Titus 2:7, 1 Peter 3:16, 2 Corinthians 12:19 Christian Morals

If our lives ended today, how would those around us assess our contribution to our fellow man? Our example leaves an impression on others. With God’s help, it will be one of love, faith and purity of life. The book of Titus captures the pattern God gave for every believer and the direction for their life. Being a Titus chapter 2 person of godliness should be the desire of every parent for their child, every partner for their mate, and every believer for their own life.

Paul urges us to let our lives be a model, template or pattern for others to follow. We are to warn the unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak and be patient with all. In other words, we are to be Christ-like in everything we do, say or think. The more we ignore or neglect God’s truth, the further away from him we slide, and the more eroded our society becomes. We are to be morally pure.

God has built into each of us an alarm system to warn us of the unwanted entry of sin into our lives. It’s called guilt. Without guilt, we would continue to live in sin until it dominates and defeats us. Whenever the alarm goes off, we are to heed it and repent. Doing what is right is more important than winning.

To put it bluntly, people in our society are rusting from the inside out. Their souls are corroded, and slowly wasting away from the corrosive power of the sea of moral pollution they navigate each day. Each day we walk through life we are sprayed with the salt-like corrosive fog of the world that seeks to eat up the strength of our souls, corrode the framework of our spiritual lives, and decay us secretly on the inside. This is unseen by everyone except God.  

We are not left alone on earth merely to know for ourselves what God has said, but rather to share his good news with others. When we share the good news, we must do so with a gentle, respectful delivery, but with the same zeal shown by Peter. Paul told Titus that he should come alongside every young man by sending older men in the faith to lovingly and gently nurture the young men in the faith to avoid the corrosive influences that would affect them. In modern times, that would mean guarding against the corruption of things such as greed, envy and pornography.

Purity is an un-corroded choice we can make by God’s grace and through the power of his spirit. Believers who are prompted by grace must never allow themselves to succumb to the ways of the world. To be un-corroded believers, we must saturate ourselves with God’s Word and invite him into our daily life.

We must not be afraid, for God will give us the strength we need. By doing so, we will easily disarm our opponents. We need to be trained in evangelism so we can be prepared for and handle all kinds of situations in a biblical manner. We must be wise in how we do this. We have the privilege of shining God’s light on a hurting world. We have the hope of eternal life in heaven as well as God’s comforting presence on earth. When we let that hope transform us, everyone we touch wants some of it.

We need to mention the faith we do understand, and trust the Holy Spirit to help us speak. It can make the difference between life and death for others. We must use words that people understand. We must be prepared to share our personal testimony, including the three basic points:

1.      What our life was like before we received Christ.

2.      How we received Christ

3.      What difference Christ has made in our life.

We prepare ourselves to hear the word of God for our own lives. We prepare ourselves to listen for the voice of God in our own affairs. Doing so gives us hope. Hope is how we view tomorrow. Hope is how we are defined as a Christian.

Each Christian has gifts that are important to the church. Paul tells Titus that the young men who want to grow up to be the godly and mature servants of God must begin to cultivate qualities while they are young-qualities that all Christians must cultivate. They are:

1.      Live a restrained life in an unrestrained world.

2.      Follow Christ in an Christ-less world

3.      Believe right so we behave right

4.      Stay focused on God in a world of distractions

We are to treasure each other’s gifts, share each others’ sorrows and rejoice in each other’s joys. We are all part of one another. 

To be sure, Christ calls us as individuals but we are part of the whole and not the whole! Creativity and innovations can be wonderfully valuable gifts for Christ’s holy church. They can also be ways for precious human beings to be misled in directions that produce questionable fruit. Christ was born into this world so that others who follow him will look after their fellow men and women. To accept life and live it in that fashion means that Christ is always with us, because the gifts of serving others are continually being bestowed upon humankind. We must be alert, because there are a lot of really good deeds all about us.

