All Things

Rom 8:28  And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD.

Think about that, ALL THINGS.

What does that include, logically. You don't get much more clearer than that do you? ALL. Nothing is left out, there isn't a single solitary thing that is left out when you say ALL.

If I say I want ALL of those shelled peas in the bowl you wouldn't leave out any, right? If I say I want ALL the cake in the fridge does that mean I don't care if someone else takes a piece, I would care.

All.
Everything.

All aspects of our lives, everyone of them is included in the ALL THINGS WORKING TOGETHER.

That means every part of our lives the good, the bad, the great, the awful, the wonderful, the horrific, all of it is working together and that's a few words we have to really think about.  Working together.

When things work together there is action taking place.  Our lives are a culmination of events that take place. A lot of those events aren't good things and can even seem as if they'd are going to destroy us, quite literally.  And you know what, the very sad truth is, sometimes peoples lives are destroyed by the things that happen to them. 

We need to see beyond the terrible things and to the whole of everything.

Seriously.

We can't let ourselves live our lives believing that one awful event should define us. Or even a series of awful events. The temptation to be swallowed up by the horrors of our lives can be very great. Satan wants us hopeless and HE knows how to work the things in our lives so that he gets us to that place.

Our God has given us HIS WORD, HIS HOLY WORD and in HIS WORD we read this--

Rom 8:28  And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

All thing work together FOR GOOD.

For good.

So how do we equate that with the things we suffer through? How do we believe this when we suffer daily, some of us live our lives in physical pain day in and day out, some do so in emotional pain that makes life so hard.

How do all the horrible parts of our lives work out for ultimate good?

We can't know, can we? We are called to have FAITH, to have HOPE in our SAVIOR, our CREATOR, our FATHER GOD, the HOLY SPIRIT.

We are called to have hope and Satan would have us hopeless.

We are asked to have faith and that faith means believing that even though we cannot fathom how our suffering, how our lives can all work together for good.

By our reckoning, by our way of thinking and believing we cannot begin to comprehend how it works.  When we insist on trying we  run into all sorts of problems.  When we begin to lack faith it can make us lose hope and when we begin to lose hope we lose everything.

Our Savior speaks the truth.
The Word of God speaks the truth.

Everything and HE means EVERYTHING will work for good IF we LOVE GOD and are called according to HIS PURPOSE.

LOVING GOD!

Eph 3:9  And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
Eph 3:10  To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,
Eph 3:11  According to the ETERNAL PURPOSE which he purposed in CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD
Eph 3:12  In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.

LOVING GOD.
LOVING OUR SAVIOR.

Having FAITH in our LOVING GOD this is what matters. All things will work together for good, and we must have faith in this!  WE do not have to comprehend, we don't! We have to TRUST. 

All by the GRACE of our GOD we will trust, we will love our LORD, our SAVIOR.

The Spirit Helps

Rom 8:26  Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
Rom 8:27  And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

The SPIRIT helps our infirmities.

We are infirmed, aren't we? Sin has infirmed us. We aren't able of ourselves to be right with God.  Our Savior came to do what we could NEVER do. Our Savior came and when He left, He didn't leave us without a force, without the ability through another to be HIS. That force, that ability through another, is the SPIRIT, the COMFORTER we are given by our SAVIOR. And it is a GREAT comfort to know that we have the SPIRIT interceding for us. We are NOT left without a very REAL being, a very REAL SPIRITUAL Being who is GIVEN to us by our SAVIOR.

The SPIRIT-   A REAL BEING.

Mar_1:10  And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him

Mar_1:12  And immediately the Spirit driveth him into the wilderness.

Luk_2:27  And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law

Luk_4:1  And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness

Luk_4:14  And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about.

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

Joh_1:32  And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.

Joh_7:39  (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)

Joh_14:17  Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

Joh_15:26  But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

Act_8:29  Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.

Act_8:39  And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.

Act_10:19  While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee.

