God and Adversity

I have observed among genuine believers when experiencing troubles or difficulties, they view it as a "spiritual attack."  Problems they face serve as a reminder they are "in a spiritual battle" and focus on putting on the armour of God, claim God's promises, and even rebuke the devil for his attempts to rob them of peace and prosperity.  We can be more focused on the satanic volley of flaming arrows than the Holy Spirit who fills us, protects us and on Jesus who has defeated Satan, sin and death.  We can try to fight for victory rather than resting and rejoicing in victory Christ has already won.  Knowing we have been redeemed by God, we can also have confidence God will redeem our suffering He allows for good.

I wonder:  how many times Christians have blamed the devil for attacking them when it was God who stirred up enemies against them?  King Solomon is an example of how this is possible.  Though Solomon feared God and was given more wisdom than any man living, over time his heart departed from faith solely in God.  His many foreign wives turned his heart away from following the LORD, and he erected altars to worship idols on the hills of Jerusalem.  God's anger burned against Solomon for his rebellion, for though God appeared to him twice Solomon refused to keep the God's commands.  Because Solomon adopted the practices of God's enemies, it was God--not Satan--who stirred up adversaries against him.  If it was only Satan who stirred against us, God can and will easily protect us.  But if God becomes our adversary, how can we succeed in a fight against Him?

The Scripture reveals God was the source of Solomon's opposition.  1 Kings 11:14 says, "Now the LORD raised up an adversary against Solomon, Hadad the Edomite; he was a descendant of the king in Edom."  1 Kings 11:23 also reads, "And God raised up another adversary against him, Rezon the son of Eliadah, who had fled from his lord, Hadadezer king of Zobah."  While God limited the amount of damage these adversaries could do to Solomon and his kingdom, these conflicts were the fruit of Solomon's rebellion against the LORD--not Satan taking pot-shots at him because he worshipped the almighty God.  It would have been misguided for Solomon to rebuke Satan or proclaim God's promises to overcome his adversaries when God Himself raised up these adversaries to bring him to repentance.

Eli rebuked his sinning sons in the first part of 1 Samuel 2:25, "If one man sins against another, God will judge him. But if a man sins against the LORD, who will intercede for him?"  For those who sin against God, God remains our only Saviour and deliverer.  Hebrews 10:30-31 says of God to God's people, "For we know Him who said, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord. And again, "The LORD will judge His people." ³¹ It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."  When we fear God, we do not need to fear or be preoccupied with thoughts that Satan is attacking us even if we suffer from many adversaries.  We also need not imagine every trial or test is God's present judgment against us to condemn us, for there is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.  God will judge us and will deal with us according to His will, but He disciplines and corrects us as sons for our good and thus shows we belong to Him--which is always comforting to know.

When God stirs up adversity, the way to victory is not by fighting against it but by surrendering ourselves before God in humility, repentance and renewed faith in Jesus Christ who has overcome all adversaries.

God's Workmanship

One thing I relish is the completion of a job done well.  I have caught myself, on a number of occasions, going back to look over a project around the house that finally was finished.  I went out of my way to feast my eyes on my handiwork, drinking in the satisfaction of a completed work.  There were plenty of times I would rather not look at a finished job that was sub-standard.  "Don't look too hard," I've thought to myself or told others.  Sometimes it is better a task be finished than wait for perfection and never complete it.

I have found a similar inclination in myself when I have acquired something I considered valuable.  In preparation to propose to my future wife I bought a ring.  Occasionally I would open the box and look at the ring--as if I had forgotten what it looked like.  It was amazing to finally have the special item in my possession with a plan in mind to gift it to the woman I loved and wanted to marry.  After our marriage we had children together, and seeing our children born into the world was a delightful novelty.  We looked at one another and our children with wonder, grateful to God for making us parents.

When God created the heavens, the earth and all that is in them, God looked upon what He made and saw that it was good.  He did not bask in proud self-adulation but acknowledged everything He created was exactly as it should be.  He literally thought of everything and perfectly implemented His designs.  Man's sinful rebellion sullied God's beautiful world, yet God is a Redeemer and Saviour.  When it comes to being born again by faith in Jesus, I am reminded of 2 Corinthians 5:17:  "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."  Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:10 that we are God's workmanship, and we are made new through the Gospel.  He looks upon us with delight and joy like a father does his newborn baby--because He IS our heavenly Father.  Because God makes all things new and renews us day by day, this season of newness and novelty never wears off.

Paul also wrote in Philippians 1:6 of believers:  "...being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ..."  Some people are able to look at a rusted-out car and see it how it will look in a restored state, and the thought compels them to tirelessly labour toward that end.  Another person sees in a dilapidated, derelict house a dream home for themselves and their family.  Because God sees our lives from an eternal perspective, He views us as who we are in Christ:  we are complete in Him.  During our lives on earth, God continues to refine His beloved children in faith, wisdom and character to be like Jesus.  It is an amazing to consider God looks upon us with delight as a father over a newborn child and the satisfaction of a master builder drinking in the sight of a job well done.  We never grow old to Him because He makes all things new.

