Good morning and welcome in everybody. Today, we are going to take a look at a passage of scripture, but before we do that I wanted to tell you a little story.
We have always burned wood in our home for heating and cooking, but whenever you take a break from splitting wood, you can pick up a log from off of the ground, and take a few minutes to count how many years old it is. Every year that a tree grows, a brand new layer of wood is added to the trunk of the tree, and if you count them all up, you can have a good idea of how old the tree actually was when it was cut down. Because of the different seasonal growth rates in a tree, you will find one light ring and one dark ring and each of them together represent one year of the tree’s life. A lot of us don’t even think about it, but many trees have been around longer than we have! Take for instance the General Sherman which is located in the Giant Forest grove of Sequoia National Park, which has been claimed to be approximately 2,200 years old. There was a Great Basin Bristlecone Pine tree that was cut down in 1963 in Nevada that is claimed to have had the highest tree ring count ever recorded. It was actually quite small because of its harsh growing environment and only measured about 17 ft tall and 6 ft in diameter, but when they were all added up, they found it to have approximately 4,862 rings!
This reminds me of the Christian life.
Like sands in an hourglass, time is slowly ticking away, and just as the trees bring forth an annual tree ring, each of us are quietly aging in our flesh. But people who possess faith in Christ understand that although we age physically, we are being made new Spiritually, completely reborn as a new child of God. We might have many years of growth rings on this Earth, but the inward man is being renewed every single day. Death is worketh on the outside, but life in Christ Jesus is working on the inside, preparing our souls for eternity and the Everlasting Kingdom to come.
2 Corinthians 4:16-17 (KJB) For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
Each of us age physically, but through faith in Christ Jesus we can become a new child all over again. But just as we become frail the older that we get, as a new child of God we also will have to endure some growing pains along the way. When children grow, they oftentimes will suffer painful physical and emotional discomfort simply because certain parts of their body grow at different rates. When we become born again Spiritually, there will be many times that we will have to go through growth spurts, and will have to endure the pain that accompanies them. We will have to enter into tribulations and sufferings for preaching the truth in Christ, and for taking a stand for the gospel. But the Apostle compares these sufferings to a light affliction, because in comparison to living forever, the sufferings that we have to deal with in our flesh are very brief; but for a moment, and like a wisp of smoke. The Apostle Paul went through numerous afflictions in his flesh for his faith in Christ Jesus, but he endured them all the way to the end.
2 Corinthians 11:24-28 (KJB) Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.
When I was younger, I used to go up to the Boundary Waters, and would paddle in my canoe all day long just to get to the next campsite. Sometimes it felt like my arms were going to fall off and I was hungry and thirsty, but I fainted not, and kept going until I eventually arrived. At that point, all of the suffering that I had to deal with up to that point was quickly forgotten, as I curled up in my sleeping bag, next to a roaring fire and enjoying a nice hot meal. Like that campground, Eternal life is a reward for those who endure sufferings while here on the Earth. Moses chose the path of suffering, because rather than abiding in all of the comforts of Egypt, he chose to suffer afflictions with the people of God instead. He did this because he understood the Eternal rewards that were coming for the faithful in the future.
Hebrews 11:24-26 (KJB) By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.
The Old Testament prophets did likewise.
James 5:10-11 (KJB) Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. Behold, we count them happy which endure……..
Look at all of the suffering that the Lord Jesus went through when He shed His blood for us on the cross. He created everything that we see, but rather than receiving Him, He was hated and rejected by many. But He taught His disciples that if they persecuted Him, they would also persecute them, because those who hate Christ will persecute those who serve Him. But we must never faint at these afflictions, but endure them all, just as our precious Lord did. We must always keep in mind the Eternal reward that is coming for each one of His faithful and obedient servants.
Hebrews 12:1-3 (KJB) Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
Any sufferings that you have to deal with for the sake of Christ Jesus are not even worthy to be compared to the glory that is coming in the future!
Romans 8:16-18 (KJB) The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
As we age, we will have to endure sufferings in our flesh, not only from the natural wear and tear on our physical bodies, but from those who resist the teachings of our faith. But hold fast and be diligent all the way to the end, because God is ready to reward each of His children. Until that time comes to pass we must be patient in our sufferings, even if that means sticking around a while, and growing a few more,…..
……..Tree Rings
Let’s think about these things for right now. We can be found on your web browser by searching, tlkjbc where you can find our diaries distributed through various platforms. We are not associated, nor affiliated with any other religious groups. You can get our entire podcast feeds directly, along with transcripts at tlkjbc.com or I suppose that you could find us somewhere up here, in the Great Northern Minnesota woods. Peace to you all, and Lord willing, we will talk with you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody.
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