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FULLY  EQUIPPED  AND  ABLE

1/30/2022

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January 30, 2022                                        FULLY  EQUIPPED  AND  ABLE
Colossians 1:9b-12 “that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, to the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. For He delivered us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son,”
To some, what is said in these verses may sound like a spiritual pipe-dream.  As we meditate on this prayer for all believers, we must conclude that it is an utterly fantastic prayer and certainly a prayer that is beyond human ability to make happen. It would take many pages just to ‘scratch the surface’ of what is prayed in this prayer. For this blog, let’s just look at a few of the phrases and words to get a taste of just how awesome this prayer is. To begin, we do not have to wonder what the will of God is for us-we can be filled with the knowledge of His will, and can have all spiritual wisdom and understanding; we no longer have to live in confusion and doubt. We can now live in a way that is worthy of the Lord, and we can please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work; no longer is our work in vain.  We can be continually increasing in the knowledge of God and be strengthened with all power according to His might. We do not have to be unsure, but can be steadfast and patient. As we learn of, and experience the life God has for us, we will find ourselves joyously giving thanks to our Father. And, our Father has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints. All of this can be ours because our Father has delivered us from the domain of darkness, and has transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son. We no longer have to live in darkness, but can live in the wonderful light of the kingdom of God-even in this dark world. For this prayer to come to fruition in us, we must know our identity as sons and daughters of God. We cannot make these things happen; they come as a result of knowing who we are in Him and knowing who He is in us. Let us not be content living beneath our privilege of being sons and daughters of the Creator God, who loves us and gave His Son for us that we might have life.
Colossians 3:12-14 “And so, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. And beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of peace.”
Hebrews 13:20-21 “Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.”
Blessings,
Buddy
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RECEIVE  THE  WORD

1/28/2022

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January 28, 2022                                       RECEIVE  THE  WORD
James 1:21-22, 25  “Therefore putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted , which is able to save your souls. But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.”               “But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man  shall be blessed in what he does.”
The book of James emphasizes the importance of doing what the word says; he is not saying that we are saved by the works, but because we now belong to God and have been made new, we are to be quick to obey the word of God. The fact that we are in the process of being transformed implies that there is more growth and change to come in our spiritual journey. (It needs to be clear that we are not being refurbished or made better; we have been made new creations and given a new spirit, a new heart, and a new mind; the transformation process that we are in is about maturing in the faith and learning how to walk and live out of the new person we are.) In this section of scripture, James is encouraging us to put aside anything that remains of wickedness; at times we will be tempted to respond in a wrong way or to do something that is not pleasing to the Lord and that is unbecoming of a follower of Christ-and that is what we are to ‘put aside.’ Instead of living out of what we want and what we think is best, we are to in humility receive the word of God; we are to bow our knee to the Lord and receive His word as the authority and the source of life. The crux of the issue what is ruling my life-it is either my preferences and desires, or it is the word of God. The truth is that the worst thing we can do is to live by our own dictates and understanding; the best and wise thing we can do is to be under the authority of God’s word. Of course, we are not to see the word of God as rules we must keep or to be legalistic in our approach to the word of God; rather, we are to see that the word of God is the source of life and peace. James gives us a stern warning; it is possible for us to say we believe the word, and we may read the word and yet not be a doer of the word, and become a forgetful hearer. I have found that it is easy to read from God’s word, then go my way without being impacted by what I read; our reading the word can become no more than a ritual. We are to ‘look intently’ at God’s word-more than a casual reading-and then abide by it and be an ‘effectual doer’ of the word; God promises that when we do, we will be blessed in what we do. Honoring God’s word and living by it always results in blessings. So, let us ‘prove ourselves to be doers of the word;’ we prove it by doing it!
James 2:17-18 “Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself. But someone may well say, “You have faith, and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.”
Blessings,
Buddy
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PUT  OFF  AND  PUT  ON