Act_11:12  And the Spirit bade me go with them, nothing doubting. Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered into the man's house

*******

A VERY REAL ENTITY.

Rom 8:26  Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

The SPIRIT helps us!
Where we fall so short the SPIRIT will help us.
As we pray the Spirit will join with us in our prayer and do so in such a way that our earnest, sincere prayer is heard. 

Rom 8:27  And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

Jer 17:10  I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.

The LORD searches our hearts, and the LORD knows the MIND of the SPIRIT because the SPIRIT will be making intercession for us according to GOD'S WILL.

Receiving the comforter, receiving the Holy Spirit is a gift from our Savior, a very special gift. We can know that when we fall so very short, and we often do even in our finest hour, our finest prayers, that the Spirit will guide our prayers to God in a very special way.

This is a reality.

The Spirit is REAL.

A guiding, a comforting, an interceding force for US.

By the grace of our LORD may the SPIRIT be REAL to us in all things! May we listen for the SPIRIT'S leading. May we TRUST in the Spirit who will forever and always do the WILL of GOD.

Please LORD let the Holy Spirit live a very real life in us!

We Wait

Rom 8:19  For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
Rom 8:20  For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,

We wait eagerly to be revealed as the sons of God don't we? We have HOPE and hope is the expectation. Faith is HOPING - the substance of THINGS hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. And even so, HOPE is a waiting for this thing not seen. We lay claim to our FATHER God as being a son or daughter of His and we do so with the future hope of a life with Him, living with Him in heaven and on the new earth.  We have this expectation in waiting for the realization of what it all means to be among the sons of God.

We have this expectation and is it partly vanity? A desire to be realized fully in and of ourselves as God's.

We don't want this vanity, but it came part and parcel with our action of choosing to sin.  In choosing to put ourselves before God we were allowed vanity, and the realization of how awful it is to have vanity. To be caught up in ourselves it the ruin of all else.

Not only were we allowed vanity we were given HOPE against that vanity. That hope being the opposite of vanity, that hope, salvation in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.

Vanity-

Ecc_1:2 Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.
Ecc_1:14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.
Ecc_2:17 Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit.
Ecc_3:19 For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.
Ecc_12:8 Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity.

Solomon the wisest man knew all too well the danger of vanity and how it encompasses so much that seemingly all is vanity.

Rom 8:21  Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
Rom 8:22  For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
Rom 8:23  And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

We will be delivered from our bondage- including the bondage of vanity. We will be delivered from the bondage of corruption, a bondage that would take our vain selves and destroy them fully if it were not for our HOPE. The glorious liberty of the children of God- JESUS CHRIST liberates us from bondage! Through Him and HIM only are we the sons of God.

The WHOLE CREATION groans and travails in PAIN together UNTIL NOW.

Why until now? Because NOW we have hope, we do not need to despair. Our hope is fully realized in CHRIST JESUS.

All of us groan within ourselves WAITING for the final adoption which redeems our bodies from the curse of death.

Rom 8:24  For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
Rom 8:25  But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.


WE ARE SAVED BY HOPE.

We are saved by the HOPE of the gospel of the kingdom that our Savior came to preach, telling us that all who believe on Him would not perish but have everlasting life.

Hope in the unseen, hope unrealized, hope in the promises given.

And Faith is the SUBSTANCE of things HOPED for.
The EVIDENCE of things NOT SEEN.

THINGS HOPED FOR.
EVIDENCE of THINGS NOT SEEN.

