Tag: Endurance

Take A Break!

Ecclesiastes 3:22, 5:18-20

3:22 Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?

5:18 Behold that which I have seen: it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it is his portion.

19 Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour; this is the gift of God.

20 For he shall not much remember the days of his life; because God answereth him in the joy of his heart.

You have worked hard for your money. You’ve endured the ups and downs of following the orders of unfit bosses and supervisors. You’ve kept your peace, when lazy coworkers talked more than they worked, causing you to pull more weight. You’ve endured, and kept your chin up, while grinding throughout each work day. Now, it’s time for you to take a break. That’s right! Take time to enjoy the fruit of your consistent hard labor. While your superiors may not give you the recognition you deserve for your hard work, give yourself a pat on the back, and use a portion of your earnings for yourself. You definitely deserve it!

“If God Be For Us…”

Romans 8:31-39

Without God, we are defeated, but with God, we are more than conquerors! Without God, we are separated from Christ, but with God, we are inseparable from Christ! Without God, all who come against us can bring us harm, but with God, all who come against us have no chance! Without God, we have no Savior, but with God, the Savior was given for all! Without God, we toil and labor in vain, but with God, our acts of faith are counted as righteousness! Without God, all are condemned, but with God, all have an opportunity to be redeemed! Without God, we are left without hope and alone, but with God, Christ maketh intercession for us! Without God, we can be carried away by tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, or sword, but with God, we are covered from all that forms against us! Without God, we live in vain, but with God, we die daily for a greater purpose!

Do Your Part

Romans 16

In a world where sin is prevalent in all societies, and hopelessness invades the hearts of many, love should always be seen among the body of Christ. Perilous times are indeed apparent, and many have lost their faith in God, but the church must continue to shine, despite the tragic state of the world, and be examples of holiness for others to witness.

Those who walk after the Spirit of God, and strive daily to live according to holiness, have a duty to love God, keep His commandments, and spread the Gospel to others. Since the fall of man, this world has never been the same. In fact, the state of the world worsens daily. Men have given in to evil desires and wicked schemes of the enemy, sickness and disease have claimed the lives of many, and others are anxious and confused, trying to find peace in these troubled lands. Fortunately, God is good, and His mercy endures forever. His love can still bring light and hope to those who believe in Him.

Saints of the past have endured more than we today could ever imagine, yet they kept their profession to holiness solid and consistent. Many great men and women took pride in representing godliness while in the midst of suffering and persecution, and God rewarded them for their faith. Today, there remains a remnant of believers, who have not given in to sin, nor the pressures of these last and evil days. For this reason, it’s very important for those who fight the “good fight”, to edify and encourage each other through it all. It’s not easy bearing the burdens of life alone, so the body of Christ must tend to each other’s needs. Learn to be strength to your fellow man, and not make them weak. Build up those who may be burdened down, and help them get back on their feet. Support those who put their lives on the line, so that others around the world can hear the Gospel message.

Everyone has a role to play in God’s plan, so be sure to do your part with all your heart. The world is becoming more difficult to endure, but trust and believe that God will keep His people protected, and sustain them according to His will.

For The Sake Of The Gospel

1 Thessalonians 2:1-10

For the sake of the Gospel, the apostle Paul endured many things from ungodly men, most of which were unfavorable and unsympathetic. While establishing churches in different cities, the apostle Paul, along with other apostles, were met with challenges purposed only to stop their progress. Of all the sufferings (beatings, imprisonments, shipwrecks, and many more) Paul and his brethren faced, they allowed nothing to hinder them from establishing foundational Gospel teaching in various lands.

Paul knew the importance of spreading the Gospel, and made it his top priority to see it through. Paul admitted himself, that even through the suffering, he and his companions were bold in their God, to speak the Gospel to the church at Thessalonica, despite the great contention against them. When times get rough, average men usually turn tail and gallop away, but real men and women of God stand strong, even in the midst of major conflict.

Standing for the truth isn’t as simple as it sounds, but requires a certain character and behavior, in order to be bold as the apostles were. The apostle Paul was able to stand during times of suffering and intense persecution because, he modeled his life after the life of Christ. Jesus portrayed all characteristics of the fruit of the Spirit in all His encounters, thus allowing Him to always please the Father with his words and actions. In the same sense, Paul and the other apostles were consistent in being honest, pure, faithful to God’s purpose, humble and considerate with others, gentle and kind, and selfless in all their doings. Not only did Paul preach the Word, but he lived his life according to that same Word, on a consistent basis.

