Good Morning Everyone,
Our theme for this month: Never forsaken, never abandoned.”
Our Bible verse for today: “We are pressured in every way but not crushed; we are perplexed but not in despair; we are persecuted but not abandoned; we are struck down but not destroyed.” 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 (HCSB)
Our thought for today: “Adversity can bring us closer to God.”
When we say that God is “Sovereign” we mean that He reigns and rules over all creation. He has absolute power over every person and over every situation. He has a comprehensive plan for world history, and He rules the destiny of both men and nations. Since He has the power to intervene at will and put a stop to anything at anytime, everything that happens is either caused directly by Him, or in His divine wisdom He chooses to allow it to happen.
That being the case, we have to wonder why God allows bad things to happen to good people. The Apostle Paul is a case in point. Few people have suffered more for the cause of Christ than Paul did. He gave up his profession, his income, his home, and his friends in order to be obedient to the call of God. He then suffered non-stop opposition, was criticized constantly, he was chased, arrested, beaten, left for dead, shipwrecked, bitten by a snake, and much more.
Why did God allow those things to happen to Paul? Why does He allow things like that to happen to any of us? If you know Paul’s story, then you know that everything Paul suffered was used by God to make him even more effective for the cause of Christ. Paul’s perseverance, tenacity, and faithfulness made his message even more powerful.
I currently have a close friend who is fighting cancer. She has recently endured a rather radical surgery to cut the cancer out. But through it all she is bright and perky, smiling and positive. When you’re with her she wants to talk about you and others, not about herself. And through it all she praises God. She is an inspiration. God is using her sickness for His purposes – and doing so in a powerful and memorable way.
Another reason God allows us to experience trials and suffering is to remind us that this world is not our home. In this world there is sickness and suffering, but in heaven there will be none of that. When we experience trials and sufferings now, they simply serve to direct our thoughts to our God and to our future. God will get us through this current situation, and eventually there will be no more “current situations.” In heaven, where there is all leading us, everything will be perfect. That’s what we have waiting for us.
Adversity can serve to draw us closer to God and strengthen our faith. When that happens it reminds us that we are never forsaken by God, and He never leaves us alone.
God Bless,
Pastor Jim
Oak Hill Baptist Church 