Saturday, October 8, 2022

"Enduring the Times"

 "Therefore they sought again to take him: but he escaped out of their hand, and went away again beyond the Jordan into the place where John at first baptized; and there he abode." (John 10:39-40 KJV) 

  "But you must remain faithful to the things you have been taught. You know they are true, for you know you can trust those who taught you. You have been taught the Holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work." (2 Timothy 3:14-17 NLT)

 Given that we have so little time, it should encourage us to sharpen the Sword and make ready for the opportunities that are going to come. If you don't know what that means, it is about taking away the things that might have been added to those verses most familiar to proclaiming the Gospel and making sure the Word that must be delivered. 

 You might not think that is a thing, but it is more real than you might realize! As Paul tells Timothy at little further along in his letter: "For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching." (2 Timothy 4:3a NLT) As it goes, people want to hear the things that meet the needs of their desires, not the things that please God! 

 As for this portion of the life of Christ, this brief moment of refreshing; we must realize what it is that He is doing here, because in our own lives, this too is the best thing to do! Whenever we come to that place where we feel drained or discouragement, it is always good to get back to the root or foundation of what is most important and clear: the purest truth, if you will, that which is not clouded by greed or passions, but based solely on simple Truth! 

 I know it might be strange, because it absolutely is! It might be the strangest thing we can experience, as we become a vessel that God speaks through or works through, and almost immediately after that happens, we feel vulnerable and discouraged. What we must do in those times, as hard as it might be, is to focus upon child-like faith, which is simple and unpolluted! 

 Anywho! Making your Faith sure, is mostly achievable by making your Faith pure...

"All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance - an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change or decay. And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see." (1 Peter 1:3-5 NLT)     

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