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Spurgeon: “Finding joy in deep distress”

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20130703_joyindistress

From yesterday’s Morning devotional by Charles Spurgeon.

“Our heart shall rejoice in Him.”
(Psalm 33:21)

Blessed is the fact that Christians can rejoice even in the deepest distress; although trouble may surround them, they still sing; and, like many birds, they sing best in their cages.

The waves may roll over them, but their souls soon rise to the surface and see the light of God’s countenance; they have a buoyancy about them which keeps their head always above the water, and helps them to sing amid the tempest, “God is with me still.”

To whom shall the glory be given? Oh! to Jesus—it is all by Jesus.

Trouble does not necessarily bring consolation with it to the believer, but the presence of the Son of God in the fiery furnace with him fills his heart with joy. He is sick and suffering, but Jesus visits him and makes his bed for him. He is dying, and the cold chilly waters of Jordan are gathering about him up to the neck, but Jesus puts His arms around him, and cries, “Fear not, beloved; to die is to be blessed; the waters of death have their fountain-head in heaven; they are not bitter, they are sweet as nectar, for they flow from the throne of God.”

As the departing saint wades through the stream, and the billows gather around him, and heart and flesh fail him, the same voice sounds in his ears, “Fear not; I am with thee; be not dismayed; I am thy God.” As he nears the borders of the infinite unknown, and is almost affrighted to enter the realm of shades, Jesus says, “Fear not, it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” Thus strengthened and consoled, the believer is not afraid to die; nay, he is even willing to depart, for since he has seen Jesus as the morning star, he longs to gaze upon Him as the sun in his strength.

Truly, the presence of Jesus is all the heaven we desire. He is at once “The glory of our brightest days; The comfort of our nights.”

Comments

  2. Great Lesson Chris.

    A day ago I had to stand up for True Justice concerning a situation in my life and go to court over what was right thing to do both legally and morally even though I didn’t want to.

    I did it out of obedience to the LORD and for many others I am sure. It will ripple as always.

    I was standing for the Kingdom Of Heaven in as much as he says Seek Justice, Have Mercy, and Walk Humbly with your God so I did.

    The old Donna would have let it go,just taken my beating and went on, but this time my Father said NO, You will Stand for what is Right and True. Then you will Watch the Glory Of Your LORD for you. The Victory is yours and the battle is mine I was told….

    When it came time to face the adversary in front of the Judge the Holy Spirit was there very strong inside me.

    He was holding me from the inside out, like a parent would take hold of a child firmly yet lovingly. He so firmly held me I did not speak, move, or do anything but listen to His rhythmically reassurance that Justice would be served even though it looked differently than that.

    It was crazy the forces at work to cause chaos.

    Earlier there was a demonic storm that knocked out power and phones in the court house. There was a fierce spiritual battle all around me but I was ever so strangely beyond calm.

    There was no fear in me, and no anxiety in me, and no need to speak in me, or be worried or panic.

    However the defendant was all those things and more.

    I faced the forces of Hell head on and simply watched in wonder like a child told to sit and be quite while my Father “YHWH” “THE LORD OF HOSTS” took the battle field and threw them down in defeat, cut them off utterly.

    I was truly amazed as I had prepared all my documents for weeks. In this case I never even had to speak except for one sentence which was an answer to a question the Judge posed.

    He asked Do you want to proceed, and out of obedience I said “YES” and then the Victory became apparent as I watched My Daddy drive them ALL back to the place they came from and destroy them all.

    As Chris says I felt Joy, Joy for Justice, Joy in the face of adversity, and then deep sadness at the affliction of my defendant, In this case I was the plaintiff. I could feel the forces controlling Him and His actions and it was like watching a movie but not being in it. I was There but not a part of it.

    My flesh would have failed me. My fears of confrontation would have overcame me. My apprehension of injustice winning would have defeated me.

    INSTEAD MY JESUS TOOK ALL HELL HAD TO THROW AT ME AND THREW IT BACK AT THEM JUST FOR ME! I DID NOTHING BUT LOVE AND TRUST HE WOULD…He said because you have Loved me…..

    I was not given a Spirit of fear but of Love, Power, and a Sound Mind…

    Thank you Daddy :)ALL THE GLORY BE TO YOU !!!

    • Hallelujah.

