October 18 – No Comparison

“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God.” – Romans 8:18-19 (NASB)

 

We considered briefly verse 18 of this passage yesterday.  But truly, there’s so much more in the way of promises to rejoice in. The BIG promise is that whatever difficulty, whatever conflict, whatever treatment we receive in our present lives because we have boldly spoken and stood for Jesus Christ and God our Father, it will never ever compare to the reward of glory that we will receive. We’re assured all will be okay and all wrongs will be made right. Now, we have a hope that will not let us down and a promise that one day it’ll be revealed in us. We’ll have what’s far beyond the pain heaped on us in this life. The suffering therefore doesn’t knock us down. Who’s the source and cause of our suffering? Isn’t it other people who do not by faith believe in Jesus as Savior and Lord? But our glory comes from God and there’s no comparison. Our suffering is of this world and our glory is of heaven. Our suffering is short and temporary, our glory is forever. What we suffer is light while our glory is substantial. Our glory promises total perfection of our personhood.

 

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July 3 – What We Long For

“…that I may know him and the power of his resurrection and (the) fellowship of his sufferings becoming increasingly conformed to his death if only I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.” – Philippians 3:10-11* 

We’re staying with the promises found in Philippians 3:10-11. All who have accepted by faith the righteousness of Christ imputed to our account will experience a longing to know Him, to know God who has made us righteous in Christ. That desire is a reason we have been given the faith and gift of Christ’s work on the cross. Paul says that he longs for an ever-increasing supply of the power that proceeds from the risen and exalted Savior. When the Father raised the Son he thereby proved his acceptance of the ransom paid by Christ as full satisfaction for our sin. Yet we want more. More of the power which comes only from Christ’s resurrection. Like Paul we long to know and participate more and more fully in even the reproaches and afflictions of his Lord and Savior. Paul confesses that sharing in Christ sufferings results in us increasingly conforming to Christ’s death (see Romans 6:4-11). Paul stresses a longing and a striving to be raised completely above sin and selfishness, so that he can be a most effective representative for the salvation of men to the glory of God. But there is more in verses 12-14 next.

*(Translation from: William Hendriksen and Simon J. Kistemaker, Exposition of Philippians, New Testament Commentary, (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1953–2001), 5:169.)

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September 18 – One Develops Another

“And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”  Romans 5:3-5 (NASB)

Our verse is from the book of Romans, a letter written by Paul to the faith believers in Rome.  Paul hoped to go to Rome as some time in his future. Eventually he does but not as a free man. Paul faced many tribulations (sufferings) in his life and here he says we are to exult (rejoice) when they come. This passage presents a chain of results or effects for us when we obediently rejoice in our sufferings.  Like the book of James instructs us to consider it all joy when trials come in our path. (James 1:2-4). Here, we should already know that tribulations are an opportunity to persevere in our faith. That proves our character which brings a hope that does not disappoint or cause us shame because it will always be fulfilled.  How do we know hope from tribulations and trials won’t make us appear silly, or put us to shame?  We know because it comes from the love poured out and into our hearts from God’s Holy Spirit.  It is He who has given us the opportunity to rejoice in  tribulations. We have a bundled blessing. Sufferings produces Perseverance produces Proven Character produces Sure Hope.

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June 10 – A Process to Hope

“Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. -  Romans 5:3–5 (ESV)

As we take a look at our passage, we find why Paul, in verse 8 used the present tense telling us the God demonstrates His love through Christ’s death for us while we were still lost and separated from Him.  Paul teaches us in this passage that “suffering produces endurance.” We cannot learn to endure, to hang on to our confession unless it is tested.  If it  is never tested, we may not be certain it is strong enough.  Paul continues that our “endurance produces character” in us.  Our character is the mental and spiritual qualities which make us strong in our faith to face trials.  With strong character developed from successful endurance, we can bear the trials and temptations. And “character  produces  hope.” A hope that will not shame us for trusting God.  The goal of everything God takes us through is this kind of hope. He wants us to feel steadfastly hopeful through all tribulations.  Our hope does not disappoint because God’s love has been poured into our hearts. The tense of this verb means that God’s love was poured out in our hearts in the past (at our conversion) and remains present and active.

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Material for this blog was gleaned from Dr John Piper’s Desiring God 

February 13 – Worried About Suffering

“Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”  -  Romans 5:3-5 (ESV)

As we conclude these eight defenses against anxiety which is worry, we have actually cycled back to the matter of suffering for Jesus and for righteousness.  Our promises are many in today’s passage.  Suffering which normally and understandably, causes anxiety has for us an excellent pay-out.  Paul, like James in his letter is not suggesting but is instructing us to not bemoan trials or testing which often come as suffering but to “count it all joy.”  Sometimes our suffering is intense and we are told here the same lesson.  We are to rejoice when suffering cuts our path and overtakes us.  Why? Because we know that from suffering comes a chain of righteous character traits. Endurance comes from suffering if we rest in God’s promises.  From endurance we become people with character – a rare commodity these days. Developing character results in having a hope that is sure and that does not disappoint us. We are not shamed because it is true and it comes to us from the Holy Spirit through the love of God poured into our lives.    

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November 22 – From Sufferings to Hope

“Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”  -  Romans 5:3-5 (ESV)

How often do we find ourselves murmuring?  Maybe our circumstances have brought on some suffering and we rather be without that.  Suffering is no fun and we are tempted to complain or be angry with God. We know it has been promised that we will suffer for our faith in Christ.  Those that withstand this without murmuring are rare. Our passage today gives us a chain of cause and effect promises from suffering that gives us reason to not murmur, if we choose to endure sufferings by God's grace and mercy.  Endurance of our suffering produces character.  Character gives us hope that does not put us to shame.  This hope will never let us down because the love of God has been poured into our hearts.  The Holy Spirit, given to us by God the Father and sent by Jesus the Son and our Savior, has poured God's love into our hearts to overflowing.  Why spend time murmuring when those promises are ours to believe?

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