The promises of God to His people are many. Promises of a future with Him. Promises of a life in Him with great eternal rewards. 'Beauty for ashes'
We mourn now and rightly so. We mourn with a great heaviness of heart, with a spirit heavy with grief, because we live in a world that offers us so much pain. We lay off the mourning and feel joy, we begin to praise rather than dwell in the heaviness of a broken spirit. We can only do that when we are freed from the captivity of sin that threatens to have us drown in our sins, die in our pain. We live in a world that isn't right for us, trying to fit in and failing because all the superficial trappings that we suppose might make us happy fail us. We turn to one thing after the other trying to fill the emptiness, the pain of life and disappointment still finds us. Some people settle for mediocre existence, not seeking happiness but rather becoming content with what life throws their way, making the best of whatever befalls them- not realizing that they are truly captives in another way. It's good when we mourn, when we weep, when we feel that spirit of heaviness because then we can realize there is something wrong. Seeking relief from pain whether emotional or physical is a natural response and the true life pain reliever is faith in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior and the world He offers, salvation in Him.
Salvation.
Salvation isn't just a promise for life hereafter, it's a promise for life now.
How would you act if you were promised 100,000,000 dollars? You would feel rich even before that money was realized. The promise of it enough to give you the thrill of that richness.
We are promised salvation and we can grasp hold of that thrill now.
Just as someone promised a great amount of money has to count their pennies until it's in their hands, living in their means until it's a reality- those promised salvation have to continue to live in a life that warrants mourning, brings them pain, and causes heartache. The joy of the promise makes life bearable. The promise needs to be real to us though. We have to believe in the promise. If we fail to believe in the promise then we lose hope and begin to live in despair. Without a promise, without hope we might settle for life with no future salvation.
May God help us to claim the promise of salvation in Christ now and live with the promise real in our lives believing its truthfulness, believing in the reality as if we've won the race, the prize before us is real.
By the mercy and the grace of our Lord and Savior through His righteousness now and forever! Amen.
Isa 61:1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
Isa 61:2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;
Isa 61:3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.
Isa 61:4 And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations.
Isa 61:5 And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of the alien shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers.
Isa 61:6 But ye shall be named the Priests of the LORD: men shall call you the Ministers of our God: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves.
Isa 61:7 For your shame ye shall have double; and for confusion they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess the double: everlasting joy shall be unto them.
Isa 61:8 For I the LORD love judgment, I hate robbery for burnt offering; and I will direct their work in truth, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.
Isa 61:9 And their seed shall be known among the Gentiles, and their offspring among the people: all that see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the seed which the LORD hath blessed.
Isa 61:10 I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.
Isa 61:11 For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.
Luk 2:10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
Luk 4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
Luk 4:19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord
Mat 5:3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 5:4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
Mat 5:5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
Mat 5:6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
Mat 5:7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
Mat 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
Mat 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
Mat 5:10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 5:11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
Mat 5:12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
Eph 6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Eph 6:14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
Eph 6:15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
Eph 6:16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
Eph 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
Eph 6:18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints
Monday, May 3, 2010
Sunday, May 2, 2010
We can't be like the pharisees
Joh 9:26 Then said they to him again, What did he to thee? how opened he thine eyes?
Joh 9:27 He answered them, I have told you already, and ye did not hear: wherefore would ye hear it again? will ye also be his disciples?
Joh 9:28 Then they reviled him, and said, Thou art his disciple; but we are Moses' disciples.
Joh 9:29 We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is.
Joh 9:30 The man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes.
Joh 9:31 Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.
Joh 9:32 Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind.
Joh 9:33 If this man were not of God, he could do nothing.
Joh 9:34 They answered and said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out.
Over a thousand and then some years removed from Moses and the Pharisees uttered these words- 'We know that God spake unto Moses' How did they know except by believing in history, believing in things taught to them? They didn't witness first hand God speaking to Moses, they believed because they were taught to believe. They believed their forefathers and accepted Moses law as a law from God and why not, history related the many miracles wrought by God though Moses. Miracles. Those in Moses day didn't readily believe He was from God either, did they? At first they did, when they thought He was going to miraculously set them free, but then Moses, following God's orders went to Pharoah and Pharoah was angry making the people's work harder than ever at which point this was said--
Exo 6:6 Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments:
Exo 6:7 And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.
Exo 6:8 And I will bring you in unto the land, concerning the which I did swear to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it you for an heritage: I am the LORD.
