Hearing God, Through Circumstances

You are going through this for a reason. Which may have nothing to do with you.

Trials and Tribulations will come. Bad things DO happen to good People. Your walk as a Child of God, will NOT be, all Roses and Ice Cream. Why? Perhaps one of the most obvious reason is this..

"But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren."{Luke 22: 32}

James tells us this...

James 1:

1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.

2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;

Wait....Did he just say count it all joy? Yes. Yes he did. He said call it all joy when trials and tribulations come into your life. Why?

3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.

8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

9 Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted:

10 But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away.

11 For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.

12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

Another thing you need to keep in mind is this...

13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:

14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

16 Do not err, my beloved brethren.

You know the Story. Job had everything. Job lost everything. Money, Property, Family, Friends, and lastly, his very Health. Talk about Trials and Tribulations? The Story goes on that Job was always Faithful and never Cursed God. Not only did he receive all he lost, but many times more. And, we are STILL talking about him to this very day.

Did the devil ask to tempt the Drunk? The Prostitute? Did he say he wanted to tempt the King? The Leader of the Synagogue? No. He wanted some poor, average, everyday guy named Job. Why? God said "that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil." He was a Child of God. Before we could receive the Spirit. That's saying something. He knew God well, and God loved him. Therefore the devil hated him. It was not God who was testing his Faith. It was the Circumstances that Job found himself in that tested his Faith.

Look at Peter. The only other one in history to walk on water. The one Jesus told was the rock on which He would build His church.

Matthew 16:

18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

This is one of the most powerful Saints to ever live.

But this did not protect him from Trials and Tribulations on his way of getting to this position. I would have loved to see Peter's face when he and Jesus was sitting around and Jesus said to him this...

Luke 22:

31 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:

32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

You know the story. Jesus told Peter that Peter would deny any knowledge or association with Jesus three times before the Rooster crowed three times. On the third, Jesus looked at Peter, and Peter ran away.

One of the best examples, in a lot of ways, is Paul. Paul was Saul before he was Converted. Equal to Hitler in every way. Then Jesus appeared before him and asked him to follow Him. He said "Yes," and became Paul. So great a Saint that HE wrote a lot of the New Testament that we read today. Did he have Trials and Tribulations? I guess you could say that.

Put in prison over and over. Faced death over and over. Received 39 lashes from the Jews 5 times. Beaten with rods 3 times. Stoned one time. Shipwrecked 3 times. Spent a day and night in the Sea. Often hungry and thirsty, cold and naked. I guess you could say he had some Trials and Tribulations. You can find Paul explaining this in 2 Corinthians 11.

You see, no matter what was going on in the negative sense to Paul, his first concern was always the Church. Was always God and His Will. What all these have in common is this. In the middle of their Trials and Tribulations, in the middle of their "negative Circumstance" they never lost sight of the goal. They never lost Faith. They understood, that if they did not choose to forsake God, and His Will, God would never forsake them. They did not respond to the Trials and Tribulations by the flesh. But by their Spirit.

Job received much more than he lost. Peter became the Rock on which Jesus said He would build His Church, and Paul, wrote a lot of the New Testament. However, none of these things are worthy to be compared to that of which awaits us in Heaven.

Truth Faith is not being Religious. It not about going to Church once a week and hearing God's Word, singing Hymns, and going home to live as you will. True Faith is not simply following the Traditions of Men, but having a one on one relationship with God Himself. With Jesus. Allowing the Holy Spirit to guide you in all things.

Doing the Will of God. Being a Sower of the Seed. A Shower of The Way. A Teller of Truth. Once you become a Child of God, it is up to you to follow Jesus or not. It is up to you to allow the Spirit to guide you or not. Do not think for a second that God doesn't know who you are. Do not think for a second, that you can not accomplish whatever it is that God instructs you to do. Do not think for a second that you can not overcome the Trials and Tribulations that may come into your life. Make no mistake about it, they WILL come. However, do not think of a second, that it is God who is sending them.

Truth is, if you are doing God's Will, God is on your side. If you are lead by the Spirit, the Spirit is with you. If you are following Jesus, Jesus is with you. If God be with you, who can be against you? Who can succeed in stopping you from doing what God has Ordained you to do? Truth is, no one can. Nothing can. There is simply nothing greater than God. While you are living for Him, and doing His Will, there is no longer anything or anyone, greater than YOU.

Trials and Tribulations will come. Negative Circumstances will occur in your Life. Jesus himself told us this. Rejoice and be glad when they do, for in these times, is when God is closest to you. He may even be Speaking to you in the midst of them. Preparing you for something greater. Trust in Him. Rely on Him. Never lose Faith. Never respond to these things in the flesh. But remain in the Spirit. Allow God to show you the way through.

It may be as simple as this. Once you come through it, you can then help someone else that just started. How can a Man with two legs, help a Man with none, learn the best way to live without them? You get the point? How can one who can see, help a Blind person live daily Blind. Sometimes, the negative Circumstance, the Trial and Tribulations you have to go through, have nothing to do with you at all.

Think Jesus. Look what He went through. None of that had anything to do with Him. The Mocking, Stripping, Beating, the Nailing to the Cross? Death? The Grave? Hell? That had nothing to do with Him. He went through all that, for YOU.

Next time we will be discussing how God can and does speak to you through the Advice and Counsel of your fellow Brothers and Sisters in Christ.

Do you know Jesus as your Savior? Have you been adopted into the Family of God? If not, say this Prayer. Right now. Wherever you may be. Say it in your own words, and do not doubt in your heart. God will hear you. He will send the Spirit of Life to you. Let us Pray..

"Oh heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Jesus's sacrifice for me. I repent my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Jesus, Amen!"

That's it. It really is that simple. Now go tell someone what you have just done. "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." {Romans 10:9} You need to find a Church that God leads you to, and be Baptized the way Jesus said to be. You are now a Child of God. A new Creature. You "have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him." {Colossians 3:10}

If you want to tell me, or comment, question, give testimonials, or just say "Hi," the Email is opntalk@gmail.com

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. {2 Corinthians 13}