John 12:24 Except this little grain of what fall in the ground and die, it abides alone. But if it dies, it brings forth much fruit.

Hebrews 12:5-11 "...My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when He rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those He loves...Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons.... Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good that we might share in His holiness. No discipline seems pleasing at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who are trained by it." Hebrews 12:5-11 "...My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when He rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those He loves...Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons.... Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good that we might share in His holiness. No discipline seems pleasing at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who are trained by it."

“I discipline you because I love you and I want you to grow up to be very special.”

Romans 5:3-5 “… but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope…”

"Thank you, God. I understand that even this difficult time in my life is allowed by You for the purpose of making me look like Jesus."

2 Corinthians 3:18 “And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever- increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”

“But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold” (Job 23:10).

Joseph Moses Jeremiah Hosea

Our goal is not the suffering. The cross is the means—not the result. Our goal is the resurrected life of Jesus Christ.

How much of your “shell” is broken? How clearly can others see through you to see Jesus? How free is Jesus to minister through you to the people around you? How much of your “shell” is broken? How clearly can others see through you to see Jesus? How free is Jesus to minister through you to the people around you?

HOW FAR ALONG ARE YOU IN YOUR SPIRITUAL JOURNEY?

1 Peter 1:6 “In this you greatly rejoice though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These trials have come so that your faith of greater worth than gold which perishes, even though refined by fire, may be proved genuine and may result in praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” 1 Peter 1:6 “In this you greatly rejoice though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These trials have come so that your faith of greater worth than gold which perishes, even though refined by fire, may be proved genuine and may result in praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” The cross is God’s basic tool for making us look like Jesus.

Matthew 16:24 "If any man would come after me, let him deny Himself, take up His cross, and follow me.” Matthew 16:24 "If any man would come after me, let him deny Himself, take up His cross, and follow me.”

Dying on a cross hurts.

Dying on a cross takes time.

You can’t crucify yourself.

Dying on a cross hurts.

1 Peter 1:6 “In this you greatly rejoice though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These trials have come so that your faith of greater worth than gold which perishes, even though refined by fire, may be proved genuine and may result in praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” 1 Peter 1:6 “In this you greatly rejoice though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These trials have come so that your faith of greater worth than gold which perishes, even though refined by fire, may be proved genuine and may result in praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.”

“There has no temptation overtaken us, but such as is common to man, from which God always provides a way of escape.” 1 Cor. 10:13

1 Kings 17:1: “Elijah the Tishbite” 1 Kings 17:24: “Elijah the man of God”

Dying on a cross takes time.

Philippians 1:6 “God is in no hurry. Spiritual growth takes time: “Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."

“It is often God's design to set a new Christian aside for a while so that self-confidence may die down.” Moses: 40 to 80 Paul: 30 to 49

"It takes God one hundred years to make a mighty oak. He can turn out a squash in six weeks." Which would you like to be? An oak? Or a squash? Spiritual growth takes time. "It takes God one hundred years to make a mighty oak. He can turn out a squash in six weeks." Which would you like to be? An oak? Or a squash? Spiritual growth takes time.

By the way, We cannot speed up God’s process; but we can certainly slow it down! By the way, We cannot speed up God’s process; but we can certainly slow it down!

You can’t crucify yourself!

Philippians 2:13 It is God who works in you to will and act according to His good purpose.

EXERCISE Did you realize when you first became a Christian how much surrendering to Christ would cost? Share some examples of what God’s maturing work has looked like in your life? EXERCISE Did you realize when you first became a Christian how much surrendering to Christ would cost? Share some examples of what God’s maturing work has looked like in your life?

Once upon a time far off in the heart of the Western Kingdom the master came to walk day by day. In the midst of the garden there in the Western Kingdom was the most beautiful bamboo tree that ever grew in all the earth. The master would come by and look at his plants; but, he had a special affinity for that old bamboo tree. He watched it as it grew. He nurtured it almost to complete maturity.

One day, as the great master was walking through his garden, he came to that bamboo tree, and on impulse that bamboo tree bowed down in loving adoration of his master. The master said, “Bamboo, most beautiful of all the trees in my garden, I think that you're just about ready to become useful to me.” Bamboo said, “Oh, great master, if I can do anything for you, I will. Just take me. Use me.”

The great master said, “Bamboo, Bamboo, most beautiful of all the trees in my garden, if I'm going to use you I have to cut you down.” The wind stopped blowing, and the birds stopped singing and all the butterflies were still. Then Bamboo said, “Well, master, I'm yours. But, you yourself said that I'm the most beautiful of all the trees in the garden, must you cut me down?” And the great master said, “I must, if you're going to be useful to me, I must cut you down.”

The sounds of the garden were hushed in silence as that great bamboo bent his neck, and the master cut him down. Then the master said, “Bamboo, You’re still not useful to me. If you're going to be useful to me I must cut off all your branches.” Bamboo pleaded, “Oh, master, not that. You've already cut me down. Isn't that enough? Please don't cut off my branches.” But, the great master said, “No, I must cut off your branches.”

Once more the garden was silenced, and all the plants looked on with rapt attention as the great master snipped off branch after branch, and bared that great bamboo. Then the master said, “Bamboo, you're not useful to me yet. There's one more thing. If you're going to be useful to me, then I must split you open and cut your heart out.” Bamboo wept, “Oh, master, not that! “You've already taken away my beauty. There's nothing left now—just me. Must you scrape my heart out?” Once more the garden was silenced, and all the plants looked on with rapt attention as the great master snipped off branch after branch, and bared that great bamboo. Then the master said, “Bamboo, you're not useful to me yet. There's one more thing. If you're going to be useful to me, then I must split you open and cut your heart out.” Bamboo wept, “Oh, master, not that! “You've already taken away my beauty. There's nothing left now—just me. Must you scrape my heart out?”

“I must if you're to be useful to me.'” Once more the garden was hushed as the great master took that bamboo, split him down the middle and scraped his heart out.

Then the great master took that bamboo shoot, now hollowed out and scraped clean, and walked over to a spring which was bubbling with water. He laid one end of that hollowed-out bamboo shoot in the stream. He placed the other end of that bamboo shoot in the irrigation ditch that watered his garden. Then the waters began to flow; and the fields began to grow. The wind began to blow again. The birds began to sing. The rice was planted and the harvest came.

And that bamboo, who standing all alone in the garden was the most beautiful of all the master's plants, that bamboo, which meant so much to himself, when he was stripped bare, and hollowed out, was then, and only then useful in the great master's garden."

The cross is not the end. It is the beginning of resurrection life.

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1 Peter 1:6 “In this you greatly rejoice though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These trials have come so that your faith of greater worth than gold which perishes, even though refined by fire, may be proved genuine and may result in praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” 1 Peter 1:6 “In this you greatly rejoice though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These trials have come so that your faith of greater worth than gold which perishes, even though refined by fire, may be proved genuine and may result in praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” James 1:2-4 “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

How do you react to problems? Do you ever struggle with anger and bitterness toward God? Have you ever wanted to give up in despair? Or, do you submit quietly to God’s will? What does submitting to God during difficulties look like in your life?

How far along are you on your spiritual journey?