RESOURCES — SHORT ARTICLES

 

SHORT ARTICLES BY TOM ELSEROAD
	2020-06-11	Why God Sanctifies Us Slowly
		2Co 4:16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. 2Co 4:17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 2Co 4:18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. Paul says we are being renewed “day by day” (v.16). If we are being renewed every day, what does that imply? It implies hope fades. Encouragement wanes. Or maybe best, your bucket leaks. Paul is not saying I have the secret so you will not need renewal. Or maybe you can have an experience that fills you permanently. That certainly is not Paul's message! Paul's message is very realistic. We need to be renewed day by day. Back to the bucket idea, this means every day you leak. Every day you get depleted. You would not need to be renewed, day by day, if you could run your car on yesterday's gas. You cannot run today's life on yesterday's renewal. This is one of the most important truths you need as a believer in Christ. A new believer may think it is easy to live with these high moments. “I have found it. I have arrived. I am flying on eagle's wings.” New Alert: You will not be there long! So we have to find ways to put air under our wings EVERYDAY. Life is going to be a battle. This is implied by the truth of renewal. This is what Jesus meant that tomorrow has enough trouble of its own (Mt.6:34). Mat 6:34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. Today will have its own troubles. Tomorrow will have its own trouble. I am not a prophet, but I can tell you, you will have trouble. Each day has its own 'appointed' troubles. Welcome to the life of daily renewing faith. Do not worry about tomorrow. There are sufficient matters to attend to today. Lam 3:21 This I recall to my mind, Therefore I have hope. Lam 3:22 Through the LORD's mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. Lam 3:23 They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. So today has its own troubles (Mt.6:34), and today has its own mercies (Lm.3:23). Notice that God has matched troubles with His mercies. These mercies or renewal must be sought on its own day of trouble. Did you seek God's mercy for today? Or do you think you are strong enough to get through today's trouble without God's mercies? Know this, God's daily mercies are not designed for tomorrow. They are designed for today. Why did the Lord design the Christian life to be daily? It would be 'nice' if we could be fully sanctified all at once. 2Co 4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. God only gives us daily-sized mercy so that all the glory will go to Him alone, and not to us. God does this because we would begin to think our great life is because of who we are. The fact that we run out of gas (God's mercies) everyday puts us back at the station of God Himself. God has His reasons that He saves us in stages. He makes us fill up everyday with Himself, lest we forget where the gas comes from. The contrast is like a great treasure contained in common jars of clay. We have a deep sense of our own unworthiness, compared with the grandeur of His message within us. Pastor Tom Elseroad

 

An Evangelical Free Church of America

23304 E Wellesley Ave. Otis Orchards, WA 99027 Church Office: 509.926.9552 Church Cell: 509.342.9145 Pastor Cell: 509.828.8843 tomelseroad@gmail.com