Exo 6:9 And Moses spake so unto the children of Israel: but they hearkened not unto Moses for anguish of spirit, and for cruel bondage.
They hearkened NOT.
Exo 10:1 And the LORD said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh: for I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants, that I might shew these my signs before him:
Exo 10:2 And that thou mayest tell in the ears of thy son, and of thy son's son, what things I have wrought in Egypt, and my signs which I have done among them; that ye may know how that I am the LORD.
Moses came with many signs, many miracles were wrought and the people of Israel believed finally but at first they did what... they hearkened NOT unto Moses. The Pharisees in Jesus' day were confronted with miracles unexplainable miracles, miracles that surely had to be from God because like the blind man said-- Joh 9:32 Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind. Joh 9:33 If this man were not of God, he could do nothing.
This wasn't a sign that a magician could work in any way at all under any pretense. Healing flesh, making eyes for a man born blind to see from. This was of God! Yet the Pharisees just as Pharaoh hardened their hearts to God. This time the Pharisees held fast to the fact they were believers of Moses and therefore would not change their ways to believe any other. Even though the books (scrolls) they took their history from revealed a 'Messiah' to come. They wanted the Messiah to be their IDEA of a Messiah, another Moses that would work signs and wonders to free them from Roman bondage, they didn't want a Messiah who was going to free them from their sin bondage.
Today many don't believe in Jesus Christ as a personal, real Savior. He's a fable of old, he's explained away with natural phenomena, as people have done to Moses. Jesus Christ isn't here on earth today but in heaven on our behalf preparing for us. He wants to live in us, the Holy Spirit was sent by Him to us to live in us. We can't be like the Pharisees who held fast to a past. We have to be like the blind man who believed. Our spiritual sight can be returned to us by the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Lord of all, Creator of all now and forever! By His Will.
Amen.
Joh 9:27 He answered them, I have told you already, and ye did not hear: wherefore would ye hear it again? will ye also be his disciples?
Joh 9:28 Then they reviled him, and said, Thou art his disciple; but we are Moses' disciples.
Joh 9:29 We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is.
Joh 9:30 The man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes.
Joh 9:31 Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.
Joh 9:32 Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind.
Joh 9:33 If this man were not of God, he could do nothing.
Joh 9:34 They answered and said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out.
Over a thousand and then some years removed from Moses and the Pharisees uttered these words- 'We know that God spake unto Moses' How did they know except by believing in history, believing in things taught to them? They didn't witness first hand God speaking to Moses, they believed because they were taught to believe. They believed their forefathers and accepted Moses law as a law from God and why not, history related the many miracles wrought by God though Moses. Miracles. Those in Moses day didn't readily believe He was from God either, did they? At first they did, when they thought He was going to miraculously set them free, but then Moses, following God's orders went to Pharoah and Pharoah was angry making the people's work harder than ever at which point this was said--
Exo 6:6 Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments:
Exo 6:7 And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.
Exo 6:8 And I will bring you in unto the land, concerning the which I did swear to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it you for an heritage: I am the LORD.
Exo 6:9 And Moses spake so unto the children of Israel: but they hearkened not unto Moses for anguish of spirit, and for cruel bondage.
They hearkened NOT.
Exo 10:1 And the LORD said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh: for I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants, that I might shew these my signs before him:
Exo 10:2 And that thou mayest tell in the ears of thy son, and of thy son's son, what things I have wrought in Egypt, and my signs which I have done among them; that ye may know how that I am the LORD.
Moses came with many signs, many miracles were wrought and the people of Israel believed finally but at first they did what... they hearkened NOT unto Moses. The Pharisees in Jesus' day were confronted with miracles unexplainable miracles, miracles that surely had to be from God because like the blind man said-- Joh 9:32 Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind. Joh 9:33 If this man were not of God, he could do nothing.
This wasn't a sign that a magician could work in any way at all under any pretense. Healing flesh, making eyes for a man born blind to see from. This was of God! Yet the Pharisees just as Pharaoh hardened their hearts to God. This time the Pharisees held fast to the fact they were believers of Moses and therefore would not change their ways to believe any other. Even though the books (scrolls) they took their history from revealed a 'Messiah' to come. They wanted the Messiah to be their IDEA of a Messiah, another Moses that would work signs and wonders to free them from Roman bondage, they didn't want a Messiah who was going to free them from their sin bondage.