When we gather as a church and hear God’s Word, we have come to a point of decision. We have to decide if we are going to be just hearers of the Word or doers. We must do whatever it takes to starve the evil desires of our flesh and those of our families. We are to put on Christ by starving our flesh. We are to give Christ our unblurred, focused life, service and gifts. We can keep from wasting the most precious years of our lives by grabbing onto the grace-energized changes God wants to make inside of us, so that we will be the people he can use to maximize his Kingdom, purposes and plan for this world!

We are encouraged to be patient when persecuted for righteousness sake, just like Christ suffered patiently. We are to give ourselves wholly to God and be willing to suffer and do what is right, especially if it is God’s will that we as Christians suffer for doing good. We sanctify God before others, when our conduct invites and encourages them to glorify and honour him. We should be able to defend our faith with meekness in the fear of God.

                                                      
We owe it to our fellow Christians to stand up in the defence of their reputation, and we are under special obligations to those from who we have received benefit, especially spiritual benefit, to own them as instruments in God’s hand of good to us.

There are certain traits that should characterize a believer who serves the Lord. We are to obey him in doing good works, so others can see God’s love and kindness through us. We are to teach God’s word with passion and conviction so that others will learn to follow Christ in obedience. And we are to live with dignity-fleeing from sin and living in submission to His will-because we realize that we represent him in the world, and the rewards Christ has reserved or us are awesome.

One day we will stand in front of Jesus and give an account of our lives. He has already told us what he wants to say to each and every one of us: “Well done, good and faithful servants”. He has already told us that everything we do, say or think is either good or worthless, and that the good he rewards and the worthless he burns.

 Bibliography

1.      Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, NASV

2.      Charles F. Stanley, “Defending the Faith”. Retrieved from www.crosswalkmail.com

3.      Charles F. Stanley, “Know What You Believe”. Retrieved from www.crosswalkmail.com

4.      Jill Carattini, “Amen to the Glory of God”. Retrieved from www.is.egea.net

5.      Steve Arterburn, “Leave a Positive Legacy”. Retrieved from www.newlife.com

6.      Bill Bright, “Communist Plot Backfires”. Retrieved from www.crosswalkmail.com

7.      Anne Graham Lotz, “Our Built-in Alarm System”. Retrieved from www.angelministries.org.

8.      Bill Bright, “Be Prepared”. Retrieved from www.crosswalkmail.com

9.      Ken Hutcheson, “Your Assignment…” Retrieved from www.christianitytoday.com

10.  Sandra Hefter-Herrma, “Accepting the Call”. Retrieved from www.esermons.com

11.  David O. Bales, “Rock Bottom”. Retrieved from www.esermons.com

12.  Dr. Bill Bouknight, “You Have Been Subpoenaed!” Retrieved from www.esermons.com

13.  Donald Charles Lacy, “Training for a Purpose” Retrieved from www.esermons.com

14.  Richard Neal Donovan, “Our Gifts: Tools or Trophies” Retrieved from www.sermonwriter.com

15.  Pastor John Barnett, “God’s 12 Step Program for Every Man in Christ’s Church”. Retrieved from www.dtbm.org

16.  Pastor John Barnett, “Following Christ in a Christ-less World” Retrieved from www.dtbm.org

17.  Pastor John Barnett, “Believing Right so that You Behave Right’ Retrieved from www.dtbm.org

18.  Pastor John Barnett, “Incorruptibility: Guarding Against Corrosion in a Decaying World”. Retrieved from www.dtbm.org

19.  Pastor John Barnett, “God’s Pathway to Eternal, Life-Long Usefulness”. Retrieved from www.dtbm.org

20.  Pastor John Barnett, “Reverence: Staying Focused on God in a World of Distractions”. Retrieved from www.dtbm.org

 

 

 

Matthew 14:13-21 Five plus Two Does Not Equal Seven, Revised 2014

Have you ever heard of the saying, “Every dark cloud has a silver lining”? If so, then the story of the loaves and fishes is a good example. Let me explain.

This story happens just after the death of John the Baptist. When Jesus heard that his cousin was beheaded, he did what most of us do when a friend or relative dies-he went off to a quiet place to think, pray and grieve. Unfortunately, to paraphrase the words of that great Scottish poet Robbie Burns, Jesus’ best laid plans were led astray by God.

