Encouragement During Suffering (Gen. 21:17)

Read Genesis 21:17.

What you expect to read is "And God heard her voice."  Yes, He did, but that's not what the verse says.  It says, "And God heard the boy's voice."  (To my knowledge this is the only record of Ishmael's praying.  He probably did pray at other times, since Abraham would've modeled and encouraged that.)

1.  God hears the prayer of the one who suffers.
2.  God hears the prayer of the one who comes alongside the one who suffers.
3.  God not only hears your prayers but He responds to them.  He is full of compassion.

Why The Trials? (Prov. 17:3)

Read Proverbs 17:3.

The refining pot and the furnace both require heat to work correctly.  When God wants to test what's in your heart (trust, anxiety, peace, doubt, etc.), He uses trials.  He lets things "heat up" for a while.

Trials do not cause reactions in your heart; rather, trials reveal what's already in there.  God doesn't need your trials to educate Himself concerning you.  Why the trials, then?  That you might see what He does -- areas that still need to be brought under His lordship, areas where you still rely upon self, areas where He alone can satisfy.

Jesus Sees Your Strain (Mk. 6:48)

Read Mark 6:48.

Jesus saw the disciples' straining.

Does it comfort you to know that Jesus sees not only what is wrong but also the effect it has on you? Is it easier to believe He sees your worshiping than it is to believe He sees your struggling?  Jesus' seeing is tied to His doing.  When He sees your straining, you can expect Him to intervene shortly. He cannot remain distant from your weakness.

Jesus in The Storm (Mk. 6:47-52)

Read Mark 6:47-52.

• Jesus looks at you.
• He sees your storm.
• He sees your effort.
• He sees your weariness.
• He sees your frustration.
• He sees your fear.
• Jesus comes to you.
• He doesn't supervise from a distance but gets "up close and personal."
• He is not merely "God out there" but "God right here."
• Jesus talks to you.
• He speaks encouragement.
• He speaks peace.
• He speaks reassurance.
• He speaks relief.
• Jesus gets in with you.
• He's already been in your storm; He wants to be in your "boat."
• You need His presence as much after the storm as you did during the storm.

Opportunity Within The Obstacle (Mt. 14:25-33)

Read Matthew 14:25-33.

When the "storm" of life is fierce, and the "wind" of adversity is howling, there could be opportunity for you to do something you never attempted, something others would avoid.  During the storm and wind, Peter walked on water as he responded to Jesus' invitation.  This account ranks as Peter's finest attempt (His sermon in Ac. 2:14-36 isn't bad either.)  One of his finest accomplishments happened in one of his most threatening moments.

Are you in one of life's "storms" right now?  Is the howling "wind" of adversity threatening your hope?  Within the obstacle could be an opportunity.

Trouble's Final Word (2 Kin. 4:18-37) (Part 6)

Conclusion:

TROUBLE WILL COME INTO YOUR LIFE. (Jn. 16:33a).

WHEN TROUBLE COMES IN YOUR LIFE, WHAT OR WHO WILL HAVE THE FINAL WORD?

• Will the situation itself have the final word? Will you be crushed and shut down by an experience you would rather not deal with?
• Will human emotion have the final word? Will you be driven by feelings or will you be led by faith?
• Will you have the final word? Do you dare to trust your limited perspective? Are you going to lean on your own understanding? (Proverbs 3:5 says not to do this.)
• Will your spouse or close friend have the final word? Remember that people want to protect you, not necessarily encourage you to walk in the faith lane. Seeking wise counsel isn't wrong, but in the end you have to pass what others say though the lens of God's will.
• Will pop culture have the final word? Just because something is popular doesn't make it wise, let alone godly.
• Will time have the final word? Whoever said “Time heals all wounds” needs to have his head examined.
• Will chance have the final word? Seriously? You're dealing with something that is life-altering and you're going to gamble on chance by crossing your fingers and hoping it gets better on its own? Talk about high improbability!
• Will politics have the final word? You're putting your hope in a politician? You're putting your hope in government?  Why?  Haven't you had enough disappointment?

WHEN TROUBLE COMES IN YOUR LIFE, LET JESUS HAVE THE FINAL WORD!

