Tossed

[YellowStone]

Arcturus, my dear sister. 

You wrote:

I can only agree with this comment if it was meant  in HINDSIGHT compared to the glory that lay ahead and the promotions that were received once the fiery furnace was left behind the bound up abused and persecuted Shadrach Meshach and Abednego. Like wise I think the suffering we experience in this world is felt like the furnace that is described that is spiritual. We suffer spiritually emotionally mentally and physically and this story captures the symbolic meaning of this for me. If comparisons are to be made then this is what comes to mind for me.

Please believe me when I say that I have no intention of dismissing the sufferings that you or any other have experienced or will experience. However, I believe with all my heart that Paul is speaking the following words for us today.

Rom 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? [shall] tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

I fully realize that all of man-kind is subject to all kinds of attacks, some to the very core of our being. .....Well maybe not. Not if we have Christ as our center peice. For we have been given the Spirit of Truth, which separates us from the world.

Jhn 14:17 [Even] the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.  

So, seeing that the Spirit of Truth is in us by the grace of God, every persecution, trial and tribulation must take second place. We simply cannot serve two Masters. Neither today or in the future.

Mat 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. 

This must be the comfort that David mentioned in Psalm 23:4. The Rod and the Staff of God did and will provide comfort. As Paul asked, who really can separate us from the love of Christ? Neither man, tribulation nor spirit can or will ever do anything against the truth.

2Cr 13:8 For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth. 

Arcturus, we must with all our faith, put the trials and persecutions of this world in their place, today. As much as they trouble our carnal body, mind and spirit; they must always be overshadowed by our love and faith for God.

2Cr 4:8 [We are] troubled on every side, yet not distressed; [we are] perplexed, but not in despair;  

Paul said it very well, we must put on the whole armour of God.

Eph 6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  

We are to do this today, so that we can be as conquerors through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

Rom 8:37 ... in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

These are my heart felt thoughts and I mean no disrespect to anyone.

May the love of God be with you always Arcturus.

Love in Christ,
Your brother in him,
Darren

[Deborah-Leigh]

Darren

The scriptures you have assembled together reflect right standing with God!

Though Paul could write those words to exhort and encourage others to know and understand God he also claimed to be the WORST of sinners. I for one suffer weakness failure and am subject to the assaults of temptation that are increasing my patience and dependence on Christ who is our strength in weakness,  hope in hopelessness and victory and confidence in expectation for HIM until He comes and delivers those the Father elects from this evil world.

I do not deny the promise and hope in the scriptures you have presented. These are the rewards for those who look with all hope and confidence not measured in self but in HIS victory alone.

I believe I am His precious work in progress. until The Author and Finisher of Faith returns again!

Peace be to you

Arcturus

[YellowStone]

Arcturus,

I am sure you speak for all who frequent this forum, at least of all, me. For I too share your shortcomings and know that I fail more times than I can count in a day.

Although I am yet a sinner, I know that God has a far greater plan for me than my mere mortal mind can comprhend. This is my comfort, along with the love of our dear Lord Jesus Christ, who died for all of mankind. I believe also that the following words of Christ, puts everything into perspective, in my yet carnal life.

Mar 12:30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this [is] the first commandment.

Mar 12:31 And the second [is] like, [namely] this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. 

Truthfully and honestly, what more is there that is more important than this?

The answer may be far simpler than many realize: it is that God loved us first.

1Jo 4:19 We love him, because he first loved us. 

I know and see that you are indeed a precious work of God that is yet unfinished. Thankfully, I can see that we are all part of God's precious work. For all that we have been given, are, feel, see, hear and taste; all he asks is that we love him with all our heart, mind, soul and strength and knowing that we are indeed temples of God.

2Cr 6:16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in [them]; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 

Knowing this is such a comfort, living it is somewhat harder. All we can do is pray for strength and wisdom for ourselves and all of the bretheren, in hope that if one of us falls, that there are many others, ready and capable to pick us up again.

God has us covered and this for me is the beginning of the meaning of life.

Love to you Arcturus.

In Christ,
Darren

[DWIGHT]

Matthew 26:41
Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

These are the very words our Lord said during His own passion toward us.  Actually, I see both sides of what Arcturus and Darren are saying.  On the one hand, no one who goes through these firey trials can say that they were pleasant.

Hebrews 12:11
Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

Proverbs 3:11
My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction:

1 Peter 4:12
Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:

No doubt about it, these trials and corrections from the Lord are very uncomfortable on the flesh.  I have discovered lately that the beast in me is a monster with seven heads and ten horns, and will not go down to defeat easily.  We all have in us these kindoms of the earth that Satan tempted our Lord with, and if we will just worship him he will giveall these kindoms to us  The Lord will not stop these trials and allow these temptations of His elect to cease until we are transformed into His very image.  Our flesh is weak, and Satan preys on that weakness.  His commision is to destroy us and eat our dust (flesh).  But...

2 Corinthians 12:10
Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

I think that unlike Christianity that preaches only Christ AND him crucified. The elect must live I am crucified WITH Christ.  The difference is milk and meat.  It is the called and the chosen.  See the difference?

Romans 8:18
For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

Philippians 3:10
That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

1 Peter 4:13
But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy

To be a partaker in Christ sufferings is not taught in Babylon.  To fill up the afflictions of Christ in my flesh is so foreign to their teachings that we have never even heard of it.

Colossians 1:24
Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church:

As Christ suffered for His body so we also suffer for His body and fill up anything that is behind.  This all takes place in the dying of our flesh.

1 John 4:17
Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world

We not only suffer for Him, but with Him.  We are buried with Him by baptism into death.  But even through flesh and blood, it pleased God to destroy the one who holds the power of death....

Hebrews 2:14
Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;

Through these trials and sufferings, we learn what He learned, we experience what He experienced, we know what He knows because through them, we become one with Him.  Thus we share with Him, His death and resurrection, His life and glory, His ascension and kingdom  We sit with Him at the right hand of the throne of God.

Ephesians 2:6
And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

Romans 11:33
O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!

In Him,

Dwight

[hebrewroots98]

Arcturus, Praise GOD for answering our prayers and delivering you from the valley so that now you may shout from the mountain tops that this too has passed and that HE WAS ALWAYS WITH YOU.  

I love hearing from each of you on this thread.  You have been such a blessing and with your words of truth and enlightenment.  Thank you.   

[Deborah-Leigh]

Dwight you wrote my thoughts exactly which begin to show that there is a premium on suffering and carrying the cross!

Diana thank you for your kind words of inspiration and encouragement. Precisely what the world hates me for I have experienced being loved for here in the Forum and it brings me much joy and comfort.

Darren....What counts is integrity above sentimentality for me and standing by your perspective often means being back to back on one side of the same coin! What counts is the value God brings in the scriptures presented that do not conflict or contradict but present deeper or more harmonious truth about the subject. All coins have a face . Of course  the promise stands that we shall know God and it is therein that for me it is a consequence of knowing God that we will love God with all our all and He will be All in all. See what I mean? As Dwight says...he can see both sides....that is important and relevant.

Susan thank you for your prayers....the trials are not over yet though!...I am still not perfect in Christ yet Sis but I do desire to be.

Love to you all

Arcturus