Ba – Renewed Day by Day 4: 16-18

Renewed Day by Day
4: 16-18

Renewed day by day DIG: What was Paul’s secret in getting through the hard times of life and ministry? Why did ADONAI allow Paul to go through them? What does it mean to “concentrate not on what is seen but on what is not seen?” How does the inner person get renewed daily? How does that daily renewal fuel and motivate the believer?

REFLECT: How do these verses challenge the idea of what makes a person “successful?” Why do some believers live with a deep-seated anxiety about eternity? What are your feelings about the end of your life and the next world to come? How does the glory reserved for us in the future serve as motivation in the now to be faithful and courageous in suffering?

For what is seen is temporary, but things not seen are eternal.

Life for believers in this fallen world is a mixture of joy and sorrow, of blessing and suffering, of triumph and tragedy. For all people, fulfilling relationships, pleasant times, and exhilarating experiences are tempered by the reality that people are born for trouble as surely as sparks fly upward (Job 5:7). Even believers are not exempt from normal human trouble. Yeshua warned: In this world you will have trials (John 16:33). And Paul reminded Timothy, “All who want to live a godly life united with Messiah Yeshua will be persecuted” (Second Timothy 3:12). Disappointment, discontent, pain, grief, loss, disasters of various kinds, unexpected turns, and persecution will mark life’s course. Those who are able to cope successfully with life’s difficulties are those who learn how to endure. This passage reveals the means for facing life like Paul did, of having all kinds of troubles. But we are not crushed; we are perplexed, yet not in despair; persecuted, yet not abandoned; knocked down, yet not destroyed (4:8-9).

Because of the astounding realities of all that was his in Messiah and the B’rit Chadashah, Paul could not lose heart. No amount of trouble could make him neglect his calling, privileges, or duty. Based on the reality of ADONAI’s glory revealed in Yeshua Messiah and God’s mighty care in his life, Paul gives us three heavenly reasons for earthly endurance.¹²²

Value spiritual strength over physical strength: Therefore, pointing back to what just preceded it (to see link click Az – Priceless Treasure in Clay Jars), we do not lose heart. Paul repeats this same statement that he made in 4:1, but here he does so in view of the resurrection and the glory it will bring. Let the present afflictions be what they will, not only do they appear as nothing when compared with that glory, they are even instrumental in working our glory out for us during our brief stay on this earth.¹²³

Though outwardly we are heading for decay. Paul’s body was decaying not only because of the normal aging process, but also because of the extremely grueling life he led. The apostle was old before his time, worn out in the cause of Messiah. Nor was it merely hunger, sleeplessness, or illness that took its toll on Paul; it was the battering his body took at the hands of his enemies. He wrote to the Galatians, “I have scars on my body to prove that I belong to Yeshua” (Galatians 6:17b). His body bore the scars of beatings (Acts 16:22 and 21:30-32), whippings (2 Cor 11:24), even a stoning (Acts 14:19), as well as imprisonments (Acts 16:24).

But in direct correlation to Paul’s decaying outer man was the growth and maturing of his inner man. The expression inner man is synonymous with the heart for Paul, and implies the center of a person, the source of the will, emotion, thought and affection. Was Paul tempted to give up in the face of the brutal nature of his ministry? He answered, “Heaven forbid, even though we are wasting away, the real us, who we are on the inside, is being renewed day by day (4:16 NIV). Isaiah said it this way: Haven’t you known, haven’t you heard that the everlasting God, ADONAI, the Creator of the ends of the earth, does not grow tired or weary? His understanding cannot be fathomed. He invigorates the exhausted, he gives strength to the powerless. Young men may grow tired and weary, even the fittest may stumble and fall; but those who hope in ADONAI will renew their strength, they will soar aloft as with eagles’ wings; when they are running they won’t grow weary, when they are walking they won’t get tired (Isaiah 40:28-31). Our decaying bodies will eventually perish, but one day all believers will receive a new imperishable, eternal body (see Bb – Going Home). That recognition motivates us to value spiritual strength over physical strength.

Value the future over the present: It’s vital that you stay focused on God’s plan, not your pain or problem. That is how Yeshua endured the pain of the cross, and we are urged to follow His example: Keep your eyes on Yeshua, our leader and instructor. He was willing to die a shameful death on the cross because of the joy He knew would be his afterwards (Hebrews 12:2a LB). Corrie ten Boom, who suffered in a Nazi death camp, explained the power of focus, “If you look at the world, you’ll be distressed; if you look within, you’ll be depressed. But if you look at Messiah, you’ll be at rest.” Your focus will determine your feelings. The secret of endurance is to remember that your pain is only in the present, but your future reward will be eternal. Moshe endured the problems of a life of problems because he was looking ahead to his reward (Hebrews 11:26). Paul endured hardship the same way. He said: For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory whose weight is beyond description (4:17). So don’t give in to short-term thinking. Stay focused on the end result: If we are to share in His glory, we must also share His sufferings. What we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory He will give us later (Romans 8:17-18 NLT).¹²⁴

Value the eternal over the temporal: Compared to other centuries, life has never been easier for much of the Western world. We are constantly entertained, amused, and catered to. With all the fascinating attractions, mesmerizing media, and enjoyable experiences available to us today, it’s easy to forget that the pursuit of happiness is not what life is about. Only as we remember that life is a test and a temporary assignment will the appeal of these things lose their grip on our lives. We are preparing for something even better.

The fact that earth is not our ultimate home explains why, as followers of Yeshua, we experience difficulty, sorrow, and rejection in this world (John 15:18-19). It also explains why some of God’s promises seem unfulfilled, some prayers seem unanswered, and some circumstances seem unfair. This is not the end of the story. In order to keep us from becoming too attracted to earth, ADONAI allows us to feel a significant amount of discontent and dissatisfaction in life – longings that will never be fulfilled on this side of eternity. We’re not completely happy here because we’re not supposed to be! Our citizenship is in heaven (Philippians 3:20a), this earth is not our final home.

Dear Heavenly Father, Praise You for Your deep and eternal love that desires to have me live with You forever in Your eternal home in heaven. Thank You that You are Almighty and nothing can stop me from spending eternity with You. Your power is so strong that nothing can keep me from your perfect love that you give me in Messiah Yeshua.  For I am convinced that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers,  nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Messiah Yeshua our Lord (Romans 8:38-39). Thank You! Bless You. In Yeshua’s holy name and power of His resurrection. Amen

A fish would never be happy living on land, because it was made for the water. An eagle could never feel satisfied if it wasn’t allowed to fly. You will never feel completely satisfied on earth because you were made for heaven. You will have happy moments here, but nothing compared with what YHVH has planned for you. Realizing that life on earth is just a temporary assignment should radically alter your values. Eternal values , not temporal ones, should become the deciding factors for your decisions. The Bible says: Therefore, we concentrate not on what is seen but on what is not seen. For what is seen is temporary, but things not seen are eternal (4:18). It is a fatal mistake to assume that the Lord’s goal for your life is material prosperity or popular success, as the world defines it (First John 2:15-17). The abundant life has nothing to do with material abundance. Never focus on temporary crowns, only seek after eternal ones (see Bc – For We Must All Appear Before the Bema of Messiah).¹²⁵ Paul was riveted by the reality of eternity. The promise of heaven gave him real hope when life’s circumstances turned unpleasant. By cultivating a mindset that continually recalls these easy-to-forget realities, we become the people ADONAI made us to be and our lives take on new power and purpose.¹²⁶