1/26/2022

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January 26, 2020                                            PUT  OFF   AND  PUT  ON
Ephesians 4:20-24 “But you did not learn Christ in this way, if indeed you have heard ham and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lust of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.”
Colossians 3:8-10 “But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have laid aside the old self with its evil practices, and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him.”
Pertaining to the Christian life, God has given us many choices and options; He did not make man as a robot. The choices we make as believers greatly impacts our living according to God’s design and His plans for us. In the passage above, Paul begins by saying that “you did not learn Christ in this way;” ‘this way’ is obviously referring to what he had said earlier. From verses 17-19 we see that some were walking in the ‘futility of their mind,’ ‘darkened in their understanding,’ ‘excluded from the life of God,’ ‘had given themselves over to sensuality,’ and the list goes on. This statement of Paul is a relevant and critical question for us; how have we learned Christ? If we profess to know Him and believe in Him as our Lord and Savior, it stands to reason that we would walk in His ways. As I said, we have many choices to make in our life as a believer, but the choice of putting off the old man and putting on the new man is paramount. God has made us new, and we are to put this new person “which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.” Likewise, we are to “lay aside the old self, which is corrupted according with the lust of deceit.” This laying aside the old self and putting on the new self is continual, a way of life. Our old self-our flesh-has not been annihilated; the flesh wars against the Spirit; the flesh is self-centered. Galatians 5:17. Because of this ongoing war between the flesh and the Spirit, we face those times when our flesh rises up, wanting to fulfill its own desires; that is when we must chose to say no the flesh and yes to the Spirit within us-that is walking according to the Spirit and not fulfilling the desires of the flesh. Galatians 5:16. It is the Spirit of God in us that enables us to say no to anything contrary to the ways of God. We are to be growing in the faith, being sensitive to the voice of the Spirit, increasing in discernment and wisdom, and learning what pleases the Lord; the life of the believer is active-it is being transformed into the image of Christ. Our old self is self-centered, not God centered. The ways of the flesh leads to spiritual death while the ways of the Spirit lead to life and peace. The new us, the new creation we are, is made in the likeness of God! Let us lay aside our old self, and be renewed in the spirit of our mind and put on the new self-we can make that choice.
Galatians 5:16-17 “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the desire of the flesh is against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, in order to keep you from doing whatever you want.”
Romans 8:5-6 “For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace.”
Blessings,
Buddy
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BE  DILIGENT

1/24/2022

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January 24, 2022                                                BE  DILIGENT
2 Peter 3:11-14 “Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, on account which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless,”
In the passages preceding the ones quoted above, we are told what things will be destroyed; they include heavens, the elements, and the earth with its works. We are also told that the day of the Lord will come like a thief (will not be expecting Him to come). The events described above sounds like a Star Wars movie. Honestly, I’m sure that non-believers would say it’s preposterous to believe that things will happen as described in the above scriptures; and certainly, many believers do not give it much thought. What is described above is shocking-is amazing-is almost beyond belief. Can you imagine at a certain moment in the future, THE DAY OF GOD WILL COME and these things WILL HAPPEN? Believers may be skeptic, but unbelievers would say we are insane to believe such outlandish things. To believe things will happen as depicted in these verses, certainly should impact how we live today. We tend to be temporal minded, ignoring these fantastic future events that God has told us would come about; in this case, we know what the future holds, even though we do not know the date. Just what ‘sort of people ought we to be’ in light of these future events? Should we be building bomb shelters or storing up survival food and supplies? Don’t think so; when the Day of the Lord comes, bomb shelters and supplies will no longer be. What we can and should be doing in light of what is to come-any day now, is to be holy in our conduct and to be living godly lives; and not only to be expecting these things, but to be ‘hastening the coming of the day of God.” We are to be looking for new heavens and a new earth-where righteousness dwells! Wow! Many have given up on the world; but remember that the earth belongs to the Lord and His righteousness will be established on the earth. The day of the Lord will be a frightening and terrible day for those who do not know Him as Savior; but for those who know Him, it will be a day when we see God putting things in order, when the rule of God is established, and when righteousness reigns. As we go about our busy lives, let us live looking forward to the day of the Lord, and on that day, may we be “found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless.”
1 Thessalonians 5:23 “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
1 Peter 1:13 “Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
Hebrews 10:24-25 “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”
Blessings,
Buddy
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FILLED

1/22/2022

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January 22, 2022                                          FILLED
Colossians 1:9-12 “..we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience, joyously giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. For He has delivered us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His dear Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”
What a prayer request! We may think that this prayer that Paul made for all believers, including you and me, is ‘pie in the sky:’ just a prayer that sounds good, but would never be a reality for us. Read this prayer request again and look closely at what Paul is asking God to do in each one of us. We may be guilty of having a small view or understanding of what it means to be born again, to be made new, and to be joined to God. Paul knew that this prayer was for real; He knew that this is exactly what God wants to do in us and He knew that by the Spirit of God in us, this prayer request could become reality. This prayer on our behalf is an excellent picture of what it means to be made new; to be transferred into the Kingdom of God. We also must remember that when Paul made this prayer, believers faced great persecution and trials on every hand, yet they could experience this prayer becoming a reality. You might say that if this prayer described me, I would be perfect-and that would be correct. In Matthew 5:48 we read: “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” Here, to be perfect means to be ‘complete,’ and in that sense we are perfect as Colossians 2:10 tells us that we are complete in Him. We are not ‘sinless’ as believers, but if and when we sin, we can be quick to confess our sin and continue walking in the ways of the Lord. Our ‘completeness’ in Christ means that there is provision for sin should we sin, AND our finding our completeness in Him does away with any desire to sin and instead, creates within us a desire to please Him in all we do. God has done a marvelous work in us; we can now spend a lifetime discovering and expressing what all it means to be in Him. There is no higher calling in life, nothing that compares to living as sons and daughters of God as expressions of the love of God, and the power of God to make us new creations. As we re-read this prayer made on our behalf, let us claim each segment as ours-who we are becoming-who we are right now, in Him.
Colossians 2:6: “As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him.”
Blessings,
Buddy
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A  GOOD  POSTURE  FOR  LIFE

