A BEND IN THE ROAD

2 Corinthians chapter 12






Today we are walking in: A Bend In The Road










Exodus 4:12​


Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach H3384 thee what thou shalt say.






TEACH






Today we look to the word TEACH H3384 yarah--to direct, teach, instruct ; to point out, show









The Torah testifies...............




Leviticus 10:11



And that ye may teach H3384 the children of Israel all the statutes which the LORD hath spoken unto them by the hand of Moses.






The prophets proclaim..................


Isaiah 2:3


And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach H3384 us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.









The writings bear witness...........................





Judges 13:8


Then Manoah intreated the LORD, and said, O my Lord, let the man of God which thou didst send come again unto us, and teach H3384 us what we shall do unto the child that shall be born.












A Bend in the Road” –
Sometimes we come to a life’s crossroads, and we view what we think is the end;
But The Most High has a much wider vision, and He knows that it’s only a bend –
The road will go on and get smoother, and after we’ve stopped for a rest,
The path that lies hidden beyond us, is often the path that is best.
So rest and relax and grow stronger, let go and let The Most High share your load,
And have faith in a brighter tomorrow – you’ve just come to a bend in the road.
“Somewhere along your own path, you’ve likely encountered a bend in the road too.” Suddenly you have faced circumstances you never expected or wished to encounter, and you read encouraging words from fellow strugglers. “None of us enjoy suffering, but pain does have a way of accomplishing the ‘greatest good’ in our lives by drawing us closer to The Most High. The Most High uses ‘disruptive moments’ to help us keep things in perspective.” The apostle Paul writes, “A thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me” (2 Cor 12:7). The Most High told Paul He would not remove the thorn, but would do something else – in the midst of the ordeal, He would give Paul all the grace he needed to continue his work – “My grace was sufficient for you – because My strength is made perfect in weakness.” When we are weak, then we are strong – the weaker we are, the stronger His grace is revealed (2 Cor 12:9-10). It is when we are weak that we really learn to “rely on Yahusha,” and that is when we experience “His power” in us and accomplish what He desires.
How quickly we are prone to “strike out against The Most High” when we come to a bend in the road. Our short-sightedness causes us to become discouraged by the event, lose heart, and want to give up. But no matter how disruptive the event may be, we need to remember that everything that happens to us is for the eternal purposes of The Most High – He is training us through the process, with the ultimate goal in mind of “conforming us to the image of HaMaschiach.” “The only thing that has taught me anything is suffering; not success, not happiness, not anything like that… the joy of coming in contact with what life really signifies is suffering and affliction.” The only road that leads to the destination The Most High desires for us has a number of sharp bends – all shortcuts only lead us into the wilderness. I bear willing witness that I owed more to the fire, and the hammer, and the file, than to anything else in The Most High’s workshop. I sometimes question whether I have ever learned anything except through the rod. When my schoolroom is darkened, I see most.
Your “crisis” is important to The Most High–Whatever your struggle or setback, it is intended by The Most High to empower and purify you. Never forget that. Five principles we as believers need to remember:
1. Disruptive moments are simply Divine appointments – Every trial we face,difficult as it may be, comes from the hand of The Most High, who loves us and wants us to grow. Seeing disruptive moments as divine appointments will keep you from giving in to discouragement. The moment we accept the fact that our ordeal has been permitted, even intended by The Most High, our perspective will change. You will find yourself saying, “The Most High, You have allowed this in my life. I don’t understand it, but I know that it could not have happened to me unless it was filtered through Your loving hands.”
2. Progress without pain is usually not possible – We live in a skin-deep world – all the things the world values are cosmetic. Character and substance are shaped in the vessel of adversity. Pain makes us sensitive to The Most High – without pain we simply end up spinning our spiritual wheels, and we go nowhere. “Show me someone who lives a carefree life with no problems or trials or dark nights of the soul, and I will show you a shallow person.” “The spiritual masters have taught us that the one who would get in touch with ‘his soul’ must do so with diligence and determination. . . because one must overcome feelings, fatigue, distractions, errant appetites, pain, suffering.”
3. The promise of The Most High is the provision of grace – The Most High told the apostle Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you; My strength is made perfect in weakness” – therefore, it is when you are weak, and not relying on your own strength, that you are strong. The Most High must do some pruning in order for us to thrive and bear fruit, but our Gardener is loving and devoted to our well-being. Someone has profoundly said, “The Father is never closer to the vine than when He is pruning it.” “Never in all my life have I sensed the closeness and provision of The Most High as I did when I came to the bend in the road; and never before have I been more fruitful than I have been since I came through the bend in the road.”
4. Disruptive moments produce dynamic growth – You can struggle against the disruptive moment, shake your fist at the heavens, and find yourself exhausted, defeated and in despair… or you can accept the moment and let it train and strengthen you in your inner man. The Most High allows no pain without purpose. His power will rest upon you only when you have abandoned the idea that you are big enough to go it alone. Every plant must weather a storm every now and then. Those who navigate little streams and shallow creeks, know but little of The Most High of tempests; but those who “do business in great waters,” these see His wonders in the deep. Among the huge Atlantic waves of bereavement, poverty, temptation, and reproach, we learn the power of The Most High, because we feel the littleness of man.
5. What we receive from disruptive moments depends upon how we respond – “Why this, The Most High?” you might ask. “Why now? Why not later? Why not someone else?” We all ask the WHY questions. They are a natural part of being human. But we can ask better questions – we can ask WHAT questions: “What The Most High?” What would You have me do? What are You trying to teach me?” Reflect upon the words of Psalm 71
In You, O LORD, I put my trust. . .
​Incline Your ear to me, and save me.
Do not cast me off in the time of old age;
Do not forsake me when my strength fails.
O The Most High, make haste to help me. . .
You, who have shown me great and severe troubles,
Bring me up again from the depths of the earth.
And I shall speak of
Your righteousness all the day long...