      I praise the Lord Almighty our Mighty Saviour for this testimony Donna and thank you for sharing this. A cause for rejoicing this day!!

      It seems that over the past several weeks the powers of darkness have been assailing me as well.

      The previous week as I began to prepare for my work day, feeling trepidation at what lay ahead of me, a gentle voice came to me and spoke the words “I will never leave you or forsake you”

      Seeing the teaching of Derek Prince before me, upon receiving these words, I came in prayer proclaiming them aloud before our God making them my own. I then “entered His gate with thanksgiving and went into His courtyard in praises”. Psalms 100:4

      Tess and others thank you for your prayers. I have written to a teacher at my son’s school, bringing the Lord’s truth to this man who would not honour Jesus Christ’s name but rather spoke for the pagan Greek goddess Diana, the same as in Acts 19:35.

      Having sought to turn him from his error, in his response to me he declared himself a believer in Christ baptised and attending church yet rather then responding in word and love of Christ and turn from error, his dedication to the subject he teaches at school seems to have entrenched him in the powers of darkness. Please pray for this man, for God’s mercy and blessing.

      Anyway to keep this short. Prayers were answered despite an initial struggle, my son submitted to my authority in our household and agreed to me confronting his teacher.

      On Monday night, having struggled with all that seemed to be trying to overwhelm me at work and in my child’s life I went to our men’s bible study fellowship. The assistant teaching leader speaking that night on Genesis CH18-19, the life of Abraham and Lot, declared the following words;

      Concerning Lot
      “It was easier for Lot to say nothing, and it is easier for us to say nothing.”
      “How often have we stood up for what is right?”

      “All it takes for evil to triumph is for a good man (person) to do nothing.”

      “A believer cannot compromise with evil & expect to have any testimony.”

      “Our call as Christians is to keep close to God and His people, NOT to get caught in any halfway house of worldliness”

      “Our call is to live by faith in the Son of God who gave Himself for us.”

      [In quotations written from my journal 1 July 2013].

      Thank you Lord for your work in Mr Nick Theakston, the assistant teaching leader.

      Donna Hallelujah. Praise the Lord Jesus for His strengthening. Our God is strong and mighty. Mighty to save.

      Thank you Chris for this message. I do rejoice this day.

      Blessings in Christ
      Mark H NZ

      • Mark, I am so glad the change in your home and so glad prayers are answered, thanks for your confirmation of His word….

        He is teaching us to be Bold, Stand when he says..

        We were called to receive an inheritance..

        We must not accept the status quo because we are afraid they will sue us.

        We must stand on the Word of God even unto death!!!

        He will prevail for us always even when it looks bad.

        We must believe He who is in Me is greater than he who is in the world!!

        God never accepted what was wrong due to fear of offense. He is not gray He is black and white. Let your yes be yes and your no be no…

        Love You All and May the Lord Bless All of Us as his Word Says will 🙂

      • Steve,

        I whole heartedly agree with you. Our praises, honour and glory are to the Lord Jesus Christ and to our Father who sent Him.

        I love this scripture from Acts 17:11. The translation you have used to write in describes the peoples in Berea as being of more NOBLE MIND than those in Thessalonica. Why? because they received the word in all readiness and searched the scriptures to compare Paul’s words to apprehend that he indeed spoke the truth.

        I rejoice in the Lord in this.
        Firstly, because in a life group (home group) that I led several weeks ago, I reminded all present that by doing what we were doing, assembling in a home on a Friday night and coming together for fellowship, the teaching of the apostles, for prayer and the breaking of the bread Acts 2:42 we were in fact participating in Christ as one with a NOBLE mind.

        Secondly, because I have a personal testimony to share concerning NOBILITY. I became a martial artist from my teenage years and in doing the martial arts, by Satan’s cunning and my own self pride was led astray, away from the Lord Jesus. Yet at the age of 40, while practicing an old style samurai martial in Japan by God’s mercy and by the grace of Christ I was brought to my knees before the Lord Jesus repentent.

        How strange are God’s ways though and how merciful and great are His acts, and especially in man’s salvation. What attracted me to this samurai art was an American friend’s suggestion that it was of NOBILITY. He saw the samurai class of people in Japan and the art they practiced as having nobility, and an art walking in love.

