2Co 4:15-18 For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.
16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
Now Lets Read: Deut 8:2-4 And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to (humble thee), and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.
3 And he (humbled) thee, and (suffered thee to hunger), and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.
4 Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee, neither did thy foot swell, these forty years.
Duet 8:14-16 Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the LORD thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage;
15 Who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no water; who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint;
16 Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that he might (humble) thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end;
Did you notice the bible says God suffered them to hunger?
That means God let them get hungry, he let them get thirsty, he let them get in tight places, and times of distress and discomfort.
Am I talking to anyone who knows that sometimes God will let you get in trouble? He will let you get hungry sometimes, he will let you get in a place with your back against the wall, He will let you stand before a red sea with the Egyptian army closing in on you, he will let you go through the fiery furnace, he will let you spend the night in a hungry den of lions)
Why? So he can prove you, put your faith to the test, find out what is in your heart.
But the good news is: according to 2 Co 4: 15-18 (Its’ just a temporary inconvenience) Temporal = For awhile, For a season, short while, lasting only for a limited period of time.
Remember God said: To do thee good at thy latter end.
I came to tell somebody today that what you’re going through won’t last forever, (the storm don’t last always).
That emotional battle isn’t eternal
That financial struggle isn’t eternal
That sickness isn’t eternal
That job that makes you miserable, isn’t eternal
That problem that makes you cry isn’t eternal
That pain of betrayal and deception, isn’t eternal.
It’s temporary:
I may be crying today, but I’ll be smiling again in a little while
I may be broke today, but I’ll have more than enough in a little while
I may be in pain today, but my healing is on it’s way
I may be walking today, but my rides on it’s way
I may be in section eight, low income housing today (but I got my eye on a sweet little 3 bedroom brick home with a garage and a laundry room with washer and dryer inside the house.
I’m not always going to have to go to the laundry mat to wash my clothes.
I may be on food stamps today (But I told you, it’s only temporary).
It’s just a temporary inconvenience.
Like when they have to turn the water off to fix the pipes
Like when your internet service gets interrupted
Like when your T.V. program gets interrupted and they say please excuse us we are experiencing technical difficulties
Or they shut off my lights because I couldn’t pay my light bill
Or they threaten to kick me out because I’m behind on my rent
It’s just a temporary inconvenience:
Life is full of temporary inconveniences.
Nobody enjoys them, but there is a positive side to them. (It sure makes you feel good when the lights come back on, when the internet service is restored, when your water comes back on) when your T.V. program comes back on the air.
The wilderness was never supposed to be fun, it wasn’t supposed to be comfortable or enjoyable.
It was supposed to be difficult and undesirable
It was supposed to be hot during the day and freezing cold at night
The ground was supposed to be hard
They were supposed to get hungry and thirsty
They were supposed to hate the wilderness and find it undesirable
They were supposed to hate being surrounded by deadly poisonous snakes, and scorpions
They were supposed to love God be thankful for his daily provisions, but hate the wilderness.
God intended for it to be a Temporary inconvenience.
He wanted them to hate the wilderness so much that they would run into their promised land.
The problem was: they got adjusted to a wilderness mentality, they got comfortable just scraping by, and they got satisfied with just enough
Just enough to put gas in the car, just enough to buy some milk and bread, and maybe some bologna,
Just enough to keep the lights on, just enough to survive, just enough peace to keep my sanity but not enough to sleep at night.
Just enough faith to believe I’ll go to heaven when I die, but not enough to believe I can walk in divine health here and now.
Yes God gave them just enough, God gave them manna from heaven, and water from the rock, and their clothes didn’t wear our, and their shoes didn’t wear out, (But all of that was just provision for the journey) it was to sustain them until they came to the promise land.
They were supposed to transition from the wilderness of just enough to the promised land of more than enough.
Somebody: You need to tell yourself, It’s just a temporary inconvenience, and I’m not getting stuck here.
Yes Gods been good to me, But I’m going somewhere
Paul said: Our light affliction ( He must have been comparing our troubles with the sufferings of Jesus) because sometimes I feel like my affliction is a heavy weight affliction.
Then he said: Which is but for a moment:
Sometimes you hear people talk about midnight (It’s not morning and it’s not night, it’s midnight)
The midnight hour is critical because that’s when it can go either way.
More people die at midnight than any other time.
