“Whoa, God’s Mystery & Wisdom Known Through the Church? Yes!”

Ephesians 3:1-13
For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles— ² assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you, ³ how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. ⁴ When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, ⁵ which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. ⁶ This mystery is^[a] that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

⁷ Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace, which was given me by the working of his power. ⁸ To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, ⁹ and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in^[b] God, who created all things, ¹⁰ so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. ¹¹ This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, ¹² in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him. ¹³ So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory.

Sermon PowerPoint is available HERE

Transcript:

Pastor Thom Rittichier
Well, we are coming to the end of a long project that we’ve been on, the project has to do with praying for the 50 most persecuted countries in the world where it is most difficult to follow Christ. The last one, number 50, is Azerbaijan, it is in Asia. It is very interesting how the Lord has worked in that country, going from 40 believers throughout the entire country in 1991 to 245,000 to date. And many of these people lived in surrounding countries. It’s definitely a place where following the Lord is difficult because you have the Islamic opposition. And you also have a form of Christendom Russian orthodoxy, which has no interest in a new birth. But people are being reached for Christ, keep them in prayer, if you would.

And also this is going to be the last day for us to turn in a pledge of support for One For Israel. It’s not really blessing Israel, if it comes without the gospel. You know, the scriptures have spoken to us very clearly about God blessing those who bless his people, Israel. And the United States has taken that to heart over the years due to the Christian conscience which has guided the nation in times past. It is an interesting thing right now, how that is going. But nevertheless, Erez Soref, who is a believer, who was a psychologist and came to know the Lord and studied Christianity, learned to follow the Messiah and has returned to his homeland and launched along with others, this ministry, One For Israel. And you can go to oneforisrael.org and see the nature of this ministry going on. And we have been talking about using the card to make a commitment, saying I would be willing to participate with the rest of the church in supporting this very effective ongoing ministry in the Holy Land. So it’s the last opportunity, turned it in today, then we’ll let you know where we’re at.

Father, in heaven, we come before you grateful for these opportunities to be functioning in the world, as your church, called out of darkness into your marvelous light. We, who once were not a people, but now are the people of God, once had not received mercy, but have now received this mercy. Father, what we’ve been talking about over these last few weeks has been very much in accord with this ministry to Israel. And then this One For Israel ministry, effectively touching Israelis and Arabs in this part of the country. And the impact on that racial tension that has been there for many years, much longer than the racial tension in this country, being effectively resolved. God we pray that as we consider blessing Israel, we bless it with which you have blessed all the nations of the world through Israel by bringing your Messiah and that we would support that message going out. In Jesus name, Amen.

I also have a note that I want to share with you about something that is coming up. October 31st, All Saints Eve, you know that is also a pre-dated thing to Halloween, and this October 31st we’re going to be focusing on some things as a family concerning the saints. We are going to be remembering Joan, who’s passed from this life on October 30, 2020. And we’ll also celebrate this work of grace that is going on in all of our lives. So October 31st this will include family memories and message about Joan along with a noon meal that will be provided, fried chicken and sides. We’re asking you to bring desserts and family activities. So plan on being here a little longer on that day, if you would, on October 31st.

