Greetings in Christ...It has been a while since I have posted a blog, I apologize to my committed bloggers. The goal was to make this a daily or weekly blog, but the times have not permitted this.
I will be working toward making more posts, and updating daily if I can.
Well, it doesn't take a genius to see the times, and although I usually would make a post about the end times or the Kingdom of God, as our focus, I am going to divert a bit (in some sense), to make a point, although rest assured it is Kingdom oriented and principled.
WE ARE IN SOME ROUGH TIMES! Well said? So many people I know are depressed, either about economy issues, personal issues ( I have noticed serious amounts of relationship issues), and emotional issues. How can we make it through? I am a firm believer that most of our issues come from a lack of knowledge and understanding. As the Lord says "My people are destroyed for their lack of knowledge (Hosea 4:6)".
I've been doing alot of reading and studying, (as most of you who know me, thats nothing new). I wanted to share some thoughts from my studies.
First comes from a portion in the book I am reading titled "The Final Quest" by Rick Joyner. "At first we did not understand why the Father decreed that men would have to walk by faith, not beholding the reality and the glories of the heavenly realm, and suffering such opposition. But now we understand that through these sufferings their worthiness to receive the great authority they will be given as members of His own household is surely proven. Now this walk of faith is the greatest wonder in heaven. Those who pass this test are worthy to sit with the Lamb on His throne, as He made them worthy, and they have proven their love".
This clearly shows that the blessings and rewards are not quite understood right now, nor granted, but through patience, faith, endurance, and a spirit of overcoming, we will attain the greatest reward!
Another good piece to offer came from a study on worship I was doing. I came across the webpage of Matthew Redman (http://www.mattredman.com). It speak about Job and makes a great point, I will just copy and paste.
"Who could blame him really? In a matter of days Job had lost his fortune. His children had been suddenly taken from him. The pain from the boils that covered his skin must have been unbearable. All of it; his health, wealth, and family was gone. Job was not dead, but that was just a minor technicality. And so Job´s outburst is understandable, for deep suffering isn´t only looking for the pain to end, but for an answer to the question: ´Why me?´
´If I have walked with falsehood . . . and my foot has hastened after deceit, let Him weigh me with accurate scales and let God know my integrity . . (Job 31 v 5-6) Oh, that I had one to hear me! Behold, here is my signature, let the Almighty answer me! And the indictment which my adversary has written . . . I would bind it to myself like a crown.´ (Job 31 v 35, 36b)
And how does God respond? He does not defend Himself. He does not explain Himself. God chooses to reveal Himself.
´Have you ever in your life commanded the morning, and caused the dawn to know its place, that it might take hold of the ends of the earth, and the wicked be shaken out of it . . .(Job 38 v 12-13) Who has put wisdom in the innermost being or given understanding to the mind? Who can count the clouds by wisdom, or tip the water jars of the heavens?´ (Job 38 v 36-37)
When silence falls once again, Job finds that the answer to his suffering is not found by asking: ´why´ but by knowing: ´Who.´ It is not found in questioning God´s worth, but in seeing Him for who He is. God answers the problem of Job´s suffering with the grand and wonderful mystery of His power and presence. Job himself says as much:
´I know that You can do all things, and that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted. (Job 42 v 2) I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear; but now my eye sees You.´ (Job 42 v 5)
An unquenchable worshipper does not rely upon endurance, doctrine, or determination alone. An unquenchable worshipper returns again and again to the revelation of a God whose worth and whose love does not waver to spite our suffering. An unquenchable worshipper can sing then with Job perhaps one of the most profound lines in all of Scripture:
´The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.´ (Job 1 v 21)
Matt and Beth´s song ´Blessed Be Your Name´ focuses in on this scripture, and tries to give worshippers a voice to respond to God with praise, even in the painful times of life. Matt writes:
´I think we´ve received more personal testimony feedback from this song than any other. I have come across some of the harshest life circumstances I´ve heard of as people have emailed in their stories of how they´ve chosen to worship our amazing God even in some of the hardest times of life. More than anything, this reminds me of how much pain there is in the world, and about how important it is to be real, honest and true (yet always remaining reverent) in the worshipping church.´
Blessed be Your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there´s pain in the offering
Blessed be Your name
Every blessing You pour out
I´ll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name
You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord, blessed be Your name"
Blessed be the Name of the Lord. I hope and pray that this study helped you in some sort of way....
In prayer,
Pastor Michael Miano
1 comment:
I agree, I think that we have to be committed to worshipping/ communing with God as we go through trials. But I think that the engine that drives that though comes from an immersion into doctrinal studies. Faith comes by hearing through the Word of God. Just a thought. I also wrote about overcoming trials on my blog today. Maybe you could check it out at www.joshuamethod.com. When you get a chance?
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