        Yet how great was Satan’s deception. I only found out after re-reading my friend’s emails that in the art I had practiced, all were bowing to a false God of a mountain in Kyoto.

        So Steve, I rejoice in the Lord Jesus. Because thanks to Him the gates of Hades could not stand and before I became more firmly entrenched in a great darkness, the Holy Spirit convicted me of my sin and Jesus Christ led me away. I rejoice because God has given me a love of His Word. The Lord Jesus Christ is He whom I love, and in loving Him I now know I have a mind of NOBILITY.

        My second love Steve, is of the Lord’s people.

        Again I say it, How strange are God’s ways though and how merciful and great are His acts. Why?

        Because it was a cousin of my mum’s, in her 70’s, whom I met for the first time last year, she had spoken a word to my mum, which my mum repeated to me as a new black belt while still a young man, that 24yrs later saved me.

        As I also found out last year my mum’s cousin had studied in Womens BSF (Bible Study Fellowship) in the 1970’s in Honolulu. This is the same bible teaching group that I now belong to and serve in, here in Auckland New Zealand. I give thanks to God for this women and her bold word to my mum which led to my salvation some 24 years later.

        And not by coincidence Hallelujah, I was reminded through this study, administered from the USA, just this last week from their teaching notes, that YES Lot’s descendents were the Ammonites and the Moabites and Jesus Christ was born thorugh the human lineage of Ruth, a Moabite. Luke 3:32. I praise God as the Holy Spirit led me to Luke to include this verse. Was not Boaz the man who married Ruth, redeeming the inheritance of her deceased husband Elimech also?

        Steve you have asked the question also in relation to Lot…
        Was the sacrifice that Lot was willing to make any different than that of Abraham’s with his son Isaac?

        Consider that perhaps it was. When the three men approached Abraham at Mamre in Genesis 18 Abraham recognised them as the Lord and His angels.

        Did Lot recognise the men who entered Sodom as angels of God when he offered up his daughters to be raped by the filth of Sodom?

        Genesis 19:1 would I think lead us to believe yes. Why then did Lot not expect God to act for him through His angels, rather than offering his children to be molested? Perhaps Lot had spent too much time in worldliness and had not sufficient trust in the might of God to defend his family.

        This is worth pondering I think, as there is a deep spiritual truth here. Lot’s life faded with him living in a cave, and with his daughters sleeping with him for their lineage to continue. This points us to a life saved but the work being not laid well on Christ’s foundation. A life spent with too much worldy focus. 1 Corinthians 3:15.

        This can be contrasted with Abraham’s life of a walk with the Lord in faith and in obedience and the fuller blessings Abraham received from God.

        Yet Steve, I praise the Lord Jesus for your words. And I will thank you also.

        We are taught to edify one another in Christ’s Spirit. In this I look for what the Lord Jesus who is the Sovereign One, and who is Spirit, is saying to me through the words of other Spirit filled Christians.

        But it is My God who grows us, who provides the sustenance and the nourishment as I am just a branch, his little child, with the Christ my Vine.

        To this end I give thanks to God in Jesus Christ for each whom I see walking in Spirit and Truth and whom God is drawing to Christ through the Blue Letter Bible.

        I give God praise and thank God for Jesus’ work in people such as Bob, Tess and Donna and others such as yourself. Including those who are teaching through BLB such as Chris Poblete, Dave Jenkins Justin Alfred and others. Such encouragement we need from our brothers and sisters in Christ to help us to continue to stand firm in a world we sojourn in, but are not of.

        But I thank these people also, each one. Why? because it takes a choice for Christ, and a commitment to share His gospel and particpate in the great commission, and to share His love.

        To God be the glory. Hallelujah.

        In Christ
        Mark H. NZ

        Tess. Hallelujah. I praise God for your video link also. It sooo spoke to me today and through it I found my Lord’s encouragement and also a gentle reminder of how I am to fish “it takes practice” AND might I add “always looking at Jesus” “He is the Master fisherman and without Him I can do good thing”

        Thank you Father for apart from Jesus Christ I can do no good thing, in Him is all goodness, all virtue, all Nobility and all strength. In Jesus name. Amen

        Thank you all for your prayers!! I am finding deep joy in having been in deep distress in work and family. Thank you Jesus.

        Apologies for the length if some found this long.

        Donna, Hallelujah to our Father, I loved the words you shared. “Our hearts shall rejoice in Him.”