People had heard of Jesus and his teaching and healing, and they wanted what he had to offer. They searched for him and found him just when he wanted to be alone. Was he angry with them? No. On the contrary, he had compassion for them and taught them and healed the sick. Christ’s compassion made him unable to ignore the needs of the people.

By night time, the people were still there, and they did not have anything to eat all day. The disciples wanted Jesus to send them away so they could get food in the nearby villages, but Jesus had other ideas, and just like the crowd interrupted Jesus’ plans, Jesus in turn interrupted the disciples’ plans. He told them to feed the crowd.

Now, the disciples had a problem. Where were they going to get enough food? All they had was five loaves of bread and two fish, and that certainly would not be enough to feed everyone-or so they thought. God often asks his people to do the impossible, but he makes the impossible possible. He gives us the strength and resources to complete tasks that we can’t complete on our own.

Jesus was in control of the situation. He gave instructions about how the situation was to be resolved. Jesus took the food, blessed it and had the disciples distribute it to the people. Low and behold, there was MORE than enough food-in fact; there were 12 baskets of leftovers!

The miracle of the loaves and fish is that it shows that in God’s kingdom there is enough of everything for everyone. Jesus’ ability to create so much out of so little shows his mastery over the natural realm. The miracle shows us God’s character, the nature of the coming Kingdom, and the nature of the Kingdom in our hearts when it has transformed us. Our heavenly Father, as the head of the household, establishes the household, sustains and liberates us and guides us to spiritual fulfillment. The foundation of God’s household is the duty he imposes on us to care for each other.

Jesus always seems to be asking more of us than we have to give-as spouses and parents and students and workers and on and on. He calls on us to love, even when love is difficult; to forgive, even when we have been wronged; to stand fast and firm on our principles, even when it mean standing alone. And those things are not easy to do. After all, we are not Jesus, and our powers are not unlimited, as his were.

God’s abundance is right here, right now, wherever right here and whenever right now may be. We think we don’t have enough not because our supplies are too small, but because our “we” is too small. The “we” includes God and the gifts of all those among whom we are sent as Christ’s body. Indeed, far more of the gifts are “out there” than “in here”. That’s how it is that ministry in God’s kingdom grows by becoming viral and multiplying. God meets our needs daily. He will give us what we need when it is needed. Matthew 6:32-33 reads, “Your heavenly Father already knows your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.”

Jesus bore witness to our spiritual duty to care for each other. There is enough for everyone when we live in right relation and harmony, but in reality there are millions of people who live in poverty and are starving. What can we do? Well, we can do what Jesus did. Jesus took the small amount of food that was offered and used it to do his work by using it as an example for the disciples and for us. When we give to God, no matter how much or how little, it is returned to us tenfold. We provide the best we can to do God’s work, and God rolls up his sleeves and gets to work with us. We have to work with God and with other people. When we work together and use what we have to do God’s work, God will multiply what we offer, because he is driven by our needs and not by our wants.

We are not to be a band-aid that provides a small amount of healing and protection for the hurting people around us, only to be taken off and once again made separate. The church must be fused with those who have been hurt by society, working as a unit to bring about healing. Part of our strategy is to become a vital part of life in our region, not just a place for people to visit on the weekends but truly to be a healing place for a hurting world.

For example, ministers take the bread of communion to those in “deserted places”-the sick, dying, imprisoned and elderly. They often feel on the fringe of life, less than appreciated, less than valued. When they receive Communion, the ministers are essentially telling them that they are part of our church community, part of the people who are fed by God.

This story is the only one that appears in all four gospels, although there are some slight differences. For example, John 6:9 mentions the involvement of the small boy. Some scholars propose that the boy’s generosity inspired the crowd to share the food which they had brought-with the result that there was plenty for all. Unfortunately, there are some problems with this proposal. First, the boy is only mentioned in John’s Gospel. If his gesture was the key to understanding this story, surely it would have been included in all four Gospels. Second, this proposal seems to be motivated by discomfort of the supernatural. If we explain away the supernatural in the Bible, we are not left with much. Finally, Matthew’s version clearly emphasizes the great size of the crowd, the need for great quantities of food, and the great miracle that fills the need.