• He specializes in reversing things.
• He is an expert at giving new life to the dead.
• He is skilled in bringing back hope where it was extinguished.
• He is a Master at reuniting people who were separated.
• His track record of responding to the cries of a praying mother's heart is impeccable.
• He enjoys bringing clarity into the midst of confusion.

What is the trouble you are facing right now? Don't worry about how severe or mild it is – just identify it. What or who will have the final word on that matter? Why not bring your trouble to Jesus right now and declare your dependence on Him? Come to the altar and let Him know you are reserving the final word only for Him.

Trouble's Final Word (2 Kin. 4:18-37) (Part 5)

7. WHEN TROUBLE CAME, ELISHA HAD THE FINAL WORD.

HE BROUGHT THE WOMAN'S SON BACK TO LIFE! Nothing changed until the situation was left entirely in the presence and power of Elisha.

Remember that, earlier, I said Elisha was a picture of Jesus? Elisha's name means 'God is Savior.' Our Savior is none other than Jesus Christ our Lord. When Jesus comes into your trouble, it is always the right time for a grand reversal (Jn. 11:6, 4-15, 39-44).

Trouble's Final Word (2 Kin. 4:18-37) (Part 4)

5. WHEN TROUBLE CAME, ELISHA'S SERVANT DIDN'T HAVE THE FINAL WORD.

WELL MEANING AS GEHAZI MIGHT HAVE BEEN, HE SEEMED TO BE IN THE WAY. He seemed to be more of a hindrance than a help.

• He tried to stop the woman from grabbing onto Elisha's feet. 
• Elisha would have no part in turning her away and chose compassion instead.
• When trouble comes, expect that there will be attempts to interfere with your worshiping Jesus and depending on Him.
• He tried to assist his master by going on Elisha's errand.
• Gehazi's errand, however, failed.
• He recently tried to squelch spiritual essentials such as humility and dependence, and then he was going to perform a miracle with Elisha's stick?
• You have to wonder if Elisha sent Gehazi on the errand only to occupy him for a while.

6. WHEN TROUBLE CAME, ELAPSED TIME DIDN'T HAVE THE FINAL WORD.

IT WAS ABOUT 16 MILES FROM SHUNEM TO CARMEL. Going at an average page – not too fast and not too slow – the average-sized donkey travels between 6 and 8 miles per hour, assuming its rider is 155 pounds. The hotter the weather and longer the distance, the slower the donkey can become.¹ That means that, at minimum, the round-trip journey took 4 hours, assuming the woman and Elisha didn't have extended conversation between arrival and departure times. Four hours is a lot of time for her son to be lying motionless! It didn't matter, since Elisha was successful anyway.

1https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090311193844AAeqrYk (accessed 7-28-16)

Trouble's Final Word (2 Kin. 4:18-37) (Part 3)

3. WHEN TROUBLE CAME, THE WOMAN DIDN'T HAVE THE FINAL WORD.

NOTICE WHAT THE WOMAN COULDN'T DO.

• She couldn't change what happened.
• She couldn't believe what happened.

She wasn't in denial; rather, she believed that God had given her a son and that God could give him back to her. Where would she have gotten such a defiant idea?

• Elijah (1 Kin. 17:17-24)
• Abraham (Gen. 22:1-10; Heb. 11:17-19)

Now that we noticed what the woman couldn't do, let's NOTICE WHAT THE WOMAN COULD DO. She could go to and return with the only one who was capable of changing what had happened. She didn't have the final word, but she knew how to get a hold of Elisha, who knew how to get a hold of God.

4. WHEN TROUBLE CAME, THE HUSBAND DIDN'T HAVE THE FINAL WORD.

IT WAS UNNATURAL FOR THE WOMAN TO KEEP SUCH NEWS TO HERSELF. She wasn't trying to deceive her husband. How she wanted to tell him! Why didn't she tell him? She didn't want him getting in the way of her faith! Perhaps she thought that he would ridicule her, discourage her or overrule her.

• If you're going to pursue the supernatural, then you might have to do something that is unnatural.
• If you're going to live by faith, then you will have to guard yourself against human reason.
• If you're going to believe for a miracle, then you should be careful with whom you share your heart and how early you divulge it.

