Suffering
Father, this really is a day like many others, but I am appreciating it, nonetheless. Contented in You and with life in general whatever it may hold with You by my side all along the way.
Romans 8:18 (<<click here to read the passage)
God likes to work out “coincidental” happenings! This past week’s sermon, though based on another Scripture passage, deals with this same topic – suffering.
Verse 18 from the New Living Translation,
Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later.
And now from the Amplified Bible,
For I consider [from the standpoint of faith] that the sufferings of the present life are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is about to be revealed to us and in us!
Sunday’s sermon was entitled, THE CROSS OF SUFFERING…SEE THROUGH IT (<<click to watch it). Just like today’s passage from verse 18, it stresses the fact that, yes, we will suffer in this life, at some point and in some way. No one is exempt. Regardless of our social status, income, age, gender, race, or country of origin, suffering is undeniably – and unavoidably – a part of life. But for the most part, it is not the totality of our lives.
And we know Jesus has gone ahead of us. He has blazed the path before us and understands our journey…understands our struggles…understands our failings. We can rejoice in the fact that He said,
“Do not let your heart be troubled (afraid, cowardly). Believe [confidently] in God and trust in Him, [have faith, hold on to it, rely on it, keep going and] believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places. If it were not so, I would have told you, because I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and I will take you to Myself, so that where I am you may be also. John 14:1-3 AMP
Just remember, though we may feel we’re getting more than our fair share of suffering, we must see through it, for it is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later.
Also, we must never forget that Jesus “for the joy [of accomplishing the goal] set before Him endured the cross”. Hebrews 12:2 AMP
So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. 1 Peter 1:6-7 NLT
Sing the praises of the Lord, you his faithful people;
….praise his holy name.
For his anger lasts only a moment,
….but his favor lasts a lifetime;
weeping may stay for the night,
….but rejoicing comes in the morning. Psalm 30:4-5 NIV
Mar 6th, 2023, Mon, 1:09 pm
Your “Fortune” for the Day
Father, thank You most of all for Your direction and filling in sharing Your word today. Please bless the words that were spoken. May they take root in every heart. Amen.
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On my way home from Columbus this evening, I stopped for a bite of supper at a little Chinese restaurant. After a tasty meal (I enjoy having Kung Pao Chicken on occasion) I opened my Fortune Cookie and here is what it said,
“Everyone needs to be loved, especially those (who) do not deserve it.”
How apropos – especially for a pastor at the end of a Sunday, no less!
I don’t know how this came about to be written on a “fortune” but don’t you think it reflects God’s heart? We know that it surely does but the other, very important, question that we must answer for ourselves is does it reflect our heart?
For some time now, in my public prayers, I have been drawn to include a reference to Mark 12:28-34. After an open debate with some religious leaders, one of them, realizing that Jesus had answered well…asked, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”
Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.”
The teacher of religious law replied, “Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth by saying that there is only one God and no other. And I know it is important to love him with all my heart and all my understanding and all my strength, and to love my neighbor as myself. This is more important than to offer all of the burnt offerings and sacrifices required in the law.”
Realizing how much the man understood, Jesus said to him, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.” And after that, no one dared to ask him any more questions. NLT
Well, isn’t that interesting? Not all the religious teachers of Jesus’ day were old bags of wind who were full of themselves! Here is one (and I’m sure there were others) whom Jesus Himself admired as not being far from the Kingdom of God.
That being said, there’s yet another question that we must answer for ourselves, how far are we from the Kingdom of God?
Basically, this religious scholar was saying all the many important things they did in obeying the Law set before them, were nothing if they (and we, mind you!) didn’t love God with the entirety of their being, and loved others as they loved themselves.
The note in the Amplified Bible rings true, as well.
The key to understanding this and other statements about love is to know that this love (the Greek word agape) is not so much a matter of emotion as it is of doing things for the benefit of another person, that is, having an unselfish concern for another and a willingness to seek the best for another. (emphasis mine)
From a simple, coincidental (I think not!) fortune to a reality of our life in Christ! May we live it – and not just say or think it! – every day!
Feb 26th, 2023, Sun, 8:16 pm
Share Your Best Seed
It has been a full day, Father, and I realized that I had yet to sit down with You! I would ask for Your blessings on our time together. Amen.
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In my downtime today, this little story popped up on Facebook.
There was a farmer who grew excellent quality corn. Every year he won the award for the best-grown corn. A newspaper reporter interviewed him one year and learned something interesting about how he grew it. The reporter discovered that the farmer shared his seed corn with his neighbors. “How can you afford to share your best seed corn with your neighbors when they are entering corn in competition with yours each year?” the reporter asked.
“Why sir,” said the farmer, “Didn’t you know? The wind picks up pollen from the ripening corn and swirls it from field to field. If my neighbors grow inferior corn, cross-pollination will steadily degrade the quality of my corn. If I am to grow good corn, I must help my neighbors grow good corn.”
Shouldn’t this be how we live our lives as followers of Christ?
It has never been God’s intention that we keep His love to ourselves. Some may have the mindset that others are too entrenched in the evils of this world to benefit from His love – and that is far, far from being true! – but I think many of us are just afraid to let our light shine too brightly for fear of repercussion.
I know of a gentleman who has had to patronize a local eatery recently due to family circumstances. He has felt great joy in his opportunities to interact with a young employee at the establishment. He has not preached at her. He has not led her in a Bible study. He has just freely strived to let Christ shine through his words and actions.
He is simply sharing the best “seed” he has! Inevitably, God will bless the sharing of His seed.
