Strengthened by God

Today on Renewing Your Mind.

He is the God of all grace, while the enemy would have the believer to think that you're going through what you are going through because God does not care for you here, Peter says, let me tell you even though you're going through. You are the beneficiary of a call to is the God of all grace, God is shown for every attempt to do as as David in Psalm 13. How long will the Lord's will discover today. God is not only closer than we think he's promised to bless us through our trials. Welcome to our study of select doxologies and benedictions from the sacred Scriptures.

These are wonderful statements of praise statements of blessing that we can cling to hold fast to stand on, but we need to remember that these are not isolated statements. All of these benedictions and doxologies that we find in the Scriptures are given in the context of particular God inspired settings. For instance, Ephesians chapter 3 verses 20 and 21 is a doxology benediction in the context of prayer that increases our confidence that God will answer prayer.

First Thessalonians 523 and 24 is an assurance of God's work to help his people live out the calling to holiness as they live in light of the coming of the Lord. All of these benedictions and doxologies sit in a scriptural community that must be considered.

First understand the richness of the benediction or the richness of the doxology so it is with the blessing doxology in first Peter chapter 5 verses 10 and 11 first Peter is about how to live as a Christian in a hostile environment. There is growing hostility against the Christian faith in the Roman empire and Peter writes to brace his readers scattered throughout the Roman world to brace them for things to get worse. Verses 10 and 11 record a benediction and doxology that is a part of a larger passage which consists really of verses eight through 11 two get the scope of it. In verse eight, Peter is clear that we as Christians have an enemy a spiritual enemy be sober minded, be watchful. He says your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Is been well say Christianity is a battleground not a playground.

There is a war going on and we have an enemy who was like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But then Peter says, let me give you the believer's response. We are not to run away. Verse nine says resistant firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of sufferings are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.

Satan is like a roaring lion, says Peter, but the believer is to stand his ground even when suffering comes how are we to do that. Verses 10 and 11 I believe is the answer. This benediction and doxology is stated here in the context of the statements about the spiritual warfare believer's face to say to you and me friends when you stand for God, he will make sure you are not standing alone when you stand for the Lord.

He will make sure that you are not standing alone, we have a divine ally in spiritual warfare in these verses show us three ways the Lord is at work on our behalf.

Even when suffering comes, he first wants us to know in this passage that God loves you in your suffering. God loves you in the midst of your suffering. He says in verse 10, after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen and establish you. Notice how God is identified here in verse 10 what a wonderful title for God. He is the God of all grace is nowhere described this way in Scripture.

But here what a lofty title for God. What a great assurance. This is for the believer that God is the God of all grace, and it is significant to note that he presents to the believers, God of all grace in the context of suffering. What do you say to a believer who is going through a season of suffering, you point them to God, and what attribute does the believer need to know about God when he is suffering of all of the attributes of perfections and wonders of God. I would think you would say that God is stronger powerful and greater then the roaring lion listen to him saying he's the God of all grace really grace when we are suffering. Verse 12 drop down there he says by surveying us a faithful brother as I regarded I have written briefly to you exhorting and declaring that this is the true grace of God stand firm in it is these believers are suffering. He wasn't have the assurance that they are in the true grace of God and that in this grace they can stand firm, God is the God of all grace, not just the God of grace, the God of all grace. Hebrews 4 verses 14 through 16. Since we have so great a high priest was passed through the heavens, Jesus the son of God, let us hold fast our profession.

We do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with us in our weakness. One who is tempted in every respect as we are yet without sin that is then drawn near to the throne of grace with confidence that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in the time of need. God is the God of all grace and his grace is not just saving grace. It's suffering grace don't minimize the amazing nature of God's grace.

Sometimes we misunderstand grace as if grace opens the door to the family of God and then once we get in. We gotta make sure we live writer will get kicked out at the same grace that saves us is the grace that sustains us as sinners who need to be made right with God. God is the God of all grace, but as saints who may suffer for his namesake.

