Facing Struggles

Facing Struggles - పోరాటాలను ఎదుర్కోవడం – Luke 6:17-23

Much of our life is comprised in dealing with unexpected, everyday stress. Stressful circumstances are not my idea of a good time. They are like dry sponges that soak up your seconds, your strength, and your sense of serenity.

In this portion of Luke, we find a large crowd of people entangled in struggles. He offers hope for their hassles. What He tells this crowd is as relevant today as it was on the day you will find encouragement, enlightenment, and enjoyment from these verses. We will examine four key stress creators that put a strain on the lives of most people.

I. Struggle with Sickness - అనారోగ్యంతో పోరాటం - 6:17–19

People came from near and afar to see Jesus because they were experiencing the struggle of being sick. It creates fear and it robs us of our finances, our fellowship with others.

The people that came to Jesus, came to hear Him, be healed, and helped by the Lord. ఆయన బోధ వినుటకును , తమ రోగములను కుదుర్చుకొనుటకును, అపవిత్రాత్మల చేత బాధింపబడినవారును

The Scriptures tell us that when they touched Jesus, virtue or power left the Lord and changed them. This is most interesting because they were reaching out to Him.

Their burdens were bearing blessings for them.

* Their problem and plight gave them a new purpose and new priorities: find the Lord.

* Their concern gave them clarity about seeking out the Lord Jesus Christ. He was their answer.

* Their weakness softened their will, and directed their way to the Way, the Truth, and the Life. They were teachable and wanted His help.

* Their frustration shifted their focus upon the One who could truly free them of their disease. Nothing else was important. Nothing else mattered. They needed Christ.

Like this crowd, the Lord may allow the affliction of sickness into your life to change your priorities and purpose, to soften your heart, to shift your focus on what really matters, and direct your way to the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Lord is trying to get you into a position where you will seek Him. This is where you will find hope for your hassles. You will find it in the Lord Jesus Christ.

* 1 Timothy 1:1—Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope;

మన రక్షకుడైన దేవునియొక్కయు మన నిరీక్షణయైన క్రీస్తుయేసుయొక్కయు ఆజ్ఞప్రకారము క్రీస్తుయేసుయొక్క అపొస్తలుడైన పౌలు

When he was sick, Oswald Chambers said, “Faith for my deliverance is not faith in God. Faith means, whether I am visibly delivered or not, I will stick to my belief that God is love. There are some things only learned in a fiery furnace.”

God may use sickness to teach you vital lessons on faith and dependence upon Him and His will.

* Hosea 6:1—Come, and let us return unto the Lord: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up.

మనము యెహోవాయొద్దకు మరలుదము రండి, ఆయన మనలను చీల్చివేసెను, ఆయనే మనలను స్వస్థపరచును; ఆయన మనలను కొట్టెను, ఆయనే మనలను బాగుచేయును

II. Struggle with Finances - ఆర్థిక ఇబ్బందులతో పోరాటం - 6:20–21

The Lord encourages these folks, many of whom were suffering from the stress of scarcity, starvation, or financial strains. Roman taxes were heavy, leaving most of the population broke.. He was getting their focus on eternity and Heaven’s shore. What will we enjoy when we are with the Lord someday? Those things that strain our finances today will be taken care of for eternity.

A. Your Home:

* John 14:1–2 … Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. [2] In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

* 1 Peter 1:3–4 … Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, [4] To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,

B. Your Health:

The Lord will provide several things for our health.

1. Tree of Life

* Revelation 22:1–2.… And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. [2] In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

2. Glorified Body

* Philippians 3:21—Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

3. No More Aches, Pains, Sorrow, Tears, and Death

* Revelation 21:4—And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

C. Heists will be No More: There will be no more thieves.

* Matthew 6:19–20 … Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: [20] But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

We have so much to look forward to in Heaven, but wait a minute. If you are suffering from the hassle and stress of poverty or financial strains, can you be blessed right now while you are living on earth? God says, “Yes, you can!” God makes it clear that having character, honor, and integrity make a man rich and blessed.

those who love and depend on Him, and put into practice financial biblical principles.

* Psalm 37:25—I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.

* Philippians 4:19—But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

* Luke 6:38—Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

When facing the stress of financial strains, the Lord can provide and meet your needs.

How God has helped us all during the past two plus years of Covid 19

III. Struggling with Sorrow – దుఃఖంతో పోరాటం - 6:21b

We know what it is like to suffer the sting of sorrow and grief. Most of us have said, “Good-bye” to loved ones that have passed on in death. We also know the pains of disappointment and setbacks. Those who gathered at the feet of Jesus shed many a tear as they suffered from Roman oppression. Jesus offers hope for their hassles. Those who were weeping were blessed. In fact, their weeping would be turned to joy and laughter one day.

As we saw earlier, we know that the Lord will wipe away all tears in Heaven, but can He wipe them away now? The answer is “Yes.” The tears may not be permanently wiped away on earth, but He can restore our joy and dry our tears with the blessing of His Spirit. Joy is found in the Son of God.

* 2 Corinthians 4:17—For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;

* Psalm 30:5—For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.