When we read the scriptures, we easily become fascinated with the lives of God’s great men and women, but we too can live great lives for the kingdom of God as well. If we love God, keep His commandments, study and meditate on His Word, then live every day rendering selfless acts to our fellow man, our names will someday be listed in the heavenly hall of fame, along with Paul and others also. 

For The Faith

Acts 7:9-15

Does being a good person exempt you from trouble? Oh, how I wish that were true. Being good, and doing good is expected behavior of the children of God, and He honors obedience by bestowing blessing to His people. But, while God seeks only to bless the church for obedience, satan desires to block and hinder God’s people from continuing in holiness. The devil and his minions try hard to bring down, and defame the body of Christ. Men who fall under the influence of satan, allow themselves to become wicked tools that work against the righteous, and some actually seem to succeed.

In our text, God had been using Stephen in a mighty way, to do great wonders and miracles among the people. All the works he did, and words he spoke were inspired by God. Unfortunately, while Stephen was busy tending to the Lord’s business, a group of jealous, hateful men assembled together to conspire against him. Anytime you set your affections solely toward God, expect someone to try hard to block your focus. The cruel and corrupt religious folk went so far as to lie on Stephen, as well as hire others to do underhand work for money. How low can you go? You’d think men not affiliated with the synagogue would do these hateful things to Stephen, but the same men who claimed Moses as their father, sought only to destroy the innocent, and anointed man of God.

It matters not how much good you do in this life, there will ALWAYS be those who seek to bring you down, but when your faith and trust rest in the Lord, He’ll give you the wisdom and power you need to minister, despite those who diligently conspire against you.

Stephen’s life was eventually taken by evil and corrupt men, but the message he left still resounds even to this day. If God were to call you home tomorrow, what would people remember you by? Would you be missed more for how you influenced others to get closer to God, or would your life be soon forgotten, because the works you did revolved only around selfish desires?

“He died for me… I’ll live for Him.” – Ell

Eternal Emotions

Genesis 42:35-38

What is it about the human heart, that allows for it to experience both ends of the emotional spectrum and all the roller coaster feelings in between; sometimes all within mere moments of time? Being made in the image of God the creator, and after His very own likeness, mankind was designed in a very unique, and incomparable fashion. Without trying to sound braggadocious or anything of the sort, but God made us super special, in a variety of ways! Man has the ability to think, think about what they’re thinking about, then decide which thought to act upon. We can feel hurt, pain, and shame on the inside, without any physical signs of its occurrence on the outside.

Men are physical, spiritual, and soulful beings, created to exhibit the most incredible works of the One who made all things. I’ve often wondered, why did God make us so emotional, or allow for us to feel things, some of which aren’t favorable. For example, losing something, or someone that holds a special place in your heart, brings a hurt that is unlike anything else. In the Bible, Jacob thought he had lost his “favorite” son, Joseph, which left a huge hole in his heart. This pain caused him to cling even more tightly to his youngest son, Benjamin. In the same way a physical scar heals, yet continues to reveal a scar, Jacob carried the scar of supposedly losing his son, for years (until he discovered he was actually alive).

Losing a loved one never feels good, especially if they left us with unresolved issues. For this reason, I advise all men to appreciate those who remain in your life, and love them unconditionally, because you never know when will be the last time you’ll see them. In addition, sympathize, and emphasize with those who may have lost someone dear to their hearts, because it’ll never be easy for them for the rest of their life.

We live this life for purpose and reason, but not too long, for only a season.

Ell

Why Pray?

Luke 23:9-15

Why pray, when it seems like God isn’t listening? Why pray, when the world continues to deteriorate, before our very eyes? Why pray, when the enemy works diligently, to defame the reputation of the church, and those who were once strong in the faith, have taken sides with that wicked one? Why pray, when those we love battle for years with sickness and pain, never seeming to get better? Why pray, when our family, friends, and others suffer untimely deaths, regardless of our fervent petitions? Why pray, when evil, vile, and corrupt men continue to thrive, and live successful lives, while the members of Christ’s body struggle to live from paycheck to paycheck? Why pray, when social injustice, “systemic racism”, and all other forms of unethical treatment toward minorities, continues to reign in lands with “organized governments”? What’s the point of praying, when bad things continue to happen to good people? Well, I’d like to pass the mic to a great friend of mine, and allow Him a moment to share His thoughts on the aforementioned questions…

