“Bad Days”

Preached by Rev. Ed Brouwer at The Gathering Place, Osoyoos

Pulpit Series    Volume 20    Issue 14          July 18th, 2010

 

The Christian life is not a life of clear sailing.  Every believer will have bad days, no matter how holy he/she may be.

Paul was hit with a bad day while traveling in Macedonia.

“Our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; fights on the outside, within were fears.”  II Corinthians 7:5

Not just by one fear, but by many fears!  Yet he never gave in to his feelings.  He testified in his worst time, “I am filled with comfort...God comforts those that are cast down.” (verse 6).

The Greek word for “comforts” here means “to call close”.

What an amazing thing!  When we experience bad days, our Heavenly Father takes advantage of them to draw us close.

Philippians 4:19 promises “My God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

Paul says, “God shall supply all your need”.  In short, he's saying, “You need only one thing….Jesus!”

“All your needs are wrapped up in Him!”

Lay hold of Him by faith.  Rest in His promise to take care of all your needs and affairs.  You must come to the place where you can say, “Jesus, I cast all my cares upon you now.”

Even in our darkest hours - in the hospital ward, in the doctor's office, when the unfavorable test results return.

Our need often arises unexpectedly                                             and then consumes us. 

God does not always respond to our desires and He frequently allows circumstances we wish He would not.

God asks us to trust in Him.  It is imperative that “the God of the mountaintop also be the God of the valley”. 

Paul cried out  three times to be healed of his “thorn in the flesh”.  The Lord’s reply was, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”                        II Corinthians 2:9

Although we may not be able to                           understand our affliction,                                  we must cling to God's goodness. 

So we are left with this: We don’t know why God allows one to be healed and others not.  We’ve all been touched by situations where God didn’t heal despite many faithful prayers.

“If God Chooses Not to Heal Me,

God is still God and God is Still Good”

Come with me to look at a really bad day for three young Hebrew men in Daniel 3.

Daniel 3:17-18 (NIV, NAS, Message) “If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”

Daniel 3:17-18 (21st Century King James, English Standard Version, Darby Translation) “If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

 

“I see four men loose” Nebuchadnezzar says and the fourth was - the Son of God.

 

Jesus was literally with them in the worst of their trial.

 

Whether they knew the Son of God was with them, we don’t know.  Sometimes we are aware of the Lord’s presence in our        trials, sometimes we are not - but He is there nonetheless. 

Spurgeon observed that God's people are often in the furnace, and though there are different kinds of furnaces they serve similar purposes in our life.

God can deliver us from a trial or He can miraculously sustain us through a trial.

Nebuchadnezzar calls into the fiery furnace, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out.” The administrators, governors and king's counselors gathered around and saw these men on whose bodies the fire had no power; their hair wasn’t singed - their garments weren’t burnt - the smell of fire wasn’t on them.”

The trial had no power over these men because they were thoroughly submitted to the power and will of God.

Even before the time of Jesus, they knew the truth of Jesus promise: “In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”  John 16:33

The number one reason that we can be of “Good Cheer” is that Jesus answers prayer, in fact He over answers prayer!

· I am not merely a conqueror, but according to Romans 8:37  “We are more than conquerors through him  that loved us.”

· I do not merely have joy, but according to I Peter 1:8  “We can rejoice with joy   unspeakable and full of glory.”

· I am not a recipient of mere promises, but according to II Peter 1:4  “We are given exceeding great and precious promises.”

· I am not a recipient of a measure of grace, but according to I Timothy 1:14 “The grace of our Lord is exceeding abundant.”

· I am not merely held by the hand of a limited god, but according to Ephesians 3:20  “He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think.”

We are not just given a life, but according to John 10:10 “life and that more abundantly”.

You asked God for a clean heart

· He gave you a new one! 

· He gave you a heart that hungers after Him!

· He gave you a heart that thirsts after Jesus! 

· He gave you eyes to see and ears to hear!

You asked for forgiveness

· He not only forgave He wiped out the record! 

You asked for peace

· Jesus became your morning dew. 

· He refreshes your soul daily.

· He waters your soul with His word.

The fact is - Our God is not a stingy God!

“We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the Excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.”  II Corinthians 4:7

“Not of works, lest any man should boast.” Ephesians 2:9

Hebrews 11:6  “He that comes to God must believe that He is.”

Trust Him for your financial situation!

Trust Him for those unsaved loved ones!

Trust Him for that healing!

“God, our God

whom we serve

is able to deliver us”