Every one of us has a hunger for something-a hunger we try to fill with food, houses, spouses, careers, cars, sex, drugs or something else. This hunger is why many of us go to church. We have a hunger that only God can satisfy, and it can only be satisfied by regular weekly church attendance. Those who only go to church on special occasions, or who refuse to go because they don’t like the minister or the hymns or the service time or something else will never have their hunger completely satisfied. God gives us strength, because we get discouraged. God gives us grace because we don’t always feel accepted. God gives us generosity because we tend to be selfish. God gives us love, because we want to be loved.

Those who serve the Lord get to enjoy the fruit of the abundant supply that Jesus gives. God’s rewards are for anyone who commits themselves to his kingdom work. Jesus is the example we are to follow. Each and every one of us is invited to follow him, to take and eat of his life, of his love, of his forgiveness. This story is a witness to the power of God. It is a story of grace that is sparked and motivated by the love and compassion of Jesus.

Jesus is going beyond feeding the people. He is transforming this moment on this remote hillside into a holy moment-a sacred celebration. He intends to offer these people something to eat, but he also intends to offer them something more. He plans to involve them in a holy occasion-a moment when they can experience the presence of God in their midst-a moment when they can see Jesus revealed to them as the Son of God.

When we dine together at the Lord’s Table, God’s power is alive. His power produces an abundance of grace, power, love and the fulfillment of our needs-just like there were twelve baskets of leftovers after everyone in the crowd was fed. This can only happen when everyone is included. Only then will the faith community become a beacon of welcoming light to the disadvantaged and the less fortunate.

We remember the bread every time we return to the Communion table and see the blessing given, the bread broken, and the food shared. We again commune in memory of and in the presence of the one who gazed towards the crowds with compassion. Sharing a meal creates and maintains a sense of community. When we gather together to celebrate the Eucharist, Christ satisfies our deepest hungers, heals our brokenness, binds us together as one body and strengthens us to do his work in our world.

God has given each of us different gifts, talents and abilities. We are different parts of the same body of Christ. Architects, engineers, volunteers, teachers, pastors and evangelists all stand together to help slow the spread of famine and accomplish the work of the kingdom. Some are called by God to make great sacrifices, but God wants all of us to respond to his call in our lives. For those who have little, they can pray for those who are willing to serve in a foreign field, and the wealthy can help out of their abundance to support those who have walked away from well-paying jobs to serve the less fortunate in society.

Jesus’ actions with the crowd are actions that even the playing field, actions that make sure everyone is taken care of. They were radical actions at that time, and they are radical actions today. They seem foreign to a culture that is driven by dollars and profit, and they were so foreign in Jesus’ time that he was put to death over them. But following Jesus is a radical lifestyle, and Jesus asks us if we are willing to do the same. Are we willing to give up some of what we have, that others might not go hungry? Are we willing to give out of what God has given to us?

Bibliography

       1.      Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, NASV

2.      Lectionary Homiletics, Volume XXII, No. 4 (2011: Lectionary Homiletics-Preaching Conference, Midlothian, VA, pp. 73-79)