So who doesn’t like a good mystery? Seems that they are pretty well liked. It’s a matter of fact, this sign is up on a bookstore dedicated to ministries that’s on their Facebook page, “I love a mystery”. And mysteries have made certain things household terms like Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. And let’s see how does it go? Elementary my good Watson. Yeah, that is a household expressions. And it has been mimicked so many times, by all kinds of people. And you know the look, the cooked pipe and the double build cap. Agatha Christie, what is she known for? She’s an author of mystery books. And her legacy continues even today. This was a recent film based on an Agatha Christie book called Knives Out. How many of you saw it? Yeah, quite a few of you. And by the way, just last month, I saw that there will be a Knives Out 2, no release date yet but the filming is already done. And you know, there’s mystery for us in more than books and novels. There’s also mysteries of nature like, how does a bumble bee fly? If you look at it aerodynamically, like our ships, our planes, it shouldn’t fly. But there is, mysteriously, how its wings work. And from what I’ve understood, it creates kind of a hurricane turbulent under its wings that hold it up and it does indeed fly. It does fly, but not like our planes. And there are other mysteries about nature like, how in the world did the Grand Canyon get cut by that little Colorado river? Now there are ideas to answer that, there are some that I have, but nevertheless, mysteries of science. And there is a lot of debate and discussion about that. I think God does have an answer for us concerning that. But nevertheless, it leaves us with mysteries. There are mysteries in life also like, the Mayan civilization. Where did they go anyway? I suppose you heard that 2012 was going to be the end of the world. Of course that came from the Mayan calendar that just terminated at that point and there was a whole bunch of speculation about that, it was mysterious. We have mysteries in fiction, in nature and in life. And interesting even on TV. This is Robert Stack. And he has hosted, at least in the past, a show called Unsolved Mysteries. In a recent article, someone was saying Unsolved Mysteries is one of the scariest shows ever. It is still being sent out in podcast. ThisRobert Stack series, which first aired in 1987, has been terrifying us ever since. The atricle goes on and talks about these mysteries, different kinds of mysteries.

This morning we are going to come face to face, so to speak, with a mystery that God has, a mystery that he has set forth in his wisdom. So I’m going to ask you to take your Bible and turn to Ephesians chapter 3, which sets forth a mystery that God has set in his wisdom. And it’s a mystery that you and I need to come to grips with. It’s a mystery that speaks well to us and for us, in the day to day experience of our life. Day after day after day, right up until now, this mystery and wisdom is being carried out. And I want to say that vividly, just this weekend, it has come home to me how desperately I need to reflect on both the mystery and the wisdom that God has for us in this mystery. I needed desperately, and I can tell you this, from those whom I rub shoulders with, you need the mystery and the wisdom also. I’m going to start out by highlighting a few statements in this Ephesians 3:1-13 passage. I’m going to highlight these for the purpose that you see highlights of the game of the week. Okay? Because you see the major points, the interesting kind of eye catching events that transpire. That’s the idea behind the highlights. And it’s the idea behind this highlighting of the passage. And then we’re going to look at the details of it.

Pick up with me at verse 4, “When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and the prophets by the Spirit. This mystery…” And he goes on to describe it a bit. I want you to slide down with me to verse 10. Let’s actually pick up at 9, “and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for generations, for ages in God, who created all things, are hidden by God, who created all things, so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was according to the eternal purpose that he, God, has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him.” Then he goes on and makes a request that is so needed by us today. I highlighted that intentionally. So it would register with us that we are active participants in this mystery where the wisdom of God is being made known through the church. God’s mystery and wisdom, known through the church? And the question is answered, yes, it is.

This is what’s going on. This is what we are into. As believers, this is what we are into. Now, you know, we’ve dubbed this whole Ephesians series: Believers, What You’re Into, and like no other passage that I know in the New Testament is this, both highlighted and detailed. It’s kind of picked up in highlights in other passages. But here, it’s detailed, what you’re into. And I want you to know, it far exceeds our expectations, and our times. What we’re into, God in his wisdom has so designed to far exceed this life for you and for me, and for everone in our circle, and way beyond our circle, like in the heavenly places he says.

So, we’re going to talk about this, and we’re going to talk about it like this. First, we’re going to talk about coming to grips with what you’re into, because he does that initially, verses 1-6. Then we’re going to talk about complying with what God is doing through you. Because that is what the Apostle Paul unfolds here about this mystery and wisdom, verses 7 -12. And finally, we’re going to talk about cooperating by…verse 13. And that’s where he draws a conclusion and I don’t want to jump to there yet. So this is how we’re going to approach it. Now I want you to know that this is important for us to understand, concerning what we’re doing here. What are we doing here? Sometimes, I don’t know about you, but sometimes I ask myself, What am I doing here? I get frustrated and ask myself, Why aren’t I doing what I had dreamed and hoped it to be doing here? And I know that I’m not alone in that. Just a few weeks ago, a pastor I know resigned. Folks that we have interacted with, they sent me a text right afterwards. And we need to be in on this mystery and wisdom concerning what we’re doing here. We need it. We need it. So coming to grips with what you’re into.

