God's University of Adversity: Where... You Like Living Stones, Are Being Built Into A Spiritual House

OTHERS

CHAPTER 1

ADVERSITY LEARNING

DIAMONDS

Their crystal elegance has for centuries been a mark of royalty. Their inner purity has come to represent the purity of love, while their phenomenal strength has made them the symbol of eternity. They are diamonds, crystalline gems that sparkle and shine in the presence of light.

It might be said that the beauty of the diamond is in its capacity to handle light. A gemstone diamond is designed to pull light deep into its core, reflect the light off its facets, then radiate the light back out in fiery brilliance. Place any diamond in the dark and it is nothing more than a transparent stone that’s been faceted, shaped, and polished. However, return the diamond back to the light and a beautiful transformation takes place - the diamond is filled with light and it radiates that light with sparkling glory.

Why? Because diamond’s are prisms, bending light and dividing it into a rainbow of colors. As a result, light that is invisible to the human eye is displayed in vibrant hues of red, blue, yellow, green, purple, and violet. That’s why a diamond moving through light shimmers, shines, and sparkles with scintillating flashes of fiery color that leap and dance in and around the stone.

This illustration of a sparkling diamond, shining with dazzling brilliance provides a beautiful picture of Christians radiating the light of Christ through their lives in radiant brilliance.

Jesus taught His disciples:

You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15) Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16) In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your father in heaven Matthew 5:14-16.

The apostle Peter expanded on this theme by teaching 1 Peter 2:4:

4 As you come to him, the living stone - having been rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him- 5 you also like living stones are being built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood - 9 a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

Why diamonds?

1. Rough diamonds don’t reflect much light.

2. To transform a rough diamond into a work of art that sparkles in light a transformation has to take place. The rough stone must go through a slow grinding and polishing process to shape and prepare it to handle light. The meticulous placement of each of a diamond’s facets can be compared to the challenges of adversities, trials and tribulations of life faced in the training and development of a Christian’s personality and character.

3. The end product is that Christians, like diamonds, are to pull the light of Christ into their lives and souls, and reflect it out into a sin-darkened world.

4. Each Christian is being shaped, to be fitted into the spiritual house of Christianity, built upon Christ the cornerstone and foundation.

Most people don't realize the amount of work needed to transform a raw diamond into a sparkling gem of elegance. First, the diamond cutter meticulously examines the diamond's interior, looking for cracks or imperfections. Ultimately, the diamond's final shape will be determined by its own internal and external characteristics. Each diamond's natural shape, weak spots, inclusions, and stress fractures provide the cutter with a map to the final product that will glisten and shine in the presence of light. Through this intensive examination, the cutter begins to visualize a finished product. In one stone, he may see a brilliant solitaire; in another he may see a spectacular marquis, oval, pear or fancy cuts such as a heart, emerald, or triangle.

Just as a diamond cutter carefully examines each diamond for shaping, the Lord searches each Christian’s heart and soul, seeking out the imperfections of the heart called sin. He then develops a plan to remove those imperfections.

SAINTS UNDER DEVELOPMENT

Have you lost everything? Do you face overwhelming challenges? Have your prayers remained unanswered for a long time? Does your life feel like its permanently in the pits? Have you lost a significant job? Do you feel like your enemies are attacking from every direction? Do you suffer physical and emotional pain as the result of life itself? Have your dreams been shattered? Do you feel like you’ve been ground down to powder? Have you been persecuted, slammed by the storms of life, and even put in prison? If you as a Christian, answered Yes to any of these questions then good news, you're in great company! Consider:

• Adam: Talk about Paradise Lost!

• Noah: Faced the impossible challenge of building an ark.

• Abraham: Waited 25 years for the answer to his prayers

• Joseph: Was beaten and sold into slavery by his brothers and spent 14 years in an Egyptian prison.

• Moses: Experienced two major career changes.

• Jesus: Was persecuted from birth, innocent yet beaten, scourged and crucified for the world’s sin.

• The Apostles saw their teacher die, and then were called to the seemingly impossible task of carrying His message to a sin-darkened world where 11 of them died gruesome deaths.

• Peter: Was ground, crushed and sifted by the devil himself.

• Paul: Lost his career and was put in prison multiple times. He was, beaten with whips and rods, stoned, ship wrecked, and given a thorn in the flesh.

