Sometimes we face trials

In life we encounter many difficulties. Even as an organisation we can have to face trials or having to look at people who tell lies about us and have people defending the false accuser.

Sometimes we lack this necessary wisdom to face trials and persevere faithfully. These are the times when our suffering is so overwhelming that we are tempted to question whether God is either sovereign or good or to come to question if the organisation we are with might be the right one.

In such circumstances we may not forget that the adversary of God may be everywhere and in all sorts of disguises. There are enough people who shall try to get you away from your church or from your faith group. Their aim shall be to discourage you and to destroy your faith in that group you where doing so much for.

Though when we look at the matter, take distance form it we shall see some good things in it as well. It shall give us an opportunity to check if we are connected  with the right persons. Also it shall remind us that if we lack the wisdom needed to face such trials with faith and steadfastness, we can ask God.
We should ask God.

We must ask God.

In the very first chapter of his letter, James reminds us that the God we are to ask is not only sovereign, He is also faithful.

Many people may try to annoy us and get us so far that we start doing the wrong things; They may tempt us or want us to lure in saying things which can harm us more.

Many may use many ways to tempt us or to get us so far that we might react in the way they would love us to see, bringing damage to us. God does not tempt us to sin; He is good. He doesn’t make fun of us when we ask for wisdom; He is the God who gives generously.

James 1:5 The Scriptures 1998+  (5)  If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of Elohim, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it shall be given to him.

When tempted by evil doers, we should not be afraid to ask God for advice. At moments we may feel left abandoned. We may feel as if so many are turning against us. We also may feel like we once more failed.

When daring to talk to God and asking His advice, He shall come to us and by our guide. Our good and sovereign God will grant to us the very thing we are lacking, the very thing we need to face suffering well.

So, let us ask God for wisdom, believing that He is sovereign, faithful, and good, and that God uses our suffering to make us look more like Jesus.

James 1:4 The Scriptures 1998+  (4)  And let endurance have a perfect work, so that you be perfect and complete, lacking in naught.

Life might not always be easy and may demand a lot of us. Often we have to show a lot of patience.

When believing in God, trusting Him, we might find out that everything comes all right in due time.

Do you believe? Ask Him! He is a generous God who delights in giving good gifts to His children in order that we may patiently and faithfully endure to the end.

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Additional reading

1. An other look at the events of today by one of our magazines
2. Today’s thought “Be aware of what went on” (August 15) He that answers a matter before he hears it, it is folly and shame unto him.
3. The post-Christian world
4. Through much tribulation
5. About transgression, law and punishments
6. The ecclesia Facebook account from now on restricted access 
7. Golden rule for understanding in spiritual matters obedience
8. The Golden rule not always as easy as its sounds
9. Gates to different belief systems in this world
10. Matthew 6:1-34 – The Nazarene’s Commentary on Leviticus 19:18 Continued 1 Charity and neighbour love
11. Matthew 6:1-34 – The Nazarene’s Commentary on Leviticus 19:18 Continued 2 Prayer and neighbour love
12. Matthew 6:1-34 – The Nazarene’s Commentary on Leviticus 19:18 Continued 3 Forgiveness and neighbour love
13. Matthew 6:1-34 – The Nazarene’s Commentary on Leviticus 19:18 Continued 4 Treasures’ and neighbour love
14. Matthew 6:1-34 – The Nazarene’s Commentary on Leviticus 19:18 Continued 5 Matthew 6: 24-34: e) Anxiety and neighbor love
15. Matthew 7:1-11 – The Nazarene’s Commentary on Neighbor Love Continued 6: Matthew 7:1-5 Judgment and neighbor love
16. Matthew 7:1-11 – The Nazarene’s Commentary on Neighbor Love Continued 8: Matthew 7:6-11 Giving and neighbor love
17. Matthew 7:12 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Summary on the Torah’s Fulfillment
18. Matthew 7:13-14 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The True Disciple #1 The Narrow Gate and the way to destruction 
19. Religious Theology – The wide gate!

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The longer you wait

Not so many people are looking for God nowadays, but in case you are, are when you are wondering about that mysterious God, do not procrastinate.

Man has waited a long time, but God has waited even longer. He has shown His patience long enough. He has also allowed man to look for some systems to govern this world. But as we can see throughout history, man has not made something good out of it.

The words “sanctification” and "justification "have been under much debate recently in the church. This debate is less about the actual definition, and more about the ramifications behind how it is actually lived out in the Christian life.

There are preachers, priests and pastors, who want others to believe man is saved by the Blood of Christ and no does not have to do anything any more. They even say that works of faith is a blasphemy. but we would like them and you to have a closer look to what is really written in the Bible.

We should listen much more to the Words of God and come to understand His Plan with mankind and how we do have to fit in God's Plan.

