Waiting on the World to Change
No matter how much we focus and prepare to fight, suffering will always be here and now. It will always be with you. The is no escaping suffering. While my words were designed to help you, give you hope to carry on, there will be valleys and dark nights that lay ahead.
No sermon, no three step solution, no practical advice will help you through untold pain, through the suffering that life can bring. We all understand what it feels like being human. We, as a church, must not try to stop our suffering, but to recognize it in others, bear it together, and overcome it in the end. We must stop seeing our differences and see our common link. That we are all suffering little children, no different than those in India or around the world. We are all waiting on the world to change, saint and sinner alike. But we are not without a promise.
Romans 8:17-19
17.And if children, then heirs; heirs of God , and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together .
18.For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
19.For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
If we are children than we are heirs with Christ, our suffering is NOT in vain. It will be worth it all! In the end the glory will overcome every trial! Every sacrifice! Every one of suffering, will be revealed in our promised hope of Jesus Christ. It cannot, will not even compare. The world is waiting for the revelation of the children who went through the fire and came out a son. The suffering little children that became the glorified sons and daughters of God! You may be going through it. But you have a promise that you are going through! Having done all you can stand! It shall not compare in the end!
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Monday, November 2, 2009
Suffering Little Children Part Four
Three Step Solution
When Paul is advising Timothy about suffering, notice that he calls him a child. He begins by saying "be strengthened by grace." Draw your power, your strength, not from yourself or your accomplishments or abilities, but by the weakness in need of God's grace! Be strong in weakness that you will not place yourself in a class of suffering or spirituality.
Timothy was the pastor of the church of Ephesus. Paul doesn’t call him a general, a spiritual father, a leader of the oppressed and suffering. He calls him a good soldier and advices him to share in the suffering of all the others soldiers of Christ. (You spirituality is not measured by how little or how much you suffer, it is measured in spite of it.)
The Paul gives three examples that I offer you today who are suffering...
A.WAKE- UP! (change your mind)
A soldier leads a life of suffering for the common good of his nation. As Christians we should stop trying to avoid suffering and embrace it as the life that we were called to. Paul says soldiers do not get wrapped up in the comparisons of civilian life. (Keeping up with the Jones') The goal is to please Jesus! Be unified in the army not divided in the civilian life.
B.WORK OUT! (prepare your body)
An athletic is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. Paul is telling Timothy to work out and train his body to suffer and not to avoid it. This means going the extra mile. Embrace suffering for its ultimate goal… a crown. If we cheat one second on our work out it may mean the finish line and our final reward. You won't win unless you suffer. Then all the tears, struggles, and pain were in vain, for nothing. If our only goal is the elimination of suffering and NOT the training of one another to endure… we will not make it past the first mile!
C.WEAR OUT! (fight in spite)
The hardworking farmer gets the first share of the crops. When we wake up to our real responsibility, when we prepare ourselves, training ourselves to go thrpugh anything, we are instructed to labor in spite of whatever suffering may come our way. Every aspect of our energy should not be focused on suffering both physically and emotionally, but on our responsibilities to God. This is not dwelling on suffering when it comes, not letting your circumstance keep you from working… and you will receive your reward of the labor and suffering you endured.
When Paul is advising Timothy about suffering, notice that he calls him a child. He begins by saying "be strengthened by grace." Draw your power, your strength, not from yourself or your accomplishments or abilities, but by the weakness in need of God's grace! Be strong in weakness that you will not place yourself in a class of suffering or spirituality.
Timothy was the pastor of the church of Ephesus. Paul doesn’t call him a general, a spiritual father, a leader of the oppressed and suffering. He calls him a good soldier and advices him to share in the suffering of all the others soldiers of Christ. (You spirituality is not measured by how little or how much you suffer, it is measured in spite of it.)
The Paul gives three examples that I offer you today who are suffering...
A.WAKE- UP! (change your mind)
A soldier leads a life of suffering for the common good of his nation. As Christians we should stop trying to avoid suffering and embrace it as the life that we were called to. Paul says soldiers do not get wrapped up in the comparisons of civilian life. (Keeping up with the Jones') The goal is to please Jesus! Be unified in the army not divided in the civilian life.
B.WORK OUT! (prepare your body)
An athletic is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. Paul is telling Timothy to work out and train his body to suffer and not to avoid it. This means going the extra mile. Embrace suffering for its ultimate goal… a crown. If we cheat one second on our work out it may mean the finish line and our final reward. You won't win unless you suffer. Then all the tears, struggles, and pain were in vain, for nothing. If our only goal is the elimination of suffering and NOT the training of one another to endure… we will not make it past the first mile!
C.WEAR OUT! (fight in spite)
The hardworking farmer gets the first share of the crops. When we wake up to our real responsibility, when we prepare ourselves, training ourselves to go thrpugh anything, we are instructed to labor in spite of whatever suffering may come our way. Every aspect of our energy should not be focused on suffering both physically and emotionally, but on our responsibilities to God. This is not dwelling on suffering when it comes, not letting your circumstance keep you from working… and you will receive your reward of the labor and suffering you endured.
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