called and gifted you to do and trust Him to use it for His glory. If you work the security team at your church do it to His glory. If you keep babies in the nursery, do it for His glory. If you serve on the Finance Committee do it for His glory and trust Him to take your small offering and make a big impact. But don't use this as an excuse. You may feel like you are insignificant in the kingdom because you legitimately aren't doing anything. You aren't serving the Lord in any way. You aren't speaking to your neighbors or your friends about salvation. You aren't serving your church or even going to church at all. If so, then remember that the small things make a big difference in your life too. Start doing the little things you know should. Go to church. Pray. Read your Bible. Tell someone else about Jesus; plant a seed in their life. Start small and surrender yourself to God to do the rest over time. Remember the kingdom starts small and small things can make a big difference. 

For further reading...

John 6 (especially 6:1-15 & 6:60-71) - Can you see the kingdom?

Mark 12:41-44 - The widow's mite.

Never Stop Praying for the Lost

Saul was in hearty agreement with putting him to death. And on that day a great persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. Some devout men buried Stephen, and made loud lamentation over him. But Saul began ravaging the church, entering house after house, and dragging off men and women, he would put them in prison.

Acts 8:1-3

If anyone has ever qualified to be beyond the reach of God's grace, it was Saul. But of course we know the story of Saul. He was so changed by a post-resurrection visit from Jesus that he became the Apostle Paul. He wrote much of the New Testament and was the leading missionary of the early church. We know this story so well that we can tend to gloss over it. We fail to see the hope that it gives us. Saul went from being a man who imprisoned and enjoyed the martyrdom of Christians to a man who was so in love with Jesus that he himself suffered for his refusal to deny Christ, and was eventually martyred himself.

But imagine meeting a first century believer who might have known Saul before his conversion, when he still hated Jesus. This friend would tell us that he wants Saul to believe, but what can he do? "Maybe you can show him from the Scriptures that Jesus is the long awaited Messiah," we say. But he points out that Saul is a gifted student of the Bible. Saul knows the Bible better than our friend does and he is a far superior debater. "Perhaps you can impress on Saul his need for forgiveness," we suggest. But our friend would point out that Saul is nearly flawless in keeping the law. Saul is as righteous as any man he has ever known. Saul is also keenly aware of his own righteousness and will vehemently defend it if need be. So that won't work. What can our friend do? He desperately wants Saul to come to know the joy he has found in Jesus but he is tempted to give up.

It is easy to imagine how a believer in this situation might feel. "There is no hope left for my old friend now," he might think. "There is simply no way that a man like Saul will ever surrender his will to Jesus." Perhaps you have a friend or a family member that you feel this way about. "There is simply no way that he or she will ever accept Jesus," you think. But you would be wrong to give up hope on them just like our imaginary first century friend would have been wrong to give up hope on Saul. Jesus Himself said "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible" (Matthew 19:26).

Perhaps you have a friend or a family member who has resisted all of your attempts to tell them about Jesus. Perhaps they have even refused Christ for many years. Are you going to give up on them? Are they simply beyond God's reach? NO! Never stop praying for someone's salvation simply because it seems impossible that they will accept Christ. God is a god of the impossible, and He is still in the business of saving souls. Trust Him and pray like their souls depend on it. 

For further reading...

• Matthew 19:16-26- The rich man rejects Jesus.
• Luke 18:1-8- The Parable of the Persistent Widow
• Luke 11:1-13 (especially v. 5-13)- This is how you ought to pray.
• Spend some time in prayer for one or more people you know who need Christ.

First Love Faith

To the angel of the church in Ephesus write:

These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands [i.e. Jesus]. I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.

Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.

Revelation 2:1-5

A letter from home while a child is away at camp is a life saver. A well-written love letter can completely change a relationship. Yep. There is no doubt about it. Letters can be truly powerful things. So if Jesus were going to sit down and write a letter to you or your church today, what do you think He would say? Would He commend you or challenge you? Chances are He would do both because that's exactly what He did with the church at Ephesus.

First Jesus encourages the believers at Ephesus with all they are doing right. A pretty long list! They are living out their faith in good deeds. They are persevering in the faith through persecution. They're effectively refuting bad doctrine and all without growing weary! What an encouragement that Jesus knows. Jesus sees. He has not forgotten about us or our struggles. He is intimately aware and involved in His church, constantly tending to His lampstand (in this passage a metaphor for the church) to ensure it continues to shine brightly in a dark world. Jesus knows you, your successes, and your struggles.