The Apostle Paul does an interesting thing in Ephesians. Look with me at Ephesians 3:1 where he says this, “For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you, on your behalf, the behalf of you Gentiles.” Now, you know, the ministry that Paul was given, he dubbed himself, in the scriptures, as the apostle to the Gentiles. Because the ministry of the 12 apostles who were with Jesus was focused primarily on the Jews. And even though Peter got the revelation of a sheet coming down from heaven, in a communication about the Gentiles, he really didn’t go after that, though he surely opened the door to them. And it was the Apostle Paul, who went after this ministry to the Gentiles, which we’ve talked about the last couple of weeks, Jew and Gentile. Everyone is a Gentile who was not born as physical descendants of Jacob, whose name was changed to Israel. Everyone who is not born as physical descendants of him are Gentiles. And the Apostle Paul is talking about his ministry to the Gentiles. But what he does next, when he does this, being in Rome, in prison for carrying the gospel to the Gentiles…to the Jews, yeah, they are the ones that initiate his imprisonment. And the Romans then took responsibility of his imprisonment….But he says, I’m a prisoner, not of the Jews, not of the Romans, I’m the prisoner of Jesus Christ, for your behalf, for what I’m doing in carrying this message to you. Then he stops right there. And if you slide down to verse number 14, he picks up again, exactly where he stops. Because he says, “For this reason, I,” and if you notice between his statement in verse 1 of chapter three and verse 14 of chapter three, he inserts something. And that’s what he’s doing in verses 2-13.

He’s inserting something, something that he knows he needs, and something I know I need, and something I think you realize you need. It’s this thing about the mystery, and the wisdom of God. So Paul, specifically is talking about this mystery of Christ, and he’s putting it concerning his stewardship. Note what he says, verse 2, “assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you.” I was given this stewardship. Now the word stewardship is not a common term for us, it means a trust management. I went to college college and I graduated in finance. That was what I was trained in concerning business, the handling, appropriate acquisition and use of money. And I won’t go into that, because it’s really quite boring and detailed…bond issues and stock issues and all of that. And I have a nephew, who is a trust manager in a bank. And what that refers to is you being given a sum of money for an individual or organization, and then you begin to manage this trust of money for their benefit. When the Apostle Paul talks here about his stewardship for you, it was a trust management. And he talks about it, that it is a trust management of God’s grace. That’s what he says he had for you. Notice, if you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace, that was given to me for you, for you. So this is what Paul is doing initially, as he does this insert, he’s giving a personal testimony about what he’s been entrusted with, what he’s been entrusted with by God’s unearned favor, for the benefit of you, like someone manages your trust as a benefit for you.

He has that and he’s going to give a personal testimony here relative to it, verse 3, “how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written about briefly.” The Apostle Paul, in giving this testimony, says that he has mentioned this mystery before a little bit. As a matter of fact, he has in this very letter that he’s written here to the Ephesians. He’s mentioned it in Ephesians 1: 9-12. And he mentions it again in chapter 2 verses 11, 12. So he’s mentioned it briefly. But now he wants to detail it here, because of the importance of it, the importance of it for him, the importance of it for his hearers, it’s for you. And I’m going to say that God has recorded it, because of its importance to us. This mystery that God has, it was a trust of God’s grace that was given him for you. It’s a mystery made known to him by Revelation, verses 3 and 4, “how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written about briefly. When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ.” This mystery that he’s going to talk about was uncovered to him. It was unveiled, if you would, by God himself.