There is God’s will of freeing us from sin, sending His only begotten beloved son. God wants us to become more like that Nazarene man Jesus who was authorized by God to do many miracles. Jesus showed the way to God and to sanctification. We either can see it or keep ignoring his teachings, preferring to hold strong to human writings instead of Godly writings.

Those who say we as Christians do not have to do any work any more should listen to the apostle Paul his writing to the Thessalonians

 “3 For this is the will of God, [even] your sanctification, that ye abstain from fornication; 4 that each one of you know how to possess himself of his own vessel in sanctification and honor, 5 not in the passion of lust, even as the Gentiles who know not God; 6 that no man transgress, and wrong his brother in the matter: because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as also we forewarned you and testified. 7 For God called us not for uncleanness, but in sanctification. 8 Therefore he that rejecteth, rejecteth not man, but God, who giveth his Holy Spirit unto you.

9  But concerning love of the brethren ye have no need that one write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another; 10 for indeed ye do it toward all the brethren that are in all Macedonia. But we exhort you, brethren, that ye abound more and more; 11 and that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your hands, even as we charged you; 12 that ye may walk becomingly toward them that are without, and may have need of nothing.” (1 Thessalonians 4:3-12 ASV)

We have to make ourselves like Jesus. To do this we have a lifetime, but the longer we wait, the harder we’ll cling hopelessly to God and his promises.

When we are willing to give ourselves to God and willing to learn about Him we shall come to get to know more about Him. Bit by bit we shall come to know Him better and we shall come to see how our faith in God also can change our attitude in life. That is what has to happen. As soon as we want to go for God we should be willing to give ourselves in the hands of God and letting Him change our inner being.

Our life shall not always go smoothly, also not when we have become a Christian. But when we keep going on the right path, in the process of waiting, spiritual transformation shall happen in our life.

If God always gave you what you want when you wanted it, he would not be such a good Father, but be like any worldly spoiling father, not preparing his children for this life on earth and not getting them to know the values of life. We also should remember that we still are of sinful nature and that not everything we want is the right thing or something good for us or good for others. Think about it. Considering our sinful nature, if you never had to wait, you also would never have a reason to trust God. We would do our own thing. We would never pray. We would not revere Him for His character. If we never waited, our lives would be much worse.

Therefore be patient and look forward to the higher promises of God.  Follow Jesus as the Way to God and try to become like him. This will demand many efforts or works, but it shall be worth it.

Do not postpone and come to recognise who Jesus is, what he has done and Who his heavenly Father is and why that Eternal Spirit Who cannot be seen by man is so important for the whole world. Get to know why we should become children of Jesus ' heavenly Father.

Meditate on James 1:5-8 and on the second chapter about faith and works.

Please also look at our series on From Guestwriters:

1. Leading people astray!
2. Restitution
3. Comments to James remarks, about Faith and works
4. Luther’s misunderstanding
5. January 27, 417, Pope Innocent I condemning Pelagius about Faith and Works
6. Our life depending on faith
7. Romans 4 and the Sacraments
8. Is Justification a process?
9. Justification – salvation is by grace through faith – JI Packer
10. Faith itself not the cause of justification – Louis Berkhof
11. Letter to the Romans, chapter 3
12. Letter to the Romans, chapter 4
13. Additional comments to the 3rd Letter to the Romans
14. Additional comments to the Letter to the Romans 4
15. Which is worse–works without faith, or faith without works?
16. James 2:14-23 — Justified Dynamic Faith & works
17. James 2:24 – You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.
18. James 2:25. Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?

and read also other articles as:

1. A god who gave his people commandments and laws he knew they never could keep to it
2. Our relationship with God, Jesus and eachother
3. Christ’s ethical teaching
4.  Being Justified by faith
5. Faith Alone Does Not Save . . . No Matter How Many Times Protestants Say It Does
6. A Living Faith #3 Faith put into action
7. A Living Faith #6 Sacrifice
8. Faith and works
9. Bearing fruit
10. Observing the commandments and becoming doers of the Word
11. The first on the list of the concerns of the saint
12. Be holy
13. She who sows thistles will reap prickles
14. Love for each other attracting others
15. Outflow of foundational relationship based on acceptance of Jesus

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Old Man of Prayer

Digital Bible

Old Man of Prayer
Ignoring the cold constriction of knees long past their best
This old man of prayer persisted with long earned patience.

