For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
--Hebrews 12:11
When you face adversity, you have two choices. You can choose bitterness or you can choose happiness. But you can’t choose both.
You can choose to allow the trails in your live by God’s grace to make you better…or to make you bitter.
In Psalm 105:18, the Darby Translation says of Joseph, “They afflicted his feet with fetters; his soul came into irons.” I love that! Joseph was being developed as God was putting iron in his soul.
God knew difficult days would lie ahead for Egypt, and that it would require Joseph to have a durable and doable faith. There in prison, God taught Joseph wisdom and courage and character and perseverance and endurance as his fetters produced faith and his chains produced character!
God steeled Joseph’s soul without Joseph hardening his heart. And as a result, he became a veritable velvet covered brick—soft on the outside, but strong on the inside.
And you know, God is looking for some strong and steely saints today…believers with iron in their souls! I know there are some who teach that life is a dream if you’re a Christian. That all you need to do is name it and claim it and you’ll be healthy, happy, and all the rest.
But that kind of teaching isn’t biblical teaching. And it produces wimps instead of warriors for God.
And in these uncertain days, we need Christians who have steel and iron in their souls! But be prepared, as God uses adversity to bring about that kind of maturity.
As today’s verse says, you are trained into righteousness…and problems and pressure and adversities and trails are God’s gifts to you to make you stronger…to make you better in your faith and your walk with Him!
God is looking for some strong and steely saints today. Will you respond to his call?
by Dr. Paul Chappell
“And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.”
Luke 15:5–7
William Cushing had a successful pastorate, but then one day he lost his voice. Determined that he still wanted to do something for God, Cushing began writing poems. He worked with Ira Sankey on a number of hymns that were greatly used in D. L. Moody’s revivals. One day when he heard a report of those who had been saved in a meeting, Cushing rejoiced. He later said, “It seemed like such a glad day with the very bells of Heaven ringing in my soul. Then the words, ‘Ring the Bells of Heaven,’ at once flowed down into this waiting melody.”
Ring the bells of heaven! there is joy today
For a soul, returning from the wild!
See! the Father meets him out upon the way,
Welcoming His weary, wand’ring child.
Ring the bells of heaven! spread the feast today!
Angels, swell the glad, triumphant strain!
Tell the joyful tidings; bear it far away,
For a precious soul is born again.
Glory! glory! how the angels sing!
Glory! glory! how the voices ring!
‘Tis the ransomed army, like a mighty sea,
Pealing forth the anthem of the free.
When the lost are saved, all of Heaven rejoices. The salvation of a sinner is the culmination of the work and sacrifice of Jesus, and we have the privilege of being part of this most important effort. “And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:18).
Today’s Growth Principle:
Nothing we can do on Earth brings more joy to Heaven than reaching the lost with the gospel.
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