God's Word teaches us that as new creatures in Christ, we are to be His ambassadors, representing Him accurately in our sphere of influence.
As we face various trials and difficulties, He has provided us ALL that pertains to life and godliness (2 Pet.1:3). He has has taught us there is NO trial greater than we can handle (1 Cor 10:13). He assures us that ALL things are being worked together by Him for our ultimate good, which is progressive conformity to Jesus Christ. He obligates Himself to NEVER withhold anything from us that would accomplish that great eternal purpose for our eternal good and His eternal glory (Psa. 84:11). He guarantees us that His grace is sufficient and has given His eternal, infallible and unfailing promises to His blood-bought children (2 Cor. 12:9).
Hebrews 12:15 gives us clear and definable instructions on the importance of maintaining a biblical perspective on trials. It reads " Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; ". When we lose confidence in God and forget God's absolute promises, we cease to know the peace of God in our hearts, and start to demonstrate the conflict of sin. When we fail of God's grace by failing to view situations as He views them, we take inappropriate steps of action to resolve problematic areas. It is then that the root of bitterness is born. Thereafter, we see the inner conflict of our troubled heart, as well as an influential defilement upon those lives whom we touch.
What is it that cases us to struggle against that which God declares is for our ultimate good? Have we forgotten that we are His workmanship, created for His purpose and glory? Have we placed our own temporal will and purposes above His eternal ones? It is only as all of our expectations are from Him (Psa. 62:5) that we will view people and problems in His way, reject taking up offenses, and will understand and submit joyfully to His will, according to His Word.
May God help us to respond to Him in ways that please Him, then to reflect and report Him accurately today so that we do not fail of His grace, thus preventing a root of bitterness from springing up in our own hearts.
(C) 1993 N.A.Collins - Limited copy permission for one personal file copy
(c) 1993 N.A.Collins - Excerped from Topical Bible Study Meditations
As we face various trials and difficulties, He has provided us ALL that pertains to life and godliness (2 Pet.1:3). He has has taught us there is NO trial greater than we can handle (1 Cor 10:13). He assures us that ALL things are being worked together by Him for our ultimate good, which is progressive conformity to Jesus Christ. He obligates Himself to NEVER withhold anything from us that would accomplish that great eternal purpose for our eternal good and His eternal glory (Psa. 84:11). He guarantees us that His grace is sufficient and has given His eternal, infallible and unfailing promises to His blood-bought children (2 Cor. 12:9).
Hebrews 12:15 gives us clear and definable instructions on the importance of maintaining a biblical perspective on trials. It reads " Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; ". When we lose confidence in God and forget God's absolute promises, we cease to know the peace of God in our hearts, and start to demonstrate the conflict of sin. When we fail of God's grace by failing to view situations as He views them, we take inappropriate steps of action to resolve problematic areas. It is then that the root of bitterness is born. Thereafter, we see the inner conflict of our troubled heart, as well as an influential defilement upon those lives whom we touch.
What is it that cases us to struggle against that which God declares is for our ultimate good? Have we forgotten that we are His workmanship, created for His purpose and glory? Have we placed our own temporal will and purposes above His eternal ones? It is only as all of our expectations are from Him (Psa. 62:5) that we will view people and problems in His way, reject taking up offenses, and will understand and submit joyfully to His will, according to His Word.
May God help us to respond to Him in ways that please Him, then to reflect and report Him accurately today so that we do not fail of His grace, thus preventing a root of bitterness from springing up in our own hearts.
(C) 1993 N.A.Collins - Limited copy permission for one personal file copy
(c) 1993 N.A.Collins - Excerped from Topical Bible Study Meditations
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