26 August 2024 – CBM<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Songs:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Personal Testimony:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Introduce myself<\/p>\n\n\n\n Share my story of the last 9 months<\/p>\n\n\n\n (Jan 19) I know my cancer is terminal. I will die from it. How do I feel about it? I\u2019m not afraid to die. I know I have a direct flight, a one way ticket. I know my destination is heaven. I know who I\u2019ll meet when I arrive. My savior and friend Jesus. Do I know when? No, but I\u2019m ready for the trip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOne minute after you die, you will either be elated or terrified, and it will be too late to re-route your travel plans!\u201d\u00a0— Erwin Lutzer<\/p>\n\n\n\n Don’t leave today without settling your travel plans!<\/p>\n\n\n\n I felt like Paul… 2 Cor 11:22-23 I have been put in prison more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again. Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea….<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2 Cor 11:28 Then, besides all this, I have the daily burden of my concern for all the churches. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Along with these challenges, I also the intern weight of a number of other things<\/p>\n\n\n\n Praise God, dad\u2019s cancer seems to be under control. We have peace about returning to PNG on Sunday. But, we feel we should only go for 6 months at this point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Through all this, I have felt a little like what Eliphaz accused Job of- Job 4:3-5 \u201cIn the past you have encouraged many people; you have strengthened those who were weak. Your words have supported those who were falling; you encouraged those with shaky knees. But now when trouble strikes, you lose heart. You are terrified when it touches you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I don\u2019t want that to be the case. I am so glad pastor John invited me to share, and I am praying my story can encourage you. I have no doubt God is at work through and in all of this!<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s easy for us to ask, \u201cGod, why me?\u201d It\u2019s easy to feel like life isn\u2019t fair! I don\u2019t deserve this. All I want is to go through a day without hardship or conflict\u2026 My struggles and trials may not be the same as yours, but I am here today to tell you that our God is the same! And God wants to use the events in your life the same way He wants to use the events in my life!<\/p>\n\n\n\n What you experience is part of God\u2019s grace for you<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n If you have your Bibles, turn with me to 1 Peter chapter 5. I am going to be jumping around 1 Peter a little. But this verse is the key verse of what I want to share from what God has been teaching me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n (1 Peter 5:12) \u201cI have written and sent this short letter to you with the help of Silas, whom I commend to you as a faithful brother. My purpose in writing is to encourage you and assure you that what you are experiencing is truly part of God\u2019s grace for you. Stand firm in this grace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What is God\u2019s grace? A good child\u2019s Sunday School definition is \u201cGod\u2019s Riches at Christ\u2019s Expense.\u201d That is a very good definition for God\u2019s grace in salvation. God got all our sins, and we got all Jesus\u2019 righteousness (2 Cor 5:21) But, what does this mean for our daily life?<\/p>\n\n\n\n To answer that we need to back up to verse 10.<\/p>\n\n\n\n (1 Peter 5:10) In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n God desires for you to share in His glory. He wants your life to reflect what He is like. God\u2019s grace is his work in restoring, supporting, strengthening you and building a firm foundation for your faith! This is a work that only God can do, and he uses trials and suffering to do it. Making us more and more like Jesus. And by the way, he also said it\u2019s only for a little while.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is the good that Paul talks about in Romans 8:28-29 . \u201cFor God works ALL THINGS for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n But, when we face hardship and difficulty, and life just stinks, do we still believe it? Do you really believe that EVERYTHING we experience is truly part of God\u2019s grace for you? God\u2019s equipping, strengthening, building to make you more like Him. Both the good, AND the bad!<\/p>\n\n\n\n These past 9 months have been some of the most difficult and intense times I have ever experienced! And while I have not doubted these words, I have had many times of feeling overwhelmed and struggling to keep my emotions under control and just \u201cholding it together.\u201d So, why does God do stuff like this? Why does He let this happen? How can this be part of God\u2019s grace for me?<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you are asking God these questions also, then what I have to say today is for you! May you find encouragement and hope in these words.<\/p>\n\n\n\n God Feels Your Pain<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n I am always amazed that when God has something He wants to speak with me about, it\u2019s almost as if he will use all means possible to get my attention. Everything I read, every message I hear, every book I read, all seem to point to the same topic. So, in God\u2019s divine working in my life, as I have been processing all of this, my Bible reading plan had me read through 1 Peter, and Job . Right out of the gate, what do we find in the first 2 chapters of the book of Job?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Job 1:8-12 Then the LORD asked Satan, \u201cHave you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless\u2014a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil.\u201d Satan replied to the LORD, \u201cYes, but Job has good reason to fear God. You have always put a wall of protection around him and his home and his property. You have made him prosper in everything he does. Look how rich he is! But reach out and take away everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face!\u201d \u201cAll right, you may test him,\u201d the LORD said to Satan. \u201cDo whatever you want with everything he possesses, but don\u2019t harm him physically.\u201d So Satan left the LORD\u2019s presence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Job 2:3 Then the LORD asked Satan, \u201cHave you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless\u2014a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil. And he has maintained his integrity, even though you URGED ME to harm him without cause.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, who did the actions against Job? (Job 1:12) It says, \u201cYOU may test him,\u201d the Lord said to Satan.