Today many don't believe in Jesus Christ as a personal, real Savior. He's a fable of old, he's explained away with natural phenomena, as people have done to Moses. Jesus Christ isn't here on earth today but in heaven on our behalf preparing for us. He wants to live in us, the Holy Spirit was sent by Him to us to live in us. We can't be like the Pharisees who held fast to a past. We have to be like the blind man who believed. Our spiritual sight can be returned to us by the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Lord of all, Creator of all now and forever! By His Will.
Amen.
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Earnest of the Spirit
2Co 1:21 Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God;
2Co 1:22 Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.
God establishes us, no one else. God establishes us in Christ. God seal us. God gives us the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.
The earnest of the Spirit.
ar-hrab-ohn'
Of Hebrew origin [H6162]; a pledge, that is, part of the purchase money or property given in advance as security for the rest: - earnest.
A pledge, a part of the purchase in advance as SECURITY for the rest.
The SPIRIT, part of the SPIRIT in our hearts. We need the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts if we are to live in this world surrounded by so much evil. It is only with the Spirit in us, in our hearts that we can hope to live for Christ. God seals us, God gives us the Spirit.
It is true...
1Co 13:12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
We receive part of the Spirit now as earnest, as a promise, a pledge, a security for the rest. We know in part now, we are seeing through a dark glass and we all know looking through dark glass isn't easy, or rather it isn't easy to see through the darkened glass to what is on the other side of the glass, it obscures our vision. We only see part of the mysteries of God, we only see dimly what life is all about. We see in part, we have part of the Spirit in us and yet we have a promise with that Spirit, a promise of more, of the Spirit fully in us. We shall one day see clearly, not darkly. One day we'll see it all face to face. We shall one day know as we are known. And we are known to ourselves- we know ourselves better than any one else. For as much as others might assume they know us, they truly only know what we allow them to know. Yes, some people wear their hearts on their sleeve so to speak and people believe they have some inner knowledge of them that the person doesn't even have of themselves but it's not true. We know ourselves and one day we will know even as we are known. We shall see others as we see ourselves. We will understand things that are mysteries to us now. We have a promise of this and the promise given to us by God through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior is the Holy Spirit in our hearts.
May God through Christ seal us and give us the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. Please Lord this is our prayer that the promise within us is grasped hold of tightly never let go, that we cling to the Spirit in our hearts as a surety of the fulness of the Spirit upon Your return.
By the mercy and grace of our Lord and Savior now and forever.
Amen.
2Co 1:22 Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.
God establishes us, no one else. God establishes us in Christ. God seal us. God gives us the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.
The earnest of the Spirit.
ar-hrab-ohn'
Of Hebrew origin [H6162]; a pledge, that is, part of the purchase money or property given in advance as security for the rest: - earnest.
A pledge, a part of the purchase in advance as SECURITY for the rest.
The SPIRIT, part of the SPIRIT in our hearts. We need the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts if we are to live in this world surrounded by so much evil. It is only with the Spirit in us, in our hearts that we can hope to live for Christ. God seals us, God gives us the Spirit.
It is true...
1Co 13:12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
We receive part of the Spirit now as earnest, as a promise, a pledge, a security for the rest. We know in part now, we are seeing through a dark glass and we all know looking through dark glass isn't easy, or rather it isn't easy to see through the darkened glass to what is on the other side of the glass, it obscures our vision. We only see part of the mysteries of God, we only see dimly what life is all about. We see in part, we have part of the Spirit in us and yet we have a promise with that Spirit, a promise of more, of the Spirit fully in us. We shall one day see clearly, not darkly. One day we'll see it all face to face. We shall one day know as we are known. And we are known to ourselves- we know ourselves better than any one else. For as much as others might assume they know us, they truly only know what we allow them to know. Yes, some people wear their hearts on their sleeve so to speak and people believe they have some inner knowledge of them that the person doesn't even have of themselves but it's not true. We know ourselves and one day we will know even as we are known. We shall see others as we see ourselves. We will understand things that are mysteries to us now. We have a promise of this and the promise given to us by God through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior is the Holy Spirit in our hearts.
May God through Christ seal us and give us the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. Please Lord this is our prayer that the promise within us is grasped hold of tightly never let go, that we cling to the Spirit in our hearts as a surety of the fulness of the Spirit upon Your return.
By the mercy and grace of our Lord and Savior now and forever.
Amen.
