1 Thessalonians 5:18
“In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”
When was the last time you counted your blessings?
1 Thessalonians 5:18
“In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”
When was the last time you counted your blessings?
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!
Luke 6:20-26
Fret not, because of those who appear to be living life a little (or a lot) better than you. Worry not, about men who seemingly have the upper hand concerning matters of finances and other resources. Mind not those things which the world considers as “fancy”, or “flashy”. Don’t lose heart, when your life is full of sadness and pain, while those around you are filled with laughter. Stand strong, even when men hate you, and literally defame your good name. Walk with your head held high, in the midst of snakes, fakes, and ravenous wolves. Be strong, and very courageous, while facing trials and temptations. Get excited, in those moments when you get rejected from the crowd, and appear to be left all alone. While the world makes attempts to keep you in the fog negativity, God will give you strength to endure all of their ploys and distractions. Not only will God keep you in perfect peace during hard times, but He will reward you greatly in Heaven.
Those who seem to be living the “good life” here on the earth, and willfully reject God, will only enjoy good until their death. After this life, comes the judgment, and every man and woman who rejected God, will mourn and weep throughout all eternity, as they spend their next life in that horrible, bottomless pit.
Saints, be encouraged, and continue fighting the good fight. The battle belongs to God, and He’s already won the victory! Soon, and very soon, all our troubles, worries, and struggles will be over, but until then… fight well!
Keep your chin up… it’s easier to see Heaven that way,
Ell
2 Thessalonians 1:3-5, 11-12
What is the proper way to conduct oneself while facing persecution? Well, there are two answers to that question. One response is fairly simple and straightforward, while the other can oftentimes be rather vague. For the child of God, enduring inevitable persecution requires patience and faith. For those who live beyond the realm of God’s readily available safety, persecution tends to consume them without a sense of reason, or purposeful end. When worldly men suffer, they typically expect others to pity them, and make sacrifices on behalf of their tragedies. On the contrary, when a believer suffers, they endure to prove that in their suffering, they can still perform works that are pleasing to God.
The church doesn’t suffer, so that they can get contaminated government assistance, but it suffers because the world hates the truth, and will go to great measures to silence those who go against worldly beliefs. In our text, the apostle Paul, and those who sojourned with him, were pleased to see that those in the Thessalonian church were continuing to grow in faith exceedingly, and spread love amongst each other, despite enduring persecutions and tribulations. The apostle Paul did not commend the Thessalonian church for building a great edifice, or rendering awesome praise and worship, but he counted them worthy of the kingdom of God, because of their suffering.
When hard times come in our lives, God allows them to test our level of faith in His Word, and to prove to our adversary, he has no claim, nor influence in the lives of God’s people. Take pride in being a child of royalty, and see your suffering as a way to show God that if those who died before us endured until the end, then you can too! “Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing” (James 1:3-4).
Keep your chin up… it’s easier to see Heaven that way,
Ell