So, you see, if you're in the middle of the storms of adversity, challenges, trials or tribulations, there's a reason! God often uses adversity to train, strengthen and prepare Christians for the ministry He has in store for them. Nearly every great leader of the Bible experienced the fiery university of adversity learning to prepare them for the ministry God had planned for them. In this book, we will look at each of these individual Bible heroes to learn how God used the trying times and great challenges of life to shape and prepare them for His great purposes.

JAMES’ ADVERSITY LEARNING

James, the brother of Christ, and the first pastor of the first church of Christian history, understood this concept of adversity learning said,

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything James 1:2-4

James was very familiar with the triumphs and adversities of Christian living. Take a look at his resume:

• He watched in horror as his brother was crucified.

• He experienced the incredible thrill of Jesus resurrection (1 Cor. 15:7)

• He was present at Pentecost and witnessed the outpouring of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:14, Acts 2:1-3)

• He was a charter member of the first church of Jerusalem

James was also a member, then pastor of the church when:

• Peter and John were arrested (Acts 3:1-22)

• Ananias and Sapphira died (Acts 5:11)

• When the apostles were arrested and the flogged (Acts 5:17-42)

• The controversy arose concerning the neglect of the Jewish widows of Grecian background (Acts 6:1-7)

• Stephen was arrested and stone (Acts 6:11-7:60)

• Saul of Tarsus began persecuting the church (Acts 8:1-3)

• The conversion of Saul of Tarsus to Paul the apostle (Acts 9:1- 19)

• Paul formerly Saul attempted to join the church and sent fear through its members (Acts 9:20-28)

• Paul’s life was threatened (Acts 9:29-31)

• The shock and change of gentiles accepting Christ and being baptized in the Holy Spirit brought dramatic change to the infant church (Acts10-11:18).

James was the leader of the Jerusalem counsel comprised of the apostles and elders convened to deal with the explosive issue of gentiles becoming Christian’s. James played a primary role in establishing the guidelines for gentile’s in the church (Acts 11:19-24).

James the Pastor of the Jerusalem church during:

• The severe Famine of Acts 11:28-30

• The arrest and execution of James the brother of John by King Herod (Acts 12:2)

• The arrest, imprisonment and escape of Peter by Herod (Acts 12:3-19)

• The terror and turmoil Israel experienced, when the Roman emperor Caligula announced his intentions to erect a colossal golden statue of himself, in the Holy of Holies in the temple of Jerusalem (He was assassinated before his plan could be carried out)

• The controversy surrounding Paul’s teachings and the councils recommendation Paul pay for and join four other men who were to undergo purification rites (Acts 21:17-26)

• Paul’s trial before the Great Sanhedrin (Acts 22:30-23:11)

• The trials and imprisonment of Paul (Acts 24:26)

• Many other events pertaining to the birth and growth of Christianity

All, these events, both positive and negative, dramatically impacted the fledgling church and its members. As Jerusalem’s pastor, it was James’ responsibility to guide, nurture, and console his flock through these difficult and often perplexing times.

James learned through these experiences that God is in "total control." James knew that God was orchestrating events to develop, train, lead and equip individuals, and the church, towards His purposes and His goals. James used the Greek word "Peirasmos" which can be interpreted as temptations, yet is more accurately translated as trials with a beneficial purpose or that is directed towards an end. Christians who endure adversities and trials emerge spiritually stronger, more mature and more Christ-like.

Notice James said, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers whenever you face trials of many kinds not if" you experience trials, but whenever you face trials. Pure joy? James had learned through experience and observation to view trials and adversities in the long view. James learned it’s not the trial itself but the end result of the training, strengthening and purifying that the church and individuals endured that counts.

Jesus taught His disciples to expect trials, persecutions and hardships (Matt. 5:10-12; Matt 10:16-23; Mark 13:9; John 15:20; 16:2). The apostles continued this theme in their teachings and letters. For example, 1 Thess 3:3, 2 Thess 1:4, 1 Peter 1:6, 1 Peter 4:12-19, 1 Peter 5:6-14, 2 Peter 2:9, 2 Cor. 4:7-12, Rom. 8:28-29, Heb. 10:32-39, Heb. 12:1-9. The books of James, 1st, 2nd Peter, Hebrews and Revelation were written specifically to encourage Christians during their persecution trials and tribulations. James learned through experience, as did the apostles, that adversity is the most effective school of education. Lessons learned in hardship, toil, struggle or turmoil are not soon forgotten.

