Hebrews 12:5 (NLT), “Have you entirely forgotten the ENCOURAGING God spoke to you, His CHILDREN? He said, "My child, don’t ignore it when the Lord DISCIPLINES you, and don’t be discouraged when He CORRECTS you.”
"God is at work for your OWN BENEFIT, as long as you remain FAITHFUL to our Lord Jesus Christ, even in times of UNWANTED SITUATIONS & UNDESIRABLE THINGS."
So whenever we EXPERIENCE UNWANTED SITAUTIONS don’t be DISCOURAGED! Whenever we FACE UNDESIRABLE THINGS, don’t IGNORE it!
“For our God is a CONSUMING FIRE.” (Hebrew 12:29)!
Daniel 12:10 (NLT), “Many will be PURIFIED, CLEANSED, and REFINED by these TRIALS… Blessed is he that WAITeth”
We need to PASS through the “REFINER’S FIRE” to REMOVE UNNECESSARY THINGS that HINDERS us in GIVING THANKS to God! Such as, PRIDE and SELFISHNESS!
And the WORD of God is LIKE FIRE! It’s not a coincidence that Jesus CHRIST, Himself, will COME LIKE FIRE! To REBUKE our WORLDLY FLESH! To BURN our FLESH! To Get rid of pride, envy, jealousy, selfish ambition, lust, etc…
So don’t be DISCOURAGED if you are being CORRECTED by the SERMONS of your Pastor!
1 Thessalonians 5:18, “In everything GIVE THANKS: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”
Titus 2:13, “Looking for that BLESSED HOPE, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ;”
Revelations 22:12, “And, behold , I come quickly; and MY REWARD is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.”
ILLUST: The season of Christmas is Approaching!
We will again hear the song, “SANTA CLAUS is COMING to TOWN!” See! The World is WAITING for SANTA CLAUS. But Santa Claus only GIVE PERISHABLE GOODS!”
What is the BENEFIT of KEEPING our EYES on Jesus Christ the Lord?
Isaiah 40:30, “But they that WAIT upon the LORD shall RENEW THEIR STRENGTH; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run , and not be weary ; and they shall walk , and not faint .
ILLUST: Imagine yourself FLYING HIGH like an eagle! Eagles have SHARP, FOCUSED and CLEAR VISION! The HIGHER they FLY, the WIDER the VISION. In CHRIST, we will FLY with wings as eagles. “The STRONGER the STORM, the HIGHER we FLY!” A VISION is a MOTIVATION or INSPIRATION; it directs our DECISIONS towards our DESTINY! A God-given VISION is IRREVOCABLE.
Even when oceans rise, thunder rolls, earthquake comes, we will not be SHAKEN! Even when TRIALS COME, UNWANTED SITAUTIONS, UNDESIRABLE THINGS and DISCOURAGEMENT and STORM comes, we will RISE UP LIKE EAGLES! We will RENEW our STRENGTH! Amen!
ILLUST: Imagine a CATAPULT: The LOAD is LOWERED ‘til it reaches the LIMIT. When the LIMIT is REACHED, the LOAD is released. “Everything has a LIMITATION and God will not allow HEAVY LOADS (Burdens & Obstacles) that is beyond our ABILITY or CAPACITY.” The HEAVIER the LOAD, the farther and HIGHER we ACHIEVE.
Philippianse 2:13-15,18, “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His GOOD PLEASURE. Do all things WITHOUT MURMURINGS and DISPUTINGS. That ye may be BLAMELESS and HARMLESS, the sons of God, WITHOUT REBUKE, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye SHINE as LIGHTS IN THE WORLD; Holding forth the WORD of LIFE;… For the same cause also do ye JOY, and REJOICE with me!”
CONCLUSION:
Revelations 1:5-6, “And from Jesus Christ, who is the FAITHFUL WITNESS, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto Him that LOVED US, and WASHED US from our sins in His OWN BLOOD, And hath made us KINGS and PRIESTS unto God and his Father; to Him be GLORY and DOMINION FOREVER ever. Amen.”
Our GREAT MISSION in this world is to establish the SOVEREIGN KINGDOM of God!" To DOMINATE this CHAOTIC world and to RULE over evil powers, authorities and kingdoms of this world. There will be a GREAT outpouring of LOVE, BLESSINGS, UNITY, PEACE and PROSPERITY when God is GLORIFIED! Your God-given GIFTS or TASK (Talents, Abilities, Skills and Knack) will be ignited when the FAVOR and GRACIOUS HAND of God will manifest.
Then, you will be COMMISSIONED to MULTIPLY and SUBDUE the world, to accomplish the Will of God, applying Biblical PRINCIPLE, WISDOM and KNOWLEDGE in the GOVERNMENT of man. Until God will PROMOTE you UP to your PERSONAL CALLING in the KINGDOM of God.
So that, RIGHTEOUSNESS and HOLINESS shall RULE in this world and everyone will BOW and HONOR our LORD and KING, Jesus CHRIST, over all NATIONS and KINGDOMS for all ETERNITY. You will have the AUTHORITY to have DOMINION over Satan, the Devil! When this happens, Satan will BOW DOWN before Jesus CHRIST! Amen!
