Life is Hard!

I am a strong believer that God uses everything that happens in life to teach us something about Himself if we will just listen to His Spirit and allow Him to instruct us. Then I search God’s Word to see what God has specifically said regarding what the Spirit has impressed upon my mind.

I am a pen turner and I love to work at my lathe. I have learned many things about life as I work at my lathe. Each step of the process in turning a piece of wood or antler into a pen is painful to the material with which I am working. The process includes cutting, drilling, shaping, sanding, polishing, friction, and pressure. But when the process is complete the material has been transformed; it has new beauty, value, and purpose. Something of little value now has greater value, all because it endured a painful process! Life is full of difficulties and it easy to become overwhelmed. But there is a purpose behind each hardship; they are all part of a process to shape and mold us into some of greater value and purpose. My desire in writing this blog is to encourage and maybe stir up some conversation with the lessons that God has been teaching me through the painful process of life. Life is hard, but God is good. May He continue working His process in my life.

If you are going to read any of my posts be sure to ready "Introduction to Lessons from the Lathe". In that post I lay out the basis for all the other blogs.

Monday, September 2, 2013

Meditations from Romans 5:1-11

Romans 5:1-11, tell us three times that because we are justified by faith and have peace with God are to rejoice.

Rejoice in the promise of the hope of God's glory: We are to rejoice in the hope of the glory of God (5:2.) God is at work in our lives transforming us into the image of Christ. He will continue you the work until completion (Philippians 1:6.)

Rejoice in the process of God's glory: We are to rejoice in suffering (5:3.) Suffering is the process through which God produces our glorification: suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope. God works all things together for good for those who love God; He is using all things to conform us to the image of Christ

Rejoice in the Person of God's glory: We rejoice in God because He is the one who reconciled us through The Lord Jesus Christ (5:11.) Philippians 2:13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. 

At times I allow my frustration with my health to cause me to lose my hope. I take my eyes off the fact of the justification that God has worked in my life through the death of Jesus Christ. He purchase my salvation through His blood. You have taken away my filthy rags and placed on me His perfect righteousness. Because of the justification, I have hope in the promise of glorification; God is at work in my life. I will be glorified; that is my eternal destination. Romans 8:29-30 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. 

Justification is a one time transaction; it is done, I have been justified. Sanctification / glorification is a process that occurs over time. It is a process that involves pain but produces the fruit of righteousness. God will work all things together for good, including difficulties and disappointments

God is the One Who is at work in my life. It is His plan, His promise, His purpose to transform me for His glory. 

He Who Began a Good Work In You
He who began a good work in you
He who began a good work in you
Will be faithful to complete it
He'll be faithful to complete it
He who started the work
Will be faithful to complete it in you

If the struggle you're facing
Is slowly replacing
Your hope with despair
Or the process is long
And you're losing your song
In the night you can be sure
That the Lord has His hand on you
Safe and secure
He will never abandon you
You are His treasure
And He finds His pleasure in you