Quote from Forum Archives on July 2, 2003, 9:39 am

Posted by: forthrightmag <forthrightmag@...>

Forthright Magazine
www.forthright.net
Going straight to the Cross

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"Can" and "Will" are two different items.
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COLUMN: Heavenly Connections

When God Is Not Willing
by Tim Hall

One of the great truths about God that leads us to
love Him is that He is a deliverer. When we are
caught in the trials of life, we need only look to
Him and He will deliver us. That hope burns within
the hearts of many.

But is it really true? Will God always deliver us
from our trials?

God Is Able, But ...

God is certainly capable of delivering His people
from any trial they face. Many occasions of God's
amazing power are recorded in the Bible: Bringing
the people of Israel out of Egyptian bondage;
rescuing Daniel from the lions' den; raising
Lazarus from the dead.

The list is long. God has often delivered His
people in dramatic fashion. The song we sing is
true: "He is able to deliver thee!"

However, the Bible does not assure us that God
will always be willing to deliver us from the
problems we face. And, no, it doesn't necessarily
mean that we are guilty of some sin, that God is
pressuring us to repent. Some of the most godly
people in the Bible have had to endure suffering
for long periods of time.

Some Examples

Think of the woman in Mark 5:25-34: She had a
serious hemorrhage of blood for twelve years. Yes,
Jesus healed her, but where had God been during
those twelve years of suffering?

Or think of the three young Jewish men in Daniel
3. Could God not have prevented them from being
cast into the furnace? Their lives were
miraculously spared, but imagine the terror the
endured while in that inferno. Where was God? Why
didn't He intervene?

Paul is another case in point. Such a devoted
servant, he was willing to endure incredible
hardships in order to preach Christ to the lost.
Then why didn't the Lord remove his thorn in the
flesh (2 Corinthians 12:7-10)? Didn't God care?

A Period of Suffering

The truth is that God was able to deliver each one
of these, but in His wisdom and grace, He allowed
a period of suffering. He saw a greater good to be
served than merely relieving temporary pain. In
the end, each of these people was stronger in
their faith, and that condition served them well
as they faced eternity. (Read James 1:2-4.)

God is with us! He is always with us, even when it
appears that He won't deliver us. Let our faith
remain always strong in His good purposes, for His
will toward us is not concerned only with our
lives on earth -- but especially with where we
will spend eternity.

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Whoa, Nelly! Slow down them horses.
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GUEST ARTICLE

Slowing Down a Fast-paced Life
by Bruce Ligon

A daily routine is not a bad thing. It gives
pattern, focus, and organization to one's life.
Also, being busy with day-to-day activities is not
necessarily wrong. But sometimes we may be guilty
of neglecting to see or do things that could bless
our life, or by which we could bless the life of
someone else.

Let's enrich our lives by slowing down and
noticing, or doing, these four things:

1. Take the time to notice the beauty of nature.

As you do this, remember that God is responsible
for you having the ability to see. Think about
what the beauty of nature reveals about the our
God. It is God's will that we have a marvelous and
majestic universe to observe. The Psalmist
exclaimed, "The heavens declare the glory of God;
and the firmament sheweth forth his handiwork"
(Psalm 19:1 KJV).

2. Take the time to express appreciation to other
people.

Often, parents will teach their young children to
say thank you. But then as adults we may forget
what we have taught our children. A simple word of
thanks to someone who helps you, who enriches your
life, or who is a friend will mean much to them.
Solomon taught, "A word fitly spoken is like
apples of gold in pictures of silver" (Proverbs
25:12).

3. Take the time to encourage a young person.

The teenage years are a time of change. During
these years young people face incredible pressures
and difficult decisions. But the word of
encouragement that you speak to a young person may
become a memory that affects their life in a
positive way. Just calling their name, and
expressing an interest in their life will mean a
great deal to them. The apostle Paul urged, "Be
kindly affectioned to one another with brotherly
love, in honor giving preference to one another"
(Romans 12:10 NKJV).

4. Take the time to ponder the blessings you have
received from the lord.

Make it a life priority to ponder the blessings
received from the Lord. Think deeply about them,
and do not rush this exercise. After doing this,
you will feel as the Psalmist David, "What shall I
render unto the Lord, for all of His benefits
toward me?" (Psalm 116:12).
__________
Since 1995 Tennesseean Bruce Ligon preaches in
Plain Dealing, La. One week every year he teaches
at the Jamaica School Of Preaching in Kingston.

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