Might there be Difficulties?

Might there be Difficulties?

by David Brenneman 

‬‬"“A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master.  It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. If they have called the head of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign the members of his household! Therefore do not fear them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim upon the housetops. Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows. “Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven.  But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.  Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.  For I came to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;  and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household. He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.  And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.  He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it." ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭10:24‭-‬39‬.

Many times in my life, and likely there will be more, difficulties have arisen that were of my own making.  However, reading what Jesus said here, we get a greater understanding of difficulties of life. 

I read this passage this morning as part of my Bible reading plan and immediately my thoughts went to a song that we sang in church a long time ago. 

"In my life Lord, be glorified, be glorified!

In my life Lord, be glorified, be glorified today.

In Your church Lord, be glorified, be glorified!

In Your church Lord, be glorified, be glorified today.

In my home Lord, be glorified, be glorified!

In my home Lord, be glorified, be glorified today.

In my words Lord, be glorified, be glorified!

In my words Lord, be glorified, be glorified today"

- 'Be Glorified'  Don Moen. 

The purposes we go through much of what we do go through are to point our hearts and minds as well as the hearts and minds of others to Jesus.  That's it.  

Jesus also said that in this life we would have tribulations...but to be of good cheer, of good courage, that He has overcome the world.   

In order to bring people to the point of their need, which is salvation in Christ Jesus for the remission of sin, life must go a certain way that only Jesus knows must be in order to cause each person to face His truth.

For those of you reading this who are saved...think about that.  There was a specific time in your life where you were so positioned that you had no choice but to acknowledge the truth of God's love for you.  That you had to acknowledge His truth about your sin and His free gift of salvation.  A time and place that you know that you know He had brought you to your knees before Him to ask Him to be your Savior.  

Jesus said He came to seek and save the lost.  As the Great Physician, He knew exactly what was required to show you the proof YOU needed to know and understand for you to say yes to that free gift of salvation.  A physician must sometimes take a patient through some intense things in order to bring about true healing.  Specific things that are for that specific person.

You might be experiencing difficulties in life.  Some indeed are of your own life choices. Others are indeed the result of other people's life choices.  Still others are because of the work of the Spirit of God.  In everything...there's a plan for God for you.  We aren't powerful enough to thwart the plan of God for us.  We indeed may see family turn on us.  Throughout the world families have disowned family because they came to Christ for salvation.  It is more proof of what Jesus said here.  The closer we get to the return of Jesus Christ to take home His Church, the more this is going to happen. 

At the beginning of the book of John we read that people loved the darkness rather than the light.  That's still true today. 

We experience people still groping around in the darkness claiming to have the answers for themselves and the world. 

You indeed might be, and probably are, going through rough waters.  Be not surprised by this because Jesus said it would be coming. 

Our lives are hidden in Christ with God.  Whatever makes its way to us in the form of difficulties has been permitted.  We are in Jesus's hands.

Be sure of your obedience to Jesus first before you start complaining to God about how hard your life is.  Paul wrote of people living practiced sin.  It's what we choose to intentionally do that isn't right by God's word.  The Believer does this as well as the unbelieving. 

Difficulties are going to happen.  The Spirit wants us to grow in Christ more than He’s after our comfort and security.  He’s wanting God to be glorified in our lives.  When we get to Heaven we will be continuing to glorify Jesus.  It starts in this here this now with each of us. 

My life indeed has difficulties. Things that I have absolutely no idea how they are going to turn out for His good in my life. But that's what His word says.  They will eventually.  It's likely not for me to understand.  I am to trust in the Lord with all my heart and not to lean on my own understanding. In all my ways I am to acknowledge Him and He will make my paths straight.  

Any tree can look healthy in warm sunny weather.  It's when the storms arrive that you can see if it's been through enough difficulties of other storms to weather this one.

You weather storms, difficulties, to be able to get through the next one.  Nobody entering basic training attempts what they will do at the end of basic training.  They haven't faced the right challenges to do so. 

Your difficulties are to grow you in Christ. 

My difficulties are to grow me in Christ. 

There are going to be difficulties.  How you feel about them is whether you will stay in them or will leave them.  If your feelings don't take you to Jesus then they are the wrong feelings.  Let your difficulties drive you to Jesus.  Don't trust your feelings.  They will deceive you. 

Pray on, Pray over, Pray through. 

All NASB 1995 and NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. (C) Lockman Foundation.