I Am Persuaded

Times of study, reflection and discussion of God's word do not disappoint.  The LORD is faithful to speak to those who are hungry for His word and to do His will, and last night at church provided another example of such a time.  Some of the final verses we discussed have been going through mind, Paul's declaration by faith in God found in Romans 8:38-39:  "For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, ³⁹ nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."  Believers in the early church (Paul included) faced fierce persecution from Jews and Gentiles.  Paul was persuaded that despite being flogged, beaten, imprisoned, slandered, stoned and left for dead, nothing could separate him or other believers from the love of God.

A brother remarked that to be "persuaded" means that convincing was required.  Paul did not begin his Christian walk persuaded of what he later was assured of through the testimony of God's word, the revelation of Jesus Christ, and personal experience.  For a long time Paul was persuaded Jesus was not the Christ and all his followers were to be rounded up and punished to the full extent of the Law of Moses--even consenting to the death of Stephen.  When Jesus met Paul on the road to Damascus (who was called Saul at the time), his physical blindness led to spiritual insight.  For the first time he called Jesus LORD as he lay in terror before the risen KING OF KINGS, and three days later received his sight, was filled with the Holy Spirit and was baptised.  He immediately preached Christ in the synagogue in Damascus, proving from the Scriptures Jesus was indeed the Christ.

Over 20 years passed from the time Paul was born again to when he penned this letter to the church in Rome.  He had endured many trials by the Jews, Gentiles, false brethren and even a messenger of Satan that buffeted him.  He literally had been pummelled with rocks to the point his attackers believed he was dead and left his bloody, battered corpse outside Lystra, yet the LORD miraculously strengthened him to rise again and enter the city with boldness.  Webster defined "persuaded" as:  "influenced or drawn to an opinion or determination by argument, advice or reasons suggested; convinced."  Based on God's faithfulness, God's promises and his experience, there remained no doubt in Paul's mind nothing "shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our LORD."  Paul's present persuasion gave him firm confidence in the future--a persuasion we can embrace with joy.

Since the crucifixion of Jesus is a demonstration of His love for us sinners, we can rejoice to know His atoning sacrifice once for all has cleansed us from the penalty and power of sin.  In prayer last night a brother observed how it was not the nails that held Jesus Christ on the cross, but His love for us that compelled Him to submit to the Father and drink the bitter cup of death we deserve.  If we have nothing but God's love for us in this world, it is more than sufficient because God's love is infinite in power and eternal in duration.  Paul prayed for believers in Ephesians 3:16-19:  "...that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, ¹⁷ that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, ¹⁸ may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height--¹⁹ to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God."  To know God is to begin to know love, and may we be persuaded like Paul that nothing can separate us from His love by His grace.  We can be convinced of God's love that is beyond knowledge because we are in Christ, and He is in us.

Sacrifice God Loves

The Law of Moses outlined what were acceptable offerings to the LORD and how to properly present them.  The tithes and offerings of the people were a means of God providing for the priests and Levites in addition to providing the blessing of atonement and acceptance from God.   Leviticus 3:14-16 reads, "Then he shall offer from it his offering, as an offering made by fire to the LORD. The fat that covers the entrails and all the fat that is on the entrails, ¹⁵ the two kidneys and the fat that is on them by the flanks, and the fatty lobe attached to the liver above the kidneys, he shall remove; ¹⁶ and the priest shall burn them on the altar as food, an offering made by fire for a sweet aroma; all the fat is the LORD'S."  Select portions of offerings were eaten by the priest or people who offered the sacrifice, and God claimed the fat of the offering as His portion.

We cook food to eat because we are hungry, and we can give food or money to those who lack.  Yet God lacks nothing and does not need to eat to survive.  As important as it was to bring acceptable offerings sacrificed by a sanctified priest under Law, the heart of the giver was observed by God.  Everything was already the LORD's, but God delighted more in the obedience and humility of His people who gave willingly unto Him than in the sacrifice itself.    David understood this, for he wrote in Psalm 51:16-17:  "For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering. ¹⁷ The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart--these, O God, You will not despise."  No amount of sacrifices could undo the sins committed against God, nor could atonement be obtained by offerings that amounted to bribes by an envious, greedy and begrudging giver.

It did not matter to God if the offering supplied was an ox, goat or sheep without blemish--though the value of animals varied greatly--for God looked at the motivation and attitude of the giver.  Some gave reluctantly out of duty, but others gave willingly and gladly because God had richly blessed them.  God treasured the cheerful giver far more than the sacrifice itself, for Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 9:7:  "So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver."  God's acceptance and delight in joyful givers is all of grace, not because they earned His favour through costly sacrifice.  This was always the case, even under the Law of Moses.  The command to give sacrifices of flocks and herds was an opportunity to express gratitude, thanksgiving and to please God through cheerful giving.

The faith, prayers, obedience, generosity and joyful giving of those who fear God warm His heart with love toward us.  In giving unto the LORD His due and humbling our hearts before Him in obedience, we adopt a posture that enables us to receive His blessing He purposes to provide.  In Malachi 2 God promised to pour out blessing upon glad givers there would not be room to receive.  Their gifts were measurable, but His blessings are beyond measure:  He would rebuke the devourer, make their vines fruitful, and all nations would call them blessed.  It is true what is written in Psalm 33:12:  "Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people He has chosen as His own inheritance."  God's holy nation Jesus Christ has redeemed from every tribe and tongue are to be marked by humility, their love for Him and one another, and by cheerful giving freely by his grace.  All these sacrifices are a sweet savour before the LORD through the people in whom He is well-pleased.