"Remember Your word to Your servant, for You have given me hope. My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life." Psalms 119:49-50 (NIV)
This psalmist declares that The Word of God gives him hope, and it is a comfort to him when he is suffering because he knows that God is keeping him.
We should be glad and thankful that The Lord has preserved our life and allowed us to remain among the living for one more day. We may be in the midst of a storm at the moment, however, the fact that we can recognize that and understand that it is only a temporary situation, (Psalms 30:5 and 1 Peter 1:6), should be a source of comfort for us. We should rejoice because trouble don't last always. It was God who brought us to it, and He can take us through it.
Showing posts with label suffering. Show all posts
Showing posts with label suffering. Show all posts
Sunday, May 5, 2013
Friday, December 14, 2012
Suffering Now Can't Compare To The Joy That Is Coming
"I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us." Romans 8:18 (NIV)
Here the Apostle Paul is telling the Christians in Rome that the suffering that they are enduring is not worth mentioning when it is compared to the coming glory that they will experience.
As Christians we are not to focus and dwell on our past or present situations. We are to look ahead to our glorious future. We are in this world but not of it. We are just travellers passing through here on our way to our heavenly home. We should be happy for those who have gone on ahead of us as we anticipate joining them. Weeping may endure for a night, but joy is coming. (Psalms 30:5)
Here the Apostle Paul is telling the Christians in Rome that the suffering that they are enduring is not worth mentioning when it is compared to the coming glory that they will experience.
As Christians we are not to focus and dwell on our past or present situations. We are to look ahead to our glorious future. We are in this world but not of it. We are just travellers passing through here on our way to our heavenly home. We should be happy for those who have gone on ahead of us as we anticipate joining them. Weeping may endure for a night, but joy is coming. (Psalms 30:5)
Sunday, July 29, 2012
The Suffering Of Christ Predicted
"He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces He was despised, and we esteemed Him not. Surely He took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered Him stricken by God, smitten by Him, and afflicted. But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed." Isaiah 53:3-5 (NIV)
More than 400 years beforehand, the prophet Isaiah predicted the rejection and suffering that Jesus Christ would endure during His earthly ministry. Isaiah stated that Jesus would be pierced and physically abused for our iniquities and transgressions, and that by His wounds we would be healed.
The physical suffering that Jesus would endure as payment for our sins so that we might be saved, was predicted by the prophet Isaiah and later verified by the apostles Matthew, Mark, and John, and by Luke, the physician and close companion of the apostle Paul. We ought to thank Jesus The Christ everyday for His role in our redemption and salvation.
More than 400 years beforehand, the prophet Isaiah predicted the rejection and suffering that Jesus Christ would endure during His earthly ministry. Isaiah stated that Jesus would be pierced and physically abused for our iniquities and transgressions, and that by His wounds we would be healed.
The physical suffering that Jesus would endure as payment for our sins so that we might be saved, was predicted by the prophet Isaiah and later verified by the apostles Matthew, Mark, and John, and by Luke, the physician and close companion of the apostle Paul. We ought to thank Jesus The Christ everyday for His role in our redemption and salvation.
Thursday, May 17, 2012
We Are Comforted To Know How To Comfort Others
Praise be to The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, The Father of compassion and The God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows ... And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort ... Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On Him we have set our hope that He will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers." 2 Corinthians 1:1-11 (NIV)
In a letter to the Christians in Corinth, the Apostle Paul offers comfort for their suffering from the oppression of their enemies. He has been comforted in his hour of need and he now is offering comfort to others in theirs.
Comfort, like blessings, comes from God. He can use us to comfort one another in times of trouble and despair. We are comforted in order to know how to be a comfort to others. We are basically passing on the comfort that we received to others who are in need. We should share in each others joys and sorrows. We should be thankful for His delivering us through past troubles and despairs, and we hope and pray that He will continue to deliver us and others in the future.
In a letter to the Christians in Corinth, the Apostle Paul offers comfort for their suffering from the oppression of their enemies. He has been comforted in his hour of need and he now is offering comfort to others in theirs.
