Our Blessings in the Pursuit - Debbie Diss

Here are the happenings in our life as God continually pursues us!

Saturday, May 7, 2016

Is it true that God won't give us anything that we can't bear?





I Corinthians 10:13 -  No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. wGod is faithful, and xhe will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
I have always believed God will not give me anything that I can't bear, because He will give me a way out of it or through it. It seems pretty simple to me. Then I hear other people talk about how this is a horrible thing to say to people in times of sorrow or pain. So, maybe I am naive? Why wouldn't it make you feel better to know God is going to help you get through things? I was confused!
I think I finally understand why people are upset about I Corinthians 15:13. I think some people believe that this means God won't let them go through anything bad! Other people think it means God will make sure they don't have a bad outcome! Well, if they believe this passage means nothing bad will ever happen to them and they are suffering or sad because of a death or depressed, then, yes, they are going to be mad about someone saying this to them. It will not comfort them. 
However, this passage does NOT mean God will put a protective bubble around you and nothing bad will ever happen!  It means something entirely different and something very hopeful and promising.Here is how John Piper explains it:
From a John Piper broadcast:
http://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/will-god-ever-give-us-more-than-we-can-handle
Whether that statement — “God will never give us more than we can handle” — is biblically correct depends on what we mean by “we” and “handle.”
What does “we” mean? Does “we” mean God takes into account our independent possibilities based on our track record of handling trouble and, thus, measure out that trouble to us so that it doesn’t go beyond what “we” independently by our own resources can handle? Is that what “we” means?
Or does “we” mean what we can handle it if we receive it by faith in divine assistance and that God knows what he himself will give us by grace in enabling us to handle what he gives us — so he is not thinking of we as independent, but “we” as dependent on the grace that comes with the difficulty? Which of those two does this statement ask about?
And “handle.” What does “handle” mean? Does “handle” mean you never collapse under it? Does it mean you never fail in any task? Does it mean you never mess up? Does it mean you never fail to get a B+ on every one of life’s tests? Or does “handle” mean you never fail so that you never recover or repent or restore reconciliation and that you are finally lost because you failed? Which does “handle” mean?
So to answer all of that and give my answer to the question, let’s just look at the key texts that I think he probably has in mind.1 Corinthians 10:13, “No temptation” — or “test,” it is the same word in Greek — “no test has overtaken you but what is common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted — tested — beyond your ability — or beyond what you are able — but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”
When Paul says, “he won’t give what is beyond what you are able,” he means, “not beyond what you are able with God’s help.” We know that because of a couple of other things he says, for example, in2 Corinthians 9:8: “God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.” In other words, in every test or temptation, the question is, “Will I do what I ought to do?” And Paul says, “There will be grace,” not just, “I am depending on you to use your resources without depending on grace.” “I am giving you grace so there will be grace to do it, not you independent of my powers to help.”
And he said in 1 Corinthians 15:10, “By the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.” In other words, if I survive any test or accomplish any work when I am tested, it is grace, decisively grace, not decisively me.
So my answer to the first query, “What does ‘we’ mean in this statement: ‘God will never give us more than “we” can handle’?” is that “we” means we who are helped by sovereign grace, not we independent of the power of God’s help.
And then the question is, “What does ‘handle’ mean? Never stumble? Never fail? Never get a C- or an F on a particular test that God gives?” And my answer is, “No, it doesn’t mean that.” If we had perfect reliance on all that he is for us in Christ, we would pass every test glowingly. But God does not promise that kind of perfect reliance on his omnipotent grace.
Well then, what is being promised when he says that we will always have with every test an escape and when he says that we will have grace for every good work? And I think what is promised is ultimately this: He will never let us so stumble or so fail that we don’t recover and repent and are restored. In other words, he will never let us sin our way into apostasy and damnation. He will enable us to bear the fruits of genuine faith and perseverance to the end.
And here are the texts that make me think that:
  • Philippians 1:6, “He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Christ.”
  • Romans 8:30, “Those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.” He is going to keep you.
  • Luke 22:31–32, “Simon, Simon,” Jesus says to Peter, “behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat” — get your faith out of you. “But I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” I prayed for you. Yes, you are going to deny me tonight, but I am bringing you back. You are going to get an F on this test tonight and I am going to make you pass your life test.
  • 1 Peter 1:5, “By God’s power we are being guarded through faith for our salvation.” God’s power is guarding me. He won’t let me fail in any test utterly.
  • 1 Corinthians 1:8, “He will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of Christ.”
So, here’s my conclusion: God will never give us more than we can handle. Is that biblically correct? Yes, if we mean God will never give his people trials in which he will not sustain them and bring them through to everlasting glory. We will be enabled to do all we must do to get there.