Trouble's Final Word (2 Kin. 4:18-37) (Part 2)

1. WHEN TROUBLE CAME, THE SITUATION DIDN'T HAVE THE FINAL WORD. 

FOR THE MOTHER, DEATH DID NOT HAVE THE FINAL WORD. The story began with a death but ended with a resurrection. That's a dramatic turnaround, wouldn't you say?

For the mother, death did not have the final word; likewise, FOR A CHRISTIAN, DEATH DOES NOT HAVE THE FINAL WORD (1 Cor. 15:51-57).

2. WHEN TROUBLE CAME, HUMAN EMOTION DIDN'T HAVE THE FINAL WORD.

FOR THE MOTHER, GRIEF DIDN'T HAVE THE FINAL WORD. She felt sad, empty, angry, and disappointed, but she didn't allow grief to shut her down.

Not only did grief not have the final word but, FOR THE MOTHER, FEAR DIDN'T HAVE THE FINAL WORD. She didn't entertain “what if” scenarios.

• What if all this happened to let me know that God is displeased?
• What if I become the talk of the town, having no son to support me and love me as I get older?
• What if my husband won't let me go to see Elisha the prophet?
• What if Elisha won't agree to return with me?

If neither grief nor fear should have the final word, then what should? While the ultimate answer will be given near the conclusion, here is an answer for now. FOR A CHRISTIAN, FAITH SHOULD HAVE THE FINAL WORD. What you feel should not have the final word. Being led around by your feelings can be condemning, disruptive and confusing.

Trouble's Final Word (2 Kin. 4:18-37) (Part 1)

Introduction:

Read 2 Kings 4:18-37.

Notice that TROUBLE CAME TO THE WOMAN'S LIFE.

• She did nothing to deserve it.
• She had no time to prepare for it.
• She could have done nothing to prevent it.
• She acted shrewdly when it came.

In fact, her behavior had as much to do with the outcome as Elisha's did. Had she not determined to go to Elisha and bring him back, there would have been no resurrection of her son. When trouble came, she determined that Elisha – nothing else or no one else – would have the final word in the matter.

Not only did trouble come to the woman's life, but TROUBLE COMES TO A CHRISTIAN'S LIFE. Similar to the Shunammite woman it might be that, when trouble comes to your life . . .

• You did nothing to deserve it.
• You didn't have no time to prepare for it.
• You could not have done anything to prevent it.

The question is: Will you, as did the Shunammite woman, act shrewdly when trouble comes? How you behave might affect the outcome! What should you do when trouble comes? When trouble comes, let Elisha have the final word. Elisha, whose name means 'God is Savior', is a picture of Jesus, our Lord and Savior.

Transition: When trouble comes, something or someone will have the final word. What or who will it be? 

My Prayer (03/16/16)

photo:  www.pixabay.com

"And in the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea" (Mt. 14:25).

Come to me, Lord, during my stormy difficulty.  When I know You are there, it makes all the difference.  Thank You for not allowing me to go through this on my own.  Your initiative is greatly appreciated.

Troubled Yet Peaceful (Jn. 16:33)

What a strange combination, yes?  That is the experience of every Christian. 

• You are in the world.  Because you breathe, trouble will find you even if you don't invite it.  Welcome to existence.  Read Job 2:10; 14:1.
• You are in Christ.  He has overcome the world!  There is more to life than accumulating trials and troubles.  There is joy and peace in the journey too.  Don't forget the good news.  Read 1 Jn. 4:4.  Be an overcomer today.

Trouble (Psa. 120)

• You are going to have trouble.  Welcome to humanity!  John 16:33.
• When you are in trouble, you need to talk to somebody.  Why not have that Somebody be God?  He already knows every detail about you and your trouble.  (That's comforting stuff right there!)  Dont talk to other people until you have talked with God.
• God has the answer to your trouble.  If you were "that good," you wouldn't be in trouble to begin with.  If secular sources were "so helpful," then why are you still miserable?  I'm not saying God will change everything the way you want it when you want it because you want it.  The passage says that when you call to God in your trouble, He will answer you.  Do you want that answer, whatever it might be?