Comfort, like blessings, comes from God. He can use us to comfort one another in times of trouble and despair. We are comforted in order to know how to be a comfort to others. We are basically passing on the comfort that we received to others who are in need. We should share in each others joys and sorrows. We should be thankful for His delivering us through past troubles and despairs, and we hope and pray that He will continue to deliver us and others in the future.
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
We Hope For That Which We Do Not Yet Have
"I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us ... Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of The Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. In the same way, The Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but The Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of The Spirit, because The Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will." Romans 8:18-28 (NIV)
Writing to the Christians in Rome, the Apostle Paul tell them that even though we are saved, some times our sufferings cause us to moan, groan, and complain as we wait impatiently for our future blessings. But The Holy Spirit knows and understands our moans and groans, and intercedes on our behalf before God.
Our hope for a better future is not based upon what we can see or have. Our hope is in The Lord. In our weakness and shortsightedness, we don't even know what to pray for. We can't always put all of our requests into words. But thanks be to God, He knows what we need, and want, and He knows what is best for us. As we have hope and faith in Him, He will supply all of our needs.
Writing to the Christians in Rome, the Apostle Paul tell them that even though we are saved, some times our sufferings cause us to moan, groan, and complain as we wait impatiently for our future blessings. But The Holy Spirit knows and understands our moans and groans, and intercedes on our behalf before God.
Our hope for a better future is not based upon what we can see or have. Our hope is in The Lord. In our weakness and shortsightedness, we don't even know what to pray for. We can't always put all of our requests into words. But thanks be to God, He knows what we need, and want, and He knows what is best for us. As we have hope and faith in Him, He will supply all of our needs.
Monday, May 14, 2012
From Suffering To Perseverance To Character To Hope
"Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by The Holy Spirit, whom He has given us." Romans 5:1-5 (NIV)
The Apostle Paul argues that God justifies sinners on the basis of their faith. Once We are justified, we have peace with God and we enjoy the grace of God.
Our salvation is based upon our belief in Jesus Christ. Our faith in Him and His love for us allows us to enjoy hope for the future. We can rejoice now, whatever the circumstance or situation, because our current sufferings will lead perseverance, which will produce strong character within us, which will strengthen our faith, and give us hope for a better tomorrow. We are blessed to enjoy the love of God.
The Apostle Paul argues that God justifies sinners on the basis of their faith. Once We are justified, we have peace with God and we enjoy the grace of God.
Our salvation is based upon our belief in Jesus Christ. Our faith in Him and His love for us allows us to enjoy hope for the future. We can rejoice now, whatever the circumstance or situation, because our current sufferings will lead perseverance, which will produce strong character within us, which will strengthen our faith, and give us hope for a better tomorrow. We are blessed to enjoy the love of God.
Friday, January 27, 2012
Be Strong And Be Of Good Courage
"Be merciful to me, O Lord, for I am in distress; my eyes grow weak with sorrow, my soul and my body with grief. My life is consumed by anguish and my years by groaning; my strength fails because of my affliction, and my bones grow weak ... I have become like broken pottery... But I trust in you, O Lord; I say, "You are my God." My times are in Your hands ... Let Your face shine on Your servant; save me in Your unfailing love. Let me not be put to shame, O Lord, for I have cried out to You ... Praise be to the Lord, for He showed His wonderful love to me ... Love The Lord, all His saints! The Lord preserves the faithful ... Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in The Lord." Psalms 31:9-24 (NIV)
No matter what it is that we encounter, or whatever storms life brings our way, we need to be strong, and be of good courage. The Good Lord preserves the faithful and He will bring us through it, whatever it is. He never promised us that the road would be easy. He promised that He would be with us and that He would never leave us.
No matter what it is that we encounter, or whatever storms life brings our way, we need to be strong, and be of good courage. The Good Lord preserves the faithful and He will bring us through it, whatever it is. He never promised us that the road would be easy. He promised that He would be with us and that He would never leave us.
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