Friday, April 30, 2010
We should not trust in ourselves but in God
2Co 1:9 But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead
We should NOT trust in ourselves. Too often we do just that. We count on ourselves to react or act in certain ways and when we don't we crumble into despair because we've trusted ourselves to overcome things when in fact it is God that overcomes, it's in God we have to trust.
Strange isn't it that our money has those words- In God We Trust. Do we really? We should, but unfortunately we trust in others and we trust in ourselves and leave God out of it completely.
2Co 1:9 But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:
The sentence of death is in ourselves. In and of ourselves we warrant death and it doesn't matter a wit how good we are. We can be super good people. We can be sweet and kind, and the best person to be about.
2Ti 3:5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
Having a form of godliness. A form of godliness. If you have a form of something you have a kind of that thing but NOT that thing itself. If I have a form of goodness, I don't have goodness itself do I? Just a form of it, a sort of goodness without actually having true goodness. It's not enough to have a form of godliness, it's not and yet so many people think it is perfectly okay to have a form of godliness.
Denying the power of God, denying the truth of God, you can have a form of godliness but you won't have the power of God in you
Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
1Co 1:18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
1Co 2:5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
2Co 13:4 For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you.
2Ti 1:8 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God
1Pe 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
1Pe 1:4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,
1Pe 1:5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
Kept by the power of God. A far cry from having a form of godliness and denying the power there of.
2Co 1:9 But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead
We should not turst in ourselves... but in God.
May God help us do this, trust in Him, not ourselves for Salvation is in Him, not us. By His mercy, my His grace, His love so wondrous and so amazing, passing all understanding.
All glory and power unto our Creator now and forever! All praise and honor unto Him!
Amen!
We should NOT trust in ourselves. Too often we do just that. We count on ourselves to react or act in certain ways and when we don't we crumble into despair because we've trusted ourselves to overcome things when in fact it is God that overcomes, it's in God we have to trust.
Strange isn't it that our money has those words- In God We Trust. Do we really? We should, but unfortunately we trust in others and we trust in ourselves and leave God out of it completely.
2Co 1:9 But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:
The sentence of death is in ourselves. In and of ourselves we warrant death and it doesn't matter a wit how good we are. We can be super good people. We can be sweet and kind, and the best person to be about.
2Ti 3:5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
Having a form of godliness. A form of godliness. If you have a form of something you have a kind of that thing but NOT that thing itself. If I have a form of goodness, I don't have goodness itself do I? Just a form of it, a sort of goodness without actually having true goodness. It's not enough to have a form of godliness, it's not and yet so many people think it is perfectly okay to have a form of godliness.
Denying the power of God, denying the truth of God, you can have a form of godliness but you won't have the power of God in you
Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
1Co 1:18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
1Co 2:5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
2Co 13:4 For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you.
2Ti 1:8 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God
1Pe 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
1Pe 1:4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,
1Pe 1:5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
Kept by the power of God. A far cry from having a form of godliness and denying the power there of.
2Co 1:9 But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead
We should not turst in ourselves... but in God.
May God help us do this, trust in Him, not ourselves for Salvation is in Him, not us. By His mercy, my His grace, His love so wondrous and so amazing, passing all understanding.
All glory and power unto our Creator now and forever! All praise and honor unto Him!
Amen!
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Partakers of Sufferings
2Co 1:3 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;
2Co 1:4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.
2Co 1:5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.
2Co 1:6 And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.
2Co 1:7 And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation.
Partakers of sufferings.
Whether we be afflicted it is for your consolation and SALVATION- which is EFFECTUAL in the ENDURING of the same sufferings which we also suffer...
Or whether we be comforted it is for your consolation and SALVATION.
We will have sufferings, we will. The suffering can come in so many forms. We can't pinpoint one suffering being harder than another because we all suffer in our own way. It's true. There are pain tolerances for every individual and there are suffering tolerances as well. The tolerance level being high or low but in the end it doesn't matter really because as individuals we have to live with the sufferings we endure not collectively. I can't truly feel your pain and suffering, I can empathize but I can't feel exactly what you are feeling because I'm not you. So many people say 'man up', meaning endure the suffering like a man, who supposedly endures it very stoically. We all have to 'man up' but our 'manning up' isn't a self-serving, self-endurance test it's a test of our faith, our ability to look to God so we endure through Him, not of ourselves.
We have to have hope knowing that any suffering we endure will be rewarded, there will be a consolation found in Christ when He returns, our consolation- SALVATION.
