Having a Thorn In Our Flesh Is A Blessing!!!

Situations that would have most of us wanting to avoid, help our lives like no other experience. I know there are treasures to be found in our suffering. God allowed Satan to torment Paul for God’s own good purposes and always within God’s perfect will. What we do know about this thorn in the flesh comes from Paul himself in

2 Corinthians 12:7 “To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.

It was to keep Paul humble.

2 Corinthians 12:8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

We can see Paul wanted the thorn removed but the Lord knew what was best and allowed Paul to understand why he needed it.
Whether Paul’s ‘thorn’ was physical sickness or something else, it taught us a great lesson. Christ deviated the fiery dart with such precision that it punctured only that part of Paul that was in danger of bloating with pride. That dart crossed through the scarred hands of Jesus and entered Paul as a manifestation of divine love and wisdom.
Our scars are our testimonies to boost in the Lord and show glory to him.

Paul’s discomfort became necessary because the sin of pride loomed dangerously near.

2 Corinthians 12:1-7
We can learn pride is not something the Lord desires for his Children. It is important we have a humble heart. Pruning Is the way the Lord molds us to serve his purpose for our lives.
We need to be thankful for our thorns!!!

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

Wishing Great Blessings To Each and Everyone of YOU!

Lord Jesus Saves †

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Why does God allow Satan to unleash evil on Christians?

As children of God, we are disciplined. The trials and hardships are blessings. Endurance is what helps make us complete and worthy in the eyes of the Lord.

When we read the book of Job it is interesting how before Satan could unleash evil on Job he had to get permission from God. The significance here is that Satan is answerable to God; he needs permission from the Lord in order to unleash evil on the Lord’s servants. So then we ask why would God allow Satan to attack His children? The reason for this is because God wishes to honor our free will; not just the free will itself, but the consequences which come with it.

The word shows us two reasons.

One is for discipline
and One is for trials

“True faith is not getting from God what we want in life, true faith is accepting what God has planned for our lives.” Accepting what God has planned for our lives may mean enduring pain and hardship. We do this through patience that is a “Fruit of the Spirit”. We cannot do it in our own strength. We must rely upon the Holy Spirit of God. Job’s question is still valid today “Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?” God’s will for our life may involve both good and trouble and we should be willing to accept this through patient endurance as God may be using us as an example to reach others with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
The book of Job goes into great detail as to the emotions that Job experienced over a considerable period of time.  As the knowledge of the loss of his children sunk in, the physical affliction of his body continued, and the accusation of his friends mounted, you could say Job was down in the dumps. Job’s friends believed that Job had sinned and that God was punishing him for un-confessed sin. Job’s friends questioned Job’s integrity. But we know that was not the case.  Job 1:8 The LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil.”

We see Job was a righteous man.

By the end of the book, we see that even though Job didn’t fully comprehend what was going on in his life he realized God did and that was what really mattered. This awareness that God is in control allows us to patiently endure life’s trials even though we may not fully understand the why.

Discipline
Hebrews 12

5 and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons,
“MY SON, DO NOT REGARD LIGHTLY THE DISCIPLINE OF THE LORD,
NOR FAINT WHEN YOU ARE REPROVED BY HIM;
6 FOR THOSE WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES,
AND HE SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES.”
7 It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline?

8 But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.

9 Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live?

10 For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness.

11 All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.

12 Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble,

13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed.

14 Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord.

Trials

James 1
2 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,

3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.

4 And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

 12 Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.

2 Corinthians 13

11 Finally, brethren, rejoice, be made complete, be comforted, be like-minded, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.

1 Corinthians 15:58

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.

God Bless Each and Everyone of you!

Lord Jesus Saves †

Christians Suffering As Christ

 Christians Suffering as Christ

As Christians it is a blessing when we suffer, it is a time to rejoice. When we suffer for righteousness and yet we endure, we are doing the will of God. When we speak not giving insult for insult or evil for evil and we control our tongue, we are doing the will of God.

No one can harm you if you prove you are zealous for good.

1 Peter 2:19

For this finds favor, if for the sake of conscience toward God a person bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly.

20 For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God.
21 For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps,
22 WHO COMMITTED NO SIN, NOR WAS ANY DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH;
23 and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously;
24 and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.

1 Peter 3:14

But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed AND DO NOT FEAR THEIR INTIMIDATION, AND DO NOT BE TROUBLED,

15 but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;
16 and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame.
17 For it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong.
18 For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit.

1 Peter 4:12

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you;

13 but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation.
14 If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.
15 Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler;
16 but if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name.

James 1:2

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,

3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.

4 And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Love all of You!

Lord Jesus Saves †

The Link Between The Heart and The Mouth!

Have you ever wondered why some Children of God believe it is ok to use vulgarity or use ugly name calling? I believe some are becoming desensitized to things that are vulgar and downright rude. Our words are just one way that we manifest the content of our heart and innermost thoughts. If one uses vulgarity, that is coming from one’s heart. It is the things from the heart that defile man.

Ephesians 4:29 Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.

Matthew 15:17 “Do you not understand that everything that goes into the mouth passes into the stomach, and is eliminated? 18 “But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man.

Colossians 3:8 But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth.

James 3:8 But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; 10 from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way.

Words Reveal Character

Matthew 12:33 “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for the tree is known by its fruit. 34 “You brood of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak what is good? For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart. 35 “The good man brings out of his good treasure what is good; and the evil man brings out of his evil treasure what is evil. 36 “But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment. 37 “For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”


This is what Jesus said~~~

The Heart of Man

Mark 7:14 After He called the crowd to Him again, He began saying to them, “Listen to Me, all of you, and understand: 15 there is nothing outside the man which can defile him if it goes into him; but the things which proceed out of the man are what defile the man. 16 [“If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”]

17 When he had left the crowd and entered the house, His disciples questioned Him about the parable. 18 And He said to them, “Are you so lacking in understanding also? Do you not understand that whatever goes into the man from outside cannot defile him, 19 because it does not go into his heart, but into his stomach, and is eliminated?” (Thus He declared all foods clean.) 20 And He was saying, “That which proceeds out of the man, that is what defiles the man. 21 “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, 22 deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness. 23 “All these evil things proceed from within and defile the man.”

Lord Jesus Saves †