One Sunday during Bible study time with the ladies at our church, I taught the following lesson which I put together. Today I thought I would pass a copy of it along to all of you to study out on your own. If you have a hard time handling the heat, this one is for you!

"HE MAKETH HIS SUN TO RISE"
~A study of our persecutions~

Matthew 5:45, "That ye may be the children of your Father which is in
heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and
sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust."

Ladies, God alone controls the sun - after all, it's His, amen? He makes it to rise upon all mankind - both good and evil. No form of life is exempt from it's power and touch. And with the rising of God's sun, we will all feel it's heat....

Psalm 19:4b-6, "In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun, Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race. His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the
ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof."

Consider for a moment how people react to the rising of the temperature as God's sun rises in the sky... Some handle the heat well and some do not. How about you, dear lady? Do you typically faint under the heat or thrive under it's influence? What about spiritual heat? What about those persecutions that come into your life? Like the sun's heat that we cannot escape, none of God's people
are exempt from persecution, we will all come under it at one time or another. However, do you understand that God is the One who also brings this type of heat upon you as well? You see ladies, the sun brings life, new growth and even death with it's heat. It is part of God's plan for His sun. And God Himself calls it a good plan….

Genesis 1:14-18: "And God said, let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good."

OUR PERSECUTIONS ARE LOVINGLY PLANNED BY GOD

Psalm 74:16, "The day is thine, the night also is thine: thou hast prepared the light and the sun."

We must each understand that God has carefully planned our persecutions, and the rising of HIS sun is a divider in our lives! This is precisely what spiritual heat does for our Christian walk. It divides light from darkness... Knowing that our loving God has prepared our sufferings, we can therefore experience new life, new areas of growth and maturity in our character as His dear children during the rising of HIS sun and the personal touch of HIS heat upon us. We can begin to see some things die in our lives that ought to as light begins to divide itself from the darkness within us. BUT - only if we react properly! The question today is, how are you holding up under the rising of HIS sun?? How are you reacting to your persecutions, dear lady? Are you experiencing new life, new growth in your Christian character, and death in worldliness as a result? Are you learning how to distinguish darkness more clearly because of the rising of HIS sun, because of God's persecutions lovingly prepared for you?

PERSECUTIONS IMPROVE OUR EYESIGHT


When the sun rises, it assists our eyes in seeing accurately. What appeared to be scary in the dark becomes quite clear in the day… So too, persecutions improve our spiritual eyesight. Are we to ever focus our eyes directly on the sun? No, of course not - we would damage our vision greatly! To look directly at the sun would blind us completely to the beauty, the blessings, and even the lessons in nature that God has surrounded us with. Ladies, neither should we look directly at the fact that we are being persecuted and thereby lose our complete vision! If we do, we'll be quick to give up and then find ourselves questioning WHY?? We must only focus on the presence of the Lord in all our persecutions. We must focus on Him and WHAT He wants us to see in them, WHAT must be learned, WHAT our role is, WHAT must be obeyed and carried out by us. Turn to
Jonah chapter 4 and read through it as an example of this point, focusing on verse 8 which says:

"And it came to pass, when the sun did arise, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah, that he fainted, and wished in himself to die, and said, It is better for me to die than to live."

We all know the story of Jonah and how he had the wrong perspective toward the city of Ninevah and the assignment God had for him there. To make a long story short, Jonah finally obeyed God and took the warning to them of their sin. The people repented and in Jonah 3:10 we find that God showed mercy on them for it. However, Jonah was not happy with God's way of operating. He wanted to see these people suffer for their sin. The trouble was, Jonah wasn't seeing things properly, and so as the verse above explains, God sent some heat upon Jonah (and the gourd that he was hiding under) to beat upon his head and refine his perspective, to bring him to the place in his heart where he would see these people through God's eyes and not his own.... Jonah's view of himself also needed altering, for this man was pitying himself in that he wanted to quit because of the intense heat. Isn't it true ladies, that persecutions show us just what we are really made of? How's your endurance these days??

PERSECUTION POINTS US TO THE LORD AND HIS WORD

Run for the water and the shade when the heat is on!