Now the Apostle Paul, in Galatians chapter 1, describes how this happens, how he was on the road to Damascus and he got knocked off the horse. You remember how that happens? Do you remember how Paul came to Christ? Just like you and I have a testimony of how we came to Christ, what were the events, the circumstances, what we began to do, some have more vivid than others, some were older than others, some had dramatic impacts concerning where their life was going and how God turned it. And some were being trained in this way by parents and grandparents. And suddenly God opens their eyes to it, of the importance and the significance of it to them individually, they must respond. Everyone has a testimony, and they are very varied. But nevertheless, it’s what we have seen God do. As a matter of fact, that’s the essence of a testimony, according to what Jesus said in John 3:11. When he was talking to Nicodemus, he said, We tell of what we have seen and what we do know, what we have seen God doing in people’s lives, in my life. That’s our testimony. And what we know that God has told us through the Scriptures, he specifically happened to be talking about the new birth, being born from above, born spiritually. Nicodemus wasn’t registering with it, even though he was a teacher of things about God, it wasn’t registering with him. And that’s when Jesus expressed this. You’re a teacher of Israel and youdon’t get these things? These are like major importance. This is like holy foundational to what’s going on. And then it goes on and describes having a testimony that Nicodemus didn’t have and needed to have. And it appears, did come to have, by the way he responds to Christ later. The point that I’m making here is that this mystery was made known to Paul, by revelation, his experience, after being knocked off the horse, was that he went three years to the backside of the Arabian desert. And God communicates the content of this mystery that he’s going to tell us about, that is contained in the Gospel. It’s in the Gospel. So Paul makes that known to us.

God’s mystery, operational now, has been revealed, that’s what Paul says. Notice with me, Ephesians 3:5, because Paul talks about, in general, what a mystery is. By the way, there are several mysteries that are spoken about in the New Testament, this is one. He says, you’ll understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, “which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed, unveiled, uncovered to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit.” Now, I want you to know, that statement there defines what a mystery is every time it appears in the New Testament. There are several times it’s talked about, and it’s not always the same mystery. As a matter of fact, if you look at 1 Corinthians, chapter 15, verse 51, the Apostle Paul says this, “Behold! I tell you on a mystery. We shall not all die, but we shall be changed in a moment, in a twinkling of an eye.” What that mystery was, and as he defines the mystery here is, that something that was not made known to the sons of men in other generations, as has now been revealed, uncovered to his holy apostles and his prophets by the Spirit. There is some folks who may be alive now who aren’t going to die, but they are going to be instantaneously changed, in a moment, in a twinkling of an eye, and conformed to the image of Christ. You know, that’s what God is doing in our life right now. Right? You know, that God is working every event in your life now, to make you like Jesus, more and more. In your experience of life, it said, like this. “For we know that God works all things together for good to those who love him, to those who are called according to his purpose, because whom he did foreknow, he also did destine ahead of time, he predestined to be conformed to the image of Christ.” Everything that’s happening in your life, everything that’s happening in your life. He’s working so that you will grow to become more like Jesus was, as a person. Now not everyone is going to be experiencing that gradual process, because some, in a moment, in a twinkling of the eye are going to be changed, instantaneously to be like Christ. That’s a mystery. But it’s a mystery that has now been revealed that wasn’t talked about before.

There’s other mysteries. There’s the mystery in 2 Thessalonians, chapter two, of lawlessness which is already working, the Bible tells us. And we can see it working. It’s the mystery of lawlessness. When the wicked one is revealed, the Antichrist. And this mystery is that there is a growing basis that he functions on. Do you know what basis the Antichrist functions on? It’s deception. It’s a lie. It’s untruth, being proclaimed so vigorously and loudly, that it’s bought wholesale. Do you see anything of that mystery of lawlessness playing out now? Do you see it? Even our media talks about how we are in a post truth era because political people, statesman, aren’t using truth to make their points. It’s just to generate momentum with people. Folks, it’s a mystery. We could go on, we could talk about the mystery of godliness. We could talk about the mystery of Babylon, the mystery of the stars. So I’m making a point that God explains what a mystery is here, as he uses it in the New Testament. It’s something that was formerly, intentionally kept the back.