\u201d So, the harm that was done to Job\u2019s family, and all his possessions, was done by the hand of Satan! But, what did God say in chapter 2? (Job 2:3) \u201cHe has maintained his integrity, even though YOU URGED ME to harm him without cause.\u201d God took full credit for what happened to Job, even though it was Satan who actually did the harming!<\/p>\n\n\n\n What do we learn from this?<\/p>\n\n\n\n How did Job respond in these things?<\/p>\n\n\n\n In 1 Peter 5:12 with Peter\u2019s conclusion of his book, we learned that\u201cwhat you are experiencing is truly part of God\u2019s grace for you.\u201d It\u2019s part of God equipping you, building your character, making you stronger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now from Job, we see that God feels your pain…<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now let\u2019s go dig a little deeper into 1 Peter and see what else Peter has to tell us regarding suffering, to help us to understand why this is all part of God\u2019s grace for us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Suffering refines \/ strengthens our faith<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Turn with me to 1 Peter 1.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1 Peter 1:6-7 So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold\u2014though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As Job tried to process what was happening to him, and why God would do such a thing, Job understood this principle also.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Job 23:10-14 \u201cBut he knows where I am going. And when he tests me, I will come out as pure as gold. For I have stayed on God\u2019s paths; I have followed his ways and not turned aside. I have not departed from his commands, but have treasured his words more than daily food. But once he has made his decision, who can change his mind? Whatever he wants to do, he does. So he will do to me whatever he has planned. He controls my destiny.<\/p>\n\n\n\n God has our best interest in mind. That\u2019s what Rom 8:28 teaches, doesn\u2019t it. So, which is better, an easy life that runs away from God, or difficult one that tests our faith, and makes our faith stronger and more genuine?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Do you remember the story of Joseph? What happened to Joseph? (the coat his father gave him, his dreams, his brothers\u2019 jealousy\u2026 what did they do to him? threw him in a pit, tore his coat, lied to his dad, then sold him into slavery!<\/p>\n\n\n\n In Psalm 105:16-22 we get a little glimpse of what God was doing and God\u2019s perspective on that situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ps 105:16-19 He called for a famine on the land of Canaan, cutting off its food supply. Then he sent someone to Egypt ahead of them\u2014 Joseph, who was sold as a slave. They bruised his feet with fetters and placed his neck in an iron collar. Until the time came to fulfill his dreams, the LORD tested Joseph\u2019s character.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Notice how God takes the credit once again for the hard things that happened. Joseph\u2019s brothers did the evil, they sold him as a slave. Potipher\u2019s wife got him put in prison. The baker forgot about him\u2026 and yet God said, \u201cHe sent someone ahead to Egypt…\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n In all of this, how did Joseph respond? Genesis 50:19-21 But Joseph replied, \u201cDon\u2019t be afraid of me. Am I God, that I can punish you? You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There\u2019s an interesting verse that talks about Jesus suffering in Hebrews 5:8-9.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hebrews 5:8-9 Even though Jesus was God\u2019s Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered. In this way, God qualified him as a perfect High Priest, and he became the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n God saw fit, that even Jesus, in his humanity, learned to obey His father, from the things he suffered so that he could become the source of salvation for everyone!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Suffering is a privilege<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Jesus saw his suffering as a privilege.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hebrews 12:2 tells us, \u201cKeeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God\u2019s throne.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Remember Paul said about Jesus in Philippians 2:5-8?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Phil 2:5-8 Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal\u2019s death on a cross.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Why did Jesus do all that? For the joy awaiting him! Jesus lived for the greater reward. If you are still in 1 Peter, let\u2019s read 1 Peter 2:24-25. He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed. Once you were like sheep who wandered away. But now you have turned to your Shepherd, the Guardian of your souls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What was the joy set before him? He carried our sin, so that WE can be dead to sin and live for what is right! He was wounded for you. He was beaten and died for you! That was the joy set before Him!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let\u2019s go up a few verses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1 Peter 2:19-21 For God is pleased when, conscious of his will, you patiently endure unjust treatment. Of course, you get no credit for being patient if you are beaten for doing wrong. But if you suffer for doing good and endure it patiently, God is pleased with you. For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n God calls us to follow in His steps. Learn to see our trials from God\u2019s perspective. James said it this way:<\/p>\n\n\n\n James 1:2-4 Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jesus learned obedience through suffering. He lived for the greater reward of bringing salvation to you and everyone who believes. He calls us to follow in His steps!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jesus is our example<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n As we move on in 1 Peter, chapter 3, Peter brings some really challenging words. The first phrase of chapter 3 says, 1 Peter 3:1 In the same way\u2026 then he follows those up with \u201ceven if…\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n How did Christ respond to suffering?<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1 Peter 2:22-23 He never sinned, nor ever deceived anyone. He did not retaliate when he was insulted, nor threaten revenge when he suffered. He left his case in the hands of God, who always judges fairly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the same way, just as Christ suffered for you, and left his case in the hands of God, so we should follow in his steps! Peter gets really practical here. He lays out a bunch of circumstances in which we can and will find ourselves in, and reminds us, \u201cIn the same way\u2026 trust your case to the hands of God, even if it\u2019s not the way you want things.