Here is another benefit of trials: trials reveal sin!

God Customizes Trials talked about the wonderful benefits of trials: perseverance, proven character, hope, endurance… And how God gives us trials because He loves us.

All that is true, but another huge benefit is that trials reveal sin, leading us to repentance and growth in the Lord. Unpleasant, but necessary.

Examine me, O Lord, and try me; Test my mind and my heart. (Psalm 26:2)

Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; And see if there be any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way. (Psalm 139:23–24)

I was forcefully taught this in an unpleasant situation with a company when an employee had made a huge mistake, and was trying to hide it. What should have been 15 minutes or less turned into more than two hours on a day when we were tight on time. I wasn’t surprised at my internal dialogue,* but I was surprised at what I said out loud. Oh no! Sin!

This trial, this God-given customized trial, given out of His love for me, and intended for my growth, showed me my sin.

You can imagine this in lots of situations:

A car crash with financial implications, inconvenience, and possible injuries. James tells us to rejoice (James 1:2). Jesus tells us not to worry (Matthew 6). But am I? Are you?

How about financial set-backs, or health issues in yourself or loved ones, or difficult people, or … ?

We must stay alert, be ready, and not be surprised at our trials.

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you. (1 Peter 4:12)

Press on!

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*Double uh-oh. What I was thinking was sinful. The fact that I wasn’t surprised indicates a habitual issue that I must prayerfully deal with.

Perfect Peace in Troubled Times

The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, because he trusts in You. (Isaiah 26:3)

He will not fear evil tidings; His heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord. (Psalm 112:7)

Peace

“Peace” refers to inner tranquility, the lack of angst and fear and worry. God’s peace in a believer is regardless of circumstances and beyond understanding.

And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:7)

HOW to have perfect peace

Perfect peace is only available for those who have peace with God. Having peace with God requires reconciliation with Him, dependent on salvation. Peace is a gift for the redeemed.

a. There is no peace for the wicked. (Isaiah 48:22)

b. Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 5:1)

c. Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful. (John 14:27)

d. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness.  (Galatians 5:22)

e. The kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. (Romans 14:17)

Perfect peace requires that we trust Him. Trusting Him is dependent on knowing Him, which means knowing His Word.

1. God is sovereign over ALL. (Ephesians 1:11)
2. God promises He will work ALL things for good for His children. (Romans 8:28)
3. Those who love Your law have great peace, and nothing causes them to stumble. (Psalm 119:165)

Perfect peace requires that we seek the Lord. To have God’s peace, we must stay in fellowship with the Lord, obeying Him, recognizing and confessing our sins, praying with belief, submission, and thanksgiving about all our circumstances, worries, and anxieties.

1. For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace. (Romans 8:6)
2. Depart from evil and do good; Seek peace and pursue it. (Psalm 34:14)
3. And the work of righteousness will be peace, and the service of righteousness, quietness and confidence forever. (Isaiah 32:17)

If you’re not at peace, ask why. Has sin separated you from fellowship with the Lord? Have you questioned His control of your circumstances? Do you wonder if He can really bring good out of this? Do you trust Him?

Pray for your peace and the peace of other believers.

1. to all who are beloved of God in Rome, called as saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 1:7)
2. Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13)
3. Now may the Lord of peace Himself continually grant you peace in every circumstance. The Lord be with you all! (2 Thessalonians 3:16)

Living in perfect peace is, of course, is harder than it sounds. It requires us:

To be diligent to know Him better and better;

To resolve to see His actions in our lives, in our world;

To determine to trust Him, regardless of how it appears.

As we grow in Him, our peace grows.

Press on!

What Are Your Expectations?

When you look ahead to the day or week, what are your expectations?

Suzanne Maurer expects Jesus to use her throughout the day. She expects opportunities, so she looks for them.

Her expectations lead her to speak to others about the Lord, and to expect results.

