"Call to me and I will answer you, and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know. " Jeremiah 33:3

Friday, May 4, 2012

Staying Faithful and Fruitful in the Dark, Quiet Times

In the life of every believer in the Lord Jesus Christ there are trials, testings, disciplines and yes even persecution.  "Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted." 2 Timothy 3:12  I know what you're thinking, but please don't stop reading, when we are in Christ and He is in us everything works for our good!
 
GOD IS WITH US EVEN IN THE SILENCE, EVEN IN THE DARKNESS
"For You are my lamp O LORD, and the LORD illumines my darkness." 2 Samuel 22:29 NASB.
"If I say, 'Surely the darkness will overwhelm me, and the light around me will be night, even the darkness is not dark to You, and the night is as bright as the day, darkness and light are alike to You." Psalm 139:11-12 NASB.

GOD HAS A PURPOSE FOR EVERY TRIAL
Don't allow the enemy, Satan to lie to you, he wants to separate you from God and his lies will include if God loved you, you wouldn't be going through this.
 
Don't assume that you are out of God's will and this is some kind of punishment. Just look at the Bible and you will see that those who were closest to God, walking in obedience to His revealed will for their lives suffered in many ways.
 
Joseph experienced trials daily for over 15 years waiting for the promise of God that was revealed to him twice in dreams.  Read Genesis 37: 5-11.

God was at work in Joseph in those 15 years, Scripture tells us over and over that God was with him.  God was taking a young, arguably, spoiled teenager and preparing him for the purpose He had for Joseph, namely to be second in line after Pharaoh over all the land of Egypt. God who is all knowing knew that a famine was coming that could destroy the Egyptians, to say nothing of God's own people. Joseph was the instrument that God used to salvage His people, to keep them alive during this famine!  Big works, require big preparation!
 
WHEN WE HONOR THE LORD IN THE SILENCE, WHEN WE ARE OBEDIENT IN THE TRIALS, WHEN WE CHOOSE TO TRUST HIM, HE WILL PRODUCE ABUNDANT FRUIT IN OUR LIVES, RESULTING IN GLORY TO HIM.
 
Joseph learned total dependence on God in his trials.
 
He learned that when God is with us no matter what we are going through He will use it for good.

He learned obedience to God will ultimately bring God's favor.
 
He learned forgiveness towards his brothers because he knew that what they intended for evil, God had orchestrated it all to do good.
 
He knew the Sovereignty of God in his life because of what he experienced.
 
Joseph kept his focus on God; in the well, in slavery, in Potiphar's house, in prison, in the courts of Pharaoh, in his reunion with his brothers that wanted him dead, and even when he had great power, wealth and fame! 

EVEN IN THE DARKNESS OR SILENCE, WE ARE WALKING TOWARD THE LIGHT. TRUST IN THE LORD STAY FOCUSED ON HIM AND HE WILL SEE YOU THOUGH.
"For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus." Philippians 1:6 NASB.
 
JESUS TELLS US THAT WE WILL LEARN LESSONS IN THE DARKNESS. HE WILL SPEAK TO US AND WHAT HE SPEAKS WE ARE TO SHARE.
"What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim upon the housetops."  Matthew 10:27 NASB.

REMEMBER GOD HIMSELF IS IN THE DARKNESS AND WHEN WE CRY OUT TO HIM, HE HEARS AND HE ACTS ON OUR BEHALF.
 
"In my distress I called upon the LORD, And cried to my God for help; He heard my voice out of His temple, And my cry for help before Him came into His ears. He bowed the heavens also, and came down with thick darkness under His feet. He made darkness His hiding place, His canopy around Him, Darkness of waters, thick clouds of the skies. He sent from on high, He took me; He drew me out of many waters. He delivered me from my strong enemy, And from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me."  Psalm 18: 6,9,11, 16-17 NASB.

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