In every believers… life a period of frustration will come…if you haven’t experienced it….yet... just keep on living…… For the time will come …….when you will feel…… as though …..all you do.…and all you try to do…. Don’t amount to a hill of beans…...You may feel…. that there isn’t anything…….working out right…or anything working in your favor….and from time to time…….you feel….that you’ve failed your family…..that you‘ve a failed in your community……and that most things you’ve done in life …..aint worth kicking…….. out of the river…yes sir….life will…….. make you ….feel that way…and ….Things get so bad…. That you start asking ….some questions……yeah..?questions?… that I’m sure….most of us in here today….has at least thought about……you know questions like….Why is it….. that the drug dealer….. can have the best cars,….fine homes….…and money to burn and throw out the window…why is it that these rappers and movie stars….live like kings and queens..….questions like…. why is it that people……who have no regard for holiness….. and no respect for GOD…people that are …living ….any kind of way…...you know…..drinking and smoking….snorting….and shooting up……living like Sodom and Gomorrah…..was still alive….why is it …..that unbelievers seem to have …..such good health ……it seems like…sometimes…..folk in the world….are not even….. plagued …….with the common cold…….
and you‘ve been faithful….. in your home…faithful…at your job….in your community….with your family members…even….in the church…..and here you are living out of the mouth…of God seemingly,… and haven’t a thing to show for it?…you say….here I am….. making sacrifices for the sake of salvation…..and you‘re striving….. to walk that straight and narrow….and it seems like trouble ……don‘t know nobody‘s address…..but yours….…it just make you ….a little frustrated…..have I got a little help in here today?..…
Well, Saints….of GOD……I need to tell you…… if you will read the 73rd Psalm …in it’s entirety…you’ll find your answer…to theses questions… …yes sir…. You will find that ……these statements….are not….only used by you and I ……to express our emotions……but were also used by David…Here David said …..in Verses 3 and 5 "I was envious…. at the foolish,….when I saw the prosperity of ….the wicked"…..he said…. "They are not in trouble ……as other men; ……neither are they plagued …..like other men"……. Keep in mind now;…. this is the one ……that God said……was a man….. after His own heart……Now if David …can say….. what he said about the foolish….and the wicked,….. surely you and I …will have questions …..regarding the same……. David said in (Verse 16) "that….. when I thought to know this……it was too painful for me"…it gave David a painful headache….. to even think about how the wicked would prosper….and today….I raise the question……Why do faithful believers suffer?…Why do the faithful go through….… So often we get frustrated,……down and even depressed …….when God allows us …..to go through a tough situation……We grow weary…….because of financial needs…..we get depressed….. at the diagnosis of a disease,……we lose heart ….in the lost or death ….of a family member…. problems of life……make us weary…. in our well doing…., and this is when we start questioning God……
The cares of this life……seem to be…too much. …and and …We sometimes…even think about giving up.…..I know….. I’m not the only one ….who’s contemplated giving up……yeah yeah yeah…..We start questioning …..our faith….. We start questioning everything….why me…..God……Why did I get laid off…..why me GOD…Why did my child… get in trouble….why me GOD…why did my….husband or wife…leave…why me GOD….why did my number get picked….WHY ME!!!!….but let me share something with you….precious heart….faithfulness in God……does not guarantee freedom from……. trouble, pain and suffering.…….
In fact, Jesus taught…. that we are to expect….trouble, pain and suffering….there in (John 16:1-4...Jesus said…..1These things have I spoken unto you, …….that ye should not….. be offended…….he said there in the 2nd verse…They shall put you….. out of the synagogues…..: yea, the time cometh, ….that whosoever killeth you….. will think that he doeth God service……..And these things…. will they do…. unto you, …..because they have not…. known the Father, nor me. ……..But these things have I told you,…Jesus says..… that when the time shall come, …….ye may remember …..that I told…. you of them…….and I think I need to let you know….. that while you are faithful but frustrated…and how you feel right now ….you aren‘t alone in your fight…nor alone in your fellings…..for .Job,…. Joseph, David,….. Jeremiah and Paul ……are just a few godly …..people who experienced…….a significant amount of suffering and frustrations…....
So again…… I ask….why does God allow….. faithful believers to suffer?…WHY does GOD allow……. his believers to go experience trials…..and hard times….Well I’m glad you asked….. He allows us to go through … so we will grow spiritually……. God has allowed suffering….to get people to…. depend on him ……for their needs to be met……I can hear my Grandmother saying …..you don’t appreciate the sun……until it rains for 40 days and 40 nights..…JUST ask NOAH…... and today…Whether you need salvation,…..healing, …..deliverance, ……food, clothing,…. shelter, or a friend...,I wanna tell you that God can supply….. all of your needs according to His riches in glory……
Tell you what…..Think of it this way...- How can you know the "Lilly of the Valley"…….unless you go through the valley?… How can you know …the "Bright and Morning Star…… unless you go through the …."Valley of the shadow of death"?-…….
