Rejoice in Suffering

In everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 1 Thessalonians 5:18

I cannot help, but recall a story from Corrie ten Boom whenever I read this verse of Scripture. If you are not familiar with Sister Corrie, she was a Dutch woman from Holland, who was imprisoned with her family in the German concentration camp during World War 2. They were persecuted for assisting and hiding the Jewish people. During her time in the camp, she was with her sister in overcrowded barracks. They were able to smuggle in a small Bible. One morning, they read this portion of Scripture and Corrie told her sister, "How can we be thankful for all these lice?" Her sister told her that God had a purpose, even for the lice that caused them to have to shave their heads, and be tormented during the night. Sometime later, her sister, Betsy overheard the guards refusing to go into their barracks "because of the lice infestation." Betsy was overjoyed to tell Corrie that God had sent the lice to keep out the guards. Otherwise, they would not have had the freedom to have Bible studies and prayer in the barracks with all the other women.

Many times, we don't see the reason for our trials or infirmities, but we have a commandment from the Apostle Paul to give thanks in everything for this IS the will of God. 

The Apostle Paul was certainly no stranger to afflictions and infirmities. Although he never identified what the thorn in his flesh was, he said that he prayed three times for the Lord to remove the thorn in his side. But the Lord finally answered him by saying, "My grace is sufficient for you. My strength is made perfect in your weakness." Therefore the Apostle Paul could say, Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 2 Corinthians 12:9 This is why he told the Christian church in Rome, "But we glory in tribulations also knowing that tribulation works patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope." Romans 4:3-4

After Paul had suffered a great amount of persecution, in fact, he had been stoned and left for dead, then he and other missionaries went about exhorting and confirming the souls of the disciples that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. Acts 14:22  How encouraging is that? That through MUCH tribulation...? But it wasn't only the Apostle Paul who preached these things. James, the Lord's brother, who was also the head of the church in Jerusalem exclaimed, "Count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations, knowing this that trying of your faith works patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing." James 1:2-4 And the Apostle Peter declared, "Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: that the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perishes, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ". 1 Peter 1:6-7 Where did they get such ideas? Rejoice in suffering. Counting it ALL joy when you fall into various trials. 

Jesus taught us, in the sermon on the mount, "Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for My sake. REJOICE and be EXCEEDING GLAD: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.  Matthew 5:10-12  It is through our suffering of trials, tribulations, and persecutions that we come to the place of perfection in Christ. It is the nature of the natural man to shrink back from these things. It causes us to be uncomfortable. But it is only stretching and discomfort that causes us to grow. 

When I was a child, I often had leg cramps. In the southern United States, we called those Charlie horses. My mother would tell me that it meant I was growing.  It took that discomfort to cause me to grow up into a man. God uses our discomfort and suffering to bring us into the stature of a perfect man - the stature of the fullness of Christ.

For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, works 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 Corinthians 4:16-18

My brothers and sisters in Christ, learn to embrace your sufferings, the trials that seem so difficult, the moments that feel like they will break you. They are causing you to learn to trust more on the Lord.  They bring us closer to Him. Allow Him to use those moments to stretch you; to bring you into the fullness of His purposes; into His character.

In God We Trust

Recently, I walked out to the street to check the mailbox as I was getting ready to leave home for work. I happened to look down on the street at something shiny. It was a quarter ($0.25). My immediate thought was to pick it up. It was out in the street. No one to claim it. But then my thought was that the local children play ball in the street and may have lost it. I decided to at least pick it up and look at the date on it or see if there was anything significant about it.  I immediately was drawn to the phrase that is printed on every single coin and dollar minted in the U.S.: "In God We Trust".  My mind begin to tell me that God had given me this quarter and I should keep it, but Something else was saying, "Just trust me." My mind said, "but you might need this money down the road.need, when I need it.  It was a great lesson to be learned. 

We often believe that when we are in need of something, God will give us the money to purchase what it is we need. Wseem to think God doesn't have good taste. But if we allow Him to choose for us, His choice is the best. 

The following day, I left earlier in the morning for church than usual and decided to pray on the long drive. As I was praying for my family, my sister called me just at the moment I was praying for her. She was on her way to an appointment where she would receive a little compensation and be able to pay for gas. As it was she only had a small amount of gas and her low fuel indicator light was on. She passed a gas station while we were talking and decided to stop, but gas was $3.69 a gallon. She only had $3.60. I told her to pray and I would pray and she would find ten cents under her seat. When she called me back later, she had found exactly ten cents under her seat. 

It reminded me of a time when I was traveling back and forth from Alabama to Indiana in 2012 and had decided to leave my job and trust the Lord. I had some money saved up to pay my bills, but I didn't want to be frivolous. I stopped in Tennessee on my way back home and filled up my tank. I went on that tank for almost two weeks before I filled up again. That was very unusual as I filled up at least once a week and sometimes twice. I knew that was supernatural provision. 

The Apostle Paul told the church in Philippi, "My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:19. So many times, growing up I watched as my Mother would be concerned about paying bills or being able to afford groceries, but she would pray and believe God and He always came through and supplied the need right on time. Sometimes, it works out in a way that we don't even realize it was God or maybe it works out in a different way than we had hoped, but even in this, we should give thanks, because "we know all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose" Romans 8:28 We are called according to His purpose - not our own ideas or purposes.

