SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 11/22/2021 10:31 AM
My Worship Time Focus:
PT-2 “Difficult Circumstances”
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Matt. 11:2-3
Message of the verses: “2 Now when John in
prison heard of the works of Christ, he sent word by his disciples, 3
and said to Him, "Are You the Expected One, or shall we look for someone
else?’”
We
continue to look at the first reason as to why believers have doubts in our SD
for today.
Let
us for a moment talk a little bit about the background of John the
Baptist. We certainly know that he was a
true believer. We also know that he was
a prophet of God, holy, loyal, selfless, and unreserved in his service to the
Lord. John had done exactly what God had
told him to do. We also know that John
was filled with the Holy Spirit from before he was born, that is in his mother’s
womb. John was a under a Nazirite vow,
which is the highest vow of dedication a Jewish man could take. Now as we look at John’s life we find that he
could not help wondering if prison, shame, hunger, physical tournament,
perplexity, and loneliness were his rewards for all that he has done for the
Lord.
John
MacArthur writes “John knew the Old Testament well, and he could hardly have
kept from wondering where the God of comfort (Ps. 119:50; Isa. 51:12) was
now. And if Jesus were truly the
Messiah, why did He let His forerunner and servant suffer in prison? Where was God’s love and compassion, not to
mention His justice? Where was God’s
promise that the Messiah would ‘bind up the brokenhearted,…proclaim liberty to
captives, and freedom to prisoners,…proclaim the favorable year of the Lord,
and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn, to grant those
who mourn in Zion, giving them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness
instead of mourning’ (Isa. 61:1-3)?”
Now
as we think about faithful believers who have served the Lord all their lives
and then have a series of very difficult circumstances come into their lives,
things like losing a child, or perhaps a mate, or having great pain in illness,
it is difficult not to wonder about God’s love and justice. I remember when I was going to the first
church that I went to after becoming a believer and there was a retired Pastor
whose wife was in a coma for a very long time, and in our prayer meeting one
evening he quoted from the book of Job something like even though God smote me
I will still praise His name. I have to
say that I know that this man had served the Lord many years, and when this
awful trouble came on him that he still trusted the Lord. I was very impressed with this man’s faith in
the Lord.
John
MacArthur writes of those who are going through difficult circumstances and are
tempted to give up: “Why don’t you help?’ But if we dwell on such thoughts, Satan
magnifies them and tries to use them to undermine our trust and confidence in
God. Execpt for when we willingly
continue in sin, we are never so vulnerable to doubting God’s goodness and
truth and believing Satan’s lies as when we are suffering.”
As
we continue to talk about John’s circumstances we see that he knew where to
find help, and answers to his questions about if Jesus was truly the Messiah,
and so he sent his disciples to see Jesus for confirmation. In his mind he had perhaps been crying, “Lord,
why don’t You help me?” now, through his
disciples, he was pleading, “Lord please help me?”
In
our Lord’s great love and mercy, He was glad to respond, performing miracles
especially for John’s sake and promising him spiritual blessing if he did not
waver in trust even in the midst of perplexing circumstances.
We
know that when Paul first became a believer as seen in Acts chapter nine that
the Lord told Ananias that Paul would have to suffer much for the sake of
Christ. So we find Paul in prison where
he wrote letters to different churches which we find in the New Testament. In Philippians we read “4 Rejoice in the Lord
always; again I will say, rejoice! 5 Let your gentle spirit be known to all
men. The Lord is near. 6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer
and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all
comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Phil.
4:4-7). Paul then went on to say “11 Not
that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever
circumstances I am. 12 I know how to get along with humble means, and I also
know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned
the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and
suffering need. 13 I can do all things through Him who strengthens me
(11-13). “And my God will supply all
your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (v-19).
MacArthur concludes “Negative circumstances are
painful and trying, but our response should be the same as John’s –going to the
Lord and asking Him to quell our doubts, snxieties, and fears (cf. James
1:2-12).”
2 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when
you encounter various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces
endurance. 4 And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may
be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. 5 But if any of you lacks wisdom,
let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it
will be given to him. 6 But he must ask
in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the
sea, driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that man ought not to expect that he
will receive anything from the Lord, 8 being a double-minded man, unstable in
all his ways. 9 But the brother of humble circumstances is to glory in his high
position; 10 and the rich man is to glory in his humiliation, because
like flowering grass he will pass away. 11 For the sun rises with a scorching
wind and withers the grass; and its flower falls off and the beauty of its
appearance is destroyed; so too the rich man in the midst of his pursuits will
fade away. 12 Blessed is a
man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive
the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him”
Spiritual meaning for my life today: I like very much verse 12 as my spiritual
meaning for my life today.
My Steps of Faith for Today: Fight the good fight. 11/22/2021 11:26 AM
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