Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Sevice 2 - 11/11/07 Pst Ulf Ekman -- SUFFERING!!!
Most people run away when pressure comes.
In Mat 9, the Bible says that the harvest truly is plentiful , but the laborers are few. So harvest is actually not the problem, the problem is the laborers!! Why are the laborers few? because laborers work. People run away when pressure comes. People don't like others to put a demand on them. But if nobody puts demand on you, you will NOT grow up...
Jn 16:33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace.
People run away when pressure comes because people are constantly looking for peace. There are people looking for money, power... etc. but what they are really looking for is peace - situation where there is no worries. We can't get real peace except in 'Me' (Jesus). And we christians are not in the world, we are in 'Me'!!.. Therefore we may have peace... We don't run away from problems, we face them.
"But you don't know my problems... you don't know what i'm going through..." You don't know my problems too!!.. Shall we exchange?? Get out of victimism.
Acts 14:21~22 ... we must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God...
Some christians think that this verse is not for them as they are already in the kingdom of God. And some preachers choose to preach only the positive thing, the blessings but leave out the condition! We can't just preach half the gospel.. but the whole gospel.
We MUST through many TRIBULATIONS enter the kingdom of God.
Attacks will come. We will try to protect our circumstances when attacks come. But what we need is only to come to Jesus. In Him, we will have peace!
The main attack in your life is 'give up' - it is not worth going through the tribulations... But look at Paul.. He told the Philipian church to rejoice for 15 times!! Rejoice, Rejoice, Rejoice, Rejoice... eventhough he went through prison, was rejected by Christians... But He was full of excitement. And we have all the reasons to be excited. We need overcoming faith. Don't run away from difficulties. It's all in your attitude. There is victory in Jesus. So do not have Jesus as your last option. Let Him be the first!
Acts 9:15~16, Rom 8:31~37 ... Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. What are 'all these things'? Look at v36 - tribulation, distress, presecution, famine, nakedness, peril, sword... But we are more than conquerors. We believe in victory and blessings. The shield of faith will quence out every fiery darts of the devil.
Phil 1:27~30
There are 3 things that we would say when tribulations come
1) Why me??
Rom 5:3 If you are working, you will know about payday.. But payday comes when you work...
Don't complain. Don't give up. Get out of victimism.
2) Where are you God??
Remember on thing - God is not the source of your problem!! He is the source of blessing.. Don't blame Him for your problems..
Then where is God? why doesn't he show up when i have problems??
He will not show up. He is already here!!! Do not treat Him like He is absent.
3) It is not worthy to go through the tribulations
Jesus is LORD!!.. not us..
There will never be any circumstances which God can't help you..
When tribulations come, don't blame God, your neighbours or yourself..
Rom 12:1