How can you know …..the "Great Physician" unless you experience sickness or disease?…. How can you know the "Good Shepherd" without experiencing his rod and staff?… How can you know……. God’s perfect love…….Unless you experience a broken heart…….. How can you …experience the - miracles of God…….if you don’t have a need?……- How can you experience "The friend ……who stick closer than a brother"……. without first…. Experiencing being lonley?………….- How can you experience ……God’s exceeding….. abundance… without knowing …… what it is to be without….. the exceeding abundance….
I tell you saints of GOD…if you are suffering….faithful and frustrated…. just remember...God promises to bring ……good….. out of all of the sufferings…of those who love Him…..for (Romans 8:28)…..tell us…come on you bible scholars… And we know….. that all things work together….. for good to……. them that love God,….. to them who are the called according to his purpose…….but while going through you may say……that things are easier said than done….
Which moves you to ask…… Where is God when times are bad?......When things times are rough…and frustrations are high…Where is GOD …Where is GOD…when my money is funny and ….my credit won’t get it……yeah…Where is GOD….Yeah the …...troubles of life…. builds a level of temptation …..a temptation to give up……the temptation to lose our faith…..We are almost persuaded…by our trials..…. that living…. right……is a fruitless effort….that all of you faithfulness is worthless…It seems…. that our belief….. in a God of justice….. provides a God who is never there………Well let me share this …..story I heard…..of a young man…from a very small town….who was on the volunteer fire department…..he was fighting a blaze….. that was engulfing …..the small town’s barn….. As he watched……the owner dial his insurance company…. on his portable phone,…… there was no answer.….the owner says…. How come…. my agent ……is never there ….when I need him?” he asked this…in great frustration……..One of the firefighters….. turned and tapped him on the shoulder….and said “That’s because I’m right here,….. putting out the fire,”….and it’s the same way in life……Your rough and Dark times……… do not diminish…. the reality of GOD Presence…… I need to tell you today...as I hurry on….God is with us…..yes while you’re faithful and frustrated….GOD is certainly with us….So when things are bad,….. just remember …..all you have to do is call him up……And as you pray,…… perhaps even in your frustration,…. keep in mind …..that God is busy…. putting out the fire of your trials…..
Well as I move on to my seat…I want to talk to the faithful but frustrated…….I need to tell you……..When evil seems…… to be having its way, ……summon the courage…. within you …….to remember that if….. God has worked before……yes sir….and I’m a witness…if he did it before…..Shirley Ceasar said the other day…..He’ll do it again…..And when GOD ….seems far away……know that He is near,….When life is treating you poorly……. and evil seems to be winning the fight……., that’s when you’ll ….find out that God’s grace is sufficient for you……Realize that the relationship…….. God has with you…… gives you ultimate meaning…and true authority over your troubles..….and know this….It is not the circumstances ….around you …..that make you……..no no no….It is not the evil ways….. of others that defines your character …….but…..It is God who keeps his promise…..that validates…..who you are….I wish I had some help in here….We need to understand while going through…..that God’s purpose….is larger…than our purpose.…so while you’re faithful…if you began to get frustrated…just learn to WAIT…Wait for the Lord;……..
Psalm 27:14: …says .. be strong and take heart….. and wait for the Lord ..… Now is the time to wait on the Lord,…when you’re faithful and frustrated.... and to say with the Psalmist– "Truly my soul waits upon God; ……for my expectation…… is from him." …..Now the promise suits us,…. and is intended for us– ……Isaiah summed it up like this…."He gives power to the faint,…… and to those who have no might, ……..he increases strength. Even the youths…… shall faint and be weary….., and the young men ………shall utterly fall;….. but those……. who 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…listen yall…
So now… when you ask ….God how long ……is it going to take Him to deliver you…..just know…. that it will be long enough……Long enough …..for you and me to practice …..holiness in an evil day…How Long….…Long enough to learn to give……… thanks in all things…yeah…in everything you go through……How Long…...Long enough…. to see that God does reign,……….. and that He is King of kings….and Lord of Lords…..forever and ever…..so out of you faithfulness…..you can overcome .over your frustration…..for GODs delay….is not his denial… .but just know ..that he is…….tailor making….and putting together….a blessing ……just for you and there aint no devil on earth…..neither in hell that can take it from you …………...as I leave you today….I wanna let you know….that David didn’t just remain ……..bitter at the wicked….but what the Next Verse…does….it brings it all into perspective……
When David said: …."Until I went into…. the sanctuary of God;….then understood I their end….he understood the end of the wicked…..that there fame and fortune….was temperal and short lived..….you see…... It is in the house of God …that things are made clear for the believer ….as we hear ……the word of God…….
Now watch this….. the Sanctuary …..does not always mean ……going
to the Church….to hear the word, …….but to get alone ….wherever
you are,……. and allow God to minister….. unto your spirit man …and
.through His word.…If you will give Him some time,….. He
will speak to your situation…and he’ll speak to your frustration….then
and only then ...can you realize...reasons for your…troubles...and times
of frustration....but...I as I close…I need to tell you …..the fight is
fixed…..in the end ….we win…after the storm is over….when the smoke
clears….when the dust settles….we win.….so don’t wait to the battle is
over shout now……
Prayer time and close
