Devotions

God takes no delight in the testing of His children. The Bible says Christ is sympathetic toward us in all our trials, being touched by the feelings of our infirmities. In Revelation 2:9 He tells the church, “I know thy . . . tribulation, and poverty.” He is saying, in essence, “I know what you’re going through. You may not understand it, but I know all about it.”

It is essential that we comprehend this truth, because the Lord does test and try His people. Scripture says, “Thou hast tried us, as silver is tried” (Psalm 66:10). “Your faith . . . be tried with fire” (1 Peter 1:7). “The Lord trieth the righteous” (Psalm 11:5).

Indeed, everyone who follows Jesus is going to face afflictions. The Psalmist writes, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous” (Psalm 34:19). Paul speaks of having “much affliction and anguish of heart . . . with many tears” (2 Corinthians 2:4). And Hebrews describes saints who are “destitute, afflicted, tormented” and “[enduring] a great fight of afflictions” (Hebrews 11:37, 10:32).

The fact is, the Bible says a great deal about suffering, trials and troubles in the lives of believers. According to the Psalmist, “My soul is full of troubles: and my life draweth nigh unto the grave” (Psalm 88:3). Likewise, David writes of enduring “great and sore troubles” (71:20).

I can’t name a single follower of Jesus who hasn’t endured all of these things that Scripture mentions: trials, tribulations, troubles, afflictions, anguish. I know I can say along with David, “I have endured sore and great troubles and trials.” And I know that many others reading this message can say, “That sums up my life right now. I’m facing several anguishing trials and afflictions.”

For this reason, every Christian has to know and accept that God has a purpose in all our sufferings. No test comes into our lives without His allowing it and one of God’s purposes behind our trials is to produce in us an unwavering faith. Peter writes, “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:7). Peter calls these experiences “fiery trial(s)” (4:12).

Does God want us to be happy? That’s a loaded question for many Christians. From beginning to end, the Bible gives us a very clear answer, and it’s meant to transform the way we live.

Yes, God wants us to be happy! His desire for our happiness is solidly grounded, a biblically-based truth proven in Scripture. Every modern version of the Bible speaks of happiness over and over.

The Holman Christian Standard Bible, one of the newer translations, tells us, “Happy are the people who know the joyful shout; Yahweh, they walk in the light of Your presence” (Psalm 89:15). “I will turn their mourning into joy, give them consolation, and bring happiness out of grief” (Jeremiah 31:13).

The New Living Translation, another respected version, reads, “And look! I will create Jerusalem as a place of happiness” (Isaiah 65:18). The GOD’S WORD Translation reads, “The people ransomed by the Lord will return. . . . Everlasting happiness will be on their heads as a crown” (Isaiah 35:10). The following verse actually addresses the malaise of the present generation: “You didn’t serve the Lord your God with a joyful and happy heart when you had so much” (Deuteronomy 28:47).

Do you need a word on happiness from the New Testament? “Although you have never seen Christ, you love him. . . . You are extremely happy with joy and praise that can hardly be expressed in words” (1 Peter 1:8, GOD’S WORD Translation). 

Altogether I found 2,700 Bible references that speak of happiness, joy, gladness, cheer, delight, even pleasure. Each of these emotions makes up part of the amazing adventure we live in Christ.

Can you regain happiness when it has escaped you for so long?

How is happiness possible when you’re in physical pain, when you’re troubled in soul, when your family is in shambles? Let me give you just a few helpful words:

1. Believe that He wants happiness for you! You’ve been given biblical evidence that God wants happiness for you.
2. Believe that the happiness He gives is a solid reality, not a pipe dream.
3. Renew your mind on this subject through His Word. Don’t allow the enemy to rob you of His truth.

No matter how many times I experience the power of God, I never get used to it. I never grow complacent with the way He can bring even the coldest, hardest neighborhood to conviction. The way He can dissipate evil within a matter of seconds and expose the deepest parts of a person’s heart, bringing him to his knees before the cross.

No matter how much it seems that Satan is winning this war, I know it’s just a matter of time before God steps in and takes charge, before God blows His breath, sending the devil cowering into a dark corner.

