The two cattle egrets above look as if they are practicing social distancing ! May we always have love and concern for others, in spite of the current social distancing mandates right now!
Much is on my mind right now to write about - maybe too much for one article. Please bear with me as I endeavor to express what the good Lord has put upon my heart to share.
The last post here (scroll down to view) concerned itself with how we need to be strong and courageous and to rely totally upon God and Jesus..... God will make a way for us in our current difficulties and/or our spiritual battles.
It is no doubt obvious to many that Christians are hated and persecuted in this, for the most part, evil and godless society in which we find ourselves today..... in this end time scenario.
Isaiah 5:20 tells us "Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; That put darkness for light, and light for darkness; That put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!"
True, that was written for those in ancient times, but it also applies today, doesn't it! Many people of the world will even call evil what is obviously miracles from God.
It reminds me of our blessed Savior, Jesus Christ, and how He was persecuted, slandered, tortured and eventually killed. Yet He was holy and pure; God in flesh!
Jesus tells us at John 15:18-20 "If the world hate you, ye know that it hated Me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love its own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept My saying, they will keep yours also."
The intent of this article is to discuss strength from the good Lord and this in spite of our weaknesses. A prime example of this is the Apostle Paul and his "thorn in the flesh" to keep him from being full of pride because of his many revelations from the Lord. This is found at 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 which follows:
"And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong."
It would be good to read all of 2 Corinthians 12. Note the apostle Paul's wonderful response and his wise attitude toward his troubles and his thorn in the flesh !
We learn from our troubles and afflictions, if we are humble enough to turn to the Lord for help and guidance through much prayer during our ordeal, whatever it may be. Besides, "no pain, no gain"! The Lord shapes us and molds us to be more Christlike when we suffer; we will more often turn to prayer - much prayer- when we are afflicted and thereby will grow in our relationship with God and Jesus....To rely on the good Lord for help and guidance and not on our own understanding or our own feeble efforts to do things our way.
I can see now that I will need to discuss 2 Corinthians 12 in more detail in another article in the near future.
Following is a wonderful devotion by Charles Spurgeon about strength and faith and the grace of God:
"It is our wisdom, as well as our necessity, to beseech God continually to strengthen that which He has wrought in us. It is because of their neglect in this, that many Christians may blame themselves for those trials and afflictions of spirit which arise from unbelief. It is true that satan seeks to flood the fair garden of the heart and make it a scene of desolation, but it is also true that many Christians leave open the ...."Gates" themselves, and let in the dreadful deluge through carelessness and want of prayer to their strong Helper. We often forget the Author of our faith must be the Preserver of it also. The lamp which was burning in the temple was never allowed to go out, but it had to be daily replenished with fresh oil; in like manner, our faith can only live by being sustained with the oil of Grace, and we can only obtain this from God Himself. Foolish virgins we shall prove, if we do not secure the needed sustenance for our lamps. He who built the world upholds it, or it would fall in one tremendous crash; He who made us Christians must maintain us by His Spirit, or our ruin will be speedy and final. Let us, then, evening by evening, go to our Lord for the grace and strength we need. We have a strong argument to plead, for it is His own work of grace which we ask Him to strengthen : "Strengthen, O God, that which thou hast wrought for us" (Psalm 68:28). Think you He will fail to protect and sustain that ? Only let your faith take hold of His strength, and all the powers of darkness, led on by the master fiend of hell, cannot cast a cloud or shadow over your joy and peace. Why faint when you may be strong? Why suffer defeat when you may conquer? Oh take your wavering faith and drooping graces to Him and Who can revive and replenish them and earnestly pray, "Strengthen, O God, that which Thou has wrought for us."
The above internet image has been used on this blog in the past, but I feel it fits here because only the Word of God can give "hugs" of comfort and guidance and draw you close in a spiritual embrace of the good Lord and His Holy Spirit. It will give you strength and hope and fellowship with God and Jesus, as will also much prayer.
"Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked." - Psalm 82:4
"Be careful [anxious] for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." - Philippians 4:6-7
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." - Philippians 4:13
Here is a wonderful worship song (In Christ Alone) which many of you are familiar with:
Here is a wonderful worship song (In Christ Alone) which many of you are familiar with:
These are difficult times in which we live right now. We need the good Lord to turn to in every trial and spiritual warfare we may be facing.
For those of you who are not saved, who are not born again (a spiritual rebirth), you need to repent and pray for forgiveness and to believe with all of your very being and all of your heart that Jesus Christ is the Savior and the only way to heaven. Following are some Scriptures for you:
Romans 10:9,10,13 tells us: (9) "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. (10) For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (13) For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."
"He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him." - John 3:36
"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by Me." - John 14:6
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." - John 3:16
All that we see happening now with natural disasters, with the establishing of the New World Order in its beginning stages, the evil and corruptness, and much much more are all signs of the end times as prophecy in the Bible told us would occur at the time of the end of this dispensation. (Please read of these end times signs at Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21) In other words :
Jesus will return soon to take true believers to heaven with Him before the 7 year tribulation begins.
Turn to Jesus in faith now before it is too late !
He will welcome you with love and forgiveness, and hold you tight in the safety of His arms !
(Go to the search box at the top right hand side of this page and enter things such as: the 7 year Tribulation, signs of the end times, the mark of the beast, the Rapture, etc. and many articles will appear for you to view, some with videos. There are also articles on faith, endurance, fellowship with the good Lord, and many other topics as well.)
Jesus said the following when discussing the signs of the last days:
"And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh." - Luke 21:28
Maranatha !
Hurry Lord Jesus !
Have a blessed and Christ centered weekend - and life !!
For those of you who are not saved, who are not born again (a spiritual rebirth), you need to repent and pray for forgiveness and to believe with all of your very being and all of your heart that Jesus Christ is the Savior and the only way to heaven. Following are some Scriptures for you:
Romans 10:9,10,13 tells us: (9) "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. (10) For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (13) For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."
"He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him." - John 3:36
"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by Me." - John 14:6
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." - John 3:16
All that we see happening now with natural disasters, with the establishing of the New World Order in its beginning stages, the evil and corruptness, and much much more are all signs of the end times as prophecy in the Bible told us would occur at the time of the end of this dispensation. (Please read of these end times signs at Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21) In other words :
Jesus will return soon to take true believers to heaven with Him before the 7 year tribulation begins.
Turn to Jesus in faith now before it is too late !
He will welcome you with love and forgiveness, and hold you tight in the safety of His arms !
(Go to the search box at the top right hand side of this page and enter things such as: the 7 year Tribulation, signs of the end times, the mark of the beast, the Rapture, etc. and many articles will appear for you to view, some with videos. There are also articles on faith, endurance, fellowship with the good Lord, and many other topics as well.)
Jesus said the following when discussing the signs of the last days:
"And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh." - Luke 21:28
Maranatha !
Hurry Lord Jesus !
Have a blessed and Christ centered weekend - and life !!
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