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Real quickly, here\u2019s what Peter says:<\/p>\n\n\n\n As I read these various scenarios Peter lays out, it really leaves no excuse for getting upset when life doesn’t go the way we want. Even If\u2026 in the same way, trust your life in God\u2019s hands! Was life fair for Jesus? Did he get a fair trial? Was he treated justly? Even if\u2026 in the same way\u2026 follow in His steps! I know these are hard words! They are not mine, this is what God said!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Peter ends this chapter by saying, 1 Peter 3:14-17 Don\u2019t worry about their threats, instead worship Christ as your life. In the midst of your trial and suffering, learn to see Christ as your life. Then, if someone asks about your hope, be ready to explain it. But do it in a gentle respectful way. Even If<\/strong> they speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ Don\u2019t forget, it\u2019s better to suffer for doing good, if that is what God wants<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jesus is truly our example. May we learn to walk in his steps! 1 Peter 2:22-23 He never sinned, nor ever deceived anyone. He did not retaliate when he was insulted, nor threaten revenge when he suffered. He left his case in the hands of God, who always judges fairly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the same way\u2026 1 Peter 3:18 Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Suffering takes our eyes off our desires and onto God\u2019s will<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n My final point is that suffering and hardship serves to take our eyes off our own desires and makes us seek after God! 1 Peter 4:1-3 Peter instructed his listeners that when we arm ourselves with the same attitude of Christ, being ready and willing to suffer for Jesus\u2019 sake, leaving our case in God\u2019s hands, it will produce a heart that seeks after God and not earthly things. When you live with that attitude, you will no longer spend your life pursuing your own desires, but you will be anxious to leave your sinful ways and pursue God\u2019s desires!<\/p>\n\n\n\n When God gets a hold of our lives because we have thrown ourselves on him in our suffering, Peter says in 1 Peter 4:4 the results will be that your former friends will be surprised when you no longer plunge into the flood of wild and destructive things they do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is similar to Paul\u2019s own testimony in Philippians.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Phil 1:20-21 I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die. For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Phil 3:7-10 I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him. I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n For Paul, suffering was an opportunity to know Christ more deeply. For Paul, living became all about Jesus! And that\u2019s what God wants for you too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Summary<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n I am not accustomed to being weak. I am not used to be needy. God has humbled me and shown me that I can\u2019t do this on my own. That\u2019s why the song Strong is so meaningful to me. I have prayed many times, \u201cLord you know I can\u2019t do this on my own!\u201d And then He reminds me, \u201cI’m strong when I got nothing, I’m strong even when I’m weak, ‘Cause the strong arms of my Savior are holding on to me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n In 2 Cor 12:8-10 Paul the apostle found himself facing a difficulty that he couldn\u2019t handle either. Here is what he learned from it: Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, \u201cMy grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.\u201d So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That\u2019s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In Ephesians 6:10 as Paul begins his explanation of the Christian\u2019s spiritual armor, he says, \u201cBe strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God\u2019s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.\u201d It\u2019s only when we are strong in HIS MIGHTY POWER that we are going to be able to stand our ground in these battles!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ps 25:10 All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ps 111:2-4 How amazing are the deeds of the LORD! All who delight in him should ponder them. Everything he does reveals his glory and majesty. His righteousness never fails. He causes us to remember his wonderful works. How gracious and merciful is our LORD!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ps 111:7 All he does is just and good, and all his commandments are trustworthy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1 Peter 5:12 I have written and sent this short letter to you with the help of Silas, whom I commend to you as a faithful brother. My purpose in writing is to encourage you and assure you that what you are experiencing is truly part of God\u2019s grace for you<\/em>. Stand firm in this grace.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" 26 August 2024 – CBM Songs: Personal Testimony: Introduce myself Share my story of the last 9 months (Jan 19) I know my cancer is terminal. I will die from it. How do I feel about it? I\u2019m not afraid to die. I know I have a direct flight, a one way ticket. I know my destination is heaven. I know […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":172,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[130600],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1769","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-sermon-notes","entry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/david-watters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1769","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/david-watters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/david-watters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/david-watters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/172"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/david-watters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1769"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/david-watters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1769\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/david-watters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1769"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/david-watters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1769"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/david-watters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1769"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}\n
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