Remember this…

Heb 11:4  By faith (substance of things hoped for, evidence of things not seen) Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.
Heb 11:5  By faith  (substance of things hoped for, evidence of things not seen)Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.
Heb 11:6  But without faith  (substance of things hoped for, evidence of things not seen) it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Heb 11:7  By faith  (substance of things hoped for, evidence of things not seen) Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith  (substance of things hoped for, evidence of things not seen).
Heb 11:8  By faith  (substance of things hoped for, evidence of things not seen) Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
Heb 11:9  By faith  (substance of things hoped for, evidence of things not seen) he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:
Heb 11:10  For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
Heb 11:11  Through faith  (substance of things hoped for, evidence of things not seen) also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.
Heb 11:12  Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.
Heb 11:13  These all died in faith  (substance of things hoped for, evidence of things not seen), not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
Heb 11:14  For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.
Heb 11:15  And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.
Heb 11:16  But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.
Heb 11:17  By faith   (substance of things hoped for, evidence of things not seen) Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,
Heb 11:18  Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:
Heb 11:19  Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.
Heb 11:20  By faith  (substance of things hoped for, evidence of things not seen) Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.
Heb 11:21  By faith  (substance of things hoped for, evidence of things not seen) Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff.
Heb 11:22  By faith  (substance of things hoped for, evidence of things not seen) Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones.
Heb 11:23  By faith  (substance of things hoped for, evidence of things not seen) Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment.
Heb 11:24  By faith  (substance of things hoped for, evidence of things not seen) Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter;
Heb 11:25  Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;
Heb 11:26  Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.
Heb 11:27  By faith  (substance of things hoped for, evidence of things not seen) he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.
Heb 11:28  Through faith  (substance of things hoped for, evidence of things not seen) he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.
Heb 11:29  By faith  (substance of things hoped for, evidence of things not seen) they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.
Heb 11:30  By faith  (substance of things hoped for, evidence of things not seen) the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.
Heb 11:31  By faith  (substance of things hoped for, evidence of things not seen) the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.
Heb 11:32  And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:
Heb 11:33  Who through faith  (substance of things hoped for, evidence of things not seen) subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,
Heb 11:34  Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.
Heb 11:35  Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:
Heb 11:36  And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:
Heb 11:37  They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;
Heb 11:38  (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
Heb 11:39  And these all, having obtained a good report through faith  (substance of things hoped for, evidence of things not seen), received not the promise:
Heb 11:40  God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.


They WITHOUT US should not be made perfect.

US.

By FAITH we too can believe, we too can have the HOPE we need to have to live with our GOD in the world we were meant to live in, not in this world, but in the world to come.

BY FAITH.

PLEASE LORD, give us the faith we need to believe, help our unbelief, give us the hope in you that means all things through YOU.

ALL IN YOUR LOVE! Your everlasting, mighty, wonderful, marvelous LOVE.

All thanksgiving, all honor, all glory unto you my GOD, my KING, my SAVIOR, my LORD!

All in YOUR SPIRIT!

Now and forever.

Amen.

Hope beyond our suffering

Rom 8:18  For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

We like to compare things, don't we?  We do it all the time. We compare our lives to others lives. We compare all manner of material things we possess with the material things others (even stores) possess. We do this because it seems as if it's in our nature, right?  I'm not saying EVERYONE compares things, but it's a seemingly natural phenomena that we are all familiar with.

We are told here in this verse something very important.

The sufferings we experience right now  (that means the worst of the worst suffering we can ever imagine - because maybe we aren't experience that type of suffering but we know others are) can't be compared with the glory that will be revealed in us.

What's that mean?

We know that it's not unheard of to give incentive to people to get through some tough work by promising them the delight of a long vacation, right? Or we tell our children that they have to endure school but summer vacation is coming. We hype up the holidays as periods between the stress of the mundane.

How often do the vacations, the holidays, the special events, the weekends we have off work NOT live up to all the expectation of them? Quite often, right?  We wouldn't trade them for work, but we somehow were expecting more- maybe more rest, or more fun, more time alone, more time with friends, more time relaxing. We live out our vacations, holidays, and weekends under the looming return to work/school/our normal life from those times.

The sufferings of this world.

Can you think of a really, really bad situation of suffering that exists in our world -- if not for yourself then for someone else?

The opposite of that horrific suffering would be amazing joy, amazing happiness, right?