…”Why did I choose to leave Heaven, to come down to the earth? Why did I give up riches, royalty, position, and authority, in order to take on the form of a created, lower being? Why did I willingly endure hurt, shame, lies, abuse, threatenings, beatings, slander, hate, injustice, ridicule, being misunderstood, despised, abhorred, detested, loathed, scolded, battered, spit on, pierced in the side, whipped, and torture beyond belief, when I held the power to instantly vanquish all who rejected me? Why did I suffer, and lay down my life, so that those same men who disfigured my mortal body, could one day be forgiven, and receive the gift of salvation?” Okay Jesus, I’ll take it from here. Whew!

Have you considered lately, how intense the suffering of Jesus actually was, or have you read all the things the apostle Paul endured, while still writing books of the Bible? Life is tough, I won’t deny that, but we pray to God to acknowledge that He holds all power in Heaven, and in earth, and while He can step in and right all the wrongs in the earth, He must allow His will to be done. Sin caused nothing but chaos and destruction in the earth, but God will soon rectify all wrong, then purify His people for all eternity. We may have to suffer a while in this life, but don’t allow your struggles, to keep you from communicating with God. Our Father knows, and sees all that’s going on, but we should continue to pray that His will be done, even in times when we don’t understand what it actually is.

We live this life for purpose and reason, but not too long, for only a season.

Ell

Pharoah’s Ring

Genesis 41:41-49

Throughout the Bible, there are numerous underdog stories, that uplift those with heavy hearts, and encourage others with hung down heads, but of all the stories written, few compare to the life, and legacy of Joseph.

Born into a prestigious family line, Joseph was destined to continue in the footsteps of his predecessors. Like all feel-good stories, Joseph’s beginning was hard, harsh, and extremely cruel. From being hated by his own kin, to being imprisoned for false accusations, the servant of the Lord refused to allow his struggles and persecution to hinder his godly duties. How often do men turn away from God, and seek other sources for answers, when life hits them with seasons of trials and tribulations? Very often, from my perspective. The times we should cling to God most, is when trouble hits, because these are the very moments God desires to use us to accomplish great things.

Joseph’s patience, and endurance through his challenging season, paid off in an unprecedented way! From being literally thrown in a pit, then imprisoned, Joseph’s faithfulness to God awarded him the position of “ruler over all the land of Egypt” (vs. 43b). God may not make us kings, queens, and rulers over countries for our consistent holy living, but He can, and will bless His people in other ways. Whether we are blessed with good health, wealth, favor with man, healthy and obedient children, or any other good thing, staying true to God in the midst of hard times, will always work to the benefit of the Saints of God.

We live this life for purpose and reason, but not too long, for only a season.

Ell

Transparency

Acts 7:9-15

When I wake up in the morning, and open my eyes to see the new day, God is with me. As I turn over in bed, regaining feeling in my numb legs and arms, God is with me. When I gather enough strength to plant my feet on the floor, and slowly rise upright, God is with me. As I wash, then gird myself for the day ahead, God is with me. When I think of what the day will bring, God is with me. As I travel on the dangerous highways, going to and fro, God is with me. When I spend all day, pushing to make it through another day of hard labor, God is with me. As I deal with the pressures of life that come by way of those who are evil, wicked, or even my foes, God is with me. When I try to smile, stay positive, and keep a straight face, to hide the hurt, pain, and shame inside me, God is with me. As I give strength to others, when I require strength for myself, God is with me. When those who i thought were for me, turn against me, God is with me. When my body goes through seasons of sickness and pain, God is with me. When those I love, lose their lives, God is with me. When those I don’t know perish, and my heart still feels pain, God is with me. When the enemy attempts to knock me off track, God is with me. As I sit and write this tonight, exhausted from another long day of work, God is with me. When I consider, I am still alive, healthy, and have a sound mind, it’s because God is with me. I love the Lord, indeed I do. It’s because of Him, I can not, and will not give up. I am thankful for all who strive to live holy, in an unholy society; to all who are committed to staying true to God’s will. Be strong, be vigilant, stay faithful, because God is with you.

If you die today, where will you spend eternity?

Ell