I love the passage of Scripture from Luke 6:38. Though it is often applied with our own “prosperity” in mind, it actually is smack-dab in the middle of a lesson from Jesus addressing forgiveness and not judging others. I think it is readily applicable here as well.
Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over [with no space left for more]. For with the standard of measurement you use [when you do good to others], it will be measured to you in return.” AMP
Oh, Lord Jesus, may we all eagerly spread the seed of Your love to a world desperate to benefit from its fruit! Amen!
Feb 23rd, 2023, Thurs, 7:18 pm
Everything Hurts!
Father, I am grateful for Your direction and answered prayers. We could ask for no better hands in which to find ourselves! All praise to You!
Romans 8:17 (<<click here to read the passage)
When you run your toe into the dresser or hit your thumb with the hammer, is your pain limited to that extremity alone? At least in my experience, the answer is no. When those kinds of things happen to me, the pain radiates through my whole body – everything hurts it seems!
So, if that is the case, read this verse – Colossians 1:18a,
He is also the head [the life-source and leader] of the body, the church… AMP
Then Amplified Bible notes on the word church reads,
This refers to the entire body of born-again believers (whether past, present, or future), not a local congregation. (emphasis mine)
Now read today’s verse,
And if [we are His] children, [then we are His] heirs also: heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ [sharing His spiritual blessing and inheritance], if indeed we share in His suffering so that we may also share in His glory. Romans 8:17 AMP
The part I want to hone in on is if indeed we share in His suffering…
My NIV Reflecting God Study Bible states,
The Greek construction used here does not set forth a condition but states a fact. The meaning, then, is not that there is some doubt about sharing Christ’s glory. Rather, despite the fact that Christians presently suffer, they are assured a future entrance into their inheritance.
When one part of the Body suffers, we all suffer. We rejoice with those who rejoice but we also mourn with those who mourn. God’s Word puts it this way,
Rejoice with those who rejoice [sharing others’ joy], and weep with those who weep [sharing others’ grief]. Romans 12:15 AMP
We don’t need to seek out suffering to gain His glory, believe me, it will find us. It may be in some fashion like the sufferings of Christ. And His sufferings were many.
- physical suffering – just think of all he went through in the days prior to and the actual act of crucifixion He endured.
- emotional suffering– Matthew 23:37
“Jerusalem! Jerusalem! Murderer of prophets! Killer of the ones who brought you God’s news! How often I’ve ached to embrace your children, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you wouldn’t let me. MSG
- spiritual suffering – the old King James Version quoted Jesus saying numerous times, “O ye of little faith…” (Matthew 6:30, 8:26, 16:8). He had invested in his followers so greatly and still…
He suffered on many fronts, but He also suffers because we suffer. He has great empathy for us. And if you really think about it, His Body – His Church – follows right along in His footsteps.
Suffering is just part of who we are in Him. It doesn’t mean we’re in the wrong or that we have to earn our place in Heaven. Jesus paid it all and all He asks of us is to follow Him knowing that He will never leave us or forsake us. Amen.
“So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.” Deuteronomy 31:6 NLT
Feb 22nd, 2023, Wed, 12:27 pm
Precious Lord, Take My Hand
Thomas A. Dorsey
Another day of quiet, Father. Thank You for Your presence and for Your guidance, as I continued getting ready for Sunday. You know our needs. May Karen and Massey’s time with her father be a blessing for them and her father. Amen.
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Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.
Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.
Psalm 100:1-2 KJV
Many years ago, when I served as the children’s pastor at a wonderful church in Mt. Vernon, Ohio, we regularly did musicals. The closing line of yesterday’s post – Hand in Hand – was “Precious Lord, take my hand”. That song was in one of the last musicals we did together. I have searched, trying to find it but have been unsuccessful. But it doesn’t make the song any less special.
I knew a little about its origins but did a little online research to learn more.
Precious Lord, Take My Hand, was written by Thomas A. Dorsey (not to be confused with trombonist and big band leader, Tommy Dorsey). Thomas Dorsey grew up in Georgia, the son of a preacher, with many elements contributing to making the man he would become.
As a young man, he became a well-known composer of jazz and blues after moving to Chicago, but over time his Christian roots brought him back to the Lord – and amazingly so. The thing is, he didn’t shun his jazz and blues experiences but began to incorporate those styles in composing gospel music.
Early on in that period of his life, his wife Nettie died giving birth to their first child, a boy. The child died hours later. When she died, he was in St. Louis conducting a convention where musicians could learn gospel blues. He immediately returned home, despondent at losing his beloved wife and their son.
The loss shook him to the very core of his being, but his faith prevailed, and out of this horrific experience Precious Lord, Take My Hand was born.
(For a more inclusive writing of Dorsey’s life and the history behind this hymn, click on this link – History of Hymns: “Precious Lord, Take My Hand”)
Here are the lyrics and also a beautiful modern rendition presented by the Jeremy Winston Chorale.
Precious Lord, take my hand
Lead me on, let me stand
I am tired, I am weak, I am worn
Through the storm, through the night
Lead me on to the light
Take my hand and lead me home
When my way grows drear precious Lord linger near
When my light is almost gone
Hear my cry, hear my call
Hold my hand lest I fall
Take my hand oh Lord and lead me home
When the darkness appears and the night draws near
And the day is past and gone
At the river I stand
Guide my feet, hold my hand
Take my hand and lead me home
Once more, precious Lord, take my hand!
Feb 21st, 2023, Tues, 6:32 pm