Salvation is our prize and worth enduring what? Anything? Yes, anything.
By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior may we as partakers in lifes sufferings endure unto the end our prize life with Christ forever, salvation found in Him.
Amen.
2Co 1:4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.
2Co 1:5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.
2Co 1:6 And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.
2Co 1:7 And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation.
Partakers of sufferings.
Whether we be afflicted it is for your consolation and SALVATION- which is EFFECTUAL in the ENDURING of the same sufferings which we also suffer...
Or whether we be comforted it is for your consolation and SALVATION.
We will have sufferings, we will. The suffering can come in so many forms. We can't pinpoint one suffering being harder than another because we all suffer in our own way. It's true. There are pain tolerances for every individual and there are suffering tolerances as well. The tolerance level being high or low but in the end it doesn't matter really because as individuals we have to live with the sufferings we endure not collectively. I can't truly feel your pain and suffering, I can empathize but I can't feel exactly what you are feeling because I'm not you. So many people say 'man up', meaning endure the suffering like a man, who supposedly endures it very stoically. We all have to 'man up' but our 'manning up' isn't a self-serving, self-endurance test it's a test of our faith, our ability to look to God so we endure through Him, not of ourselves.
We have to have hope knowing that any suffering we endure will be rewarded, there will be a consolation found in Christ when He returns, our consolation- SALVATION.
Salvation is our prize and worth enduring what? Anything? Yes, anything.
By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior may we as partakers in lifes sufferings endure unto the end our prize life with Christ forever, salvation found in Him.
Amen.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Grace be to you
2Co 1:2 Grace be to you...
What a saluatation!
Grace be to you. What does it mean to say that to someone? Grace be to you. It's the most wonderful thing anyone could truly say to another isn't it? Grace be to you. Grace is the whole message of our Lord's reason for taking on humanity and living among us, choosing to die so we could be forgiven and receive His grace, His forgiveness for our sins. Grace- undeserved forgiveness. Saying those words- grace be to you is bringing the message of Christ's love and forgiveness to others. We are to be ambassadors of Christ spreading the message of grace.
Remember this from my blog a few days ago--
'1Co 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
By the grace of God I am what I am. Grace is a REAL thing, not just something to mutter in prayer. Paul said- 'His grace which was bestowed upon me was NOT in vain.' Given this gift of grace, freed from sin, forgiven by the Lord, Paul used this miracle as we all should as God directs us. Paul said- 'but I laboured more abundantly than they all yet not I but the grace of God which was with me.' Paul laboured for Christ, but knows it wasn't of himself but by the grace of God with Him. Left to His own devices Paul would have continued to persecute Christ's followers. He knew this. By the grace of God bestowed on Him he lived and laboured. We can all have the grace of God given to us. Do we labour with the grace we receive to bring Christ to others? Can the grace bestowed upon us be in vain? God forbid.'
Grace be to you. Those words offer the knowledge of salvation. A beautiful message we should all be eager to bestow upon others.
It's easy for us to say 'good bye' to someone isn't it? The original context of that word is 'God be with you.' Yet it was shortened so that people no longer mean 'God be with you', they simply mean they are going away.
Saying God be with you is offering the hope to someone, offering God to someone which is what... offering the grace of God.
I don't imagine it would be easy to change our way of speaking and say 'Grace be to you' or even 'God be with you' if we aren't used to doing so. Is it something we might want to try though? We are to bring the message of God's grace to others by His grace. May the Lord guide us in this as we contemplate our words, our lives, our actions.
By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior now and forever!
Amen.
What a saluatation!
Grace be to you. What does it mean to say that to someone? Grace be to you. It's the most wonderful thing anyone could truly say to another isn't it? Grace be to you. Grace is the whole message of our Lord's reason for taking on humanity and living among us, choosing to die so we could be forgiven and receive His grace, His forgiveness for our sins. Grace- undeserved forgiveness. Saying those words- grace be to you is bringing the message of Christ's love and forgiveness to others. We are to be ambassadors of Christ spreading the message of grace.
