Welcome!
Dear brothers and sisters in Chirst,
Lately, I have been suffering physically and I know it is a fiery trial that will refine me like gold.
I have noticed the days are getting darker and the fight is getting harder so I have had to pray and keep closer to God.
God is in control and is keeping me safe in his arms as I endure and persevere as many of you have been doing also, as we wait upon our Savior's return.
The race is definitely hard, I am barely holding on by my fingertips but I am still fighting the good fight of faith with my brothers and sisters here in Christ.
The Apostle Paul went through many afflictions as you will read in the Article below.
We will keep strong in our faith and purpose for God's will in our lives. As we conquer our afflictions we will be made stronger in the sight of our Lord.
In my prayer time, the Lord led me to this Bible verse in the Book of Peter and I hope it encourages you today.
God bless you,
AngelWings7
New King James Version (NKJV)
Suffering for God’s Glory
12 Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; 13 but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.
The Message (MSG)
Glory Just Around the Corner
12-13 Friends, when life gets really difficult, don’t jump to the conclusion that God isn’t on the job. Instead, be glad that you are in the very thick of what Christ experienced. This is a spiritual refining process, with glory just around the corner.
2 Corinthians 1:6 – If One, Then All
APRIL 8, 2013
Daily Devotional Bible Verse
If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. (2 Corinthians 1:6 ESV)
If there ever was an expert on affliction, the Apostle Paul could be named such. Later, in this letter, Paul recounts these trials and afflictions (2 Corinthians 11:24-33:
The Jews beat him with thirty-nine lashes five times.
He was beaten with rods three times.
He was stoned.
He was shipwrecked three times.
On frequent journeys we faced danger from: rivers, robbers, his own people, Gentiles, the city, the wilderness, the sea, and false Christians.
On frequent journeys he was: in toil and hardship, unable to sleep, hungry and thirsty, without food, cold and without shelter.
At Damascus, the governor was searching for Paul to seize him. He narrowly escaped by being let down in a basket through a window in the city’s wall.
What’s more, responsibility for leadership in the Church still loomed over his head during all of these trials. At this point, you may be wondering where we’re taking this. Are we going to use this long list of Paul’s sufferings to make you feel guilty about how little you suffer for the faith? Are we going to show you pictures of missionaries scattered throughout the globe who face afflictions like these every day?
Nope. But why not?
Because that’s not what Paul did. He didn’t number off his death-defying hardships and then tell the church at Corinth, “See what I’m doing for God? You’re not trying hard enough!” He didn’t use guilt and shame as manipulative tools, even though he easily could have. Instead, Paul started the letter off by saying: “We apostles have suffered much for Jesus’ name, but when one of us suffers, we all suffer. We know some of you patiently suffer afflictions too. But don’t give up, because there is comfort here.”
Paul assures us of at least two things here:
We are one body. When God is at work in our brothers and sisters, he is also at work in us. This is why he wrote in the verses leading up to today’s text (emphasis added): “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. (2 Corinthians 1:1-4)
Not only is God at work in all of us, but we can trust him to comfort us no matter what hardships we face in life. Our God is for us (Romans 8:31), he loves us (John 3:16; Romans 5:8, 8:37-39; Ephesians 2:4-5), and he sent a Comforter and a Helper that is always with us (John 14:16-17).
Remember, when you are suffering and afflicted, you have a Comforter. More than this, God will use your hardship to help others through trials of their own. As Christians, we are the comforted who are comforting.
http://shortdailydevotions.com/devotions/2-corinthians-16-if-one-then-all
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VICTORIOUS LION OF JUDAH
Hello my dear sister Regina,
So good to hear from you. I have missed your posts and I have followed your other posts on the other site which I enjoy reading and learning from you.
Yes, the Apostle Paul suffered much in the name of Jesus and kept doing the will of the Father..and kept holding on to the promises of God that his body would be renewed one day as He waited on the Lord.
It is comforting to know that God will wipe every tear from our eyes.. Amen!!
May the Grace and comfort of the Lord cover you as well my sweet sister in Christ..
Hugs and Love your way,
AngelWings7
New King James Version (NKJV)
8 You number my wanderings;
Put my tears into Your bottle;
Are they not in Your book?
New King James Version (NKJV)
35 Jesus wept.