But We See Jesus

 But we see Jesus , Who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that He by the grace of God should taste death for every man. Hebrews 2:9

Jesus was seated at the Passover table with His disciples, just a few hours before His crucifixion. Phillip, who had seen the Messiah countless times discern the hearts of the people, heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the leper, cast out devils, asked Him, Show us the Father, and it will suffice us. John 14:8.  If ever the Lord Jesus had been disappointed, I wonder if there wasn't some disappointment in His voice when He responded: Have I been so long a time with you, and yet have you not know me, Phillip? He that has seen me has seen the Father; and how do you say then, Shew us the Father? Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwells in me, He does the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me: or else believe Me for the very works' sake. John 14:9-11

In the book of Luke, we find Jesus saying, All things are delivered to Me of My Father; and no man knows Who the Son is, but the Father; and Who the Father is, but the Son, and He to Whom the Son will reveal Him. Luke 10:22  I have observed many fathers who have a strong relationship with their eldest son. Many times, the son will look, as we say in the south - the spitting image of the father. In other words, the son looks like a younger version of his father. They may share many of the same characteristics and traits. The son may know just how a father would handle a given situation, because he's been around his father so long that he can say, "this is how my father would do."  But Jesus wasn't beyond just knowing the Father so well or looking so similar to His Father. Hebrews 1:3 tells us He was the express image of His person. And 2 Corinthians 4:4 says, Christ, Who is the image of God. This was more than just a young man being the carbon copy of his father.  This was God Almighty incarnated in human flesh. 

Paul told the Galatians that the gospel he preached was not anything he learned at the feet of Gamliel, nor from the seminary or the apostles before him. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. Galatians 1:12  When Jesus was standing with His disciples in the Caesarea Phillipi and He asked the disciples what others were saying about Him, they all answered, Some say thou art John the Baptist, some Elijah and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets. But Jesus asked them very direct and pointedly, But whom say YE that I am? Simon Peter was bold and not afraid to speak up and say, Thou are the Christ, the Son of the Living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, "Blessed art thou Simon son of Jona; for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but My Father which is in Heaven. Matthew 16:13-17  Peter had a revelation of Jesus Christ. That's why on the day of Pentecost, he could boldly stand and declare, This is that which was prophesied by the prophet Joel... and later in his sermon tell the others how they could receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost. He had a revelation of Who Jesus is. 

He commanded the people to: Repent and be baptized every one of you in the NAME of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For this promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. Acts 2:38-39.  But why would he contradict what Jesus had said only about 40 days before? In Matthew 28:19, Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the NAME of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. So why then did Peter seemingly contradict the words of Jesus? He didn't. He had a revelation of the NAME.  

As a child, if someone asked me what my father's name was, I would say, "Daddy". That's what I called him, but that was not his name. And of course that person would laugh at my childish answer, because they knew that Daddy was not a name. And my name was not son. Peter had received the Revelation of Jesus Christ. He didn't need anyone to teach him because the Holy Ghost had already revealed to him Who Jesus was.

Commanding the Angels

 And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him.

And when Jacob saw them, he said, This is God's host: 

and he called the name of that place Mahanaim

And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother unto the land of Seir, the country of Edom.

And he commanded them, saying...

Genesis 32:1-4

In Genesis 32:1 the word translated angels in Hebrew is Mal'ah'kei (Strong's #4397). It certainly means angels, but can also be translated messengers. In context, we see they are messengers of God and that he saw them as God's host, or more correctly translated: God's camp. Which is why he called the name of the place Mah'cha'na'eem - meaning "Camps".

But in the very next verse we read, "And Jacob sent messengers..." Can you guess what that Hebrew word is? If you guessed, Mal'ah'keem (plural for Mal'ah'kei in Hebrew), you are correct. So why then would the translators translate this differently? Over the years, the Jewish sages have argued if this was heavenly messengers or human messengers. 

If we follow the context, I would be inclined to believe it to be heavenly messengers. Only a short time later, in the same chapter, we find Jacob wrestling with a supernatural being. At that time, God changed his name from Jacob to Israel, meaning a Prince of God. 

We often hear sermons and discourses on how Jacob was a deceiver, thief, liar, etc. but throughout his life, we see that he had power with God and mean. Jacob lived in two realms. Sure, he deceived his brother from his birthright, and he deceived Laban out of his sheep and goats, and he also deceived his father. But we see God turning him around. In the midst of all this, we see him looking into the supernatural realm on many occasions. The night he fled from Esau, he saw the angels of God in a dream (Genesis 28:12).

Then we come to our current story. He has now fled from Laban. Both times, he encounters God and receives a message. God promises to be with him and return him to the land of his nativity. And both times, he sees the angels of God. 

But this time, it appears from the Hebrew text that he dispatches and commands the angels. He sends the angels of God with a message to Esau. 

How interesting that even after seeing the heavenly hosts and sending them with a message, that when they return with a report, Jacob is greatly afraid (32:7). It is following this event that he encounters the Angel of God's face (or Presence in Hebrew). 

We also find Elisha seeing the angels and heavenly hosts when Elijah was taken up and later, when he blinds the Syrian army: And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray Thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha. 2 Kings 6:17  It would appear that Elisha's eyes were always open to these divine messengers. Even at his death, when Joash the king comes to his deathbed, the king cries out, "O my father, my father, the chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof." (2 Kings 13:14). It's as if the Lord opened the kings eyes to see the camp round about Elisha.

David exclaimed, The angel of the LORD encamps round about them that fear Him, and delivers them. Psalm 34:7 and in another place, he declared, The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels; the Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place. Psalm 68:17

 I'm not advocating that we are to command the angels of God. We are certainly commanded not to worship them, but I do find these passages interesting to note and be reminded that they are ever present. There are many, many passages in the Bible where God sends them to minister to his people. The New Testament gives many accounts of the divine messengers of God intervening and providing support.