Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries
God dependence begins when self-dependence ends. Pastor John Farley.
Thursday, February 8, 2007
Suffering depletes our human resources and confronts us with our total dependence upon the grace of God, 2CO 12:9-10.
Suffering is designed for our good and for His glorification: He is glorified by sustaining and blessing us in any situation, whether prosperity or adversity.
This is why each stage of spiritual growth contains divine assets that may be used to solve particular problems that cause or accompany suffering.
Under stress the believer needs straight answers.
The purpose for accurate and precise terminology is to make absolutely clear to the suffering believer that God has provided real assets that both transcend his current misery and offer him effective help in time of need.
Remember that the Christian way of life is a supernatural way of life that demands a supernatural means of execution.
Therefore, our first problem solving device, rebound, brings us to the invisible, behind-the-scenes ministry of God the Holy Spirit in the believer’s life.
The next problem-solving device in the Christian way of life is faith-rest, which enables the believer to control his own mental attitude.
The accurate application of doctrine appropriate to a crisis demands a stabilized mentality.
A confusing, complicated situation must first be reduced to utter simplicity by claiming stated promises of God,HEB 4:1.
PRO 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.
DEU 31:8 “And the Lord, He it is who goes before you; He will not fail you or forsake you. Fear not, neither be confused.”
Stabilized by divine promises, the believer can now recall principles he has learned and eventually reach doctrinal conclusions.
Another basic problem-solving device which is vital in handle suffering is a personal sense of destiny.
This answers the question “Where am I going in life?”
This means that to handle suffering, you must develop enforced and genuine humility.
Obedience to the divine plan means using perfect divine assets rather than trusting inferior human ability.
With a growing knowledge of Bible doctrine, enforced humility becomes genuine humility, the foundation for personal love for God.
This is why the Bible draws an analogy between eating food and learning doctrine, which is the believer’s spiritual food, DEU 8:3, JOB 23:12, MAT 4:4.
He must unite the new doctrine he hears with the rest of the doctrine he knows for that new truth to contribute to his spiritual growth.
James McConkey, a well known Bible teacher in the beginning of the 20th century wrote: “Faith is dependence upon God. And this God-dependence only begins when self-dependence ends.