ENDURANCE

 

Psalm 46:10

King James Version

10 Be still, 

and know that I am God: 

I will be exalted among the heathen, 

I will be exalted in the earth.

What is a good enough reason to bear things?

To endure, to the end?

To  continue living?

To wait it out?

There are many WONDERFUL reasons to.

Young people seem impatient.

To succeed, to go out into the world, to marry, to have a family.

Wisdom comes from age, as they say.

Wisdom also comes from pain.

At having suffered much.

At realization.

Especially when you become GOD's own.

And are instructed by JESUS, SPIRIT, and SCRIPTURE.

You begin to understand the reason for all pain.

The reason for all hardship.

The reason for all challenges.

And you grow in grace, knowing the HAND of GOD is in EVERYTHING.

Never again do you question the ways of GOD.

You accept what you are given.

You work with the cards you're dealt with.

Everything has been predestined for you by GOD

Jeremiah 29:11-12

King James Version

11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, 

saith the Lord, 

thoughts of peace, 

and not of evil, 

to give you an expected end.

12 Then shall ye call upon me, 

and ye shall go and pray unto me, 

and I will hearken unto you.

GROWING in GRACE means you surrender to GOD's POWER.

Only GOD has figured out things.

He is MASTER, and CREATOR.

The true born again prays to JESUS, sits still, and waits.

Until such time the SPIRIT of GOD gives you a prompt.

Then you'll know what to think, speak, and do.

In consonance with GOD's will.

There is peace in sitting still.

In waiting upon the LORD.

Isaiah 40:31

King James Version

31 But they that wait upon the Lord 

shall renew their strength; 

they shall mount up with wings as eagles; 

they shall run, 

and not be weary; 

and they shall walk, 

and not faint.

JESUS did say:

Matthew 24:13

King James Version

13 But he that shall endure unto the end, 

the same shall be saved.

In JESUS is GREAT POWER.

EVERYTHING obeys Him.

Mark 4:37-39

King James Version

37 And there arose a great storm of wind, 

and the waves beat into the ship, 

so that it was now full.

38 And he was in the hinder part of the ship, 

asleep on a pillow: 

and they awake him, 

and say unto him, 

Master, 

carest thou not that we perish?

39 And he arose, 

and rebuked the wind, 

and said unto the sea, 

Peace, be still. 

And the wind ceased, 

and there was a great calm.

Put your faith in the LORD, and MASTER, of everything.

Related material:

PEACE through JESUS

STEADYING verses

ROCK steady

GRACE from GOD

The RAPTURE

FAITH

Image source: Top Png

The JOY of the LORD

 

Hosea 6:6

King James Version

6 For I desired mercy, 

and not sacrifice; 

and the knowledge of God 

more than burnt offerings.

Does anyone care to know, what pleases God?

I thought about that this morning.

I had been deep in my grief for 52 days now, after my baby sis passed away.

Searching Scripture for comfort, I came upon this verse, with the curious, catchy phrase a few days ago:

Nehemiah 8:10

King James Version

10 Then he said unto them, 

Go your way, 

eat the fat, 

and drink the sweet, 

and send portions unto them 

for whom nothing is prepared: 

for this day is holy unto our Lord: 

neither be ye sorry; 

for the joy of the Lord 

is your strength.

And I thought to myself, what was the "joy of the Lord"?

For if I found it, then I'd be able to derive strength from it.

It will surely help, as I mourn.

Looking deeper into it, I found these articles Spirit and I have written the past years, which answered my own question:

What GOD Looks For

Something God Likes

Why Did God Create Man?

What Does Jesus Want Us to Do?

How Does JESUS Wish to be LOVED?

What does the LORD require of us?

HOW to KNOW the WILL of GOD

JESUS as the FOUNDATION of Our Life, Home, and Work

The BORN AGAIN heart

WALKING in the SPIRIT

The ONE, TRUE GOD

REPENTANCE

In contrast, it's also good to know what displeases God, so we may know where we need to be corrected by SPIRIT, and be perfect in the eyes of GOD.

What are ABOMINATIONS to GOD?

Things To Get Rid of In Your House Right Now

AWARENESS of sin

When you think of GOD, you think less of self.

And that's where healing will begin.

I thank JESUS, and the HOLY SPIRIT, for this wonderful gift.

On Seeing the TRUTH of the World

 

19 And we know that we are of God, 

and the whole world lieth in wickedness.