Second, Jesus confronts His followers with the charge that they have forsaken their first love. The terms used here are the same used of a husband putting his wife away or divorcing her. Jesus is saying the believer's in Ephesus over time has grown cold towards Him and in their hearts have forsaken Him. Have you grown cold in your love for Jesus over time? Does your passion burn as brightly as it ever did? I know that in many ways I have lost that first love type of faith and worship.

Jesus, forgive me for growing cold. Reignite that flame in my heart. Help me to give you "first love" faith and worship. Be glorified in me in every way.

For further reading...

• Revelation 1-3:22- Read the intro to Revelation and the letters to the seven churches.

Give Jesus Your...Worst

When Jesus came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him. A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”

Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy. Then Jesus said to him, “See that you don’t tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”

Matthew 8:1-4

It is not uncommon in the church I serve in to hear people talk about giving God your best. Specifically, I hear Christians talk about dressing a certain way when we come to church in order to give Him your best. I think I understand the heart behind this, but today I want to ask, what about giving Jesus your worst?

In Matthew 8 we come across a man who made it into the biblical record because he brought his worst to Jesus believing that He could heal him. And Jesus did heal him! I think this man's story is included in part so we can follow him as a model. Notice this man didn't have to tell Jesus what his problem was. His illness was obvious. He simply said “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.” Do you know that you can't hide your need any more than he could? You might be able to cover it up with a nice suit and tie at church. You might be able to hide it behind a fake smile at work. You might even be able to pass it off as "just being tired" at home. But you can't hide your sin, your brokenness, or your need from the Lord. 

Are you trying to hide your sin? Do you do your best to keep your brokenness out of sight? Do you have secrets? Chances are you do. Most people don't enjoy airing their dirty laundry. But be careful you don't start to think that you are smarter than you really are, because you can't hide these things from God. They are as plain to Him as the nose on your face. He knows about your pride and your selfish ambition, your jealousy, and your greed. He knows about the lust, the pornography, and the affair that they led to. You wear it on your sleeve every time you enter His presence. You can't hide it from God.  

I don't have a problem with dressing nice to go to church. In fact, I do it every Sunday. But you better make sure that the condition of your heart matches the condition of your clothes. Otherwise that suit or that dress may function more like a disguise than an outfit spiritually speaking. And to me it seems that it would be rather insulting to God for you to enter His presence week after week thinking that you were somehow fooling Him. 

So today, why don't you bring Him your worst and ask Him to heal you? What sin is in your life that you haven't turned away from? Bring it to the Lord right now believing that because of His death on the cross He can forgive your sin and set you free from the power it holds over you. What part of you is broken and hurting and in need of a healing touch? Bring it to Jesus believing that it is easy for Him to heal you if it's His will. What discouragement has grabbed hold of you and is beating you down today? Bring that discouragement to Jesus. Be honest with Him about how you feel, then lift it up to Him and ask Him to give you the courage to persevere in growing nearer to Him.

God sees the worst in your life. You aren't fooling Him, so stop hiding it from Him. Bring it to Jesus and ask for healing.

For further reading...

• Matthew 11:28-30- Come to me, all you who are weary...
• Psalm 51- David's psalm of repentance.
• Matthew 8- Read the rest of Matthew 8 to encounter to mind blowing power of Christ.

Let 'em Laugh

He went in and said to them, “Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep.” But they laughed at him.

Mark 5:39-40a

We've all been laughed at. Getting a good laugh when you are going for one can lift your spirit and cause your confidence to soar. The same laughter - when directed at you as the butt of the joke - can crush your spirit and lay your confidence in the dust. Yet notice Jesus' response in this passage. He simply shuts their laughter out (v. 40). 

By this time Jesus was a known miracle worker. So much so that the girl's father believed Jesus could save his daughter's life if he could only get Him there in time. Yet, even Jesus the great healer, when He suggests that death isn't the ultimate reality for this girl, is laughed to scorn. How much more will the world laugh at you and I if we dare to take seriously the Bible's teaching on the resurrection! In a culture dominated by scientific logic, what could be more final than death? There are no observable phenomena after death, therefore death is the end. Praise God that it isn't so! 

For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. (I Thessalonians 4:16-17) 

This is THE great hope of the Christian faith. Though this world is hopelessly marred by sin so that even young children get sick and die, it is not our final destination. No! Jesus has gone to prepare a place for us. In the resurrection we will experience the world as God always meant it to be. As Paul says, "if only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied" (I Corinthians 15:19).

