For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich. 2Corinthians 8:9 2Corinthians_8:2 How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.Matthew 16:26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?Mark 8:35 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it Jesus speaks, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” John_16:33 The Psalmist…
Tag: <span>suffering</span>
An age, a great block of time of almost 2000 years, will soon end! The dispensation of the grace of God runs from the time of Christ’s 33 year earthly visit, till His return. This specific age features a specific management, oversight, or administration — of God toward mankind. Paul the Apostle referred to this era as: ( the mystery of Christ) in other ages it was not made known unto the sons of men, is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. Gentiles can become fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ by the gospel: Paul’s purpose in the time-block: to preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery: that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold…
” For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.” Our lives are hidden lives, we are with Christ, and we are with Him in the Father. Who is to call into question the Chosen ones of God? God justifies. He declares them legally righteous. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died and rose again, and He is at the right hand of God, making intercession for us. Who can separate you from the love of God? Tribulation or imprisonment or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword? Romans 8:33-34 All is actual in the place of “dead and hidden.” All is legally ours, but what about in our experience? The plan of God goes to work. “According as it is written, For thy sake we are put to death all the day long; we have been reckoned as sheep for…
Job 5:7 …man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward. KJV — (As sure as the wild birds fly, Aramaic; and even so the vulture’s young seek the high places, Septuagint.) As sure as the laws of nature; as birds of prey scavenge from on high or fire flickers upward, so men will see trouble. Psalm 119:67-75 teaches, ” Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word.” …”It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.”… “I know, O Lord, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me.” It seems that trouble should not surprise us, but must come. A word from Jeremiah: ” …the Lord will not reject for ever.” ” But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies.” “For he doth not…
Job 23:14 teaches, “For He performs the thing that is appointed for me: and many such things are with him.” Job 23:10 says “But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.” Job 23:6 said, “Will he plead against me with his great power? No; but he would put strength in me.” Struggle, strive, strain and worry comprise something not Christian, for He is faithful who has called us, who will also do it. God is performing the thing concerning me. But, Job declares these profound truths in a time of severity. Matthew Henry explains: “I am loath to think holy Job would charge the holy God with iniquity; but his complaint is indeed bitter and peevish, and he reasons himself into a sort of patience per force, which he cannot do without reflecting upon God as dealing hardly…
Like a River dam or lock, We must manage the flow of grace. This includes That flow coming into our house, and then the flow going out. This is our stewardship . This is spoken of in 1 Peter 4:10 “As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” I must first learn how to receive grace, but not in vain. Grace “received” is accepting something which I do not deserve. Can you do it? `Pride can inhibit this action. Many, many speakers, leaders, church members, choir singers, administrators or faculty cannot receive grace. Unsaved folks balk at grace often. The reason? Grace is based never on the receiver, but rests in the open hand of the Giver, God Himself. It all depends on the vicarious atonement of Christ. Precious people look inward and discover…
As we watched and talked and grieved for our final support grouping, a theme emerged as central –pain and joy can co-exist, yes, must co-exist, and often. Moving on from a season, long or short, of grieving may require determined will in the midst of a lot of pain. This hard lesson will be repeated throughout our Christian life as we move past obstacles of failures, sin, regrets, loss, sickness; hurts of all kinds. Matthew 18:8 Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire. Matthew 18:9 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye… Snares and…
Courage, The ability to do something that frightens one; bravery. Strength in the face of pain or grief. https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/ “Mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty” Merriam-Webster “Any fool can be fearless. Courage, true courage, derives from that sense of who we are…” Barak Obama “Without courage we cannot practice any other virtue with consistency. ” Maya Angelou, as quoted in USA Today (5 March 1988) “Be strong and of a good courage.” Joshua 1:6 Courage deflects fear, gives consistency, withstands danger, endures pain. Nevertheless, Courage, God’s way… fills the gap (tiny passageway) where truth oversees and refuses the broad-way compromise. A teen courageously defies his parents; it took courage to smoke my first cigarette, then my first joint. It takes guts to steal a car, drink a shot of tequila, stay out past curfew, shoot something in my vein. Intestinal fortitude does jail time…
Courage, The ability to do something that frightens one; bravery. Strength in the face of pain or grief. https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/ “Mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty” Merriam-Webster “Any fool can be fearless. Courage, true courage, derives from that sense of who we are…” Barak Obama “Without courage we cannot practice any other virtue with consistency. ” Maya Angelou, as quoted in USA Today (5 March 1988) “Be strong and of a good courage.” Joshua 1:6 Courage deflects fear, gives consistency, withstands danger, endures pain. Nevertheless, Courage, God’s way… fills the gap (tiny passageway) where truth oversees and refuses the broad-way compromise. A teen courageously defies his parents; it took courage to smoke my first cigarette, then my first joint. It takes guts to steal a car, drink a shot of tequila, stay out past curfew, shoot something in my vein. Intestinal fortitude does jail time…
I watched two moms, one my own, the other my wife. A third would be my wife’s mom. All these have a common thing – close ties with their offspring. The children love mom not because she is perfect or even for her giving, but this – she is always in their corner, no matter what. Moms forgive their children — at least the ones I have known. They so never lose hope that their son or daughter will be great or at least be OK. They pray for the kids and worry. Most worry is sin, but not for moms; it becomes sanctified worry. The kids know about this worry and it guides, even restrains them away from certain paths of sure destruction. In order for a kid to go wild he has to find a way around his mom. He has to disregard her. No matter, mom will visit sons in county jail, or…