Dr. R. A. Torrey was one of the great Bible teachers of a past generation and founder of the Bible Institute of Los Angeles (BIOLA University). He and Mrs. Torrey went through a time of great heartache when their twelve-year-old daughter was accidentally killed. The funeral was held on a gloomy, miserable, rainy day. They stood around the grave and watched as the body of their little girl was put away. As they turned away, Mrs. Torrey said, “I’m so glad that Elisabeth is with the Lord, and not in that box.”

But, even knowing this to be true, their hearts were broken. Dr. Torrey said that the next day, as he was walking down the street, the whole thing broke anew—the loneliness of the years ahead without her presence, the heartbreak of an empty house, and all the other implications of her death. He was so burdened by this that he looked to the Lord for help.

He said, “And just then, this fountain, the Holy Spirit that I had in my heart, broke forth with such power as I think I had never experienced before, and it was the most joyful moment I had ever known in my life!

Our Lord can restore our joy when we are grieving and sorrowful. How does He do this? What does the Lord use to turn our weeping into laughter and our sorrow into joy?

* Sources of Joy for the Christian

1. Salvation

* Psalm 13:5—But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation.

2. Spiritual Revival

A renewed relationship with Christ will help to restore your joy.

* Psalm 85:6—Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee?

3. Saintliness

Doing what is right has its own reward and pleasures.

* Psalm 97:11—Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart.

4. The Study of Scriptures

If you are discouraged, get into the Word.

* Psalm 119:24—Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counsellors.

5. Steadfastness or Faithfulness to the Lord

God’s blessings for faithfulness to Him will yield joy in the believer.

* Matthew 25:21—His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

6. Submission to Christ’s Commands

* John 15:10–11 … If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. [11] These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.

7. Security, Strength, and Support from the Lord

* Jude 1:24—Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,

IV. Struggle from Slander - అపహాస్యంతో పోరాటం 6:22–23

The harshness hurts and can leave a person in one of three conditions.

* It can leave a person devastated, demoralized, and deeply depressed.

* On the other hand, it can leave a person bitter and revengeful with an “I’ll get them back” attitude.

* Rejection can also leave a person with a resolve to succeed. The person develops an “I’ll show them” mentality and philosophy.

If you have been rejected by someone, realize that the Lord understands exactly how you feel. He suffered terrible rejection and revilement when He was here.

* Isaiah 53:3—He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

* Matthew 8:34—And, behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus: and when they saw him, they besought him that he would depart out of their coasts.

Morgan was one of 150 young men who sought entrance to the Wesleyan ministry in 1888 at the age of 25. He passed the doctrinal examinations, but then faced the trial sermon. In a cavernous auditorium that could seat more than 1,000 people sat three ministers and 75 others who came to listen. When Morgan stepped into the pulpit that day, the vast room and the searching, critical eyes caught him off guard even though he had been preaching since he was 13. Two weeks later Morgan’s name appeared among the 105 REJECTED applicants for the ministry that year.

Jill Morgan, his daughter-in-law, wrote in her book, A Man of the Word, “He wired to his father the one word, ‘Rejected,’ and sat down to write in his diary: ‘Very dark everything seems. Still, He knoweth best.’ Quickly came the reply: ‘Rejected on earth. Accepted in Heaven. Dad.’ ”

In later years, Morgan said: “God said to me, in the weeks of loneliness and darkness that followed, ‘I want you to cease making plans for yourself, and let Me plan your life.’ ” Rejection is rarely permanent, as Morgan went on to prove.

Even though Morgan had no formal training for the ministry, his devotion to studying of the Bible made him one of the leading Bible teachers in his day. His reputation as preacher and Bible expositor grew throughout England and spread to the United States.

Let me ask, “Do you find yourself rejecting Christ? Christian, do you find yourself rejecting His leading and will? Have you put your faith in the Lord or do you persist to say “No” to His offer of salvation?”

This brings us to some good questions. How does the Lord satisfy us? What leads to contentment or satisfaction in our hearts? The Bible does provide some answers for us.

* How Does the Lord Satisfy Us?

1. His Provision of Good things

His care and provision meet our needs. He knows what we need, when we need it. His goodness cannot be beat or outdone. Never take it for granted.

* Psalm 107:9—For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.

One reason why some are not satisfied with the goodness of God is because they don’t see it or they are not looking for it. They don’t count their blessings.

2. The Pursuit of a Close Walk with God

Like a child that plays in the presence of his parents, our time with the Lord will leave us satisfied too, because of the strength that we draw from spending time with Him. The Spirit of God ministers to us when we seek God’s face.

* Psalm 34:10—The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing. Do you lack closeness with the Lord because you don’t seek Him?

3. A Passion for Purity will Leave you Satisfied

This is God’s promise to us. The quest for victory over sin and desire for godliness will leave us content.

* Matthew 5:6—Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Are you dissatisfied because of your quest for carnality?

4. Paying Attention to the Lord

Listening or being attentive to the Lord’s word will meet the needs that we face in our lives for His Word energizes, enthuses, enlightens, and encourages us.