Picking back up on Afflictions with a thought from Pastor Robert Hoekstra's pen on GODS Grace to begin today, with editing to enhance its content. And the subject of our receiving the Better Promises through Grace works within us once we receive understanding in seeking the Knowledge of our new LORD. "Even More on Relating Rightly to the God of All Grace"
"The GOD of all Grace . . . Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from GOD . . . He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on Better Promises." (1Peter 5:10; 2Corinthians 3:5; and Hebrews 8:6)
"If we are going to live by Grace as GOD intends, we must get to know "the GOD of all Grace." As we get to know Him, humility and faith develop in our lives. They are the relational realities and building blocks that build faith through His Love. They become real in our lives as a result of getting to know the LORD better and better. As we walk with the LORD in humble dependence, we are living by the Grace of GOD. The LORD is Grace to the humble (1Peter 5:5 and James 4:6), and faith accesses Grace (Romans 5:2; 4:16). The scriptures seem to indicate that there are many ways to relate rightly to the LORD in humility and faith. In our previous meditation, we saw that living by the Spirit and living by resurrection power are the same examples of this Truth.
Living by the sufficiency of GOD is a profound opportunity to relate to the LORD in humility and faith. This heavenly perspective begins with a declaration of our own inadequacy. "Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves." It is true that we as disciples of Jesus Christ are so inadequate that we are unable to produce any of the Christ's Life within ourselves by ourselves. Jesus Himself taught this radical fact. "Without Me you can do nothing" (John 15:5). If we embrace this humbling Truth, we are walking in humility before the LORD. The corresponding declaration points us to the source that we need. "But our sufficiency is from GOD." Only GOD's resources are sufficient to produce the kind of fruitful spiritual life that GOD calls us to live. Jesus taught this great Truth as well. "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit" (John 15:5). If we accept this encouraging Truth, we are walking in faith toward the LORD.
Living by the Promises of GOD offers another significant opportunity to relate to the LORD in humility and faith. "He is also Mediator of a Better Covenant, which is established on Better Promises." The promises of the old covenant of Law (which are basically, "Do these commands, and you shall live" — see Leviticus 18:5) depend on man's ability and faithfulness. However the Better Promises of the New Covenant of Grace depend upon GOD's ability and faithfulness. Abraham was "fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform" (Romans 4:21). Sarah "judged Him faithful who had promised" (Hebrews 11:11). It is humbling to know that we can't perform well enough to enjoy the promises of the old Law. Contrariwise, it is Faith building to know we can Trust the LORD to fulfill all His Promises of Grace."
Afflictions:
All things Work for the Believers Good :
Romans 8:18-25, 26-27, 28-30, 31-39 "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him Who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And He Who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the Will of GOD.
For this we know that for those who love GOD all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, in order that He might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom He predestined He also called, and those whom He called He also justified, and those whom He justified He also glorified.
What then shall we say to these things? If GOD is for us, who can be against us? He Who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against GOD's elect? It is GOD Who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the One Who died—more than that, Who was raised—Who is at the right hand of GOD, Who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, "For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered." No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him Who loves us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the Love of GOD in Christ Jesus our LORD."
2Corinthians 4:7-12, 13-15, 16-18 "We have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to GOD and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the Life of Christ may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Christ also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you.
Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, "I believed, and so I spoke," we also believe, and so we also speak, knowing that HE Who raised the LORD Christ Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into His presence. For it is all for your sake, so that as Grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of GOD.
So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal."
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