Rom 4:24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;
Rom 4:25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.
Rom 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
Rom 5:2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
Rom 5:3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
Rom 5:4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
Rom 5:5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
Rom 5:6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
Rom 5:7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.
Rom 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Rom 5:9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
Praise GOD!
'We glory in tribulations.'
Do we?
This week has been filled with tribulation, and I don't think I ever felt like 'glorying' in that tribulation. It's not easy to glory when you feel so awful. That tribulation is supposed to work patience, did it? Will it? What sort of patience? Patience that gives us experience, and that experience gives us hope. And hope- the love of God shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given to us.
In retrospect I can glory having had the tribulation, knowing that all tribulations brought about by Satan are geared to get us to fall away from the hope we have in Christ, and by God's grace, this tribulation can be used for patience, experience, and ultimately hope having the LOVE OF GOD in my heart.
From time to time it is so incredibly necessary to remind myself that love and faith in God are not FEELINGS, but facts. That the love and faith are there even if I'm not feeling joyful. We can't rely upon feelings, but we can rely upon facts, upon truths.
How else can someone have hope? If we go by feelings we will be on a constant rollercoaster of faith and hope. We go on truth, not feelings. I might not feel happy at the moment, but by faith I know one day that's all I will feel. I live in a temporary world with all sorts of temporary things that will one day pass away and never be again. Sin has introduced so many horrors to our lives, daily horrors, horrors that will be wiped out never to rise again. Right now those horrors lurk around every corner of our lives. Just when we are seeming to get to a place in our lives where we are comfortable, that we are trusting wholly in the Rock of our Salvation, Jesus Christ, a new horror will rise up to try and thrust us off our Rock. Sometimes those horrors will leave us barely clinging to the Rock, but we must CLING even if it's by a pinkie finger. And as we climb back up upon the ROCK and have a firm stance there, we truly have learned from that horror, that tribulation, we have gained patience- endurance- giving us experience for future events, leaving us filled with HOPE- the LOVE of GOD shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which has been given to us. PRAISE GOD!
Rom 4:25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.
Rom 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
Rom 5:2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
Rom 5:3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
Rom 5:4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
Rom 5:5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
Rom 5:6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
Rom 5:7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.
Rom 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Rom 5:9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
Praise GOD!
'We glory in tribulations.'
Do we?
This week has been filled with tribulation, and I don't think I ever felt like 'glorying' in that tribulation. It's not easy to glory when you feel so awful. That tribulation is supposed to work patience, did it? Will it? What sort of patience? Patience that gives us experience, and that experience gives us hope. And hope- the love of God shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given to us.
In retrospect I can glory having had the tribulation, knowing that all tribulations brought about by Satan are geared to get us to fall away from the hope we have in Christ, and by God's grace, this tribulation can be used for patience, experience, and ultimately hope having the LOVE OF GOD in my heart.
From time to time it is so incredibly necessary to remind myself that love and faith in God are not FEELINGS, but facts. That the love and faith are there even if I'm not feeling joyful. We can't rely upon feelings, but we can rely upon facts, upon truths.
How else can someone have hope? If we go by feelings we will be on a constant rollercoaster of faith and hope. We go on truth, not feelings. I might not feel happy at the moment, but by faith I know one day that's all I will feel. I live in a temporary world with all sorts of temporary things that will one day pass away and never be again. Sin has introduced so many horrors to our lives, daily horrors, horrors that will be wiped out never to rise again. Right now those horrors lurk around every corner of our lives. Just when we are seeming to get to a place in our lives where we are comfortable, that we are trusting wholly in the Rock of our Salvation, Jesus Christ, a new horror will rise up to try and thrust us off our Rock. Sometimes those horrors will leave us barely clinging to the Rock, but we must CLING even if it's by a pinkie finger. And as we climb back up upon the ROCK and have a firm stance there, we truly have learned from that horror, that tribulation, we have gained patience- endurance- giving us experience for future events, leaving us filled with HOPE- the LOVE of GOD shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which has been given to us. PRAISE GOD!
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