Post by Cindy on May 7, 2015 12:38:53 GMT -5
Many of us are going through some very hard times right now, and have been for some time. We knew this would happen, simply because of the times we're living in. Especially now, Satan and his demons are going to take advantage of every little thing they can and all the big things to try and bring down God's Children. Think about it: There aren't very many real Christians in this world, especially not in places like the US and Europe. Strangely, the situation is now reversed. We need to have missionaries come here, while places like Africa, and the middle east, and the far east are filling up with godly Christians who do God's Will. This is Satan's last chance to put God's children out of the fight before the rapture and he's working very hard at it. Like I said, there's honestly very, very few of us left here right now. Oh, I know many people call themselves Christians, but most either aren't really saved, or else Satan's already won and made them completely ineffectual and unable to do God's Will. (whether they know it or not). But, that's exactly what God said would happen in our time, so we need not concern ourselves with that. What we do need to concern ourselves with is making sure it doesn't happen to us and that we continue to stand firm.
How do we do that? Through God's Word! It is God's Word that washes us clean (Eph 5:26-27). It removes our shame and guilt. Just as we need to frequently wash our hands and regularly take a bath, we also need to be daily washed by God's Word. It's how the Holy Spirit works within us to change us to be more like Jesus. It's how He removes the sinful thoughts and emotions and replaces them with the truth. It's how He shows us what His Will is for us, not only in general, but also in particular for each day. He shows us what we need to focus on, and reveals hidden dangers so we can be prepared for them. He even shows us what we need to pray about and who to pray for. On top of all of that, He also uses His Word to help us understand Him and get to know Him better. Through His Word we are given His Joy, which is our strength, and His Peace to guard our minds and hearts. The better we know Him and His Word, the easier and faster and more accurate we'll be in recognizing lies and danger, and knowing how to deal with them.
I've heard some folks say that they don't read His Word because when they tried they found it was too hard to understand. That's really a shame because they've cut off their nose to spite their face. If they had told that to their parents or kindergarten teacher when they were shown their ABC's and gotten away with it, they'd never have learned to read or write! However, God's Word isn't like just any other book. When we read it, the author of it is right there with us, ready and more then willing to teach and guide us, if we'll only ask. One of the great things about reading His Word is that the more obedient we are about reading it daily, the easier it becomes to understand it. I'm not saying that eventually you'll know it all without any questions, only that for the most part it does become quite easy to understand as you persevere. Perseverance is something that the Lord requires of us. Think about it for a moment. In 1 Cor 13 we're taught about what love really is, and what it looks like. We're taught from the start of the Bible that God wants us to love Him with all our hearts, mind and strength. When we don't persevere in His Word, we're saying or rather showing, that we don't love Him. How can I say that? Because love: “always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” (1 Corinthians 13:7) and that's to be our attitude and our actions toward God.
In fact, one of the ways that God uses these hard times to help us is by making sure that they produce perseverance in us. He says it's, “because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James 1:3–4) Sadly, those who aren't in His Word every day are already losing the battle. At best they're relying on their own strength instead of His, and that's one sure way to be defeated as we're told that we can't do it in our own strength. It is God who makes us stand firm, not ourselves, and He does this through His Word. (2 Corinthians 1:21)
God even tells us outright what we need to do to get through these hard times. It's all right here in a nutshell: “For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.” (2 Peter 1:5–9) Notice that many of these are fruit of the Spirit as well, and all of them will increase within us as we continue in His Word daily. That's how they increase in measure.
This is so important that the Lord has repeatedly told us throughout His Word to stand firm. Can you guess how many times He says that? Over 69 times! Depending on what translation you use, the words are sometimes translated differently, but the meaning remains the same. Since we are commanded over and over to stand firm, and told that it is through His Word that God makes us stand firm, I've posted some of the scriptures that I think are most important concerning standing firm in our times for you at the end. I hope you'll read and reflect on each of the following verses carefully so that you too can stand firm and not be made ineffective by Satan, his demons, his children, the world, and your flesh. Yes, our enemies are many and strong, but our God and His Word is stronger!
“Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” (1 Corinthians 15:58)
“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. Do everything in love.” (1 Corinthians 16:13–14)
“For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God. Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.” (2 Corinthians 1:20–22) “Not that we lord it over your faith, but we work with you for your joy, because it is by faith you stand firm.” (2 Corinthians 1:24)
“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” (Galatians 5:1)
“Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.” (Ephesians 6:14–18)
“Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God. For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him, since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.” (Philippians 1:27–30)
“So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter. May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.” (2 Thessalonians 2:15–17)
“You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. Don’t grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door! Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.” (James 5:8–11)
“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.” (Ephesians 5:25–27)
“Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.” (Romans 5:3–5)
“Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.” (1 Peter 5:8–9)
Also: Philippians 3:13–Philippians 4:1
How do we do that? Through God's Word! It is God's Word that washes us clean (Eph 5:26-27). It removes our shame and guilt. Just as we need to frequently wash our hands and regularly take a bath, we also need to be daily washed by God's Word. It's how the Holy Spirit works within us to change us to be more like Jesus. It's how He removes the sinful thoughts and emotions and replaces them with the truth. It's how He shows us what His Will is for us, not only in general, but also in particular for each day. He shows us what we need to focus on, and reveals hidden dangers so we can be prepared for them. He even shows us what we need to pray about and who to pray for. On top of all of that, He also uses His Word to help us understand Him and get to know Him better. Through His Word we are given His Joy, which is our strength, and His Peace to guard our minds and hearts. The better we know Him and His Word, the easier and faster and more accurate we'll be in recognizing lies and danger, and knowing how to deal with them.
I've heard some folks say that they don't read His Word because when they tried they found it was too hard to understand. That's really a shame because they've cut off their nose to spite their face. If they had told that to their parents or kindergarten teacher when they were shown their ABC's and gotten away with it, they'd never have learned to read or write! However, God's Word isn't like just any other book. When we read it, the author of it is right there with us, ready and more then willing to teach and guide us, if we'll only ask. One of the great things about reading His Word is that the more obedient we are about reading it daily, the easier it becomes to understand it. I'm not saying that eventually you'll know it all without any questions, only that for the most part it does become quite easy to understand as you persevere. Perseverance is something that the Lord requires of us. Think about it for a moment. In 1 Cor 13 we're taught about what love really is, and what it looks like. We're taught from the start of the Bible that God wants us to love Him with all our hearts, mind and strength. When we don't persevere in His Word, we're saying or rather showing, that we don't love Him. How can I say that? Because love: “always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” (1 Corinthians 13:7) and that's to be our attitude and our actions toward God.
In fact, one of the ways that God uses these hard times to help us is by making sure that they produce perseverance in us. He says it's, “because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James 1:3–4) Sadly, those who aren't in His Word every day are already losing the battle. At best they're relying on their own strength instead of His, and that's one sure way to be defeated as we're told that we can't do it in our own strength. It is God who makes us stand firm, not ourselves, and He does this through His Word. (2 Corinthians 1:21)
God even tells us outright what we need to do to get through these hard times. It's all right here in a nutshell: “For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.” (2 Peter 1:5–9) Notice that many of these are fruit of the Spirit as well, and all of them will increase within us as we continue in His Word daily. That's how they increase in measure.
This is so important that the Lord has repeatedly told us throughout His Word to stand firm. Can you guess how many times He says that? Over 69 times! Depending on what translation you use, the words are sometimes translated differently, but the meaning remains the same. Since we are commanded over and over to stand firm, and told that it is through His Word that God makes us stand firm, I've posted some of the scriptures that I think are most important concerning standing firm in our times for you at the end. I hope you'll read and reflect on each of the following verses carefully so that you too can stand firm and not be made ineffective by Satan, his demons, his children, the world, and your flesh. Yes, our enemies are many and strong, but our God and His Word is stronger!
“Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” (1 Corinthians 15:58)
“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. Do everything in love.” (1 Corinthians 16:13–14)
“For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God. Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.” (2 Corinthians 1:20–22) “Not that we lord it over your faith, but we work with you for your joy, because it is by faith you stand firm.” (2 Corinthians 1:24)
“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” (Galatians 5:1)
“Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.” (Ephesians 6:14–18)
“Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God. For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him, since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.” (Philippians 1:27–30)
“So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter. May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.” (2 Thessalonians 2:15–17)
“You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. Don’t grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door! Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.” (James 5:8–11)
“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.” (Ephesians 5:25–27)
“Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.” (Romans 5:3–5)
“Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.” (1 Peter 5:8–9)
Also: Philippians 3:13–Philippians 4:1
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