Going through a really hard, really awful situation often makes us appreciate the good times a lot more, doesn't it? Yet that awful time while still a memory, perhaps even a vivid one, can't begin to compare to the good time coming in the future. 

Can we use this as HOPE?

Seriously. We use holidays, vacations, and weekends as hope, don't we?  They are the things we look forward to, the things we hope for.

If you are on a permanent holiday- say retired- do you still look forward to those things- weekends, vacations, holidays?  I think you do, but on a different level, for different reasons. Retirement doesn't give someone access to the perfect vacation life day in and day out. A lot of people want to keep busy even after they retire, not necessarily with the same work they were doing before or under the same rigid schedule, but they need to fill their days with something and very few have access to the wealth it would take to fill their lives with endless ease  without monumental boredom and tediousness.

Rom 8:18  For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

Do we need to use the HOPE of glory in God to get through the suffering we experience now?

YES.

READ ALL of the following verses… seriously all of them, please.  And then tell me, do we need to use HOPE of the glory of GOD to get through the suffering we experience now.

Psa_16:9  Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in HOPE.

Psa_31:24  Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that HOPE in the LORD.

Psa_33:18  Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear him, upon them that HOPE in his mercy

Psa_33:22  Let thy mercy, O LORD, be upon us, according as we HOPE in thee.

Psa_38:15  For in thee, O LORD, do I HOPE: thou wilt hear, O Lord my God.

Psa_39:7  And now, Lord, what wait I for? My HOPE is in thee.

Psa_42:5  Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? HOPE thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.

Psa_71:5  For thou art my HOPE, O Lord GOD: thou art my trust from my youth.

Psa_71:14  But I will HOPE continually, and will yet praise thee more and more.

Psa_78:7  That they might set their HOPE in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments:

Psa_119:81  CAPH. My soul fainteth for thy salvation: but I HOPE in thy word.

Psa_119:114  Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I HOPE in thy word.

Psa_119:116  Uphold me according unto thy word, that I may live: and let me not be ashamed of my HOPE.

Psa_130:5  I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I HOPE.

Psa_130:7  Let Israel HOPE in the LORD: for with the LORD there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption.

Psa_146:5  Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose HOPE is in the LORD his God

Psa_147:11  The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that HOPE in his mercy.

Pro_10:28  The HOPE of the righteous shall be gladness: but the expectation of the wicked shall perish.

Jer_17:7  Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose HOPE the LORD is.

Lam_3:24  The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I HOPE in him.

Lam_3:26  It is good that a man should both HOPE and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.

Act_2:26  Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in HOPE

Rom_4:18  Who against HOPE believed in HOPE, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.

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_5:4  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_12:12  Rejoicing in HOPE; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer

Rom_15:4  For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have HOPE.

Rom_15:13  Now the God of HOPE fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in HOPE, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

Gal_5:5  For we through the Spirit wait for the HOPE of righteousness by faith.

Eph_1:18  The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the HOPE of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints

Col_1:5  For the HOPE which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel

Col_1:27  To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the HOPE of glory

1Th_5:8  But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the HOPE of salvation.

2Th_2:16  Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good HOPE through grace

1Ti_1:1  Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our HOPE

Tit_1:2  In HOPE of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began

Tit_2:13  Looking for that blessed HOPE, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ

Tit_3:7  That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the HOPE of eternal life.

Heb_3:6  But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the HOPE firm unto the end.

Heb_6:11  And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of HOPE unto the end

Heb_6:18  That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the HOPE set before us

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_1:13  Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and HOPE to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ

1Pe_1:21  Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and HOPE might be in God.

1Pe_3:15  But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the HOPE that is in you with meekness and fear

1Jn_3:3  And every man that hath this HOPE in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.



Do we?
Do we need to use hope to ease our suffering here and now?



HOPE


Heb_11:6  But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.


And faith is…


Heb_11:1  Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Faith- the substance of things HOPED for the evidence of things not seen.


Yes, we need hope, blessed hope.


