Devotion of the Week
January 29, 2005
By: Barry Leonard, Pastor
Benham/Cumberland United Methodist Church
Benham and Cumberland, Kentucky

God's Breakthrough Pattern for Blessing

His divine power has bestowed upon us all things that are required for life and godliness! 2 Peter 1 : 3 - 5 (Amplified Bible)

For every negative circumstance, God has a promise to care. For every painful experience, God has a promise of comfort. For every fiery trial, God has a promise of grace. For every defeat and discouragement, God has a promise of hope. But God has more for us than promises, as precious as they are. God has a "Breakthrough Pattern for Blessing" for us, right there, in the middle of our trial an suffering.

The Apostle Paul, who knew something about "suffering for righteousness sake," assured us that the answer for blessing in the midst of suffering led through the suffering not away from the suffering. He says in Romans 8:16 -18 (NAS):

"The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. Notice the pattern...? God has the answer. All the answers are found in Him. The Father has created all things for this purpose, so that we will always be looking to Him, and Jesus, His Son, for our answers. In Him, every day of our lives, we have all the answers for life and godliness.

Notice God's "Breakthrough Pattern for Blessing" in Job and Jabez. In these Old Testament saints we have two powerful examples of God's blessing, even in the midst of great pain, suffering, loss, and disappointment.

Job 2 : 9 - 11 (New Living Translation)

Job's wife said to him, "Are you still trying to maintain your integrity? Curse God and die." But Job replied, "You talk like a godless woman. Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?" So in all this, Job said nothing wrong.

I Chronicles 4 : 8 - 10 (Amplified Bible)

Jabez was honorable above his brothers; but his mother named him Jabez [sorrow maker], saying, because I bore him in pain. Jabez cried to the God of Israel, saying, Oh, that You would bless me and enlarge my border, and that Your hand might be with me, and You would keep me from evil so it might not hurt me! And God granted his request.

I suspect that not even Johnny Cash - singing about the pain of "A Boy Named Sue" - had anything on Jabez when it came to growing up tough with a tough name. Just imagine the ridicule that came with the name of "Sorrow Maker" or "Pain Bringer" and the negative self image that came along with it!

But Jabez turned his bitter trial into triumph because he knew God's Breakthrough Pattern for Blessing!

In his best selling books on the Prayer of Jabez and Secrets of The Vine, Bruce Wilkinson points to this Breakthrough Pattern for Blessing found in the Promises of God. God promises to bless us, even in the midst of the hard and bitter trial! God does promise to bless us, if we have faith to believe that He exists and that He rewards those who diligently seek Him.

What is God's Breakthrough Pattern for Blessing in the midst of our suffering?

Wilkinson says the first step is faith driven. It is the believer's heartfelt cry to God for blessing.

"Jabez cried to the God of Israel, saying, Oh, that You would bless me and enlarge my border, and that Your hand might be with me, and You would keep me from evil so it might not hurt me! And God granted his request." (1 Chronicles 4 : 9 - 10 (Amplified Bible)

The second step is relationship driven. It is the believer's consistent and constant "abiding" in the Vine, abiding in Jesus and abiding in His word. If we abide in Him and His word abides in us, Jesus says to us: "ask what you will and it will be given to you by my Father." (John 15 : 7 & 8)

The third step is remaining faithful "through" the suffering, trial, pain, disappointment: "if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him." (Romans 8 : 17)

Clichés about enduring suffering, such as: "When things get tough, the tough get going." never have the power to encourage us or strengthen us for the trial. But, in His precious promises, His Word, God has given us His "Breakthrough Pattern for Blessing" - everything we need for blessing in life and Godly character, and we can trust God's plan for blessing His children.

Let's take a look at a few of those promises and see how we can receive God's blessing, even in and through the trial:

When it seems like no one loves you, God does:

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. (NKJV)

John 13:34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. (NKJV)

When your home, your heart, or both are broken, think about the home Jesus has waiting for you:

John 14:1-3 "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 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. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. (NKJV)

When you seem too tired and too weary to go on, God will give you rest and strength:

Matthew 11:28-30

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." (NKJV)

Isaiah 40:31

But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. (NKJV)

When you are full of fear, God will give you courage:

II Timothy 1:7

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. (NKJV)

When you feel like you just do not know what do and can't understand life, God will give you wisdom:

James 1:2-5

My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. (NKJV)

When you feel like the Christian life is just not worth the effort, God says it is:

II Corinthians 4:16-17

Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, (NKJV)

When you feel like you are all alone, and no one is there to help, God says that He is always there to help:

Hebrews 13:5-6

Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." So we may boldly say: "The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?" (NKJV)

The next time you find yourself in the midst of a hard trial, between a rock and a hard place, just remember to make your stand on THE ROCK, The Rock of Jesus Christ, and follow His "Breakthrough Pattern for Blessing!" Amen!