Painfully positioned, hand grasping each other in a determined embrace
The old man of prayer dropped his head, eyes locking out the simple room.
He paused, to release his thoughts and invite a focus on the one who made him
The old man of prayer knew his time was short, but he thought slowly.
He prayed a life of friendships and family long travelled
The old man of prayer told the story as he had done many times before.
The story of love and joy that brings tears and pain
The old man of prayer found his cheeks moist with memories.
The story of failure and desire of hope that confuses and refines
The old man of prayer, with undaunted clarity pushed on.
Then pain splashed across his frail body, pushing him into the grey
And the old man of prayer knew that his time had come.
They found the old man of prayer resting peacefully against his bed, still kneeling, hands loosely bound in prayer, a faint smile fixed on his face.
When they gently removed him they found two knee sized worn patches in the carpet beneath him.
The ambulance attendant, quietly offered, ‘Amen.’

By Mark Brown
https://www.facebook.com/MarkBrown.page

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Tapping into God's Strength by Waiting on Him

Tapping into God's Strength by Waiting on Him Joey Cochran

Isaiah 40:31 says: “But they who wait for the Lord renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” Greeting cards on display at retail. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) This is one of the most celebrated and shared verses of the Bible. I’m sure you’ve seen it on greeting cards, framed pictures, and tees garnered with a picture of a soaring eagle. If you’re like me you’ve had different responses at different times to these products. At one point you wrapped your hands on them anytime you found them. You got a euphoric inspiration from them. Then at other times these products exhausted you. You shunned them as superstitious, sentimental, or just flat out silly. Though we oscillate between euphorically or exhaustingly responding to “soaring eagle” merchandise, this is not how we should respond to the truths in this verse. These are truths that promote waiting on God. They teach strength and endurance. Let me show you how. Strength Have you done a lot of strengthening exercises? I work out a few times a week, and I always find that I am chipper on the days when I work out. I feel pep in my step and a eurphoric sensation that I can take on any task. It’s remarkable that God conveys that our waiting gives that same sensation. The practice of patience empowers us. It renews our strength. It’s kind of like a video game where the player is able to recover from attack by waiting and avoiding attacks. But it’s entirely different because we are not waiting from something we are waiting into something. We are waiting into the Lord. Our wait is a wait into the Lord that strengthens us. Why is that? Well Isaiah 40:28 clues us in. Look at the beginning of the verse: “Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the Ends of the earth.” This verse tells us who God is. He is everlasting and Creator. Thus, we derive strength from God because he is the one of unending strength. He outlasts all creation and is the source of all creation. All creation waits on him and depends upon him. Where creation has its start and stop, God doesn’t. So we can plug into God’s unending strength and be empowered by him. Endurance Humans are puny and weak without God’s strength. Life’s troubles exhaust us easily, and it’s meant to be that way. The curse of the fall led to toiling work. Our toil is because of our turning from God, and our toil reminds us to turn back to him. So when we are exhausted from all of life’s troubles, we need to turn to God. That state of being turned to him and looking to him is an act of waiting; it brings endurance from exhaustion. But we don’t just get exhausted from toil. We get exhausted from going, we get exhausted from not knowing, and we get exhausted from waiting. Toil is only part of it. To fully grip how to develop the endurance portrayed in Isaiah 40:31 we can again look at what Isaiah 40:28 conveys about the character of God. Isaiah 40:28 ends by telling us more about who God is: “He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.” Now, when we look back at Isaiah 40:31, it makes more sense. Our endurance is borrowed from God’s endurance. Exhaustion from going is endured because God does not faint. Tapping into God’s tireless strength protects us from fainting. Furthermore, our exhaustion from not knowing what’s ahead is endured because God’s understanding is unending. We, then, trust that he knows what’s next for us. Soar Like Eagles Have you ever seen an eagle circling or soaring? They can hold their wingspan for a lengthy time and glide on the wind for what appears to be an interminable period. They look graceful, steady, and sure as they soar. Do those words describe your patience? Graceful. Steady. Sure. Is that the picture of how you wait for the Lord? My patience falls far short of that description. When I don’t know what’s going on, when I am weak, when I am exhausted, then I am much more likely to look like a spazzed dog chasing its tail rather than a strong, enduring eagle soaring on the wind. You know why? A dog is focused on his tail. Isaiah 40:28 and Isaiah 40:31 teach us to not be focused on ourselves but to refocus on who God is. Look at the enduring nature of God’s character and trust Him to provide strength and endurance through whatever toil or trial you face. Joey Cochran, a ThM graduate of Dallas Seminary, is the church planting intern at Redeemer Fellowship in St. Charles, Illinois under the supervision of pastor Joe Thorn. You can follow him at jtcochran.com or @joeycochran.

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Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience

"The best portion of a good man's life:
his little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and love."
- William Wordsworth

"Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved,
clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience."
Colossians 3:12

Dear God,
please do give me insight,
and give that I can take on an attitude of unselfishness,
can bring up patience, gentlesness
and give my love to others.

Nederlandse versie / Dutch version > Kleed jezelf met compassie, zachtheid, vriendelijkheid, nederigheid, en geduld
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2013 update:

Portrait of William Wordsworth by William Shuter (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

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