Easy to Say, Difficult to Do

Matthew 5:10-12

¹⁰ Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

¹¹ “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. ¹² Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. NIV Bible Gateway.com

   God's commands sometimes defy human logic. Take, for example, the command to rejoice in persecution. It doesn't make sense until we realize the effect of praise - it keeps us focused upon the Lord and the good things that He can bring out of hardship.
   The apostle Paul faced greater abuse and suffering than most of us every will. He was beathen, put on trial, and imprisoned, yet he looked beyond those difficulties to what the Lord was accomplishing through his life. That is, though he didn't rejoice that he was a captive, he was able to celebrate the great ministry he had amond his prison guards.
   If we believe God is in control and keeps His promises, then we must trust in the principle of Romans 5:3-5. This passage assures us that our hardships have a purpose. Specifically, they develop our endurance, strengthen our character, and solidify our hope. Two immediate blessings of suffering are the deepening of our faith and the preparation for greater service to the kingdom. We're able to rejoice because we are maturing believers whom God can use for His purposes.
   The Lord will bring good from our persecution, just as He did for Paul. But if we allow doubt to cloud our faith, we won't be able to rejoice in what He is doing in and through our lives. And if we can't rejoice, we are in danger of giving up before God's good work can be completed. Rejoicing keeps us focused upon the Lord and His purpose so that we may see our trial through to the end and receive our reward. 
Stanley, Charles F. "Easy to Say, Difficult to Do." In Touch: Daily Readings For Devoted Living August 2016. Atlanta: In Touch Ministries. page 9.  

The Good Life

Psalm 100

A psalm. For giving grateful praise.

¹ Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.
²     Worship the Lord with gladness;
    come before him with joyful songs.
³ Know that the Lord is God.
    It is he who made us, and we are his;
    we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

⁴ Enter his gates with thanksgiving
    and his courts with praise;
    give thanks to him and praise his name.
⁵ For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
    his faithfulness continues through all generations.

NIV Bible Gateway.com

  

   We all know of people who suffer from deteriorating health, financial reverses, and other troubles. How are we to process such situations in light of what the Scriptures teach about the Lord's goodness and the expression of His benevolence towards us?

   First, God's character is perfect, and everything He does is right. (See Deut. 32:4). He is "compassionate an gracious ... and abounding in loving-kindness" (Ps. 103:8). By His very nature, God is good. Second, our heavenly Father expresses His goodness based on His purpose of conforming us to the image of Christ (Rom. 8:29). From the Lord's perspective, everything that fits into His plan is beneficial for us.

   The greatest demonstration of our Father's goodness is seen in His Son's life and death. Jesus left His heavenly home, took on the form of man, suffered, and died in our place so we might be forgiven (Phil. 2:6-8). Because of what our Savior endured, we who have trusted in Him are adopted into God's family, and heaven is our eternal home.

   At the time of Christ's crucifixion, the disciples could not see anything beneficial in it. They knew only great sorow. But we understand that God gave His own Son so that He might accomplish our salvation (Rom. 8:32).

   Our definition of the good life would probably include material success, good health, and the absence of trouble-things that make us happy right now. But God has an eternal perspective, and He always works to fulfill His long-term plan for us. We can trust in His goodness, even in dark times.

Stanley, Charles F. "The Good Life." In Touch: Daily Readings For Devoted Living August 2016. Atlanta: In Touch ministries. page 8.

Deliverance Assured

2 Chronicles 20:12 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

¹² O our God, will You not judge them? For we are powerless before this great multitude who are coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are on You.” [bold by me for emphasis]
Bible Gateway

Lord GOD! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for You. JEREMIAH 32:17 

From the confines of prison, the prophet Jeremiah clung to a single hope - the Lord's promise that He would release Judah from its captivity and bring the people back to the land after seventy years.

   This appeared impossible, of course. Although the Jewish people had ben restored to the promised land after their bondage in Egypt, it seemed unfeasible that it could happen again. No other people had ever successfully recaptured their territories after so many afflictions and such a long time away - especially a nation as small and weak as Judah.

   But God had made a promise. And because He had never failed them before, Jeremiah knew that the Lord would be faithful to fulfill it. And sure enough, after seventy years, the people were supernaturally released to reenter their nation.

   Friend, take this to heart. God can do anything in your life - even what looks absolutely impossible. So trust Him to keep His Word to you regardless of challenging your circumstances may appear.

Father, I trust You! Nothing is too difficult for

You. Thank You for delivering me, amen.

In His presence .. . appreciate who He really is.

Stanley, Charles F. "Deliverance Assured." Every Day in His Presence: 365 Devotions. Nashville: Thomas Nelson. 2014. p 282.