Friday, March 28, 2014

Laying Down Our Lives for the Glory of God

John 9:1-7
Laying Down Our Lives for the Glory of God

     And as He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he should be born blind?” Jesus answered, “It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was in order that the works of God might be displayed in him. We must work the works of Him who sent Me, as long as it is day; night is coming, when no man can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” When He had said this, He spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and applied the clay to his eyes, and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam.” And so he went away and washed, and came back seeing.

     My question for us today is, ARE WE WILLING TO UNDERGO HARDSHIP FOR THE SAKE OF THE GLORY OF GOD? Here we see an example of a man whom God allowed to be blind from birth so that He might demonstrate His glory to many people that they might be saved. The man might have been twenty years old or more at the time Jesus healed him but as we read further in this chapter the Pharisees would hardly believe that he was truly blind even when his parents testified to the truth of his blindness. It’s amazing how far in advance God has to plan so that He can validate His miracles to those who don’t believe.
     Further on in this chapter the man who was healed also believes in Jesus and receives eternal life. So God more than compensates for the years he lost to blindness, and also blesses him with a personal testimony that will draw many into the kingdom of God.
     So in our present circumstances, why are we complaining about life’s hardships? Jesus says that these things will glorify Him someday and draw the lost into His arms for eternity. So as we begin to follow after God and He begins to refine us through trials and hardships should we complain about these things? Jesus says that He will be glorified in our lives so that many will believe in Him through the example He will make of us. Perhaps we will be like the blind man and have our whole lives seem to go by with nothing good happening and then one day – Jesus comes and takes care of it. Why does He wait so long? Because people are so stubborn and will not believe in a God they can’t personally verify the truth of. And why not, they should have proof that our God is real! But we are to be that proof! And why would we want it any other way? We already know Him and love Him. Why should we not willingly sacrifice our earthly lives for the sake of others who may believe and share eternity with us in Heaven? God could remove us from this world the moment we become saved, but then who would be left to be His witnesses on the earth for those who do not yet know Him? 
     Jesus says that eventually there will come a day when our testifying will be done and all those who have believed will be saved and those who have not will be cast into Hell. Until that day we are to lay down our lives for the world around us that many might be saved! This is a time for work and not leisure. Let us rise up and join our Master in the work He began 2000 years ago. I believe we are in the eleventh hour and here we are standing outside waiting for work. I say – Lord, give us any tool we are able to work with and send us into Your vineyard and let us make up for the fact that we only have one hour to make up for missing the first ten! At the end of the age when the work is done, let not the ones who started at the first hour complain that we only worked one. Let us give them nothing to grumble about by being very energetic in our work!
     So let us not complain about our hardships but bless God that He will use them to bring people into Heaven! Hallelujah!



6 comments:

  1. Is Seth saying that everyones hardships are meant to glorify God, without any stipulations or under certain circumstances? Anyone got an opinion on that? I really would like someones opinion.
    Claudette FL

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    1. Dear Claudette, This is what I "understand" from Seth's message. Hardships can be the pathway for us to learn self denial and to encourage a total trust in GOD. That is what HE wants us to do.

      Some hardships are the result of our disobedience to GOD. There will be consequences for all our actions and so some things occur b/cause we decide not to trust and rely on GOD.

      Sometimes, without hardships in our lives we all feel that who we are, what we can do, and have achieved are as a result of our goodness. And so many of us leave GOD out of the picture. It is only through our loving GOD why we may have the things we have today. Everything belongs to GOD.

      I am grateful for my hardships, though they may be painful, as they let me see that I am greater than my circumstances when I rely on GOD. This is not an opinion B/cause everything we need to know about GOD is in the BIBLE. He tells us that "HE the LORD is greater that all our circumstances together"

      This is how I know I love GOD so much. B/cause He is always there for me. When things are good and when things are not too good. GOD is always there. Be reminded of the story of JOB. Quite an example. Lost everything but stuck with GOD and relied on GOD though his friends, family rejected him. HE called out to GOD and GOD helped him through.

      GOD is greater than all our circumstances and hardships.
      If you just let HIM have HIS way.

      GOD's Blessings,

      Sophia, CT

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  2. I believe that our hardships enable us to help others with a true sense of empathy. We can use bad experiences for good. Jesus is always there for us regardless of our circumstances.

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    1. Hi Amy, But what if the person with the hardships doesnt know Jesus or is an atheist? Do you think his hardships are to glorify God?

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  3. Dear Seth, I am learning how to lay down my life for the LORD. Knowing GOD has changed a lot of things in my life. The beautiful thing about a relationship with GOD is that one has to really want to hear from GOD.

    Whatever our circumstances are. GOD is greater than our circumstances. If we only place our full trust in the LORD, HE will use these circumstances to help others to want to know HIM.

    The blind person mentioned, was there as proof to the Divine power of the Lord JESUS. JESUS was given all authority to heal those who were sick and broken hearted. That young man must have believed, as He was healed. I'm sure those around who knew him were taken in awe. But this young man in gaining sight was proof that JESUS was the son of GOD. This young man who gained his sight was a witness to the people around.

    There is a song that says "Through it all, through it all. I've learned to trust in JESUS, Ive learned to trust in GOD. Through it all, through it all I've learned to depend upon HIS WORD"

    GOD's Blessings.

    Sophia, CT

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    1. Sophia. You said "that man must haved beleived" in relationship to his healing. I think that is a "requirement " to laying down our lives to give glory to God. I also feel fo God to use our hardships to glorify God, we must be one faith first.. What do you think?

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