Isaiah 49:10, "They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them: for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall he guide them.

Isaiah 25:4, "For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall."


Rev. 22:17, "And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely."

PERSECUTION PROVOKES PRAYER

Psalm 17:8, "Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings,"

Learn to call upon the Lord in prayer to keep you and hide you under His personal shadow when you feel yourself weakening or fainting!

Psalm 57:1-2, "Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast."

Make it a habit to seek God's mercy and refuge in calamities, to cry out to Him in prayer for protection rather than running to the world for help.

Song of Solomon 2:1-3, "I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys. As the lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters. As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste."

Wise is the woman who will sit down under His shadow with delight and enjoy God's comfort and fellowship, letting Him minister to her heart and soul!

PERSECUTION REFINES OUR REACTIONS

Mt. 5:10-12, "Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you."

Ladies, don't blow up or despair in your persecutions, in those moments of intense trial and tribulation. The Bible says we are to rejoice and be exceeding glad - "to surpass, excel, outdo the normal amount" of gladness! It will take our eyes off earthly rewards and put them on heavenly rewards! Scripture reminds us often that so the prophets were also persecuted. It proves our faithfulness to God and is a sign of effective Christian living.

Psalm 63:7-8, "Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice. My soul followeth hard after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me."

Persecution trains us to look back on God's past assistance in our lives enabling us to encourage ourselves that He WILL be there for us in future persecutions as well. Make it a habit to fully trust in the Lord!

PERSECUTION AIDS OUR TESTIMONY AND THE GOSPEL

1 Corinthians 1:3-7, "Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ; That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge; Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ:"

Our "grace-full" attitude through our persecutions serves as an example to others and enriches our own lives, creating better opportunities for ministering!

Matthew 10:16-19, "Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues;
And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles. But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak."

Through the experience of persecution, we also learn to behave ourselves wisely, trusting in the Holy Spirit for wisdom and words to say every step of the way.
We are to be harmless when the heat is on - not harmful!!

Luke 21:10-19, "Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven. But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name's sake. And it shall turn to you for a testimony. Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer: For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist. And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake. But there shall not an hair of your head perish. In your patience possess ye your souls."

No doubt about it ladies, we all are given a turn to be a testimony to those closest to us. Our greatest persecutions often come from our most intimate relationships, those who are nearest and dearest, amen? Settle this matter in your hearts today so that you won't wilt as the sun rises and spiritual issues intensify
your dealings with people.

Mark 13:9-11, "But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them. And the gospel must first be published among all nations. But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost."

Even though the sun rises upon us, we are to be careful to defend the gospel, not just ourselves!

PERSECUTION STRENGTHENS AND SIFTS

Jeremiah 17:8, "For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit."

Through leaning upon the Lord and His Word, even in drought - at the height of our persecutions - we can flourish and remain fruitful!

1 Peter 1:6&7, "Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:"

Through the flaming heat of our persecutions, God's refining process burns away our personal impurities and prepares us to meet Christ in maturity, that we need not be ashamed before Him!

Matthew 24:12-13, "And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved."

Persecution quickly sifts true Christians from fair weather Christians, revealing those who are sincere in their devotion to the Lord!

In closing ladies, all of us live under the sun and cannot avoid it's power and touch, as I said in the beginning. So too, none of us can escape going through some persecutions in life, so why not just yield properly to them, in a godly manner? It is a chance for us to really know the depth of our character and faithfulness to God when under intense heat. As He maketh the sun to rise in your life, allow the Lord to sift you and build into you today the necessary Christ-like character that you lack. Learn how to handle future persecutions without fear or pity for yourself. Learn how to effectively minister to others who are suffering under the heat as you once did. When the Lord maketh His sun to rise upon you, it is not a cause for worry or despair, but a time to rejoice! Your heavenly Father is near and will draw you into His shadow to strengthen your faith and refine you for His work, for He knows exactly how much heat you can take! Trust His judgement and plan for your life, won't you? Let's each strive to become women who can stand up under the heat and give God some glory!


God Bless,
Pam
Isaiah 60:1&2
Copyright 2000 Pamela A. Iannello

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