Today's verse from Bible Gateway was Phil. 1:29. Here it is:
I was just taking stock of how many meals I have the ingredients to make, and how many things, like cereal and yogurt we are out of. My dad can take me shopping a week from tomorrow, but it won't be early in the day so there may be nothing on the shelves. ...and I realized that there would be almost nothing in the house to eat before Friday. I was just out of surgery (hip replacement) when this whole COVID19 exploded around us. I didn't have an opportunity to stock up on food. When I was at Dad's following my surgery we went twice to Job Lot and I got some food there...no refrigerated or frozen items there but got some good pastas and beans etc. The problem with everything I got except for snack food, requires cooking and clean up. And my ankles HURT !! I cannot stand for more than a minute.
(DO YOU HEAR IT? The whiiiiiiine?) I think a lot of us feel we have divine authority to whine. It has been granted to us!
But wait....that is not what the verse says, is it? Here are the active words in the verse: God has granted us a privilege..yes to believe and yes to have confidence and trust in Jesus but ALSO to suffer for his sake. And that suffering comes hand and glove with the confidence and trust. And did you see? The suffering and the testing of our faith is not only for Christ's sake....it is for OUR OWN SAKES as well!! Have you taken some time during this social fast to spend time in prayer and reading the Word? Have you interceded on behalf of the world's economy, and its leaders? If not please do so.How is this suffering for our sake?? Because if we do it cheerfully, with faith, and joy in bringing Jesus honor if is credited to our account; If we do not panic or hoard food or other necessities--which hurts our neighbors and everyone around; it we say in prayer, "Lord I don't know what you are doing but your Word warns us that such things must happen before Jesus returns - our reigning king. So therefore KNOWING that this test comes from the hand of God to limit Satan's victory and to bring about your Kingdom, then we can rejoice.
We, Christ's followers are on the earth for these reasons:
--To bring him joy and to enjoy a relationship with Him.
--To actively engage the powers in the spiritual realms --to limit the enemy's power and to overcome his work on this hurting planet.
--To come alongside as warriors of Light to battle on our knees and to love and care for our neighbors and thus defeat the deeds and purposes of the enemy.
And what effect does all of this have on us? Here is where that "FOR OUR OWN SAKES" comes in. We will reap blessing for our obedience. We will have our needs met. We need not fear the forces of evil at work all around us. We will have completed another step in our training as warriors. In a war, a wound is a mark of glory. It shows the sacrifice the soldier has made for a cause higher than himself and it will bring reward and acknowledgement by the rulers. Although the benefits God grants us are way more lasting and valuable than is a metal star and apiece of ribbon.
So all this is to say...yes you are suffering. We ALL are suffering. Let's do it for Jesus, and thank Him for the opportunity to battle for his kingdom and praise him that we are one step closer to the return of Christ and the establishment of His Kingdom.
For you have been granted [the privilege] for Christ’s sake, not only to believe and confidently trust in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, (amplified version).This verse struck me in this virus obsessed time the world is living in. And my mind filled in some blanks and read it this way. "For you have been granted the privilege of ---for your own sakes--not only to believe and confidently trust (as you should) but also to WHINE for his sake as you suffer."
I was just taking stock of how many meals I have the ingredients to make, and how many things, like cereal and yogurt we are out of. My dad can take me shopping a week from tomorrow, but it won't be early in the day so there may be nothing on the shelves. ...and I realized that there would be almost nothing in the house to eat before Friday. I was just out of surgery (hip replacement) when this whole COVID19 exploded around us. I didn't have an opportunity to stock up on food. When I was at Dad's following my surgery we went twice to Job Lot and I got some food there...no refrigerated or frozen items there but got some good pastas and beans etc. The problem with everything I got except for snack food, requires cooking and clean up. And my ankles HURT !! I cannot stand for more than a minute.
(DO YOU HEAR IT? The whiiiiiiine?) I think a lot of us feel we have divine authority to whine. It has been granted to us!
But wait....that is not what the verse says, is it? Here are the active words in the verse: God has granted us a privilege..yes to believe and yes to have confidence and trust in Jesus but ALSO to suffer for his sake. And that suffering comes hand and glove with the confidence and trust. And did you see? The suffering and the testing of our faith is not only for Christ's sake....it is for OUR OWN SAKES as well!! Have you taken some time during this social fast to spend time in prayer and reading the Word? Have you interceded on behalf of the world's economy, and its leaders? If not please do so.How is this suffering for our sake?? Because if we do it cheerfully, with faith, and joy in bringing Jesus honor if is credited to our account; If we do not panic or hoard food or other necessities--which hurts our neighbors and everyone around; it we say in prayer, "Lord I don't know what you are doing but your Word warns us that such things must happen before Jesus returns - our reigning king. So therefore KNOWING that this test comes from the hand of God to limit Satan's victory and to bring about your Kingdom, then we can rejoice.
We, Christ's followers are on the earth for these reasons:
--To bring him joy and to enjoy a relationship with Him.
--To actively engage the powers in the spiritual realms --to limit the enemy's power and to overcome his work on this hurting planet.
--To come alongside as warriors of Light to battle on our knees and to love and care for our neighbors and thus defeat the deeds and purposes of the enemy.
And what effect does all of this have on us? Here is where that "FOR OUR OWN SAKES" comes in. We will reap blessing for our obedience. We will have our needs met. We need not fear the forces of evil at work all around us. We will have completed another step in our training as warriors. In a war, a wound is a mark of glory. It shows the sacrifice the soldier has made for a cause higher than himself and it will bring reward and acknowledgement by the rulers. Although the benefits God grants us are way more lasting and valuable than is a metal star and apiece of ribbon.
So all this is to say...yes you are suffering. We ALL are suffering. Let's do it for Jesus, and thank Him for the opportunity to battle for his kingdom and praise him that we are one step closer to the return of Christ and the establishment of His Kingdom.
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