3.      Exegesis for Matthew 14:13-21. Retrieved from www.sermonwriter.com

4.      The Rev. Charles Hoffacker, “The Parties People Put On”. Retrieved from www.sermonwriter.com

5.      The Rev. David E. Lenninger, “Hungry People”. Retrieved from www.sermonwriter.com

6.      The Rev. Dr. Randy L. Hyde, “Send Them Away”. Retrieved from www.sermonwriter.com

7.      Bishop Stephen Bouman, ELCA, “HIC”. Retrieved from www.day1.org

8.      Bishop Woodie White, UMC, “I Love a Mystery”. Retrieved from www.day1.org

9.      Max Lucado, “Count to Eight”. Retrieved from www.crosswalkmail.com

10.  Mike Benson, “Bandage’. Retrieved from www.forthright.net/kneemail

11.  The Voice of the Lord for Nissan 6. Retrieved from www.studylight.org

12.  Marybeth Whalen, “Bring It to Me”. Retrieved from www.crosswalkmail.com

13.  Dr. Jack Graham, “Finding God’s Blessings through Service”. Retrieved from www.crosswalkmail.com

14.  Jude Siciliano, OP, “First Impressions: 18^th Sunday (A)”. Retrieved from www.preacherexchange.org

15.  Preaching Peace. Retrieved from www.preachingpeace.org/lectionaries/yeara_proper13/

16.  The Rev. Billy Graham, “Compassion and Stewardship”. Retrieved from www.billygraham.org

17.  The Rev, Beth Quick, “They Need Not Go Away”. Retrieved from www.bethquick.com/sermons8-4-02.htm

18.  Berni Dymet, “Never Enough.” Retrieved from Christianity.con@crosswalkmail.com

19.  Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, NKJV (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013)

 

Matthew 14:13-21 A Little Goes a Long Way

Good morning boys and girls!

Are you having a good summer? What fun things have you been doing?

Have any of you taken any trips? Are any of you planning on taking any trips this summer? I’ve taken a little trip to be with you here this morning. I don’t live here in Bridgewater. I live in Liverpool. Now Liverpool is only about a half an hour’s drive from here, but I make the trip from Liverpool to Bridgewater at least once a month, mainly because my mother loves to shop at Indian Garden Farms and Walmart, and I love shopping at Staples and The Garden of Readin’…and in fact we’re going to some of those places later the service this morning! In fact, I bought this Bible Storybook at the Garden of Readin’. When we come to Bridgewater, we always have our lunch at Swiss Chalet, because the food is delicious.

Speaking of food and trips, I’m going to take you on a little trip this morning, and we’re not even going to leave this church! Let me tell you the story of the loaves and the fish. 

I want you to close your eyes and imagine for a moment that you're part of the crowd in the story. We’ve been listening eagerly to Jesus' words all day. We’ve traveled a long distance. It's been a long day, we’re tired and hungry, and we realize that we didn't bring anything to eat. We have heard Jesus tell his disciples to find food for the people. To make matters worse, the only food available is five small loaves of bread and two small fish. Surely that won’t be nearly enough to feed 5,000 men plus women and children! We see Jesus take the food, bless it and give it to the crowd. After the meal, we see the disciples gather up the broken, leftover pieces---enough to fill twelve baskets.

 I’m sure that your parents have been in the same situation. Company arrives unannounced and when meal time comes your parents are rushing around in a panic trying to find enough food for everyone. Now you know what the disciples were thinking when Jesus told them to feed the people. Can you imagine trying to feed all of those people with such a small amount of food? We can, if we remember that with Jesus anything is possible. He can take whatever we give to him, no matter how small it is, and do more than we can possibly imagine. Little becomes much when we place it in God’s hands.

Let’s bow our heads for a moment of prayer. Dear God, thank you for loving us. Help us to remember that when we give what we have to you, even a little bit is more than enough. Just as Jesus used a small amount of food to feed more than 5,000 people, we pray that you will use the children here today to bless everyone they meet each day. We ask this in the Name of Your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ, AMEN.

Bibliography

1.      The Real Life Devotional Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2008)

2.      Craig Condon, “Parable of the Loaves and Fish.” Retrieved from the author’s personal sermon library.

3.      “A Feast for All.” Retrieved from www.sermons4kids.com

4.      “Feeding the 5000.” Retrieved from www.sermons4kids.com

5.      The Standard Bible Storybook (Cincinnati, OH: Standard Publishing; 2009)

 

 

 

 

Romans 8:26-39 Why God Allows Bad Things to Happen

An old church building needed remodeling, so during his sermon the minister made an impassioned plea and looked directly at the richest man in town. At the end of the sermon, the rich man stood up and said, “Pastor, I will contribute $1,000.00”

Just then plaster fell from the ceiling and struck the rich man on the shoulder. He stood up and said, “I will increase my donation to $5,000.00.” Before he could sit down, another chunk of plaster fell on him, and he stood up and said, “I will double my last donation.”