Remember this from my blog a few days ago--
'1Co 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
By the grace of God I am what I am. Grace is a REAL thing, not just something to mutter in prayer. Paul said- 'His grace which was bestowed upon me was NOT in vain.' Given this gift of grace, freed from sin, forgiven by the Lord, Paul used this miracle as we all should as God directs us. Paul said- 'but I laboured more abundantly than they all yet not I but the grace of God which was with me.' Paul laboured for Christ, but knows it wasn't of himself but by the grace of God with Him. Left to His own devices Paul would have continued to persecute Christ's followers. He knew this. By the grace of God bestowed on Him he lived and laboured. We can all have the grace of God given to us. Do we labour with the grace we receive to bring Christ to others? Can the grace bestowed upon us be in vain? God forbid.'
Grace be to you. Those words offer the knowledge of salvation. A beautiful message we should all be eager to bestow upon others.
It's easy for us to say 'good bye' to someone isn't it? The original context of that word is 'God be with you.' Yet it was shortened so that people no longer mean 'God be with you', they simply mean they are going away.
Saying God be with you is offering the hope to someone, offering God to someone which is what... offering the grace of God.
I don't imagine it would be easy to change our way of speaking and say 'Grace be to you' or even 'God be with you' if we aren't used to doing so. Is it something we might want to try though? We are to bring the message of God's grace to others by His grace. May the Lord guide us in this as we contemplate our words, our lives, our actions.
By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior now and forever!
Amen.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Mortal must put on immortality
1Co 15:24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.
1Co 15:25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
1Co 15:26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.
1Co 15:27 For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him.
1Co 15:28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.
The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.
Has death been destroyed? No. Death is all around us, we live in its shadow every day. Death of people, death of animals, death in all its seeming finality. Experts rate death as the number one stress inducer in people. If you've had a death of a loved one recently you are ranked right up at the top of those experiencing high stress. Death takes things away from us. Death steals from us. Yesterday we talked a little about death being a sleep so those that are taken from us by death are only taken temporarily. We will be reunited with them into a life we can only imagine, incorruptible life, bodies of incorruption. Those of us who are middle aged notice the effects of a corruptible body more so than those who are young. We see the wrinkles, we notice the effects of aging and for us in our corruptible state those are signs of our inevitable demise. I'm not trying to be morbid, just realistic. People spend a lot of money trying to stay the hands of time on them, trying to keep the inevitable corruption of the body at bay. No one likes the reminder of their finite state, that death is going to meet them even if they live to be 100 years old, no one has defeated death except a very few of God's chosen. Christ experienced death and has the power over death and as the Bible says-- the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. God shall be all in all. This is the day I long for the day when the end comes, the day death is destroyed, the day God is all in all without any exception.
By the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior may we see the day of His coming, may we be alive and changed in a moment, in a twinkling of an eye putting on incorruption without seeing death. May this be the will of God by the grace of Jesus, through the sacrifice, by the righteousness of our Savior now and forever.
1Co 15:50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
1Co 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
1Co 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
1Co 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
1Co 15:54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
1Co 15:55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
1Co 15:56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
1Co 15:57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Amen!
1Co 15:25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
1Co 15:26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.
1Co 15:27 For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him.
1Co 15:28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.
The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.
Has death been destroyed? No. Death is all around us, we live in its shadow every day. Death of people, death of animals, death in all its seeming finality. Experts rate death as the number one stress inducer in people. If you've had a death of a loved one recently you are ranked right up at the top of those experiencing high stress. Death takes things away from us. Death steals from us. Yesterday we talked a little about death being a sleep so those that are taken from us by death are only taken temporarily. We will be reunited with them into a life we can only imagine, incorruptible life, bodies of incorruption. Those of us who are middle aged notice the effects of a corruptible body more so than those who are young. We see the wrinkles, we notice the effects of aging and for us in our corruptible state those are signs of our inevitable demise. I'm not trying to be morbid, just realistic. People spend a lot of money trying to stay the hands of time on them, trying to keep the inevitable corruption of the body at bay. No one likes the reminder of their finite state, that death is going to meet them even if they live to be 100 years old, no one has defeated death except a very few of God's chosen. Christ experienced death and has the power over death and as the Bible says-- the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. God shall be all in all. This is the day I long for the day when the end comes, the day death is destroyed, the day God is all in all without any exception.
By the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior may we see the day of His coming, may we be alive and changed in a moment, in a twinkling of an eye putting on incorruption without seeing death. May this be the will of God by the grace of Jesus, through the sacrifice, by the righteousness of our Savior now and forever.
1Co 15:50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
1Co 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
1Co 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
1Co 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
1Co 15:54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
1Co 15:55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
1Co 15:56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
1Co 15:57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Amen!
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