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A sixth benefit from hardship and suffering is that they center our focus on the eternal.

In Hebrews, the writer reminds his readers of the severe persecution and trials they experienced after coming to Christ. He urges, “Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you stood your ground in a great contest in the face of suffering. Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions.” (Hebrews 10:32-34 NIV) [Read more →]

A fifth benefit of hardship is that it stretches us and builds character. Romans 5:3 explains, “We rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” The perseverance produced by suffering molds and shapes our character.

I can’t think of a better example from the Bible of this benefit and principle of hardship and suffering than the account of Joseph in Genesis. Although Joseph’s brothers meant to harm him by selling him as a slave, God turned it into something profoundly good. But for 13 years Joseph suffered severe hardship as a slave and then an inmate in an ancient Egyptian prison. His hardships also included the pain and agony of being separated from his family and the cruel rejection he had experienced at the hands of his brothers. [Read more →]

A fourth benefit of hardship, suffering and trials is that they expose and help us root sin out of our lives. In Isaiah 48:10 God says, “See, I have refined you, though not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.” In refining a precious metal like gold or silver, the metal is heated to a liquid state and then the dross or imperfections are skimmed from the surface to make it more pure.

In the same way, God uses “heat” and “pressure” in our lives to bring sinful patterns to the surface. For instance, it’s easy to love others when they too are loving and caring toward us. But when the heat is cranked up and someone treats us with anger and malice we are tempted to throw back at them what they threw at us. Christ wants to change that in us, but without the heat and pressure of the moment, our sin won’t be revealed. [Read more →]

A third benefit of hardship, suffering and trials is that they teach us how to worship. In Job, chapter one, we read the account of a godly man named Job. Job was very wealthy and he loved and worshiped God. The Scripture tells us that Satan objected to God that the only reason Job served God was because God had blessed him. Satan insisted that if Job were stripped of his wealth and possessions he would curse God instead. So God gave Satan permission to attack Job in this manner.

We’re told that in one day through a series of horrible catastrophes, Job lost all of us flocks, herds, servants and even his children! His loss and grief must have been beyond comprehension! Yet, look at Job’s response in Job 1:20-21, “At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: ‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.” [Read more →]

In her short book, The Liberty of Obedience, Elizabeth Elliot reveals a code for obedience to Christ espoused by the prominent Christian schools of the second century. Students were told they must: abandon all colored clothes and opt only for white; stop sleeping on a pillow; sell their musical instruments; stay away from white bread; and refrain from bathing and shaving. “To shave is to lie against Him who created us, to attempt to improve on His work.”

Those second century rules seem ridiculous to us now, just as our own rules will no doubt appear foolish to others in the future. Since the beginning, mankind has always tried to establish our own rules to define what obedience to Christ looks like. The Christ-followers in Colosse fell into this trap and Paul dealt with it head-on: [Read more →]

I’m excited to announce that my new book, Enthralled with God–Cultivating a Joy-Filled Relationship with Him is available on Amazon.com! You will find the book in both soft-cover and e-version.

Below is the brief introduction from this book that I’m sure you’ll want to read.

Introduction

A few years ago, a young woman named Amy was living with us. One evening we heard the front door open and my wife and I went to the top of the stairs to greet Amy. She was returning home from discipleship training at our church. I called down to her and asked her how it went.

Amy had a huge grin on her face and stood there speechless for a moment. Then she blurted out, “I’ve been a Christian for many years, but tonight I discovered that I can enjoy God!—This changes everything!”

It’s true! Enjoying God, being enthralled with him does change everything! My experience and that of countless others have been every bit as dramatic and life-changing.

If you long to know God more deeply, seeing him as your joy and delight, then this book is for you! You are embarking on a great adventure with God!

© 2010 Rob Fischer

To order your copy of Enthralled with God please click on the link: http://www.amazon.com/Enthralled-God-Cultivating-Relationship-ebook/dp/B004CRSSZ6/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1290529603&sr=1-4

As we saw in the last post, we often misunderstand God’s motivation for seeking our obedience. But we also confuse our own motivations for obeying Christ. Based on God’s love-motivation for our obedience, our motivation should reciprocally flow from our love for him, but often it does not. When we suspect God of lesser motives, our motives become perverted as well.

One of the greatest lies many Christians have come to accept in the context of obedience is that it is simply our duty to obey Christ—no more, no less. That statement may shock you and certainly there is just enough truth in it to make it sound reasonable. But sheer duty to obey Christ fails to recognize Christ’s complete and selfless love for us. Let me explain what I mean. [Read more →]

Have you ever had a pebble in your shoe? From time to time I’ll be out hiking and a pebble flips up and lands in my boot. Of course, I could stay home and sit on the couch and avoid the possibility of getting a pebble in my boot, but then I’d miss out on so much enjoyment in life!

Instead, I choose to go out hiking and occasionally get a pebble in my shoe. Sometimes, if I’m in a hurry, I try to ignore the pebble. And before I know it, this tiny remnant of a rock or twig is causing me to walk with a limp. This wayward pebble is irritating, annoying and impairing my ability to walk and enjoy the beauty around me.

So finally, I’ll stop, untie my boot and shake out the offending particle. And often I’m amazed at what a tiny particle of stone or bark it was that caused me so much discomfort! Why hadn’t I stopped to remove it sooner? [Read more →]

This is the fifth article in this series on the church. I’m responding to the trend of those who call themselves Christians yet distance themselves from the church.

In the New Testament, one cannot miss the pattern that the immediate work of the Holy Spirit in the life of a new follower was to bring him/her together into deep fellowship with other followers of Christ. Acts 2:41-47 represents a classic passage on the account of the fledgling church in Jerusalem:

“Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” [Read more →]

Rob’s Review: The End of Reason by Ravi Zacharias

Do not read Zacharias’ book unless you’re a thinker! In The End of Reason Ravi Zacharias masterfully challenges what he calls the New Atheism. This brand of atheism prefers malicious mockery and caustic, prejudiced ranting over logical thinking. Zacharias argues head to head with Sam Harris referring to Harris’ recently published book, Letter to a Christian Nation, and neatly dismantles the house of straw that Harris so audaciously erected.

Although this New Atheism touts tolerance as its chief virtue, Zacharias comments, “I have always found it fascinating how relativists who say they love the idea of tolerance ultimately reveal themselves to be among the most bigoted.” (Zacharias, p. 14) [Read more →]