1/20/2022

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January 20, 2022                                          A  GOOD  POSTURE  FOR  LIFE
I Timothy 2:1-5 “First of all, then, I urge that entreaties, and prayers, petitions and thanksgiving, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, in order that we may lead a tranquil and quite life in all goodness and dignity. This is good and acceptable in the sight of God and our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of truth. For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony borne at the proper time.”
It is refreshing to know that the life that God has for those who love Him is really quite simple.
The cost of us having this life available to us was great; it required the sacrifice of Jesus as a ransom for us. Many have a tendency to complicate life; we try to ‘fix’ things and we try to ‘fix’ people; we get anxious and ‘up tight’ over things we have no control over; and many get depressed and dispressed when things do not go as they thought or hoped they would; and many spend a lot of time and energy for that which does not satisfy. A counter-culture truth to be reminded of is that it is good in the sight of God to lead a “tranquil and quite life in all goodness and dignity.” God tells us to make entreaties, prayers and petitions and thanksgiving on behalf of all men that we may experience such a life. This is not to say that we will not experience trials and difficulties in life-because we will. Quite simply, God desires that “all men to come to the knowledge of truth.” That should be the focus of our prayers; we are not called to judge others or to criticize or to look down on-but to pray that they would come to know God as Savior. The beauty of praying in such a way is that it takes the pressure off of us by putting others in the providence of God. Again, we are not called to fix people, but to pray for them. We can give godly council and comfort, and we feel the pain that others may be enduring, but the greatest thing we can do is to ask God to intervene and reveal truth to those who do not know the truth-and then leave the results up to God. It is a matter of us knowing our place in the kingdom of God; we are light and salt, but He is the One that works miracles and changes lives-we get to be involved in the process. It is amazing-a true miracle-that even though we live in this ‘up-side down’ world that does not know God and a world with all of its problems and brokenness, we can ‘live and move and have our being’ on earth as members of the kingdom of God; instead of being overcome with the darkness of this world, because we are light, we overcome the darkness with light. “But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness, so that the day would overcome you like a thief; for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of the night nor of darkness; so then, let’s not sleep as others do, but let’s be alert and sober.” 1 Thessalonians 5:4-6
Romans 1:2 “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
Blessings,
Buddy   
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TWO  LAWS

1/18/2022

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January 18, 2022                                            TWO  LAWS
Romans 8:1-5 “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did; sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace,”
I encourage you to spend some time reading and meditating on Romans 7 and 8 where Paul gets to the heart of the issue of law and grace. There are only two possibilities: we live under the law of sin and death (the flesh), or we live under the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. According to many scriptures, we see that it is possible for one who has trusted Christ as Savior and has been set free from the law, to revert back to living according to the law. (See the book of Galatians) But the focus for today is on the fact that we can live according to the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus! Trying to live under the law is burdensome, and leads to frustration and un-fulfillment. The law was given to show man that he was incapable of keeping the law and that he needed a Savior. “Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.” Galatians 3:24.  A central theme of the New Testament is that we have been set free from the law through the death and resurrection of Jesus, and can now live according to the Spirit. We now stand before God with our sins atoned for by Jesus being the perfect sacrifice for our sins. We are no longer condemned because we cannot keep the law; by our faith in Christ, there is no condemnation for us. Those who are in Christ have been justified and made righteous in Him. Because we are justified and have been made righteous, and are now sons and daughters of God, we can enjoy fellowship with our heavenly Father. As alluded to above, it is possible for a believer to revert back to living according to the flesh, which is sin; living according to the flesh is a downward spiral leading to spiritual death. We are called to walk according to the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus; only in the Spirit do we find life that satisfies. We must understand that God has done all He needs to do in order for us to live according to the Spirit; we make the choice to do so. Walking according to the Spirit is a matter of continually choosing to do so because our flesh is at war with our spirit and it is wanting control. In Galatians 5:17 we read “For the desire of the flesh is against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.” May it be our desire, and our choice, to live according to the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus; we do so by absorbing His word, by following the leading of the Spirit, and by obeying the commands of our Lord and Savior. He is always leading us to life.  
Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.”
Romans 11-12 “Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body that you should obey its lust, and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.”
Blessings,
Buddy
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GOD  IS  IN THE  PROCESS

