Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel, for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. 2 Timothy 2:8-9 What are the illustrations Paul uses in verses 3-10? Soldier. Paul often used illustrations about warfare and soldiers. Soldiers must endure hardship, suffering, and even death. They must remain loyal to the officer who commands them. Timothy must be willing to suffer. He must not look back but stay committed to Jesus, his Divine Commander. He must avoid defecting and looking for an easier path. Athlete. Athletes of Paul’s day endured strict discipline…
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Rejoice With Suffering
Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that sufferings produce endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. Romans 5:3-5 Who wants to rejoice in our sufferings? Most people complain and whine about their sufferings. Have you ever rejoiced in your suffering? Have you found joy in our sufferings? I don’t pray for sufferings, trials, etc. However, I do stop and realize through that time; God is teaching me something. Our attitude can help with the suffering. If you remember…
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Our Future Glory: Part Two
And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow – not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. Romans 8:38 In the messiness of your life, do you believe that God will work in the middle of it? Have you ever seen God work in your life and wonder how it is all going to work out? The next point is God works with the messy parts of life for the good of those who love Him. Let’s read this passage of Romans 8:26-30.…
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Grace When We Suffer
Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weakness, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 2 Corinthians 12:8-9 Are you facing a situation or in a season that seems beyond what you can handle? It may be a relationship, illness, grief, finances. Do you feel stuck in a corner with no way out? No hope or light at the end of the tunnel? Whatever your situation is, know that you are…
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Rejoice In The Lord
Though the fig tree should not blossom nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fruit and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God my salvation. God, the Lord, Is my strength; he makes my feet like the deers; he makes me tread on my high places. Habbakkuk 3:17-19 I will rejoice in the Lord! Habakkuk did not serve God because of what God could give him. He personally served God because he personally knew who God is. The sovereign…
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Still I Will Have Hope In God
Though he slays me, I will hope in him; yet I will argue my ways to his face. Job 13:15 Job! Poor, pathetic Job. A man who lost everything in his life. Yet he kept his faith. Job knew God’s goodness. Whatever God allowed to happen to Job, whatever suffering he endured, even if God slew him (end his life), Job believed that God wouldn’t fail him. Now that is faith. It might not look like faith to us. Job had so many things taken from him. His livestock, his children, sickness. He went through a lot of affliction. His own wife told him to end his life. How many of us…
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In Our Sufferings – Part 2
Through him we have also obtained access by faith into his grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, Romans 5:2-3 The peace of God is the beginning of everything in the Christian view. They access by faith into his grace is something more then, and after the peace of God. Because of Jesus we have grace by God. God loves each of us and offers grace to us. Paul list sufferings as one of the blessings. Suffering refers to the troubles and difficulties that may affect our lives. Such…