She says her firm expectation is the result of daily Bible reading and study, and prayer. Her morning prayer:  “Melt me, mold me, fill me to overflowing with the power and anointing of Your Holy Spirit, so You can use me to Your glory alone to increase Your kingdom.”

Read about her challenging, thrilling, mission-living, joyful life in Blessed! From Rape to Redemption to Rewards. Blessed! is available where books are sold. See also Booklocker for a book trailer and description.

See Blessed!

See SuzanneMaurer.com

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God –Father, Son Holy Spirit– help us, day by day, give You our lives for Your purposes.

God Customizes Trials

God customized the trials believers are in. He has a specific purpose and He designed your trouble just for you. Just for me.

Benefits of Trials

Paul, James, and Peter each tell us the benefits of trials. Trials bring about:

Paul: perseverance, proven character, hope. (Romans 5:3-5)

James: endurance, perfect result (perfect and complete, lacking in nothing). (James 1:3-4)

Peter:  proof of your faith, resulting in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 1:7)

Remember

God loves His children (those He adopted because of belief in Jesus Christ).

He has a glorious, guaranteed future for us.

He is sovereign and controls everything. 

He chooses the trials to get the results we need.

He has a loving purpose for the trials we face.

He gives us help during the trials.

Press on!

We have trials of varying difficulty, different depths, and different lengths. Let’s strive to the upmost now, knowing a glorious ending is guaranteed by our Almighty loving God.

God never gives up.

God is never disappointed.

We can give up. We can be disappointed. But God never is or does.

We are totally, completely, accountable for our behavior. God holds us responsible.

At the same time, God is omni-everything. He is all-powerful. He is present everywhere. He knows everything. And God ALWAYS accomplishes His holy plan.

In God’s providence, He takes innumerable events and actions and uses them to fulfill His purpose.

In addition, for believers, He continues to work on us and in us to make us more like His Son. He is making us more godly, preparing us for glorification when He takes us home.

For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:6)

I am so grateful.

“I couldn’t help it!” Has someone said that to you? Or have you said it to yourself?

Oh no.

That may feel true, and for unbelievers may partly or mostly be true. They are slaves of sin. (John 8:34)

However, believers were freed from sin and became slaves of righteousness. (Romans 6:18)

We now are learning how to live righteously, which results in sanctification.

Growth is a process, but the great good news for believers is that we have been given EVERYTHING we need for life and godliness.

 His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. (2 Peter 1:3)

That is both an incredible, awesome gift, and it creates an obligation for us to use His gifts.

As we grow in Him during this life, we increasing know how to appropriate His gifts to us, and we, more and more, reflect Him.

When we sin, we have the opportunity to examine how we didn’t use the resources He gave us.

We are encouraged by His promises and His gifts, by the indwelling Holy Spirit that enables our godly living, and by our protection by the power of God through faith.

Rejoice!

Last week’s post included times that Jesus left certain groups or places. (Is it Too Late?)

There are also times a person or group leaves Him or demands that He leave them.

And they were seeking to seize Him, and yet they feared the people, for they understood that He spoke the parable against them. And so they left Him and went away. (Mark 12:12)

And they began to implore Him to leave their region. (Mark 5:17)

You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me; and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life. (John 5:39–40)

They were unwilling to believe.

This is about salvation, of course, but also about day-to-day obedience

Therefore, just as the Holy Spirit says, “Today if you hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as when they provoked Me, as in the day of trial in the wilderness.” (Hebrews 3:7–8)

Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. (Hebrews 3:12)

Daily openness and willingness

We need, on a daily basis, even moment-by-moment, to be conscious of our Lord, to rely on Him, to pray without ceasing. We must not refuse to listen and follow Him, which would lead into increasing heart-hardedness.

Father, HELP us live in a way that pleases You.

Is it too Late? Are we to leave? Go away?