During a crusade rally as I was standing on that platform in the Bronx, NY, feeling the power of God’s Spirit settling on us, moving among us, blowing like a cool northern wind, I felt completely invigorated. Like I could take on all the forces of evil and send them back to hell! It’s something I feel every time the anointing of God is near.  Every time His Spirit takes charge. Every time we go to battle against evil with Jesus by our side.

You could feel God moving among the crowd, ministering, healing, doing miracles in the hearts of those who needed Him. His Spirit echoed between the buildings, moving in and out of windows and doors, between corridors, down hallways, into apartments. Hearts of sin were broken. Minds of filth were filled with thoughts of remorse and shame. Bodies ravaged with drugs felt the healing power of salvation.

This is how God works. This is how He moves. This is where you’ll find Him at war with Satan. And in the middle of this war is where I most long to be.

“Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them. And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed. And there was great joy in that city” (Acts 8:5-8).

Nicky Cruz, internationally known evangelist and prolific author, turned to Jesus Christ from a life of violence and crime after meeting David Wilkerson in New York City in 1958. The story of his dramatic conversion was told first in The Cross and the Switchblade by David Wilkerson and then later in his own best-selling book Run, Baby, Run. 

A watered-down half-gospel is an abomination to the Lord. You see, I could write to you saying, “Jesus loves you and wants to bless you. He wants you to enjoy your life. He desires to give you miracle after miracle.”

But that is only half the truth of the gospel. The whole gospel also includes warnings against the deceitfulness of sin. It includes repentance and godly sorrow, preparation for persecution, and a yearning for the coming of Christ. Scripture tells us in no uncertain terms, “Follow . . . holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14). The gospel of Christ always confronts man and then brings comfort to him. It will never accommodate the likes of sinful men.

Yes, Jesus ministered miracles. He delivered up bread and meat to the multitudes. But the day came when He no longer performed or preached miracles. Instead, He told His followers, “Unless you eat My flesh and drink My blood, you have no part in Me.”

I am not a prophet, but the Holy Spirit has led me to deliver some prophetic messages that have been considered by many to be too hard. Some people have called me a doomsday preacher. And I readily admit I’ve preached some messages that caused me to walk right out the church doors, go home, and weep. Yet this was all because of one verse: “He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the Lord” (Proverbs 17:15).

Occasionally after a service, I will put on earphones and replay the message I just preached. And sometimes I tremble as I listen, asking the Lord, “Oh, God, did I cross a line? Did I condemn your righteous saints here? Did I unconsciously wound your servants?” On other occasions, I ask, “Jesus, did I preach only half of Your gospel in this sermon? Did I give a sermon that makes people feel good about their sins? Did I give them false comfort by watering down Your call to turn from iniquity?”

The only hindrance to His gospel is the unbelief in our hearts.

 “If we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world” (1 Corinthians 11:31–32). So, how are we to judge ourselves, as Paul says to do?

Here is the criterion by which I constantly judge myself: I ask, “Have I in any way hindered the gospel of Christ?” We know that the world cannot hinder the gospel, but the fact is, we who preach it can. Paul judged himself on this matter, writing, “[I] suffer all things, lest [I] should hinder the gospel of Christ” (1 Corinthians 9:12).

The apostle is telling us, in essence, “I have to be careful about how I present the gospel. If I’m materialistically minded, or if I harbor covetousness or lust, I cannot possibly represent Christ accurately. It would cause a hindrance to the gospel I present. No, the way I live has to be a part of the gospel I preach.”

Consider the Corinthians in Paul’s time. They were bringing fancy foods to the feast table, while the poor among them didn’t have any food at all. Paul told them, in so many words, “You’re not really concerned about the needs of Christ’s Body if your eye is fixed only on how to better your own life. You simply can’t be focused on God’s concerns if you don’t care whether your brother has enough money for his next meal.”

Any works or ministry that’s done with such a mind-set won’t endure the Lord’s holy fire. Large numbers, successful methods, and monumental achievements won’t mean anything in that hour because God judges the motives of the heart. The question we have to ask ourselves today is, “Am I doing this for recognition? To be somebody? To secure my own future, with no regard for my brothers or sisters in need?”

Make no mistake: The gospel of Jesus Christ goes forth unhindered, mighty and unstoppable. But this happens only when it is preached and taught in its fullness. It has to be delivered in the context of “the whole counsel of God.” As Paul says, “I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God” (Acts 20:27, italics mine).