        In Christ
        Mark H NZ

        • As it is written, the Word of our testimonies sets others free. To know they too can be Loved and Cherished.

          Wow, I will tell it all as the LORD permits me to 🙂 Shout it from the mountains…

          Our personal battles do not take away from Jesus/Yeshua but prove

          “HE IS THE GREATEST OFF ALL”…

          ” HE IS OUR LOVING & MERCIFUL KING”

          THE GREAT “I AM” YHWH…..MY DADDY 🙂

          To Know we are not alone in the battles have helped me to become Bolder and to Stand in these days of uncertainty.

          To hold on to Him who created me when the storms of life try to wash me away with fear, doubt, and condemnation..

          All Not of GOD but the Devil.

          Mark H, I to walked in a world of great deception, the deception from the Legions who control this world. I also was truly deceived.

          Jesus, came to me also in the only way I would understand Love, His Love and in the most unconventional way.
          I assure you many would have called me a heretic, but He knew all the secrets, deceptions, lies, and also MY HEART.

          A heart that did not know true love and only wanted love….Remember he uses the darkness for His won purpose. He is my master potter I am only the clay in His hands becoming what He wants me to be 🙂

          A true heart, the one He created me to have. A heart that today is only For Him,
          Of Him, and His Kingdom.

          When I was born again, He told me I had the first half and now He gets the second

          “Hallelujah” !!!

          For that, I am finally at Peace in His Kingdom where I always needed to be…

          Redeemed by Him who Loved me First !!!

          TO “YHWH” BE ALL THE GLORY….AMEN….

          Your Daughter…Donna…
          PS…We are a great army His army. His Own.

  3. Off Topic

    Tess, in answer of your questions from previous post.

    I make every effort to keep my comments short, so a misread can result. A request to clarify can help in lieu of letting our emotions get the best of us. I also don’t often read the long comments.

    I wrote – “too many of us confuse emotion for faith.” I did not write, “FAITH IS NOT EMOTION” as you read it. To clarify – The exercising of our faith can be emotional or result in the showing of emotion, but to confuse emotion or an emotional experience as faith happens too often. For example preferred seat is now available to hear the message given by some of the Big Time Christian Prosperity Peddlers around $147 per show, ooooh the goose bumps that result from sitting so close! Faith is the “substance”; faith is not the “hope”. Faith is the sacrificing of your only son, knowing he will be raised from death, Gen 22:2 HNV (that verse is the first time the word “love” is used in scripture).

    The Bribe mentioned in Deu 10:17 HNV is referring to a corrupt Judge who would let himself be bribed resulting in injustice. Our GOD is not one who could or would be bribed meaning HE is fully trustworthy in HIS judgments.

    Luke 6:1-5 HNV, Yeshua did not pluck, rub and eat, HIS disciples did that. Check the different translations through BLB and yes HE defended them then just like HE does us now.
    Mat 15:1-20 HNV, Yeshua was going against “tradition” of the Elders.
    Jhn 5:39 HNV, I read this verse as making the point I’m trying to relay.

    It is only by the Blood we receive eternal salvation, but not just any blood. It had to be the shedding of “innocent” blood to death and the only GOD given ruler we have to measure innocence by is the Jewish Torah (LAW) of which Messiah followed perfectly as evidenced by The Resurrection from HIS tomb.

    Did I miss anything?

    Isa 40:31 HNV

    J.

    • Jerry,
      I’m so thankful you responded. Please forgive me if I offended you. I will however be telling Mary some day that you called her lazy but I expect you’ll also be telling Martha I called her huffy, so it’s a wash!

      Isaiah 40:31 is one of my favorites. It reminds me of my son who I miss so very much.

      Mark and Donna I’m so grateful for both of you and my prayers are with you always. I can remember as a child when the theory of evolution began being taught. I came home and told my father I WOULD NOT do the homework or tests required for that portion of the class. Unfortunately he told me I had to but put on my papers and tests “the book states this and that”. I refused and told him I’d take the failing grade but I would not comply. I squeezed a D in the class but I so wish my father and all Christian parents had done things differently. Mark you did the right thing and I’m VERY VERY proud of you.

  6. Caution should be exercised in the over use of the words “I”, “me”, “my” when writing about Loving HIM.
    J.

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