If you take Jesus' teaching on this subject seriously and order your life around it, then there is little doubt that you will be ridiculed. And yet, what difference does that make? Their laughter did not prevent the little girl from rising when Jesus said “Talitha koum” (v. 41). Neither will their laughter prevent you from rising on that day. On that day, dear believer, you will be vindicated for believing in the resurrection and you will enjoy the rewards you have laid up before yourself in the kingdom (Matthew 6:20). So, let them laugh, but continue to work all the more diligently knowing the time is short. Let them laugh, but proclaim the truth. Let them laugh, but serve God faithfully. Let them laugh, but pray for their souls. Let them laugh, but continue to believe in the great hope of the resurrection of all the saints in Christ Jesus our Lord. Let them laugh, but fix your eyes on the joy set before you and never, ever, ever change your course. 

For further reading...

• I Corinthians 15- Where o death is your sting?
• I Thessalonians 4:13-18- When the trumpet sounds.
• Revelation 20:11-22:5- The New Heavens and the New Earth.

Who is this Guy?

That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”

He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”

Mark 4:35-41

Jesus is the one that told the disciples to set out for the other side of the lake. Obedience to Him put them right in the middle of a big problem and a dangerous situation. But God does all things for His own reasons. This was a divinely orchestrated teaching moment designed especially for the disciples (many of whom were experienced fisherman and sailors) so that God could begin to open up their understanding to who Jesus really was. So let's put ourselves in their place. Let’s learn their lesson and use it for our good today. Imagine that you are one of these disciples in the midst of the storm with Jesus and let's ask ourselves the same question that the disciples ended up asking themselves. “Who is this Jesus?”

We see first that Jesus is unmistakably human for He is sleeping (ESV Study Bible). Scripture speaks plainly that God doesn't sleep (Isaiah 40:28 & Psalm 121:4). Yet here we find Jesus, in the midst of a great storm as water floods in the boat all around Him sound asleep. However, the disciples needed no reminder that Jesus was human; they knew that full well. What they needed to know was what stands out most in this encounter: Jesus does something which only God could do (The New Bible Commentary by IVP). Only the Creator God has the power to command the wind and the waves. Yet, we find Jesus doing exactly this. So who then is this Jesus?

Scripture tells us that He is not only human, but He is also God the Son and the Creator of the heavens and the earth.

The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created… all things have been created through him and for him. (Colossians 1:15-16)

Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. (John 1:3)

In his commentary on this passage, Matthew Henry rightly notes that had the disciples known the answer to their own question, they would have feared the storm less. They feared the wind and the waves more than they should have because they feared Jesus less than they should have. If they had known who Jesus really was, then they would have feared the storm much less and Jesus much more. It is easy though when the problems of this world are clamoring all around us and the lives which we have carefully constructed are crashing down upon us to focus exclusively on the storm and to think that it is ultimate reality... but it is not. No matter what your storm is, it is not ultimate reality. The most pertinent fact in the whole world to whatever problem you are facing is this: God loved you so much that He sent His Son to take on flesh to suffer and die in your place so that your sin could be atoned for and forgiven. God has accepted you in grace. Respond to Him in belief. If you will (or if you have), then He has promised your ultimate destination is heaven. He is in control of your journey. Each storm is allowed by Him to draw you nearer to Him and to conform you more into the image of His Son. If God is for you, then who can be against you? (Romans 8:31). No one!

So learn a lesson from the disciples today. Don't attack God with accusations and unbelief like they did Jesus (see vs. 38). Implore Him for help, but from a place of faith. If He has given His son for you, how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give you all things that you need? (Romans 8:32). As your storm rages all around you, remind yourself who Jesus is. Remind yourself that no matter how big, loud, or painful your storm is, Jesus is bigger, He is more real, your destiny is in His hands, and He has already proven His love for you. So ask for help, but do so in faith.

For further reading...

• Romans 8:18-39: Read what Paul has to say about present suffering, future glory, and ultimate reality.
• John 1:1-18: John tells us who Jesus is.
• Colossians 1:15-20: Paul tells us who Jesus is.
• John 10:1-21 & John 14:1-14: Jesus tells us who He is.
• Revelation 5: The Revelation vision tells us who Jesus is.

