A Purpose In Trials

[Coliseum]

There is a sorrow of the world. There is a common tribulation and heartache and oppression, disappointment, frustration that is known to all mankind. It is something we all have in common, all of us. There are tears of childhood; they are just as real as the tears of manhood. There are tears of teenagers; disappointments and frustrations that young people know. There are many struggles that manhood and womanhood endure; and of course, there is the inevitable and inexorable approach of old age and finally, death. All mankind are one in that tribulum. Job says a man’s days are few, and full of trouble [Job 14:1].

   In this blessed Book that I hold in my hand, God says that in our trial and in our trouble, we glorify Him. In the twenty-first chapter of the Gospel of John, the Lord said to Simon Peter that he would die by crucifixion, by the stretched-out hands. Then the next verse avows, “This spake the Lord, signifying by what suffering, by what death, by what crucifixion Simon Peter should glorify God” [John 21:18-19]. The glory of God is found in the fire, and the flame, and the trial of His people; singing songs in the night, praising God in the midst of indescribable sorrow and heartache. There is a reason, maybe, in the trials and the troubles and the sorrows that we know in life; maybe God is teaching us, and training us, and maturing us, and preparing us for a glory that is yet to come. 

Pastor W.R.Criswell

1 Thessalonians 3:3-4 (NIV) 
"...so that no one would be unsettled by these trials. You know quite well that we were destined for them. In fact, when we were with you, we kept telling you that we would be persecuted. And it turned out that way, as you well know." 

 

[missmuffet]

6 minutes ago, Coliseum said:

There is a sorrow of the world. There is a common tribulation and heartache and oppression, disappointment, frustration that is known to all mankind. It is something we all have in common, all of us. There are tears of childhood; they are just as real as the tears of manhood. There are tears of teenagers; disappointments and frustrations that young people know. There are many struggles that manhood and womanhood endure; and of course, there is the inevitable and inexorable approach of old age and finally, death. All mankind are one in that tribulum. Job says a man’s days are few, and full of trouble [Job 14:1].

   In this blessed Book that I hold in my hand, God says that in our trial and in our trouble, we glorify Him. In the twenty-first chapter of the Gospel of John, the Lord said to Simon Peter that he would die by crucifixion, by the stretched-out hands. Then the next verse avows, “This spake the Lord, signifying by what suffering, by what death, by what crucifixion Simon Peter should glorify God” [John 21:18-19]. The glory of God is found in the fire, and the flame, and the trial of His people; singing songs in the night, praising God in the midst of indescribable sorrow and heartache. There is a reason, maybe, in the trials and the troubles and the sorrows that we know in life; maybe God is teaching us, and training us, and maturing us, and preparing us for a glory that is yet to come. 

Pastor W.R.Criswell

1 Thessalonians 3:3-4 (NIV) 
"...so that no one would be unsettled by these trials. You know quite well that we were destined for them. In fact, when we were with you, we kept telling you that we would be persecuted. And it turned out that way, as you well know." 

 

Yes, there is going to be that while we live on this earth. 

[vincents_desk]

We see the trials of the Gospel, real trials, placed on trial, to their deaths, and this is what we are to follow, otherwise what trial would it be..

 

Matthew 10:17 But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues;
18 And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.
19 But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak.
20 For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.
21 And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death.
22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.
23 But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.
24 The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord.
25 It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?

1 Corinthians 4:9 For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men.
10 We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised.
11 Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace;
12 And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it:
13 Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day.
14 I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you.
15 For though ye have ten thousand instructers in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.
16 Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.

2 Corinthians 1:7 And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation.
8 For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:
9 But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:
10 Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;

John 12:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.
25 He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.
26 If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.

Revelation 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

Anyone here, hate their life in this world ?

 

[vincents_desk]

7 minutes ago, Sonshine said:

Not me.  The Lord has given me a destiny.... to be His ambassador.

2 Corinthians 5:20 King James Version (KJV)

²⁰ Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.

 

Yes, hating our life in this world means we would keep it,

 

Ecclesiastes 2:17 Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit.

 

John 12:25 He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.

 

Luke 14:26 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.

 

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

 

Matthew 16:25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

 

Mark 8:35 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it.

 

Luke 9:24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.

 

1 Peter 3:10 For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:

[vincents_desk]

AS for well said, the Lord said about that too:

.1 John 3:16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.17 But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

Ezekiel 33:³¹ And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness.³² And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument: for they hear thy words, but they do them not.