1 John 5:19 

King James Version

A remarkable thing happens, when you have embraced JESUS in full.

You are no longer a fool.

You see the world for what it is.

You see who runs it.

You see the suffering of others.

You pray for greater understanding, that you be used for God's purpose alone.

It's all a progression in spiritual knowledge, the only knowledge that matters now, more than ever.

All other knowledge belongs to the world.

A true Christian follows JESUS, the "man of sorrows".

3 He is despised and rejected of men; 

a man of sorrows, 

and acquainted with grief: 

and we hid as it were our faces from him; 

he was despised, 

and we esteemed him not.

Isaiah 53:3 

King James Version

 

When you truly love God, you wish to be obedient to Him.

You want to know: 

what pleases Him, 

what makes Him angry, 

what He wants you to do.

All those questions of mine, have been answered, by the ONLY reliable reference we are to count on in these end times -- SCRIPTURE.

You will know if you are a true follower of Christ, when self disappears.

30 He must increase, 

but I must decrease.

John 3:30 

King James Version

There is no more longing for the things of the world, because the material has never been the spiritual.

There is even no panic, nor grief, when self disappears, for all that's left is CHRIST.

He becomes your Good Shepherd.

The One who leads all who have gone astray.

The One who will look for that one person lost, even as the rest of the 99 from the flock are safe.

And when that happens, heaven and the presence of the angels of God rejoice, over one sinner that "repenteth".

What is the truth of the world, after all, but that it belongs to satan.

4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded 

the minds of them which believe not, 

lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, 

who is the image of God, 

should shine unto them.

2 Corinthians 4:4 

King James Version

If you are God's own, you will have nothing to do with the world, even as you are living, breathing, and working on earth.

You cannot be bought, you cannot be swayed, and the riches of the world don't impress you, for those are temporary.

You don't find glitter, or fascination, in the positions, prestige, and promises of men.

"All is vanity."

All is "vexation of spirit".

14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; 

and, behold, 

all is vanity and vexation of spirit.

Ecclesiastes 1:14 

King James Version

Only Jesus can satisfy the thirst of your soul.

When Jesus comes to take His faithful, to join those who have gone on ahead of us, and to make war with the world, you will want to be following Him, with the promise of eternal life.

This life we have in the world, is but a moment, and here's what can happen, in the blink of an eye, at ANY time God chooses to:

15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, 

that we which are alive and remain 

unto the coming 

of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven 

with a shout, 

with the voice of the archangel, 

and with the trump of God: 

and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

17 Then we which are alive and remain 

shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, 

to meet the Lord in the air: 

and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 

King James Version

Now, you can see that what we have on earth, is as nothing to the LORD. 

The only LIGHT and GUIDE we must seek is CHRIST, the TRUE MEDIATOR of GOD.

Our only hope is in JESUS.

4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world:

 and this is the victory that overcometh the world, 

even our faith.

1 John 5:4 

King James Version

Interestingly (but I am not surprised, for it has been happening for some time now), Bible Gateway's "Verse of the Day" confirms how Jesus answered my prayer this morning, about seeing -- through spiritual eyes -- the true suffering of others:

2 Bear ye one another's burdens, 

and so fulfil the law of Christ.

Galatians 6:2 

King James Version

Jesus answers my prayer, before I've even finished mouthing the prayer -- leading me to immediately write an article, such as the one you're reading now.

Last of all, the Holy SPIRIT of God led me to this verse, so we may know what to focus on, in these most determining times:

2 Set your affection on things above, 

not on things on the earth.

Colossians 3:2 

King James Version

God Knows the Secrets of Your Heart

12 Then said he unto me, 

Fear not, Daniel: 

for from the first day 

that thou didst set thine heart to understand, 

and to chasten thyself before thy God, 

thy words were heard, 

and I am come for thy words.

Daniel 10:12 

King James Version

How interesting that I found this verse today, from a Chuck Missler video I started listening to.

"...for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard,"

That was exactly what I had been doing for a long time -- I've set my heart to know EVERYTHING about God, and in the process, I got to know Jesus more, and I am being instructed by the Holy Spirit each day, or after each prayer.

I am living testimony that God hears our prayers.

Through faith, patience, and perseverance -- and always paying attention, and listening to the "voice" of God -- we are finally heard, and answered.

Some days, the answers are instant.