God is the God of all grace we are saved, because God's incarnate son died of vicarious death at the cross for our sins, but to say that God is the God of all grace means that we have the assurance that the same factor that sent Jesus to the cross is at work on the behalf of those who believe when they suffer the love of God, the grace of God. God by his grace, he is saying that only pardons he protects we go up to chapter 4 verses 10 and 11. There is a call to serve in the basis upon which we are to serve chapter 4 verse 10 says if teachers receive the gift would use it to serve one another as good stewards of God's varied grace God's varied grace is literally God's multicolored grace God has grace to fit every circumstance the believer faces. He is the God of all grace.

John one verse 16 says from him.

We have received grace upon grace. That's the believer's life, not just our salvation in which we are gripped by God's amazing grace when we trust Jesus Christ and his finish work at the cross, but the whole experience of the Christian life is grace upon grace upon grace.

Ephesians 2 verses eight and nine says we are made right with God by saving grace we live righteous lives as Romans five verse seven, by the sanctifying grace of God first read this chapter 15 verses eight and 10 amp. Paul acknowledges that he doesn't deserve to be an apostle of Jesus Christ, but he serves as an apostle, he says, because by the grace of God I am what I am second Corinthians chapter 8 verses one through nine. Paul attributes the generosity of the Macedonians to the grace of God there is sacrificing grace in which these meaning believers were able to be generous with joy.

Second, read this chapter 12 verse nine Paul has suffering grace to deal with the thorn in the flesh. Colossians 316 says the same should be singing with grace in our hearts cautious for two says our our speech should be seasoned with grace. Second Timothy chapter 2 verse one, Paul beats his protégé to be strengthened in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

There is the strengthening grace. He is the God of all grace, while the enemy would have the believer to think that you're going through what you are going through because God does not care for you here, Peter says, let me tell you even though you're going through. You are the beneficiary of a God who is the God of all grace, God loves you in the midst of your suffering. The second lesson he says he in this benediction to the suffering saint in that God puts a limit on your suffering here verse 10 again after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen and establish you. Notice how Peter here speaks about the way God puts a limit on our suffering, there is the pronouncement of that limit almost is a phrase will be prone to skip over. If you're not careful. After you have suffered a little while, in that wonderful God puts a limit on the suffering.

It said I want you to know I'm the God of all grace and I'm in control. I care about you in the midst of this, and I want you to know that this suffering will only be for a little while but you have here is an affirmation that believers will face suffering. In fact, in chapter 4 verse 12 he says, beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you as though something strange were happening to you will barely Peter was not an adherent of prosperity theology.

He did not promise the believer's health and wealth and success. He said don't be surprised when trouble comes with unhappiness additional either flipping chapter 1 verse 29 Paul says that he has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him but to suffer for his namesake suffering for Christ process is just as much a gift as saving faith is.

But in the midst of suffering, God gives us an assurance that it is only for little while.

That doesn't mean friend that your suffering will be brief. You may suffer the ordeal for the remainder of your experience on this earth but in light of the glorious blessings of eternity is only for little while. Noted preacher was respected for his patience and calm and gentleness and friend visited him and saw him pacing back and forth like animal in a cage just restless and asked what the matter was, and after thinking about it for moment is summarized that I believe the problem is as simple as this, I am in a hurry, and God is not where are prone find ourselves there, but we are in a hurry, and God is not is frustrating to be stuck in the waiting room, all the more frustrating if your attitude and I write when you are in God's sovereign waiting room, no answers, no explanations, no numbered system let you know your ticket is coming up, but he does leave word for us. I'm not going to give you a timeframe for what you are dealing with. Except I want you to know if this assurance the suffering is only temporary.

It will not last forever.

It is only for a little while. Psalm 30 verse five God's anger is but for moment, but his favors for lifetime weeping doors for the night but joy comes with the morning Isaiah 40 verse 31 but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings as eagles they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. Romans eight verse 18 for I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared to the glory shall be revealed in us secular this for verses 16 to 18 so we do not lose heart. Knowing that these present trials that are just for little while working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.