Tit_2:13  Looking for that blessed HOPE, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ


Hope beyond the suffering in all it's many shapes and forms, hope in the riches of HIS glory.


Eph_1:18  The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the HOPE of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints

HOPE.

JESUS CHRIST OUR SAVIOR, OUR HOPE in HIS GRACE and MERCY!

Rom 8:18  For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

All the suffering will NOT be comparable in any way to the GLORY of our GOD, the glory that will be revealed in us! 

The GLORY is so far beyond our comprehension we can't imagine it fully.  We all too often let our suffering become our all in all, it's so easy to do because we are feeling the heavy pain, the heavy grief of our suffering, but it is SATAN who wants us to let all our suffering lead us to despair, to lead us to hopelessness.  We MUST believe that anything we endure now is TEMPORARY to ETERNITY in OUR SAVIOR'S GLORY!  We must have this hope, this faith!

All through HIS power! All through HIM may we have this HOPE in us!

All in HIS LOVE!

God's Spirit with Our Spirit

Rom 8:16  The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
Rom 8:17  And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.


The  Spirit bears witness with OUR spirit.

We are SPIRITUAL beings! We cannot get around that! We can try but we can't. We can live in denial and many, many people do, but the truth is we are SPIRITUAL beings in need of communion with the SPIRIT of our LORD and SAVIOR. 

Our Savior told us this…

Joh 16:7  Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you

The COMFORTER was sent to us by JESUS CHRIST.
The COMFORTER would NOT come to us if Jesus did not depart.

We have the HOLY SPIRIT sent to us by OUR SAVIOR,  and that SPIRIT will bear WITNESS with our SPIRIT, and that will reveal that we are the children of GOD, adopted by GOD, HIS, we belong to GOD.

We are HIS CHILDREN, and children are heirs of their parents. We are heirs of GOD. We are JOINT HEIRS with CHRIST, God's only begotten Son!

And if CHRIST suffered unimaginably why do we ever imagine we will not suffer?!

Maybe we won't be physically abused but we will suffer emotionally, and yes, spiritually, as well as mentally. We will be tried. We will be put to the test. We will go through a lot as we live as the sons and daughter's of our GOD.

As Christ suffered, we will suffer and then we - as HE has been- will be GLORIFIED TOGETHER!

More tomorrow by the GRACE of GOD!

ALL in HIS LOVE!

Led by the Spirit of God

Rom 8:14  For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

Being LED by the Spirit of God.
Being a son of God.

How can we be led by the Spirit of God?

We want to be sons and daughters of God, don't we? If this is what we desire then we must be led by the Spirit of God.

Once more this is putting GOD first in all things.
Putting GOD'S WAYS first in all things.
We are not ignorant of God's way- it is the way of LOVE. 
The way of LOVE is God's way- SELFLESSNESS, putting others and GOD first in ALL things, not just in things we choose.  We cannot be picky about love. We have to love equally, not picking and choosing when we should be loving and when we shouldn't. 

When we fail to love we NEED to ask for forgiveness.

Remember this verse--

Jas_4:17  To him therefore who knoweth to do good and doth it not, to him it is sin.

This is in ALL things, not just being exceptionally good.  This is knowing we should let a person older than us go ahead of us when we simultaneously come to a check out line. This is knowing we should stop and let the person trying to get out into traffic, out. This is holding the door for someone. This is getting a drink of water for someone. This is picking up a piece of trash even if you haven't a clue who put it there. This is holding your tongue when you want to lash out. This is being exhausted and still fixing dinner. This is so much more than doing good by the grand gestures of giving money to a worthy cause, helping a homeless person, working in a soup kitchen. ALL things matter.  And we are to do good IN ALL THINGS because if we don't we are accountable for not doing good, for not loving and living as the SPIRIT would lead us to in Jesus Christ our LORD.