Well look at verse nine, because it tells how God kept it back. “To bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for generations, for ages in God, who created all things.” That, in general, is what a mystery is, and this specific mystery, of which there are several, is given to us in verse six. He says, “This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, and fellow members of the same body and fellow partakers of the promise in Jesus Christ through the gospel.” This is the mystery that God had not revealed before. That he, throughout all time, is looking to bring to himself one people in Jesus Christ, Jew and Gentile, no distinction. To make one people in Christ. And give those people, heir of everything he has, to give those people a specific unity as the body of Christ, to give those people partakers of the promises of God in Christ. And what promises those are! Heirs of God, ruling and reigning with him for eternity, putting them over everything that he has created, “if you are faithful in that which is little, I will make you ruler over much”, Matthew 25. This is the mystery that he has. So we have this mystery. You might say, I’ve heard that mystery before. That there’s no distinction between Jew and Gentile. They’re all reconciled to God, by the death of Jesus Christ paying their sin, his burial and resurrection, giving them a confident right standing before God, not on what they’ve done but on their faith in Christ. That is the mystery.

But I want you to know, and here’s the need, that that mystery has the wisdom of God that far, far goes beyond our life and times here. That’s what the Apostle Paul is going to talk about next, complying with what God is doing, through you. It goes far beyond what you can see. It goes far beyond what you can imagine or what you can do. Because it is what God is doing through you. It is what he is doing. In verse seven Paul says, “Of this gospel I was made a minister.” Question: What is the church? What is the church? There’s a local expression, like chuches here in Hartford City. There’s a universal expression worldwide, like in Azerbaijan. The Bible talks about those who have been called out, of people. What are they called up from? What are they called out from? The world, blindness to God, into what he’s doing, though they have an idea of God, but blindness to God and what he’s doing and how important and significant he is, what this life is about because of God. They’re called out of the world because when we’re born our eyes are only open to this environment we live in, to this world. And now we’re called out of that with eyes open to see that there’s something bigger, something larger, something far, far more permanent than this world. As matter of fact, we come to realize that what we see here in this world is temporary. And what we don’t see is eternal. It’s eternal. That’s what the church is.

And let me show you one other thing that this grace does, turn with me over to Titus chapter two. He talks, in verses 11-14, about the grace of God appearing and bringing salvation, bringing rescue for all people, that has appeared for all people. It teaches us to turn away from ungodliness and worldly passions, to live self controlled upright godly lives in the present age as we wait for the Christ. We wait for the return of Christ, who gave himself for us, to redeem us, to pay the price to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession, who are zealous, enthusiastic about good works, about doing beneficial things. That’s what the church is, it is a people for God’s own possession, who has indeed been called out, called out of the world, called out of blindness, called to God to be his possession. This belonged to him, the church belonged to him. Now, I’m not talking about the building, here or on Water Street or wherever. It’s the people, it’s the people. And there’s a local gathering of the people. And then there is the universal gathering, which won’t happen until, as we see in Revelation, we’re around the throne of God, then the church in its entirety will be gathered.

Now the reason I’m saying that is because what Paul is going to tell us about what we’re doing, has to do with being done by the church. It’s done by these people. These called out people. It’s done by them. So he states, Paul’s stewardship is this, verse 7, “Of this gospel, this good news about Jesus Christ, I was made a minister.” Now that word minister, is a word that means errand boy, someone who is an attendant at tables, waiting on tables, doing an errand at someone’s beckoning. If you’re a waiter at a table you say, How are things going, do you need anything? Do you need another glass of water? Can I get you a refill on your drink? That’s what Paul recognized that he is, it’s a stewardship, a trusted responsibility as an attendant of the gospel, which was a gift of grace to him. And by the way, I want to add this, according to 1 Peter, chapter four, we all have, through the gospel, a gift of grace given to us, each one of us, each one of us who are making up this church have a gift of grace that was given to us. Let me show you the verse here. “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards.” That’s the same word. It’s good. People entrusted with a responsibility for others, as good stewards of God’s varied are multifold, various colored grace of God. Now I’m not going to speak about these grace gifts that he’s given to us other than saying this, each one has received a gift package that is a varied grace of God. So there are gifts of serving and gifts of mercy and gifts of teaching and gifts of help and gifts of admonishment. And what this means is that by this grace, God has given this gift package with a varied colored grace of God, that everybody’s gift package is a little bit different. But the point is, we have a responsibility, a stewardship, a trust that’s been given to us by grace, according to the gospel that we’re to use. We’re to use this with one another. We are, that’s what we’re to do.

