Jan 10, 2020
"Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends." 1 Corinthians 13:7-8
Tryin' to think how upbeat and patient I am with people around me who are hurting of fearful. I daily need help with that. Man, there’s no good thing in me ..in my old fleshly nature. Thanks for Your Spirit, Your mercy, Your grace, and a new nature inside, Lord! Want to sow to the Spirit every day, instead of to the flesh or to this world’s system.
Do I show Christ’s kind of selfless agape love, His kindness and goodwill? Do I serve well and tactfully share His Gospel and Word effectively — how can I improve cuz the time seems short?
“You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.” Matthew 24:6
Love never ends when so SO much will pass away forever.. that really needs to go away! Seems like it’s more the "last days" today than ever before huh. Christian believer, let’s walk in victory with His help and bring people with.. if they will. f4skurt.blogspot.com
Have you been hurting or afraid lately? Been suffering some? So sorry about that. Let me know and I will pray for you today. @kurtwVs
Bear all things together with Jesus today (who also suffered, and is good at comforting people like you and me) through troubles and trials. Believers have trials that work together for good for them as they seek the Lord. Unbelievers have troubles that work against them as they look to themselves or mere mortals.
Think it not strange. When we suffer as believers in the will of God, and we indeed will, God wants us to suffer well.
There will be times of suffering (You know how some false teachers even within some so called churches.. will tell you it’s due to a lack of faith on your part).
Some believers don’t suffer well — they grumble, murmur, grip and complain too much. I mean not in honest prayer to God about a need or challenge to overcome. Sadly, I’ve been there before. The Bible says…
“And they said, ‘Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How is it then that He says, ‘I have come down from heaven’? Jesus therefore answered and said to them, ‘Do not murmur among yourselves.’” Jn. 6:42–43
But listen, there’s still some stuff to be thankful for and praise God even in the trial. What if when we suffered, we were more concerned about glorifying God than about our own personal relief?
Prayerlessly griping, murmuring, grumbling and complaining can be dangerous. Remember how some Israelites got stressed out and were killed because of it.
It deteriorates your faith and vertical gratitude.
It gives Satan an opportunity to sneak in. It opens us up to his many lies.
It presents a poor testimony to the world, believer.
What does the Bible say on this?
1. Philippians 2:13–15 For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.
2. James 5:9 Do not complain, brethren, against one another, so that you yourselves may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing right at the door.
3. 1 Peter 4:8–10 Above all, love each other warmly, because love covers many sins. Welcome each other as guests without complaining. Each of you as a good manager must use the gift that God has given you to serve others.
Resist the enemy and reject all wickedness.
4. Jude 1:16 These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage.
5. 1 Corinthians 10:9–1 Nor should we put Christ to the test, as some of them did and then died from snakebites. And don’t grumble as some of them did, and then were destroyed by the angel of death. These things happened to them as examples for us. They were written down to warn us who live at the end of the age. If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall.
Choose to be content and give praise in all circumstances ..even if you can’t for all circumstances.
6. Hebrews 13:5–6 Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”
7. Philippians 4:11–13 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Rejoice, give thanks, and praise the Lord no matter what you feel like.
8. 1 Thessalonians 5:16–18 Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
9. Philippians 4:4 Keep on rejoicing in the Lord at all times. I will say it again: Keep on rejoicing!
10. Habakkuk 3:18–19 yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights. For the director of music. On my stringed instruments.
Basic Reminders for all…
11. Romans 8:28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. (See the verse 29 and the whole context too)
12. Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
13. Proverbs 19:3 When a man’s folly brings his way to ruin, his heart rages against the LORD.
“And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, ‘The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.’ Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell; nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents; nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer.” 1 Cor. 10:7–10
“But you are those who have continued with Me in My trials.” Lk. 22:28
“…serving the Lord with all humility, with many tears and trials which happened to me by the plotting of the Jews..” Acts 20:19
“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” Jas. 1:2–4
“In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials..” 1 Pet. 1:6
I personally know religious people that choose to suffer and have even caused themselves to suffer even bleeding from that.. thinking that’s going to glorify God. Wrong. That’s not normal or good wanting to suffer or make yourself suffer. God really doesn’t want you to cause hurt and suffering to yourself, and He never wants you to destroy yourself. Duh!
But choosing to follow Christ is in effect accepting some suffering that at times comes with that choice. Many people and fallen angels today still hate Christ and the people that follow him.
Please don’t take it personal, believer, it’s demonic and mainly aimed at Jesus. Hurting and killing real saints of old and alive today.. is how the devil tries to attack Christ. He’s knows his time is very limited in these last days.
Many times in the Bible God brings about good as a result of believers suffering well in the will of God. Keep your focus on Christ and His will for you.
Many Word Faith Charismatic and Pentecostal religious leaders have erroneous taught..Don’t accept suffering as part of God’s will for your life! Faith will keep you out of all suffering, sickness and will get you rich.” Not all, but I have heard these so called Christians..these (false) teachers. But it’s not just them.
Remember how Naomi (in the Old Testament times) suffered? And Ruth suffered a lot too, but God actually wanted a Moabite in the genealogy of Jesus Christ.
There was a man born blind from his birth and the disciples asked Jesus who sinned that he was born blind like that?
They were interested in the cause of effect relationship between personal sin and personal suffering. They might have thought that those that sin most will suffer most while on earth.
“Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, saying, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’ Jesus answered, ‘Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.’” John 9:1–3 nkjv
Things good and bad happen in your life (God in Love allows things to happen) so that.. you will go with Jesus and glorify God the Father.
“And He said to him, ‘Go, wash in the pool of Siloam’ (which is translated, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing. Therefore the neighbors and those who previously had seen that he was blind said, “Is not this he who sat and begged?” Some said, ‘This is he.’ Others said, ‘He is like him.’ He said, ‘I am he.’ Therefore they said to him, ‘How were your eyes opened?’ He answered and said, ‘A Man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to the pool of Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed, and I received sight.” John 9:7–10
“Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms.” James 5:13
“My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience. Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord — that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.” James 5:10–11
In a fallen world (cuz of man’s sin) people do suffer. That’s life here. People who do wrong sometimes suffer here, and even others are ill-affected and suffer by those people’s sin. Christians suffer here, and sinners suffer here. And many sinners see how Christians suffer.. differently.. and become Christians. They turn and trust Christ who really suffered on a Cross.
“For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully. For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: ‘Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth’; who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness — by whose stripes you were healed.’” 1 Pet. 2:19–24
