Let's Pray

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Good morning church,
Today I want to share on Going Through Difficult Times. My definition of difficult times is circumstances that are hurtful and painful a and which you'd rather not be in. Could be grief, loss,persecution, frustration,discouragement and so forth.


Our main reading is from Isaiah


Isaiah 43:2-4King James Version (KJV)

2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

3 For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee.

4 Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life.

Without stretching words and tenses, I believe the WHEN of verse 2 makes it clear that difficult times figuratively called waters and fires are inevitable for believers. Note the verse was addressed to Israel. So it's a matter of WHEN not IF.

Let's turn to some word Jesus spoke;

John 16:33 King James Version (KJV)

33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

Again the certainty of tribulations is emphasized. I used to think that these words meant Christians would be persecuted and probably killed just like Jesus but yesterday as I was preparing this, it crossed my spirit that Jesus spoke these words before his Passion and he spoke of having already overcome. While it is possible that he was speaking of his future victory on the cross, am convinced he also meant the many things he went through right up to the cross in his life.

It is widely believed out of the loud silence over Joseph Mary's hubby and Jesus stepdad that he died while Jesus was quite young. At the cross, Jesus committed his mother to John (Jn 19:26-27 ) and this would be awkward if Mary had not been widowed by then. Point is,Jesus most probably buried his father. Read grief.

Let me repeat that while suffering may come out of sinning,and Peter insists that whining out of sin-induced suffering is nonsensical (1Peter 3:8-22) there will be suffering outside sinning. Believers have and do suffer. In other words, hating and avoiding sin is no immunity from suffering.

And finally in Revelation,
Revelation 21:4 King James Version (KJV)

4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

Of course tears at least on this verse signify pain. That this happens at the very end means that BEFORE this point in time, tears,sorrow,crying and pain will be the way to live.

In the interest of brevity, allow me to stop at that point. Next Lord's Day God willing we will look at what to do and what attitude to have when going through Difficult times.

Now, let us worship Him who loved us and washed us from out sins in His own blood (Rev 1:5)