James's adversity learning formula:

Trials/Testing of Faith + Perseverance = Maturity and Completeness

This formula falls into three stages:

STAGE ONE: Testing your faith

James used the Greek word "dokimion," which means testing for trustworthiness, and is used for sterling coinage which is genuine and unalloyed, such as silver or gold.

In 1 Peter 1:6-7, the apostle says, "In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that you faith—of greater worth then gold, which perishes even though refined by fire, may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed." This testing by trials defined by James and Peter describes a refining process. Gold subjected to extreme heat, melts. During this melting process, the heavier gold sinks while impurities trapped in the gold, which are lighter, rise to the surface where they are skimmed off.

For Christians, the spiritual heat generated by trials and adversity causes the impurities of sin to rise to the surface. Then, God teaches them how to let go of those sins. In the New Testament the apostles explain that Christians are to strive to rid themselves of:

• Sexual immorality

• Anger

• Stealing

• Unwholesome talk

• Bitterness

• Rage

• Brawling

• Slander

• Falsehood

• Impurities

• Jealousy

• Self Ambition

• Envy

• Carousing

• Filthy Language

• Hatred

• Discord

• Fits of rage

• Dissension

• Deceit

• Hypocrisy

• Wickedness

• Lust

• Drunkenness

• Orgies

Ephesians 4:22-31; Colossians 3:7-10; 1 Peter 2:1, 1 Peter 4:1-4; Romans 6:6;Galatians 5:19-21

Is there something in your Christian with which you struggle? Do you have a hard time controlling anger, hatred, bitterness, jealousy, envy etc? Then God may allow you to experience the heat of trials, adversity, or challenges to bring these impurities to the surface where He can be deal with them. For some Christians, these impurities might be removed with just one testing period. For those who are too stubborn to let go, they may have to experience multiple trials before learning to release their sin.

What was the last trial you experienced?

What did you learn?

What would you tell someone else experiencing the same trial?

What would you do differently if you had had a choice?

Have you experienced this same trial or adversity before?

Why didn’t you avoid the situation the second time?

If you've answered at least five of these questions with a positive answer, then congratulations, you have completed one semester in God’s Adversity University.

STAGE TWO: Developing perseverance

James used the word "hupomone, which can be translated as patience. Patience, however, is far too passive. Hupomone" is closer translated to the word perseverance, which means not simply the ability to bear things; it is the ability to overcome, to conquer, then move on to conquer, still harder battles.

The word perseverance is a positive hidden in a negative wrapper. The word perseverance generally means "a steady persistence in adhering to a course of action, a belief, and purpose. The singleness of purpose in the pursuit of a goal, despite difficulties or obstacles; to keep on trying, keep pushing forward as if struggling through thick clinging mud to overcome obstacles or hardships.

Perseverance demands a decision. Perseverance means counting the cost and finding the cost worth paying (Luke 14:28-30). In the fiery ordeal of trials, hardship or difficulties, each of us is forced to make decisions. Options have to be weighed and each cost counted. Is the result worth the price of obtaining the goal? Can I finish the course? Can I overcome the odds? If your heart is not in reaching a goal – or you consider the cost too high - then perseverance is impossible. If your heart is not involved, then it is simply too easy to give up and quit.

There’s nothing wrong with stopping for a while re-evaluate, rest, think, consider new options, and then try again. Remember the promise of 1 Corinthians 10:13 God will never subject a Christian to more than he or she can endure. Sometimes, the odds seem so overwhelming and so impossible that you just can’t do anymore. Then, you discover the hidden wellsprings of strength you never knew you had, until you’re forced to tap into it.

Perseverance demands determination. Determination is that deep down gut refusal to give up. It’s that dogged determination to keep trying, forcing yourself to take that next step, even when you feel you can’t take one more step.