Paul and Silas with backs beaten, and humiliated, thrown into the most filthy darkest part of the prison, (At midnight, they prayed and sang praises unto God)
And God shook the Jail house off it’s foundation, opened every door, and set every prisoner free.
And brought salvation to the jailer and all his house. ( All because they chose to praise God in their midnight hour).
The good news today is: God still works the night shift. He does he best work in the dark.
The good thing I like about Midnight is: (It’s gone in 60 seconds).
In 60 seconds you can go from pain to praise, from sick to well, from dark to light, from lost to found, from weeping to rejoicing, from broke busted and disgusted to divine overflow.
It don’t take God long to bless you.
Somebody ought to praise God today like you believe the word of God, and you know it’s just a temporary inconvenience (Weeping may endure for the night, but joy comes in the morning)
Many are the afflictions of the righteous, (but the Lord delivereth them out of them all).
Touch somebody and say: It’ll be over in a minute.
Yes Job had troubles and pain, but it was only for a 9 month period of his life, and God gave him double for his trouble.
Paul said: Our light affliction, which is only for a moment, (WORKETH FOR US).
Right there is a good place to shout: (It’s working for me)
Even when the devil is hitting me, and attacking me, attacking my body, and lying on me, and attacking my marriage, attacking my finances, attacking my mind, my ministry,
It’s working for me:
Somebody needs to hear today that it’s working for you;
Tell your neighbor (it’s good for you) No maybe not what you feel right now but the bible says
Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love the Lord and are the called according to his purpose.
Worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal (weight) of glory:
Somebody’s getting ready to go from a feather weight to a (heavy weight).
Your punches are gonna carry some weight, your prayers are gonna carry some weight, when you speak the name of Jesus it’s going to carry some weight,
When you open your mouth and start praising God it’s going to carry some weight.
Somebody needs to tell the devil: I ain’t a featherweight any more:
I know how to pray now, I know how to praise now, I know how to stand on that word now, I know how to rebuke the devil now, I know how to sing in the midnight hour.
I don’t fight as one that beateth the air
I know how to throw a punch and I know how to land it.
While we look (not ) at the (things which are seen):
Touch somebody and tell them, (don’t be looking at that).
Look means: To consider, think on, contemplate, regard, observe, set your attention on.
Yes I know there are giants in the land, (But I choose not to look at them,) I’m not regarding them, or considering or observing them.
Why? Because I’m regarding, contemplating, considering and observing something else.
You might think I’m crazy, but the truth is (I’m not looking at the giants because I’m looking at the invisible)
Yes mister giant, I know your there but I can’t really see you anymore because the invisible has become so big it’s blocked you out.
The invisible = the eternal, the never changing, the unalterable, the immutable, the undeniable realities of the faith dimension.
In other words: I’ve got my eyes full of the Word of God:
I can’t see sickness anymore (All I can see is, by his stripes ye were healed).
I can’t see that financial problem anymore (All I can see is) My God shall supply all your need.
I can’t see me struggling through the wilderness of just enough anymore, (All I can see is) My God is able to do exceeding and abundantly above all that I can ask or think according to the power that worketh in me.
Touch 3 people and Tell them (I see something).
I see me blessed, I see me Healed, I see my children off drugs saved sanctified and filled with the Holy Ghost doing the work of God.
I see me in my new car (It’s alright if you can’t see it, it don’t offend me) I see it.
I see me in my new house.
I see me in my new anointing
I see me married to that man or woman of God who is Holy and virtuous and pure.
Excuse me for a minute: I’ve got something in my eye
It’s called Vision, It’s Called the Eternal
I can’t help it if I start acting crazy it’s because I’m seeing something.
I know I’m talking different, and it might not make sense to you (but I’m seeing something).
Yes I’m experiencing some technical difficulties, a little (Temporary inconvenience) but it’ll be over in a minute and I can make it because I’ve caught a glimpse of the eternal.
The things which are seen are Temporal:
Temporal= subject to change.
Tell somebody: Get ready for change
Start talking about where you’re going instead of where you’ve been.
Start talking about what you’re expecting instead of what you’re experiencing
I can make it through the temporary inconveniences as long as I can see the eternal.
As long as I keep my eyes on the word I can make it.
I don’t know what you may be going through today, but I stopped by to tell you (It’s Just a Temporary Inconvenience).