While we do not look at the things that are seen but the things that are unseen for the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. Galatians 6 and nine.

So let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we will reap a harvest if we do not lose heart. He says your suffering is just for a little while. Here's the proof of that, you know, he says, and after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ you see that the suffering is not the end the end his eternal glory in Christ. Sometimes I'm watching the television show or watching the movie and the such suspense time is running out villas still only lose the damsel is still in distress. The hero is still far away and I am getting tense and nervous until I remember that the same people to roll the beginning of this growth in how much more is that true for the Christian journey, the one who wrote Genesis wrote Revelation underwrote the beginning wrote the and even though we may suffer for little while we been called to eternal glory. This is a new identity we have in Christ related to our past. But there's a new destiny that we have in Christ related to our future. We been called to eternal glory. This is an actual call. We have the assurance of Romans eight verse 30 whom he predestined he also called whom is called. He is justified, whom he has justified. He has glorified God loves you in the midst of your suffering.

God puts a limit on your suffering. God wants you to learn from your suffering.

God wants you to learn from your suffering.

After you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory will watch this not the assurance is not even change the circumstances. Fix all your problems in all your sufferings he may not do anything about what's happening to you, but know that in the midst of the suffering he's doing something in you, he will note that he will himself. Here again we find a delegated work of God. He himself will restore you confirm you strengthen you in establishing he will restore you same word used in Matthew 421 Mark 119 for disciples mending their nets. He will fix you he will restore you. He will perfect shoe Psalm 119 verse 71.

It was good for me that I was afflicted, that I may learn your statutes. One good to me but it was good for me. There are things about God. I would not have learned since the psalmist if I had not been afflicted uses it to restore us and to confirm us to make a firm and stable.

Luke 22 verse 31 to 32. He says to Simon, Satan desires to have you to sift you as weak, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail.

And when you have been converted.

Here's our word. When you been confirmed. Strengthen your brothers. He will restore you and confirm you. He will strengthen you. He assured this of Paul as he suffer with the thorn in the flesh, so much so that in second Corinthians chapter 12 verse 10 where Paul begins the passage praying for the thorn in the flesh to be removed. He ends by saying that I'd rather the infirmity because when I am weak, then I am what strong he will establish laying a firm foundation under you. This is our hope in Christ. This is the life of the believer that stands on the word Matthew seven verses 24 through 27. Remember, Jesus tells the brief parable of two men who built two houses on two different foundations, one on the rock and one on the sand, but the storms assaulted both houses. The righteous are not exempt from the storms of life. But as you stand on God's word. You will be made firm. How then should we respond to this. This is a great passage in which benediction and doxology are blended together. There is a benediction.

In verse 10, which seamlessly shifts into doxology the God who loves us in the midst of suffering and limits are suffering it causes us to learn more about Christ in our suffering deserves dominion but ever, and ever dominion is manifested power is God's presence and dominance and authority. He is worthy of our praise. Even when suffering comes a man even when were in the middle of a trial, God's dominion, authority and his love for us have not diminished one bit annoyed that he uses trials for our ultimate good, and for his glory. This is Renewing Your Mind and over the last couple of days we have featured messages from the series. Blessings and praise benedictions and doxologies in Scripture is by Dr. HB trolls Junior who was pastor of Shiloh Metropolitan Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Florida.

There is much to learn from this a part series, including how to receive God's peace and protection and how he answers our prayer request beyond anything we might ask or imagine. Will send you the full series on one DVD for your donation. A video about to leave your ministries there are couple of ways you can make your request. One is by phone at 800-435-4343 or you can go online to Renewing Your Mind.org. Please know how grateful we are for your generosity.

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So we think you will next week will begin preparing for holy week. Dr. RC scroll help us understand the work of Christ on the cross and I hope you make plans to be with us, beginning Monday here on Renewing Your Mind