He sat down and a larger chunk of plaster hit him on the head. He jumped up and shouted, “Pastor, I will give $20,000.00”

This prompted a deacon to shout, “Hit him again, Lord! Hit him again!” (Pause, esp. if the congregation laughs)

Have you ever wondered why God allows bad things to happen to his people? Well, God uses all of our circumstances to work for our good when we have faith. In other words, when we are Christ-like, God can take the negative circumstances of our lives and use them for our good, especially if using them for good fulfills his will for our lives. It’s like an oyster taking a grain of sand-something that irritates the oyster-and turning it into something of great value-a pearl.

Take Joseph, for example. He was sold into slavery by his brothers and ended up in jail in Egypt, but God used all of these experiences to prepare Joseph for his ultimate role of saving his family and the people of Egypt from famine. While still in prison, Joseph correctly interpreted dreams for two of Pharaoh’s servants-his cupbearer and chief baker. As the dreams had predicted, the baker was executed and the cupbearer was restored to service.

Two years later, Pharaoh had two dreams that disturbed him, but no one could tell him what they meant. The cupbearer remembered Joseph and told Pharaoh about him. Pharaoh sent for Joseph, who told him that God was warning that a famine was coming and that preparations had to be made. Joseph was released from prison and put in charge of the preparations.

When the famine came, it was widespread and affected Joseph’s family. The same brothers who sold Joseph into slavery came to Egypt to find food. Joseph still loved them and forgave them. He arranged for all of the family to move to Egypt. Pharaoh promised them the best of the land.

Joseph trusted God through many years of hardship, and God worked all of those painful circumstances for the good of Joseph, his family and God’s chosen people in the generations to come. His chosen people grew from a few to millions. 

Satan is often called “the accuser,” but any charges Satan makes against us will never stand up because the Jesus who sanctifies us is also the Jesus who judges us. We are protected by Christ’s death and resurrection.  Anyone who would take away our salvation would have to be stronger than God, and since no one is stronger than God, we can never lose our salvation. God speaks of love as Christ’s love for his people. Christ’s love protects us from the trials of life. No one and nothing can separate us from God.

 A believer can never be condemned by God because of Christ’s death and resurrection, Christ’s exalted position and his continual intercession for us. We are part of the body of Christ, and he loves us so much that nothing can separate us from him. God’s love is not human or normal. God loves us because of who we are-his children.

Paul affirms the incredible power of the love of Christ in Romans 8:26-39. The Holy Spirit intercedes for us when we can’t find the words to pray. When believers are hurting so much that they can’t mention their desires, the Holy Spirit intercedes with groans that words can’t express. Paul urges us to recognize the depths of our despair, but we must remember that we are not alone. God is always with us, even when we feel alienated, separated and alone.

When we are saved, God doesn’t stop with justification. He gave up his son, so he will freely give us everything we need for sanctification and glorification. When we are redeemed, we receive a new heart and we begin the lifelong process of transformation. Then we have to immerse ourselves in the Scriptures so that God can use his word to transform our minds.

God will take our negative experiences and use then to shape us and use us for his purposes. That doesn’t mean that God is pleased with all of our negative circumstances. He gets mad when people drive while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. He is sad when we are persecuted for our faith. God loves us enough to be with us and walk with us when we face the storms of life.

God sees our sin and hates it. We need to repent for our own sake. We need to repent because we need to acknowledge that we do not want to keep on sinning. We have a duty to pray for ourselves and anyone who has been affected by our sin.  

Sometimes we can only learn great lessons of faith when we face difficulties. God’s plans are not always our plans, because his plans carry a greater purpose. Sometimes he has to let bad things happen to us so that our lives and plans are realigned with his plans for our lives. God chips away at our lives like a sculptor chips away at a block of stone. In both cases, excess waste material is removed so we can become more like Christ.