Jesus commissioned the apostles to go and take the joyous news of salvation to the world. Pitted against them were all the forces of spiritual darkness, pagan religions, superstition, hatred, violence and doubt. By human standards, their task seemed impossible. Starting from Jerusalem, they set out to conquer the world for Christ. Filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, they preached the Good News of salvation through grace. Their message was simple: Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, paid for the sins of the world through His sacrificial death on the cross. And, that Jesus was raised again on the third day to sit at the right hand of God Almighty. For their message of salvation, they were stoned, beaten with whips and rods and put in prison. They were brought before governors and kings, even killed because of their testimony of Christ. Because of their efforts, and those they lead to Christ, Christianity grew to become one of the primary religions of the world in less than 300 years. God used a handful of men to begin the process of spreading Christianity throughout the world. Despite the pain, despite the chains, despite the obstacles threatening to grind them down, these intrepid warriors of Christ pushed on. They counted the cost of Christ and decided that cost was worth paying.

Perseverance demands action. With very few exceptions, no one perseveres while sitting still, doing nothing. Even prisoners locked in prison cells can persevere in Christ. Paul the apostle wrote some of his greatest letters while in prison cells. For example, while in Rome, Paul was placed under house arrest to await trial before the emperor. House arrest meant he had the freedom of his house, as long as he was accompanied by, and chained to a Praetorian guard. The Praetorians were considered the elite, the best of the best, and the toughest warriors of the empire. These tough muscular men, clad in impressive armor and weapons, would have intimidated most people. Not Paul. Paul saw them as his captive audience. So he took every opportunity to present to them the gospel of Christ. Not every Praetorian accepted Christ as Savior and Lord, but some did. While he wasn’t teaching or witnessing, Paul wrote letters. Paul learned to take opportunities as they came.

Paul is considered the greatest missionary of Christianity. During his ministry, he traveled throughout a large part of the Roman Empire, preaching the gospel of Christ. How did Paul and his fellow apostles conquer the world for Christ? They walked - hundreds, thousands of miles, they walked. Sometimes they took ships; sometimes they rode in carts or rode a horse or donkey, but primarily, they walked. They didn’t wait for the world to come to them. They did as Christ commanded in the great commission. They went to where the people were in order to carry the gospel to them.

Perseverance requires faithfulness. Sometimes, life feels like you are trudging along, working hard, but you never seem to accomplish anything. Maybe, you’re teaching a Sunday school class to young boys who wiggle and squirm, whose every thought seems to be mischief and not on what you’re teaching. All your studying, preparation and effort seem to go in one ear and out the other. However, sometimes your efforts pay off.

A Sunday school teacher, a Mr. Kimbal in 1858, led a Boston shoe clerk to give his life to Christ. The clerk, Dwight L Moody became an evangelist. In England in 1879, he awakened evangelistic zeal in the heart of Fredrick B. Meyer, pastor of a small church. F.B. Meyer, preaching to an American college campus, brought to Christ a student named J. Wilbur Chapman. Chapman engaged in YMCA work, employed a former baseball player, Billy Sunday to do evangelistic work. Billy Sunday held a revival in Charlotte, N.C. A group of local men were so enthusiastic afterward that they planned another evangelistic campaign, bringing Mordiecai Hamm to town to preach. During Hamm’s revival a young man named Billy Graham heard the gospel and yielded his life to Christ. Only eternity will reveal the tremendous impact of that one Sunday school teacher, Mr. Kimball, who invested his life in the lives of others.

Sometimes, it seems your efforts are being wasted, but you never know. It’s amazing how much young people absorb in a learning environment, without seeming to be paying attention. Some of the best preachers admit to being the orneriest little boys who drove their Sunday school teachers crazy. What the teachers may not realize is that what they thought were wasted words, were seeds planted in little boys’ hearts. Those seeds just took awhile to grow. You never know, one of those squirming little boys may be the next Billy Sunday or Billy Graham. Only God knows. Keep in mind Paul’s advice in 1 Corinthians 3:6. It’s our job to plant the seeds; someone else may get the honor of witnessing the harvest.

Perseverance is a learning process. Overcoming obstacles forces us to use that space just below the hairline between the ears. Perseverance requires thinking, planning, experimenting, trial and error and resolute persistence. The apostles were tasked with not only taking the message of Christ to the world, but with establishing the organization of churches and training Christian leaders, etc. This was all new ground, requiring much prayer, a much thought, and a lot of innovative thinking.