Other days, even before I've finished a prayer, the answer's already there.

Oftentimes, the answers come in a dream, and I'm supposed to piece it all together.

It didn't all come together until God made me born again last year.

Only then did I began to understand the Triune God:

God, the FATHER,
God, the SON, and 
God, the HOLY SPIRIT.

In the asking, was the giving.

7 Ask, and it shall be given you; 

seek, and ye shall find; 

knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

8 For every one that asketh receiveth; 

and he that seeketh findeth; 

and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

Matthew 7:7-8 (KJV)

God knew my heart, all the contents, the quality, or the lack of it.

But He saw the real desire to know Him, and I'm grateful Jesus -- through the Holy Spirit -- finally made things clear for me.

Now, I'm able to understand the Bible, letting it speak to me each time.

I honestly believe all you have to do to reach God, is to pray to Him however you know how.

Become childlike, and trusting in God.

Make time to listen.

God likes that very much!

Updated 21 January 2022

In God's World, Nothing is Ever Wasted

17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, 

he is a new creature: 

old things are passed away; 

behold, 

all things are become new.

2 Corinthians 5:17 

King James Version

That sturdy tree, with its strong bark, is like God.

That tiny leaf, amidst the pine needles, is like who we are -- shy, cautious, unsure, tentative, child-like, maybe even wounded.

God is protective of His creation, for He loves us all, enough to send His Son to teach us, to save us, and to give us everlasting life.

Whoever we had been in the past, doesn't really matter much.

What matters most is who we are now, how we have become, especially if we chose to follow Christ.

We are all imperfect beings, subject to sin and error, but what really matters most is if we choose to repent, and become new in the LORD.

43 To him give all the prophets witness, 

that through his name whosoever believeth in him 

shall receive remission of sins.

Acts 10:43 (KJV)

Nearly 10 months ago, I chose to start a new blog, "Prophecy Lessons", as I was teaching myself many things from Scripture.

Night and day, I was being taught by the Holy Spirit, many things about Jesus, for I was intent on knowing all about Him.

Because I moved on, I left this blog you're reading now, thinking it was completely finished, and to be set aside forever, even as it had been the basis and foundation for my personal growth. 

In an email I wrote to a friend today, I wrote, "In God's world, nothing is ever wasted".

And, of course, that very statement -- as many statements that come from my renewed heart -- created a new article, this one you're reading now.

Whoever you were in the past, with all your successes, or failures, those don't really define you.

What defines us all, is if we have given our hearts to the LORD.

Only the Lord would know what to do with what we have in our hearts.

Nothing is ever wasted.

All we have experienced in life, if we allow it to, can build character, not bitterness.

All our pain, our fears, our experiences, lessons learned, the humbling of our hearts -- they all serve God's purpose.

And if we offer our service to Him, as I have, we are used wonderfully, making our hearts sing with joy and excitement, at what the Lord may have us do, in His behalf.

As it was, and has forever been, it was my writing.

Now, I write about the Lord.

Now, I test everything I think, say, and do, with what Jesus said in Scripture.

All we have been, is mere grist for the mill, a necessary sifting of what is important, and what must be set aside.

Obviously, that which is important, must only serve the Lord.

That which must be set aside, is of the world.

And I am doing both, because I chose to follow Jesus, and Jesus alone.

In my desire to know God, I must read the WORD, and follow the WAY, which is both Jesus.

We all have gone through much in life, but like that beautiful image above, you can see a tiny, green leaf, peeking from the hardy, protective tree, which is God.

Such is the way to walk in Christ.

Life may not have been pretty for us, and we may all still be having a difficult time right now, but in God's world, nothing is ever wasted.

God uses what we have in our hearts, who we are, how we have become, and what we wish to accomplish, for His purpose.

The days become more beautiful, when your heart is totally offered to the Lord.

But, as always, you have to experience it for yourself, to know what I speak of.

By the GRACE of God, you will choose to only serve the Lord, and pray He shows you how to follow Him.

In that prayer, watch how God will work in your life!

Thus, this blog must be revived, for it had been my foundation, and invitation, for Christ to come into my life.

Thank you for reading this post!

May you be safe where you are and may you have the peace and happiness that only God can give!

As a welcome gift, enjoy this lovely, soothing music, if you wish!

(All verses from biblegateway.com)

(Image source: Joseph)

21 January 2022