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The Light Of His Great Purpose

You must learn to endure everything, so that you will be completely mature and not lacking in anything. (James 1:4 CEV)

We can take one of two attitudes toward the ways of God with us; we can get bitter, sour, hard; or we can have the enlargement by exercise, development by exercise, to develop capacity, to bring us into the large place that we may be intelligently His instrument for governing under His Headship in ages to come. Things that enter into our history we cannot always fathom, but the explanation which we can give is that, whatever there may be as second causes, the Lord is Sovereign and He thinks it worthwhile sometimes to allow what the world would call the most terrible thing to overtake for the time being, and it would seem that His Name and interests suffer through that thing, but through that thing He brings His people to a place of maturity and they get to know the Lord for themselves. Through these terrible things we find the Lord produces something that is very much more worthy of Himself in the life of His children. That is His justification, His vindication; if He could do it in any other way He would.

In the long run He does get spiritual maturity among His people, where they know Him. He would get us to a place where we know the Lord and we have our senses exercised to know. The Lord give us grace to accept all His dealings with us in the light of His great purpose.

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.

The love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. § You did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. § He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself.

In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. § In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace. § That in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

1 John 4:7;  Rom. 5:5;  Rom. 8:15,16;  1 John 5:10;   1 John 4:9;  Eph. 1:7;   Eph. 2:7;  1 John 4:11

Reproach has broken my heart.

Is this not the carpenter’s son?” § “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” § “Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?” § “He casts out demons by the ruler of the demons.” § “We know that this Man is a sinner.” § “He deceives the people.” § “This Man blasphemes!” § “Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!”

It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. § For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully… For to this you were called, because Christ suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: “Who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth”; who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously. § If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you.

Ps. 69:20;  Matt. 13:55;  John 1:46;  John 8:48;  Matt. 9:34;  John 9:24;  John 7:12;  Matt. 9:3;  Matt. 11:19;  Matt. 10:25;  1 Peter 2:19;  1 Peter 2:21,23;  2 Peter 4:14

Trusted Trainer

He knoweth the way that I take; when He hath tested me, I shall come forth as gold" (Job 23:10).

In every field, whether the arts, industry, sports, or the Christian life and service in general, the necessary training goes far deeper and is much more rigorous than the actual performance. "Now, at the time, discipline seems to be a matter not for joy, but for grief; yet it afterwards yields to those who have passed through its training a result full of peace - namely, righteousness" (Heb. 12:11, Wey.).

"The Father chooses the servant who is suited to carry out His will; but though that servant be endowed by Him with power to do so, yet unless he be controlled and disciplined by the Spirit of God he will continually fall into the devisings of his own nature, no matter how godly and divine may be his intent. For we greatly err if we think that having the divine thought is all that is necessary as to our service; we must truly and efficiently be expressive of the thought; and this subjects us, as servants of God, to discipline which we often cannot understand.

"Discipline for known faults or shortcomings we can easily comprehend; but when it is that peculiar order of training which fits a man to be God's instrument and witness, we can no more understand it than the plants of the earth can understand why they must pass through all the vicissitudes of winter in order to bring forth a more abundant harvest." -J.B.S.

"God leaves us in the world that we may learn the sufficiency of His grace in practice, as we know the triumph of it in Christ."

"Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hearafter" (John 13:7).

The Threefold Life - Man’s Nature and Destiny (4)

Christ Our Comforter