 

 

Matthew 23:4 For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.

 

 

Talk is not love, it never was, love is if we can perceive in our heart what Christ did for us, then we do likewise, or we just talk on..

 

 

[wingnut-]

6 hours ago, Coliseum said:

There is a reason, maybe, in the trials and the troubles and the sorrows that we know in life; maybe God is teaching us, and training us, and maturing us, and preparing us for a glory that is yet to come. 

 

Hebrews 12:3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. 4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5 And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons?

“My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord,
    nor be weary when reproved by him.
6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
    and chastises every son whom he receives.”

7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. 11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

[vincents_desk]

10 hours ago, Isaiah53NIV said:

I can't pretend that I never grieve the life I thought I would have. I sometimes struggle with coveting the lives that some of the people I graduated from high school with now live: spouse, kids, nice house, nice cars. Honestly, I could care less about the nice house and nice car, but I had it in my heart to have a spouse and kids. But that was my plan, and for years "my kids" have been my students of all needs and ages, and I have come to be content with that. I have no idea what God has in store for me in my future on this earth; I still pray for a spouse and kids of my own, if it is His will, and I pray for acceptance if it's not. But, when I reflect on what I have vs. thinking about what I want, I know I am blessed. I have what I need. Sometimes that is overwhelming, strange as it sounds, but it needs to be this way, because I am to love Father and Jesus above all else. This is my honest answer to that question, and maybe sometimes I am too honest.

Something I read today which brought me to tears was a verse posted by someone whose perfect life was shattered by the loss of a relative not long ago. This was the verse that was posted: Psalm 73: 25-26

Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

When Jesus came to be the example for us to follow, we see the life He had, His friends thought he was mad, His brothers did not believe in Him, His neighbours tried to stone Him, as this is the experience in the world, it is rejected by all of it, and you cannot join them either, if you have this Spirit of Christ. His testimony was how wicked the world was, so they have no place to hide from their deceiving methods any longer, and in response to this, they killed Him. They had done the same to every prophet God had sent to Israel, murdered and persecuted, as we see, the message of the Lord is not easily accepted. Christ hasd nowhere to lay His head, no life at all while being the Messiah, and called the Apostles, who followed Him, also receiving the persecutions, rejections, and after they received the Spirit, boldly preached the word to the non receiving world until their deaths. This is to lose your life in this world for the Gospels sake, as we cannot have no life in this world, just because it turned out that way, and then Apostle Paul is the example for the ordinary people, to walk as He walked, following Christ, which was great persecutions, misery until they despaired even of life, and no certain dwelling places, in stripes hunger thirst and made as the filth of the world, had no lives, very much hated their lives in this world.

Then Paul showed how grievous wolves would enter the flock after he was not there to expose them for the deceivers that they are, and they filled the world with their flattering, selfish sinful doctrines, which they say is the good and right way, but their time was over from the time they began, and now, at this ending o the world, they are exposed again, as was always meant to be.

 

Acts 20:29 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.

 

2 Timothy 3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

 

[Revlori]

On 10/29/2019 at 1:22 PM, missmuffet said:

Yes, there is going to be that while we live on this earth. 

Agreed...We are assured that we are refined by the fire, even though this is not easy and we may stumble in the flames, God is forever abiding with us.

[missmuffet]

1 hour ago, Revlori said:

Agreed...We are assured that we are refined by the fire, even though this is not easy and we may stumble in the flames, God is forever abiding with us.

And this is not our home 

[vincents_desk]

10 hours ago, Isaiah53NIV said:

We are to go where the Holy Spirit leads and where God directs our paths. I do not believe that will look the same for everyone. Some people will have nice houses and take in orphans, adopt children, etc. They are using their resources to glorify God in a specific way. Other people will give up everything they have to move to another country to share the Gospel. But I agree that in the end, we are to love God above all else on this earth, as I mentioned in my previous post. If that means a person losing his/her life because of something he/she has called been called to do by God, then so be it. That can happen to people in many different life situations. 

The scriptures were on the prvious page, can you not see what they say ?

 

Luke 14:⁷ And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready.¹⁸ And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused.¹⁹ And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused.²⁰ And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.

 

Luke 14:²⁵ And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them,²⁶ If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.²⁷ And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

 

Luke 14:²⁸ For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?²⁹ Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him,³⁰ Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.³¹ Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?³² Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace.³³ So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.