A Father's Discipline

Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord...Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the Lord your God disciplines you...He gave you manna to eat in the wilderness, something your ancestors had never known, to humble and test you so that in the end it might go well with you.

Deuteronomy 8:2-3, 5, 16

When we suffer we must remember that God is a loving Father who disciplines us for our good. Sometimes this discipline is in response to our sin, a punishment. Other times it is discipline in a different sense of the word like a father teaching his son the discipline he needs to work hard and hold down a job. Sometimes God "disciplines" us in preparation for the good future He has in store for us. So it was with the people of Israel. As they walked through the dessert and hungered for food it wasn't discipline for some sin they had committed, rather it was preparation for the future. God was teaching them to look to him alone to supply their needs. God did this "so that it might go well with them" in their future. He knew that if they were to fight for the Promised Land and drive out the nations who were much stronger than they were, then they would need to have perfected the skill of trusting Him and looking to Him to supply their needs. 

It is the same with us. It is very easy to get frustrated with God when difficulty comes into our life, but the truth is that these challenges often cause us to grow in new ways. These challenges actually end up providing an opportunity for us to build up the endurance, strength and wisdom we will need in the future. We must remember that God is preparing us for a bright future just like He was the Israelites. Not only does He have plans for each of us here on earth (Ephesians 2:10), but He is also leading us to a "Promised Land" of our own - Heaven. Until the time that we receive this promise in full, He is working in us to conform us more and more into the image of His Son. He is purifying us from sin and teaching us to find our joy in nothing other than Him. But we can rest easy knowing that all the tests that He allows in our life were put there so that "in the end it might go well" with us (Romans 8:28). 

When was the last time you thanked God for difficulty in your life? Today take a moment to praise God for his Fatherly discipline in your life? 

For further reading...

• Romans 8:18-30- Predestined to be conformed into Christ's image.
• Genesis 50:19-20- See what Joseph said about all the suffering he had to endure in life.
• Matthew 4:1-11- See how Jesus used this passage to encourage Himself when He was experiencing a difficult time of His own.

Jesus Always Lives to Pray for You

Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.

Hebrews 7:23-25

 

When we find ourselves at a truly low point in life- perhaps at death's door or losing someone we can't bear to lose- we often turn to others for prayer. When our own strength fails, we want as many people praying for us as is possible. However we all know certain people whom we sense are nearer to God. We want these people praying for us most of all during our time of need. We somehow feel that if God will hear anyone's prayer, He will hear theirs. Knowing that they are lifting our needs up to the Lord gives us extra strength to press on. Who could this be truer of than Jesus Himself!?

Hebrews 7:23-25 presents the precious truth that Jesus is interceding for all those who have come to God through Him. How encouraging it is to know that if you are a believer then right now Jesus is sitting at the right hand of God the Father in heaven praying for you! Jesus is pulling for you! Jesus Himself is pleading with God on your behalf! Now, the word 'intercede' is one of those churchy words that we use a lot, but many people don’t really know what it means. To intercede for someone is to plead or advocate on their behalf. It is usually used in reference to prayer (as it is here). We intercede for someone when we lift up their requests to God on their behalf. So this passage tells us that Jesus is always praying for you and pleading for you to God. What a blessing! What a privilege! What an encouragement!

  

Not only is this true, but Jesus lives forever. He isn’t going to get tired and fall asleep while He’s praying for you. He isn’t going to give up. He isn’t going to die and leave you trying to convince someone else to plead your case to God. “He always lives to intercede for” you.

 

I believe that Jesus is pleading with God for both your ultimate salvation- that you would persevere in the faith and be proven to be one of the true children of God in the end- and that God would provide you with all you need to beat the power of sin in your life and become more and more like Christ.

What could make this better? Only one thing: if this Jesus who prays for you could actually understand your human weakness, the flesh that you have to battle against, the temptation that you face. If He could understand that, then He could better plead for you. Good news! Hebrews 4:15 says, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.”

 

He has walked in your shoes. He understands. He didn’t fall into sin, but He battled temptation Himself. And He sits at the right hand of God the Father in Heaven living forever to lift up your requests and your needs to the Father on your behalf! Praise God. So lift up your requests to God in Jesus’ name today and trust that He is praying for you and that the Father surely hears His prayers.
 

For further reading...

• John 17:6-26- This passage probably gives us a pretty good idea of what Jesus is praying for us, because it is the prayer He prayed for us before He was crucified.
• Hebrews 4:14-16- Check out Hebrews 4:15 in context.