So Paul stewardship as a ministry is much like ours. Under the gospel, we have this grace gift and he had and has far reaching impact for this. Look with me verses 7-9, “Of this gospel, I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace, which was given to me for the working, for the energizing, of his power. To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for generations in God, who created all things.” Now I’m going to add, that was Paul stewardship, under God’s mystery and he now shows that mystery through the church, verse 10, “So”, a statement of purpose, “so that through the church the manifold wisdom, this very multicolored wisdom, of God might now be made known to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places.” Folks, this is absolutely amazing. This is amazing. We are not, we are not doing ministry here just for its impact in the world. We are not doing ministry here just to touch the lives of people, though that is extremely important and very motivating. God’s wisdom is that through the church, we are making it known in the heavenly realm, to the authorities and the rulers.

You know, this is amazing. God has in heaven, as described in the Psalms, this realm, it’s in the heavenly places, it’s the heavenlies it’s called. And it’s a realm from which everything that transpires anywhere…not anywhere in this world only, not anywhere in the universe only, not anywhere in the Milky Way only, but anywhere in all of creation. He is the God who created all things. This realm runs through where God sits in charge, and there are rulers, there are authorities, there are people who are chieftains and their commanders, and they’re responsible, and all this is in God’s counsel up there. And the church, you and I, are making known there how wise God is. Because there are these, seemingly to us, very small and insignificant human beings compared to the power of the principalities and the authorities and the rulers. I mean one of those angels did the entire Syrian army in, in one night. Gone! Done! Out! And we, these small, ineffective, unaccomplishing individuals in the church, make known the wisdom of God. Because here is this God, who has all knowledge, all power, who’s everywhere, in touch with everything, instantaneously knows all before it happens, and he has these human beings, who touch his heart and move his hand, who come into his presence and he hears and he responds. And according to the scriptures, this is a spectacle to these powerful beings. This is something, 1 Peter 2:14, that they are interested in seeing, that this God responds to these beings and shows his wisdom everywhere. That’s what we’re doing, that’s what we’re doing as the church. It’s what we’re doing. It’s what it says, this statement of purpose of this mystery, verse 10, is that through the church, the manifold wisdom of God might be made known to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places. This, verse 11, is according to the eternal purpose that he, himself has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord. It’s in him we have this boldness and this access to him, with confidence, through our faith in him. That is astounding. That is amazing. And I want you to know, it is the antidote for our disappointment and our discouragement with life. This is what you’re into as a believer. This is what he’s doing. And I didn’t concocted it, God made it known by revelation, this mystery about his wisdom. That is amazing. This wisdom, with an eternal purpose, realized in Christ.

So we wrap up with this. Cooperating, he says, by not losing heart. Verse 13, “So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory.” You know, that word is very interesting. Because it means to faint out as worthless, that’s what it means, that you just faint as worthless. Don’t lose heart. Don’t lose heart in the sufferings, as Paul says, was his. He was in prison. So I asked you not to lose heart, not the faint out as useless, as useless, don’t faint out as useless over what I am suffering. It is it is for your glory. It is for the weighty heaviness that God intends to accomplish through suffering. Romans 8:18, “For I am persuaded that the sufferings of this present time are not worth being compared to the weightiness of what God is accomplishing, to the weightiness of what will be revealed through us.”

So brothers and sisters, I say this to you. We have need of endurance, with what you’re facing, with what you’re doing, with what you have. Whatever it is, whatever the discouragements, the disappointments, whatever it is, you have need of endurance because once you have done this will of God, not losing heart, you will receive what is promised. I want you to know, I hate this time but I so needed it. I hate this time when my heart just sinks with disappointment and failure and discouraged. And a pastor that I knew just walked out because of disappointment and discouragement. I hate that time. But it comes to us all and we have need of endurance becauce of what God is doing.

Now Father in Heaven, We so need you. And you have realized your eternal purpose. Help us not to faint out because by not fainting out it’s so worthwhile. In Jesus name. Amen