Sunday Sermon Summary: "It's Temporary!"10/18/2015
Praise Tabernacle International, Plantation, FL.
Pastor D. H. Dawkins, Sr.
Today’s Sunday service topic spoke of momentary phases of life. The focused scripture came from 2 Corinthians 4:15-18
15 For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God. 16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; 18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
Life Application
I have always had a mentally of long term. I always wondered how I behaved now, would affected what could happened next. That is because I had an inclination of how everything was temporary and there was something beyond this (2 Cor 4:18). Something greater! Eternal!
Now I know that at a young age that I knew of discernment and conviction. Biblical definition of discernment is “perception in the absence of judgment with a view to obtaining spiritual direction and understanding” ("Oxford," 2015). Conviction is the “work of the Holy Spirit where a person is able to see him as God sees him” (Slick, 2015). “Conviction functions differently for Christian and non-Christian, conviction reveals sinfulness, guilt, and brings fear of God's righteous judgment. Whereas, conviction in the believer brings an awareness of sin and results in repentance, confession and cleansing” (Slick, 2015). You know that “gut feeling” of someone lying and/or when you were heading into trouble? Yes; that feeling! Through discernment and conviction, I felt that there was beyond what I could imagine.
We must understand that everything we do has a time stamp on it. GOD intends for us to be at a location for only a certain period. During this chapter, we should be collecting and learning what we need for the next level that GOD will elevate us to. I can hear Pastor Dawkins saying, “Always have your spiritual backpack!” We affect this timing when we choose to be disobedient, take matters into our own hands, and not to lean on GOD for our understanding. We can sometimes prolong these seasons due to our own doing. GOD never wants His children to negatively suffer. In Deuteronomy, it speaks of the Children of Israel and how their journey through the wilderness was not suppose to last for 40 years. The distance of Canaan from Egypt was only 11 days. It was through their behavior they lengthened their journey.
When suffering comes, we must understand “It's temporary.” “For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning” (Psalm 30:5, KJV). Pastor Dawkins mentioned a key concept about night; midnight rather. He pinpointed out the length of midnight. Its' duration is only from 12:00AM-12:01AM. He said that this meant our joy solely had to travel for 60 seconds! If we recognized the symbolic meaning of this verse, we would understand that these tests come to strengthen us for the long run (2 Cor 4:18) and joy will soon make its’ arrival!
Essentially there will be seasons of enduring and enjoyment. We must understand that the times of trials and tribulations are supposed to be only for a period. They are not made to hold us down! Stay in there, learn the lesson(s), sharpen your armor, and be a soldier for GOD!
Stay Blessed!
(Photo courstey of http://neyle.deviantart.com/art/old-clock-135505577)
References:
Oxford University Press. (2015). Discernment. Retrieved from
Bing.com/search?q=discernment+defined&FORM=EDGENN.
Slick, M. (2015). Conviction. Retrieved from farm.org/dictionary-
conviction