Being led by the SPIRIT of God is NOT waiting around for an apparition of sorts to appear and tell you what to do. Being led by the SPIRIT of God is NOT haphazardly flipping to a Bible verse and allowing that to guide us. Being led by the SPIRIT of God is NOT feeling happy and attributing that to the Spirit. If we allow ourselves to get caught up in gauging our being led by the SPIRIT by our emotions then we are going to feel completely lost when we aren't feeling overwhelming happy, but perhaps really sad. Feelings, emotions have their place but they cannot take the place of our ability to reason, our ability to let our FAITH work knowing that regardless of what we feel that GOD is LOVE in all things!

Rom 8:15  For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

Spirit of bondage.

The spirit of slavery.

We do NOT receive the spirit of slavery which causes fear- fear of eternal death. We do NOT receive the spirit of slavery to sin, bound by sin to die unforgiven, unredeemed, without any hope at all. We RECEIVE the SPIRIT of ADOPTION!  Through our SAVIOR we are given HOPE! That HOPE is the hope of forgiveness and through that forgiveness a pardon for all our sins, a cleansing from our unrighteousness by HIS righteousness, and through HIM eternal LIFE. 

We can cry out ABBA - FATHER! Adoring our Heavenly Father because He has given us this hope, this amazing LOVE surpassing all other love we might think we know.

Our HOPE is in CHRIST!

We must live in this HOPE, this ETERNAL HOPE. We are ADOPTED by a LOVING GOD, a LOVING FATHER who welcomes us with open arms.

Being led by the SPIRIT we are the sons of GOD, receiving the SPIRIT of ADOPTION! 

Our God does not want us enslaved! Our God wants us adopted!

How amazing is the love of our Heavenly Father! How truly amazing, beyond anything we can imagine!

We must hope, we must choose, we must yield all through the power of the Holy Spirit!

All through LOVE HIS LOVE!

Spiritual Choice

Rom 8:12  Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
Rom 8:13  For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

We are debtors- we are in debt but NOT to the flesh. We owe our flesh self NOTHING. If we live for our flesh then we will die eternally. The only way we have life is by living through the Spirit, and in living through the Spirit MORTIFYING the deeds of our flesh.

Mortify  - Strong's: From G2288; to kill (literally or figuratively): - become dead (cause to be) put to death kill mortify.

Living through the Spirit we KILL the deeds of our flesh, the works of our flesh.

We cannot do a single thing in the flesh to earn eternal life, not one thing.

We must THROUGH the Spirit choose to have faith in Jesus Christ and the promises He gave to us.

Do YOU live in the SPIRIT?

1Co 10:31  Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

To the glory of God.

Not to the glory of ourselves.

We aren't to do the things we do to glorify ourselves, but to glorify God.

Do the things we do glorify God?

Are our lives focused on the things of God?

Do we find God in all we do?

Living after the Spirit is finding God in all things, and where we cannot find God we know we shouldn't be.

Rom 8:12  Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
Rom 8:13  For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

Life and death.

We choose.

If we live…

We choose how we live in a lot of ways.  Sure some circumstances are beyond our control but the spiritual choice is ALWAYS under our control.

Some people might be forced into their beliefs- we hear about  that a lot in the Middle East- and then we also hear about those who defy that stricture and then are punished even to the point of death for choosing to belief in Jesus Christ the Son of God.   This is a reality.  Our making a choice is a reality.

Why is it that in some places the Spiritual aspect of life is so important that to believe differently means killing someone.  And then in other places, a lot of other places the Spiritual side of life means absolutely nothing. Having no religion- having no spiritual side to your life is perfectly normal.  Here in America we laud our ability to have freedom of religion and have taken that to the point of making religion seem senseless. There are more people today in the USA that do not have any spiritual faith at all than ever before.

Choices are being made.  

We all have to make choices, everyone of us without fail.

We are the result of the choices we make throughout life and by the GRACE of GOD may we make the most important choice ever, choosing HIM.

May we choose to live spiritually focused, not physically, fleshy, carnally focused-  please LORD help us to CHOOSE YOU now and forever, and ever!

In YOUR LOVE!