Sometimes Jesus left people or an area and went away

After these things Jesus was walking in Galilee, for He was unwilling to walk in Judea because the Jews were seeking to kill Him.” (John 7:1)

But the Pharisees went out and conspired against Him, as to how they might destroy Him. But Jesus, aware of this, withdrew from there. (Matthew 12:14-15)

 “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign; and a sign will not be given it, except the sign of Jonah.” And He left them and went away. (Matthew 16:4)

But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that He had done, and the children who were shouting in the temple, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they became indignant and said to Him, “Do You hear what these children are saying?” And Jesus said to them, “Yes; have you never read, ‘Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies You have prepared praise for Yourself’?” And He left them and went out of the city to Bethany, and spent the night there. (Matthew 21:15–17)

Jesus’ order to the 12 He sent out:

“Any place that does not receive you or listen to you, as you go out from there, shake the dust off the soles of your feet for a testimony against them.” (Mark 6:11)

Jesus’ order to disciples:

“Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.” (Matthew 7:6)

What Paul and Barnabas did:

Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first; since you repudiate it and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles.” (Acts 13:46)

What are we to do?

Sometimes we are met with repeated rejection. Or hostility. Sometimes with outright hatred for God. Or, of course, sometimes after a “no,” the next time we talk to that person God opens their eyes, ears, and heart.

We’re not omniscient, and we are called to pray and be discerning. Sometimes we are to move on to other people, other groups.

Keep praying 

Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart… (Luke 18:1)

With people it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God. (Mark 10:27)

Ask for discernment.

Sometimes we are to keep talking with that person or group. Sometimes we need to turn our efforts elsewhere, and leave that person/group to the Lord,

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Almighty God, HELP! I want to be salt and light. I want to reflect You. I want to tell others about You. I want to work with the people You have marked out for me. I don’t want to keep going in one place if You want me elsewhere. Please help me discern Your will.

God’s prophesies and promises are History. History written in advance.

Almighty, Sovereign God knows the end from the beginning. When He speaks, He tells us truth about what is coming. Truth about the heavens and the earth. Truth about the scope of human actions and results. Truth about the future of the righteous and the unrighteous.

Believe Him when He speaks.

There is  great, glorious good news for those of us who have repented, believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as our only Savior, and have received Him as Lord and Savior.  God’s promises to us are sure things. History. History written in advance.

Glorification

When God tells us we are/will be glorified, we will be glorified. Even though we haven’t seen it yet, it is a guaranteed fact.

… and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified. (Romans 8:30)

When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory. (Colossians 3:4)

Look at all God’s promises to His redeemed as history. History written in advance.  

Everlasting life

Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life. (John 6:47)

Grace in time of need 

Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:16)

Help in our weakness

In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words;” (Romans 8:26)

And more!

And, of course, there is A LOT more! Read God’s prophesies and promises as truth. As history written in advance.

And rejoice.

“Mixed” Families and Friends

I hope this doesn’t apply to you, but we all know of families and friends who are at odds due to different political beliefs. There are families who no longer celebrate holidays together. There are friends who no longer speak. There is abundant advice about how to handle “mixed” gatherings without it degenerating into permanent separations and all-out-trouble.

I think these current experiences are a “heads up” about divisions among family and friends due to their beliefs about or rejection of Jesus Christ. Some people are getting to practice because of politics.

Jesus Christ told us He came to bring division.

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. (Matthew 10:34–36)

Do you suppose that I came to grant peace on earth? I tell you, no, but rather division; for from now on five members in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law. (Luke 12:51–53)

We know persecution of Christians is coming (and now is). We are warned. Read Hebrews 11 to see some examples of past events. Read stories of missionaries and stories (and books) about martyrs. Read current news! What if you have to deny Christ in order to keep your job? Your bank accounts? Your retirement fund? In order to shop for groceries? And what if your spouse, son, daughter adamantly oppose your refusal to deny the Lord? They are affected also, and think your refusal to deny Christ is silly, detrimental to them, etc. etc. etc.

Far-fetched?

Get ready.

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Father, please strengthen our faith and our determination to stay faithful. Please help us look beyond our trials to You. Thank you for Jude 24-25:

Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. (Jude 24–25)