Page Five: “A Life That Pleases God” 09/16/2012
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And let me give you a word of encouragement on this matter of joy in the midst of suffering others around you. Consider how longsuffering others have been towards you. Dwell on the provision of God in their hearts towards you when you certainly didn’t deserve it. This will help you as you continue developing this spirit of patience and longsuffering.
I found an interesting poem this week that helped me personally on my trek towards developing these attitudes. Here it is. How is it… What I thought was a tragedy, You turned into triumph. What I thought was the end, You turned into a new beginning. What I thought was hopeless, You used to teach me to hope only in You. What I thought would destroy me, In Your hands has brought genuine life. When I thought my circumstances were out of control, You pulled back the tapestry of my life to reveal Your Master craftsmanship at work.” [B. White found on www.devotionsfordifficultdays.web.com] Now, I’ll remind you about the article written by Dr. A. Parnell Bailey I read you to earlier. The strongest trees have the deepest roots. And they have the deepest roots because of the driest times and most trying times; when their roots had to go deeper. There’s a reason why God gives you the opportunity to practice patience and longsuffering with joyfulness. It’s because He knows that this is the only and the best way to make you a strong Saint; and one that pleases Him well. You see His words are (11) “Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;…” You see, true strength is produced by the things we endure and usually things which we simply do not like. Most of us, if not all of us, would never truly gain spiritual strength is we did not have those opportunities and people in our lives that sharpen and shape us into godly men and women. So, yes, some trees will appear to be very fruitful around you. But when the really challenging days come, who will be the one that is able to continue standing and producing fruit? |
It will be the one whose roots went deep into God and found His strength when they had to endure and suffer long with joy.
God’s way is for us to live a life that is most pleasing to Him. And that’s a choice for you and me. Folks, this is God’s way. This is God’s work. These are the ways your life bears fruit and is pleasing to the LORD. The question is this. Are you submitting your heart to Him to let Him do His will in and through you? Now you may be here today and have not realized until today that good works are not the route to salvation, but the fruit of salvation. Well, let me make you aware of just this one wonderful truth. Today is the day of salvation. Today is the day to repent and receive Christ as your Savior and LORD. When someone admits they are a sinner before God and comes to Him in repentance and true faith, he is saved and then begins to bear the fruit of good works. John 3:16 says this. “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth on Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life.” Fortunately for us God extended His mercy to us at Calvary. Your sins became His sins. He took your sins on His body and paid the penalty for those sins on the tree we know as the Cross of Calvary. Why? Because mercy is what draws each heart and moves us into the condition of blessedness with God. What will you do about your sins today? • “I Repent” = I change my mind about God, Christ, my sin, and God’s free gift of salvation. • “I Believe” = I simply trust the Lord Jesus Christ alone as the One Who paid the entire penalty for my sins. And in believing, I make Him Lord over my entire life. “LORD, thank you for your forgiveness. Thank you that Your forgiving me is fully and completely. Thank you for the work of Jesus Your Son who paid the entire debt so that I can enjoy the full debt cancelled.” Today, will you receive the Lord Jesus Christ as your LORD and Savior? Shall we pray? Hymn # 660 “I will Serve Thee” |