For example:

One hundred years ago men thought it was impossible for men to fly. But a few men dreamed of flying like a bird. Many tried and failed, some died trying to develop a way of flying. Then two young Christian men, the sons of a bishop, were determined to find a way to fly. The two owned a bicycle and in their spare time they worked hard to invent and experiment and build a devise that would allow them to fly. They even created two crude wind tunnels out of wooden boxes and engines to test their designs. The two brothers built, tried and tested a number of crafts, trying to achieve enough lift to allow them to soar through the air like a bird. Then in 1902, in a little known place called Kitty Hawk, North Carolina; Orville Wright managed to soar a little over one hundred feet and changed the world for ever.

Perseverance often includes risk with little or no prospect of earthly reward. In the fifteenth century, the Catholic Church ruled that it was against the law for anyone to possess, or read scripture, except for ordained priests. Anyone caught with even a portion of the scriptures was subject to the harshest punishment of the law. There were men, however, who dreamed of making the gospel available to the common man, the average farmer, the tanner, and the cabinetmakers.

William Tyndale decided to make that dream possible for the people of England. He dreamed of translating the Bible from Hebrew and Greek into English. What he got for his efforts was to be hunted across England and Europe like a brutal criminal. as if he were some kind of a mad dog. As a fugitive on the run, often cold, hungry, and afraid, Tyndale continued to translate the scriptures into English, despite all hardships. In Europe, he searched for printers who would print portions of the scripture he’d translated; then he would attempt to smuggle them into England. Authorities of the Catholic Church and the King of England tracked down, confiscated, and burned every copy they could find. However, many copies survived so that for the first time, the common people of England were able to read scripture in their own language. Hungry for the gospel, the people asked for more. Over time, thousands of copies of these portions were smuggled into England and into the hands of the people.

For his efforts to bring the gospel to the English people, Tyndale was betrayed by a man he thought was a friend, and was arrested and thrown in prison. Yet, even in a cold, damp, dark prison cell, Tyndale’s one request was for candles, ink and parchment, so that he could continue his translations. After 15 months of imprisonment, Tyndale was strangled, and then burned at the stake for heresy.

Ironically, in 1539, just a few years after the death of Tyndale, King Henry the VIII broke away from the Catholic Church and changed his position on translating the Bible into English. The King commissioned Myles Coverdale to publish a large pulpit Bible to be distributed to all churches, and chained to their pulpits. Myles Coverdale was a close friend and aide of William Tyndale. Therefore, the Coverdale Bible was comprised mostly of Tyndale’s translation (just three years after his death).

Perseverance requires faith. Hebrews 11:1 reads "... faith is the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen." Christian history is filled with men and women who accepted God’s challenge to step out in faith. In most cases there was nothing to warrant their faith except for their belief that God had called them to accomplish a goal. Billy Graham believed that God could use one man to reach the world for Christ. He stepped out on faith with little or no provisions except what God provided. To this date, he has preached to millions of people all around the world.

Pat Robinson believed God wanted him to build a Christian broadcasting station. He stepped out on faith with little money to aim for his goal. He learned the broadcasting industry from the ground up. He purchased old machines and learned to repair them when they broke. He worked thousands of hours with little or no pay. Today the 700 Club is one of the largest Christian broadcasting agencies of the world.

You don’t have to wait for the big opportunities. Being faithful in little goals can be transformed into the stepping-stones to achieving the big goals. Pat Robinson stated that, had God put him in charge of a large broadcasting station when he first started, he probably would have failed. He didn’t know how to run a broadcasting station. By starting at the bottom and working his way up, he learned step by step, everything he needed to know to run a successful station.

Perseverance requires a goal. Without goals, perseverance is almost impossible. With acceptable, achievable goals, humans can endure almost anything. For, example prisoners of war in Vietnam endured extreme inhuman tortures, filthy cells, starvation diets, seemingly with no end in sight. To keep their sanity, they devised mental and spiritual goals to focus on. Some reread books in their minds, reviewed scripture, designed dream homes, and even played 18 holes of golf in their minds on different courses. To endure, and move past any difficult experience, trial, challenge or adversity you too must visualize an achievable goal. The key to perseverance is the ability to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Perseverance develops endurance. This dogged, tenacious, pushing forward, struggling to overcome obstacles, strengthens spiritual and emotional muscles and develops endurance. This perseverance factor is an essential component of God’s training and development process. It’s through the grinding struggle of perseverance that the facets of a Christian’s personality are ground and polished permanently to conform to the image of Christ (Romans 8:28-29; Galatians 5:22; 1 Peter 2:1, 4:1; 2 Peter 1:2; Colossians 3:1-17).

