📖 Word For The Day: God Works Through Adversity

God is at work in us to cause us to grow. He does not consult us to find out if we feel the need for growth, or ask us how we would like to grow. As a well-skilled farmer, God tends his own. He nourishes and prunes us so that we will be healthy and fruitful.

John 15:1-2
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.”

A healthy vine requires nourishment and pruning. Through the Word of God, we are nourished, but through adversity, we are pruned. God expects us to grow through the disciplines of instruction from His Word as well as adversity.

Psalm 1:2-3
2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
and who meditates on his law day and night.
3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
whatever they do prospers.

Psalm 94:12
Blessed is the one you discipline, Lord,
the one you teach from your law;

It is comforting to know that God is at work in each of His children. You may not even be aware of His work, or you may fail to respond in a God-honoring way to His work. Still, through it all, we can have the confidence that every good work that He begins in you, He will continue to complete until we see Him face-to-face!

Philippians 1:6
Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Remember, whatever difficulty you are facing today, great or small, is intended to help you grow in some way. If it were not for your benefit, God would not send that trial into your life!

Lamentations 3:33
For he does not willingly bring affliction
or grief to anyone.

God does not delight in our sufferings, but He lovingly brings whatever is necessary to help us grow! Trust in the goodness and loving care of the Gardener. Drink in the Word of God and submit to the pruning.

Have a blessed Friday!

Remember to pray for the teen activity tomorrow! Join us this Sunday at 9:00 at the Lubambe worship centre. We will lift our voices in praise to God and continue our study in Jonah!

Pastor Phil