We do not always know why God allows bad things to happen to us. It is enough for us to love him and know that he is there for us. God’s values and our values are not always the same. God speaks so that we may be made more like Jesus. When we trust in Christ, we are his forever. Because he paid the penalty for our sin on the cross, we are eternally secure. Nothing can take that away from us, and nothing can take us away from him. We gain the healing Spirit of God.

We are created in the image of God. The choices we make in life will either make us more Christ-like or more like the world. The key is how we choose to respond to our circumstances. We have to look at God’s promise that if he is there for us, nothing can be against us. Christ reversed our condemnation and enabled our salvation, and nothing and no one can undo his work. If Christ is our advocate, no one can win a judgment against us.

When we face times of trial, we can turn to God’s Word and ask him for help. God knows our needs. He won’t let anything happen to us without supplying the grace we need to turn the stumbling block into a stepping stone of faith. When God puts hard times together like a baker puts the ingredients for a cake together, they can work out for our good, including our failures and our hopelessness. God is at work in our lives. He undoes Satan’s messes and leads us where he wants us to go. 

When our faith in Jesus operates in our lives, we are more than capable of handling whatever approaches us. He will give us the victory because of what he did for us on the cross. We can live happy, contented, joy-filled lives when we live in his good ness and with him in proper perspective.

When Christ returns, he will use the world’s destructive tools such as disaster, disease, death and decay as tools to accomplish his good will. As believers we will also be made into something good because we will be glorified. We can face life’s trials with the knowledge that God can use our trials for good and make us into something better than we can be on our own, and that is a life that is as Christ-like as possible. We can then be an example for others who are facing hardships. They can look at us and see that if faith can help us remain strong in the face of adversity, faith in God will help them as well. Our presence can sprinkle God’s healing love onto others wherever we go.

We must remember that when bad things happen, God is in control. He loves us and wants us to be saved. He allows events for his good purpose. People who love God and are called according to his purpose are assured that God will transform a bad situation to bring a good result. Our spiritual struggle will help us to move toward the greater good of salvation. Because God raised Jesus from the dead, our present experience of suffering and what we can expect of the future are changed. There will come a time when even the worst suffering we endure now will pale in comparison to the glory that will be revealed to us in heaven.

 Bibliography

1.      Anne Graham Lotz, “According to God’s Purpose.” Retrieved from www.angelministries.org

2.      Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, NKJV (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013)

3.      MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible, NASB (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 2006)

4.      Lucado, Max: The Lucado Life Lessons Study Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 2010)

5.      Dr. Neil Anderson, “Help from the Holy Spirit.” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com

6.      Jim Burns, “God Knows What He is Doing!” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com

7.      Dr. Charles Stanley, “The Pathway of Spiritual Growth.” Retrieved from www.intouch.org

8.      Dr. Ray Pritchard, “Can We Still Believe in Romans 8:28?” Retrieve from www.keepbelieveing.org

9.      Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, NKJV (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 2008)

10.  Briscoe, D.S.  & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 29: Romans (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1982)

11.  Ron Moore, “I Am His Forever.” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com

12.  Rick Warren, “The Wild Card: Your Choices.” Retrieved from www.purposedriven.com

13.  Mary Southerland, “Can We Really Trust God?” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com

14.  Swindoll, Charles R.: Swindoll’s New Testament Insights on Romans (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan; 2010)

15.  Dr. Charles Stanley, “Answers in Times of Great Disaster.” Retrieved from www.intouch.org

16.  Exegesis for Romans 8:26-39. Retrieved from www.lectionary.org

17.  Jesse Gutsgell, “Bible Study, 7 Pentecost, Proper 12 (A).” Retrieved from http://episcopaldigitalnetwork.com

18.  Daniel Clendenin, PhD, “Inseparable Love.” Retrieved from www.journeywithjesus.net

19.  Paul S. Berge, “Commentary on Romans 8:26-29.” Retrieved from www.workingpreacher.org

20.  Mary Hinkle Shore, “Commentary on Romans 8:26-39.” Retrieved from www.workingpreacher.org