Sometimes it is easy to get discouraged. In fact, discouragement is one of the most affective weapons of the devil. He loves to whisper to Christians in the heat of adversity, "Give up, God doesn’t care- what happens to you, no one cares!" When he knows the truth is just the opposite. Read Hebrews 12:5-9, adversity is proof of adoption as sons and daughters within the Kingdom of God.

Sometimes it feels like you just can’t go on or the test is too severe. Even Moses grew weary in his overwhelming task of leading the children of Israel out of bondage (Exodus 11:11-15). Elijah thought he was the only prophet left (1 kings 18:22) after Jezebels persecution. Yet, they persevered; they kept moving toward God’s goal and succeeded.

STAGE THREE: Perseverance develops Maturity

Maturity according to Webster’s dictionary is to become more developed mentally, emotionally, and behave in a responsible way; to be fully developed.

What is Christian maturity? Christian maturity is not simply going to church and studying the Bible, week after week tithing for five, ten, twenty or more years. Mature Christians don’t "act theological." They don’t carry 20 pound Bibles, and don’t walk around saying, "Praise the Lord or Yes Jesus" as punctuation points to sentences.

CHRISTIAN MATURITY:

• Mature Christians almost glow in the dark. They can be recognized as being Christians without even opening their mouths. They radiate the attributes of Christ - love, joy, peace, kindness, generosity throughout their lives every day, all the time.

• Mature Christians bear fruit. They teach Bible studies, they witness to people and they disciple others. They look for ways to get involved in church – not to be recognized because of their works. They work because they love Christ.

• Mature Christians live by prayer.

• Mature Christians are able to research scripture for themselves. They’ve worn out Bibles or multiple Bibles from having read them over and over, then putting what they have learned into practice.

• Mature Christians with the help of the Holy Spirit work hard to rid themselves of hatred, filthy language, prejudice, deceit, immorality, etc.

• Mature Christians have learned from the trials of life and don’t repeat the same mistakes over and over.

• Mature Christians are able to discern good from evil.

• Mature Christians walk by faith.

• Mature Christians have learned to master their tongues. They don’t gossip. They do not tear down other Christians to make themselves seem more impressive.

• Mature Christians are Christ Like.

LIFE, ETERNITIES TRAINING GROUND

Unfortunately, many Christians view adversities and trials as punishment or disfavor with God. In the last century, a new breed of prosperity preachers and evangelist’s preach, "If you pay tithes (donate to their ministry) and go to church, God will bless your life abundantly and you won’t have any more problems or trials." And, yes God does bless Christians, especially those who are faithful in their tithes and Christian work. However, nowhere in the Bible are Christians promised an easy, leisurely lifestyle.

On the contrary, the New Testament has more to say about perseverance during struggles and trials then almost any other subject:

The Old Testament is also filled with scriptures describing how God used adversity, trials and tribulations to train His followers.

True, Christianity is not for the faint-hearted. Advancement and spiritual growth in Christianity requires dedication, determination, and endurance along with a willingness to persevere to obtain the goals God has set. Romans 5:3-5 says,

"Not only so, but we glory in tribulation also; knowing that tribulation works patience; and patience, experience, and experience hope: and hope does not disappoint us because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given us"

In Hebrews 12:5-9, Paul says

And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, 6 because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son. Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live!

According to Hebrews12:5-9, it admonished Christians to endure hardship as discipline. God is treating you as sons. And if you are not disciplined, then you’re illegitimate children, not true sons. Something to think about.

Discipline is defined as training to act in accordance with rules; drill: military discipline. 2. activity, exercise, or a regimen that develops or improves a skill; training: A daily stint at the typewriter is excellent discipline for a writer. 3. punishment inflicted by way of correction and training. 4. the rigor or training effect of experience, adversity, etc.: the harsh discipline of poverty. 5. behavior in accord with rules of conduct; behavior and order maintained by training and control: good discipline in an army.

God has known this maxim of adversity learning from the very beginning. His goal for each Christian is to develop them into stronger, purer more effective Christians. God often uses adversity learning to discipline (reread the definition) Christians through, trials, struggles and challenges.

