A Challenge to an Act of Faith, for Sharing is Caring

 2 Corinthians 1:5

For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.

Saints,

Both Job and Jesus have truly shared in uttermost sufferings. And both experienced the Resurrection Power.  Job's wife too faced such devastation, yet her classic handling Job 2:9 according to Job Job 2:10 was like a worldly foolish woman.   Please don't point fingers at Job's wife, for no one is perfect.  Job was brought to the end of himself only to find a greater revelation of God he has not known before.  Jesus teaches us 6 to 7 times to come to the end of ourselves only to find a new birth of resurrection life.  

So the challenge is:

When faced with trials. Let's take an act of faith to:

1. Laugh at it. 
2. Glory in Tribulation.
3. Consider it nothing but joy.
4. In this you greatly rejoice so that the proven character of your faith may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
5. Keep on rejoicing, so that at the revelation of His glory you may also rejoice and be overjoyed.

Anyone of us can be like Cain who threw a tantrum.  Repent from this and understand Scriptures calls us not to be self-centered, but Christ-centered.   I could think of a million reasons to complain, yet by an act of faith I'll rise to the occasion and experience the resurrection power of Jesus quicker than past times.  What comes to mind is 1 Corinthians 10:10 where it shares "And do not complain, as some of them did, and were killed by the destroying angel."

So rather than missing the mark, may we all rise up and experience Resurrection Life.

Job 5:22

At destruction and famine thou shalt laugh: neither shalt thou be afraid of the beasts of the earth.

Romans 5:3
And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;

James 1:2

Consider it nothing but joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you fall into various trials.

1 Peter 1:6-7

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in various trials 7 so that the proven character of your faith—more precious than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 4:12-13

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though something strange were happening to you; 13 but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that at the revelation of His glory you may also rejoice and be overjoyed.

In closing,

2 Corinthians 1:5

For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.

Worst Thing & Best Thing in LIfe

Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai, saying, 2 “Get up! Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before Me.”  3 Jonah, however, got up to flee to Tarshish, away from the presence of the LORD. He went down to Joppa and found a ship bound for Tarshish. So he paid the fare and went aboard to sail for Tarshish, away from the presence of the LORD.  Jonah 1:1-3

Saints,

Worst thing & Best thing in life is hearing God's voice.  Really challenges one's faith to rise up and trust God along the journey.  Nothing will add up in the journey but the revelation of His grace and kindness in our lives.

Jonah certainly didn't want to hear, go preach salvation to the worst of folks. 

As Hosea was growing up, didn't believe he'd hear God tell him...  “Go, take a prostitute as your wife and have children of adultery, because this land is flagrantly prostituting itself by departing from the LORD.” Hosea 1:2  

Yet, he did hear the gentle voice of heaven.

We skip along to the New Testament and of all people, God Himself says  - Love your enemies (Matthew 5:44, Luke 6:27).  Then He says you'll go through tribulation, but be of good cheer, He has overcome the world (John 16:33).  Apostle Paul shares "we glory in tribulations" Romans 5:3.  James 1:2 tells us "Count it all joy, when you meet trials of various kinds,".

Saints,

I can write forever, yet bottom line.  Enjoy the journey!  See the best in things!  Don't verbally attack one's character (Psalm 101:5), don't retaliate (Romans 12:19-21, 1 Peter 3:9). Remember the only harm we can do to ourselves is use our tongue maliciously against any (James 3:6).  By faith, be kind and truly do enjoy the journey!

In closing,

1 Peter 1:6-7

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,

Where is heaven?

 Matthew 6:20
“But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal;

Saints,
In my daily quiet time with Jesus I came across Matthew 6:20, and I asked Where is heaven and how do I store up treasures in heaven where thieves do not break in or steal?  Quickly headed to my cross reference at the Bible Hub and was so overwhelmed at the following discovery!  

Luke 12:33
“Sell your possessions and give to those in need. This will store up treasure for you in heaven! And the purses of heaven never get old or develop holes. Your treasure will be safe; no thief can steal it and no moth can destroy it.
(Cross reference: Matthew 19:16-26)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
(20) Treasures in heaven.--These, as in the parallel passage of Luke 12:33, are the good works, or rather the character formed by them, which follow us into the unseen world (Revelation 14:13), and are subject to no process of decay. So men are "rich in good works" (1Timothy 6:18), "rich in faith" (James 2:5), are made partakers of the "unsearchable riches of Christ and His glory" (Ephesians 3:8; Ephesians 3:16). . . .

Revelation 14:13
And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!”

1 Timothy 6:18
Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share,

James 2:5
Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?

Saints,
A testimony to share for Psalm 119:24 says "Your testimonies also are my delight And my counselors."  
In the last adventure I knew the uncertainty of the times, I had in my spirit the certainty of the power of charity.  In my spirit I was so certain the power of sowing into many lives.  And as that adventure came to an end, out of nowhere another adventure opened up.  It wasn't only a manifestation of a miracle, but the practical principles of Matthew 6:20, Luke 12:33 and above passages regarding to be rich in good works, generous and ready to share.  
You see as James 2:5 puts it - God chose the poor to be rich in faith. For faith is not only a fact, faith is an act, as the late Rev. Morris Cerullo puts it.  As a farmer sows seed-faith into a field, he patiently waits for the harvest.  And when we take care of God's business, He certainly takes care of our business.  Harvest always comes where no thief can steal!   

In closing, 
I leave you all with the following.

Romans 12:11-14 (KJV)
¹¹ Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; 
¹² Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;
¹³ Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.
¹⁴ Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.

Ephesians 4:28 (KJV)
Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

"Draft Day" with Kevin Costner

 Matthew 10:38-39 (KJV)
³⁹ He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.

³⁸ And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.

Saints,

The 2014 football movie "Draft Day" with Kevin Costner was truly an excellent presentation.   The quote from the movie "Sometimes the correct path is the tortured one" is one that truly what Jesus says about 7 times between Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.  It's OK to get lost in the depths of the ancient dirty Holy Scriptures where dust is to one day resurrection life shall spring forth gloriously. 

Along my journey I've pissed off many only to discover the trueness of who will remain to simply say hello.  Not many remained only to fulfill 1 John 2:19.

1 John 2:19 (KJV)
They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.

Sometimes the correct path is the tortured one, yet in God's infinite love, He fills the emptiness with a new crowd who rejoices in fellowship.  As the famous Dr. Mike Murdock quotes often "Go where you're celebrated, NOT tolerated."   

In Closing, 

Take up your Cross with abundant joy and keep moving on with life.  Go where you're celebrated, NOT tolerated!

The principle of Jesus is enjoy heaven now.  Don't wait for tomorrow!

Isaiah 43:18-19 (KJV)
¹⁸ Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old.
¹⁹ Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.