Find other recent and popular Ask Pastor John episodes.
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John Piper (@JohnPiper) is founder and teacher of desiringGod.org and chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary. For 33 years, he served as pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church, Minneapolis, Minnesota. He is author ofmore than 50 books, including A Peculiar Glory.
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Posted by Debbie at 6:49 AM No comments:

What happens when we ignore God or don't seek Him?

 Exodus 32
19When Moses approached the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, his anger burned and he threw the tablets out of his hands, breaking them to pieces at the foot of the mountain. 20And he took the calf the people had made and burned it in the fire; then he ground it to powder, scattered it on the water and made the Israelites drink it. 21He said to Aaron, “What did these people do to you, that you led them into such great sin?” 22“Do not be angry, my lord,” Aaron answered. “You know how prone these people are to evil. 23They said to me, ‘Make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.’ 24So I told them, ‘Whoever has any gold jewelry, take it off.’ Then they gave me the gold, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf!” 25Moses saw that the people were running wild and that Aaron had let them get out of control and so become a laughingstock to their enemies. 26So he stood at the entrance to the camp and said, “Whoever is for the Lord, come to me.” And all the Levites rallied to him. 27Then he said to them, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Each man strap a sword to his side. Go back and forth through the camp from one end to the other, each killing his brother and friend and neighbor.’ ” 28The Levites did as Moses commanded, and that day about three thousand of the people died. 29Then Moses said, “You have been set apart to the Lord today, for you were against your own sons and brothers, and he has blessed you this day.” 30The next day Moses said to the people, “You have committed a great sin. But now I will go up to the Lord; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin.” 31So Moses went back to the Lord and said, “Oh, what a great sin these people have committed! They have made themselves gods of gold. 32But now, please forgive their sin—but if not, then blot me out of the book you have written.” 33The Lord replied to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against me I will blot out of my book. 34Now go, lead the people to the place I spoke of, and my angel will go before you. However, when the time comes for me to punish, I will punish them for their sin.” 35And the Lord struck the people with a plague because of what they did with the calf Aaron had made.

God had just led the Israelites out of Egypt with ten plagues, none of which affected the Israelites, only the Egyptians. He has parted the Red Sea. He has given them manna from heaven every day and provided them with water in the desert. 

So, what do they do when their leader, Moses, is gone on the mountain (with God) longer than they expected? They create an idol, a golden calf, and worship it instead of God. Then they take disobedience and selfishness to an ever lower level and anarchy reigns in the camp. I have to wonder how Aaron gave way to this thinking so easily after all the great miracles.

Then I think about myself. How many times have I prayed for answers and instead of waiting just did something I decided to do? How many times did I skip waiting on God's answer? How many times during every day, do I rely on my judgement instead of God's judgment? In other words, do I talk to God all day so that I know I am doing His will, not mine, all day? No, I am sad to say I do not. Sad...

What's even worse is the number of times I have seen God work in my life and yet I forget too rely on Him. He has resolved broken relationships. He has revealed a missionary field. He has provided exactly what I have needed before I knew I needed it. He has protected my family. He promises to keep my family with Him forever. The list goes on.

Father, I know you are all knowing, that you only want what is best for me. Thank you for always trying to get my attention. Please help me to focus on you and you alone. Help me to be grateful for all the things you have done for me, and will do for me  In Jesus Christ's name I pray. Amen
Posted by Debbie at 6:19 AM No comments:

Jesus, the Snake, and the Old Testament

Numbers 21
4They traveled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea,[a] to go around Edom. But the people grew impatient on the way; 5they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!” 6Then the Lord sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. 7THE PEOPLE CAME TO MOSES AND SAID, “WE SINNED WHEN WE SPOKE AGAINST THE LORD AND AGAINST YOU. PRAY THAT THE Lord will take the snakes away from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. 8The Lord said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” 9So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived.

I am always confused by the poisonous snakes God sent to kill the Israelites for their sins. Why a snake? Then, even more curious, why a snake on a pole to heal them? Weird, right? Doesn't a snake usually symbolize Satan? Isn't that like the idols they made that angered God?

Well, a closer look, and a little Bible study, indicates a very different picture. In fact the opposite!

The snake, Satan, God sent to punish the Israelites for their sin. Satan is sin. The Ten Commandments in the old Testament ensured people knew what sin was/is. So, why not a snake to poison people? Sin poisons us to God, doesn't it?

To cure our poisoning, our sin, God sent His son to take away our sins (the poison)...to heal us. So, I think the dead snake on the pole represents Jesus conquering sin. He overcome Satan by dying on the cross for our sins. So the snake, Satan, is conquered. Just like looking at the dead snake on the pole healed the Israelites, so trusting in Jesus, also heals our sin. A dead snake means Christ killed it. He killed sin! So, this is not an idol they are worshipping on the pole, it is God's forgiveness. That, we should worship!

Father, thank you for planning out our salvation from the beginning of time. Thank you for your perfect plan for all of us. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.
Posted by Debbie at 6:10 AM No comments:
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