*Note: For simplicity, from this point on, we will simply use the word adversity in reference also to trials, struggles, and challenges.

CHRISTIAN DEVELOPMENT

When a believer accepts Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, a beautiful transformation instantly begins to take place. The Holy Spirit comes into the heart of the new believer and begins to shape and mold his character so that he may reflect the glory of God. Paul described this process in 2 Corinthians 3:17-18:

"Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lords glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit"

Continuing with this theme Paul says, in 2 Corinthians 4:6-10

"For God, who said, Let light shine out of darkness, made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body"

As Paul describes, the Christian life is a transformation process. Each new Christian, therefore, is a diamond in the rough. Through the work of the Holy Spirit, each Christian is gradually molded into the likeness of the Lord.

This is a lifelong process that includes spiritual purification, strengthening, training and a developing process that shapes the facets of a Christian’s personality and prepares each individual to accomplish the tasks that God may assign him or her. Although each Christian goes through this development process to become Christ-like, the following are true:

1. Not all Christians develop in the same manner.

2. Becoming Christ-like does not erase a Christian's individual personality; instead, each Christian's personality is developed and enhanced so that his own God-given personality shows through with Christ-like attributes.

3. Not all Christians develop at the same rate. Some develop slowly (because they resist change).

4. Some Christians are analytical and require time to think before making decisions.

5. Some Christians develop rapidly. These people are often more open to the leading of God. They do not resist God's training or guidance.

REASONS FOR ADVERSITY:

Christians experience adversity, challenges, struggles, and trials for as many vast and different reasons as there are people in this world. When it comes to adversity there are four types of people, those who are about to experience adversity, those who are experiencing adversity, those between adversities, and those who are coming out of an adversity experience.

• Adversity forces us to develop our abilities, talents and gifts. The school of adversity learning is one of the most effective training process in the world. The reason? Lessons learned the hard way are not soon forgotten.

• Adversity often trains us for the tasks God has assigned us. As we look at several Bible characters in this book you will see how God prepared them for their lives/ tasks through their trials and adversities.

• Sometimes God allows adversity in our lives to change our direction from the wrong path (the prodigal son) to the correct path.

• Sometimes God uses adversity to get our attention. We get caught up in our own lives and forget to listen to God. God has a purpose for our lives. If we are too busy to listen to God’s instructions or guidance He will get our attention one way or another.

• Sometimes adversity is a result of resistance to Gods leading or even flat out refusals to do His will (Jonah and the whale).

• Spiritual Warfare – The devil and his angels are always on the prowl around looking to trip up, hinder, hurt or destroy Christians if they can. Fortunately Satan and his hordes are limited in what they can do (1 Cor. 10:13).

• Adversity builds spiritual strength.

• Adversity helps burn out spiritual impurities.

• Adversity allows Christians to learn to tap into God’s unique supply system. For example,

• Elijah fed by ravens (1 Kings 17:1-6, 8-16)

• Elisha supplies oil for a poor widow (2 kings 4:1-7)

• Peter and the temple tax (Matt. 17:24-27)

• Adversity forces us to examine our lives, what we have done, what we are doing, where we are going. Adversity forces us to re-evaluate the priorities in our lives.

• Adversity allows us to evaluate our relationships to discover who really loves and supports us, including our mates, our relatives, and friends (Proverbs 17:17).

• Adversity is God’s way of humbling us. Sometimes our pride is the main obstacle keeping us from fulfilling God’s will.

• Adversity helps us learn compassion for others who are enduring similar or worse situations than we have experienced.

• Sometimes adversity in your life is not for your benefit, but for the benefit of those around you. Countless people watch you every day. Those who know you are a Christian, notice how you handle adversity. Your struggles may be the influence that leads someone else to salvation.

• Sometimes we experience adversity for discipline; for example, a Christian does something he should not be doing and God uses the adversity to correct him.

• Sometimes adversity is simply our own fault. If we forget to pay the light bill, the electric company will shut off the power.

ADVERSITY REVEALS THE TRUTH ABOUT OUR SELF. IT CAN HELP US:

1. Learn where our priorities lie.

2. Learn how dependent we are on our possessions.

3. Discover our hidden talents.

4. To reveal our weaknesses and our strengths.

5. To reveals our ability to forgive.

6.