1/16/2022

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January 16, 2022                                             GOD  IS  IN  THE  PROCESS
Romans 8:29 “For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brothers.”
Romans 8:15 “For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons and daughters by which we cry out, ‘Abba Father.’”
Revelation 5:10 “Thou hast made them to be a kingdom and priest to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.”
2 Corinthians 6:18 “And I will be a Father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to Me, says the Lord Almighty.”
To belong to God is a BIG deal! The life that Adam and Eve lived before they sinned is a picture of the life that God desires for His people and it is that life that God is restoring and will restore. One of the great purposes of God is to fully restore our relationship and our continued fellowship with Him-where we walk with Him ‘in the cool of the day,’ where there is no sin, and where we talk with Him. It may sound rather simplistic, but the overall desire of God is to enjoy His family and for His family to enjoy Him. (Sin had a devastating effect on man’s fellowship with God and on the creation it self-but through Jesus, He is restoring that relationship.)  We at times may let the pressures of the day cause us to lose sight of God’s ultimate plans for us and His creation, but we must remember that we are in the process of being transformed-being made ready for the glorious days ahead. For that reason, we must be diligent in cooperating with God as He works in us, transforming us to the image of Christ. We are to be like the bride getting herself ready for the coming of the bridegroom. Matthew 25:1-13. The plans that God has for us are awesome. We can look forward with great joy and excitement and wonder to the marriage supper of the Lamb. Revelation 19:6-9. The important thing for us is not just see the events of life as just happenstance or coincidence, but to see that God is at work transforming us into the image of Christ-we are a work in process. God uses everyday events and happenings as tools in our transformation. It is primarily our heart and our spirit that is being transformed-and it is our heart and our spirit that sets to tone of our life. God gives us a new heart and a new spirit; the transformation process is about moving from our old heart and spirit, and receiving and walking in the new person that God has made us, and it is about us maturing in the faith. We can enjoy fellowship with God now in this present world, BUT there is much more to come. Nothing can hinder God’s ultimate plan for His people-we can ‘bank’ on that.
2 Corinthians 3:18 “And we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”
Romans 12:2 “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is-His good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Blessings,
Buddy
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GOD  CAUSES

1/13/2022

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January 13, 2022                                         GOD  CAUSES
Romans 8:28 “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
Philippians 4:6 “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
I must say upfront that I do not fully understand, nor can I completely explain Romans 8:28; yet I it believe it to be true. When we, or someone we love, experiences difficulties and trials, we may, without thinking about it, quickly respond and say that ‘God works all things for good.’ Should someone tell you that just after you have a lost a loved one, it probably would not be comforting. Obviously, how we define ‘good’ is the important factor in this verse. We know that God is good, and we know that He takes no delight in evil, sickness, trials and difficulties. Another important factor to remember is that we still live in a fallen world as the result of sin entering the world as a result of the sin of Adam and Eve. Even though we live in a fallen world where the majority reject Christ as Savior, we as believers are being transformed and we live in the kingdom of God, in the midst of the ways of the world. We are members of the kingdom of God, but we rub shoulders with trials and difficulties here on earth. God does not say that, for example, that sickness is good; what He does say is that He will use it for good ‘if we love Him and are called according to His purpose.’ That is an interesting point, and a point we must not overlook: “if we love Him and are called according to His purpose.” I assume one could trust Christ as Savior and yet not have a fervent love for Him; and I assume that a believer could chose to live according to his own desires (according to the flesh). To me, briefly stated, ‘being called to according to His purpose’ means that my heart is turned to God and that I am walking according to the Spirit, and not according to my flesh. According to the way these verses read, I have to assume that in such cases, all things may not work together for good. (You will have to come to your own conclusion about what you think these scriptures or saying.) To believe that God is working all things for our good in the midst of a trial, requires faith on our part, because we cannot always see or understand how our difficulty is working for good. God not only knows the future, He creates the future; He is a miracle working God and He does wondrous things among His people. We can find great comfort, even though we do not understand how, in the fact that God is as work on behalf of those who love Him and are walking in His ways. Even though we may endure pain and go through trials, one day we will see how God used it for good; and when we do, we will praise Him for all that He has done. God does not leave us to bear our trials and difficulties alone; God comforts us, and He uses other believers to comfort us as well. God tells us to be anxious for nothing, and He invites us to make our request known to Him, and to cast our cares upon Him; when we do, we experience His peace in the midst of the most difficult circumstances. Yes, trials are difficult, and there are times when we mourn, but God is more than sufficient in such times.
Isaiah 41:10 “fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
1 Peter 1:6-7  “In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith-more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire-may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
Blessings,
Buddy
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COUNTY  WORTHY

1/11/2022

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January 11, 2022                                          COUNTED  WORTHY
2 Thessalonians 1:10-12 “when He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day, and to be marveled at among all who have believed-for our testimony to you was believed. To this end we also pray for you always that our God may count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power; in order that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Only by the grace of God can we know Him and only by His grace can we live the Christian life according to the scriptures. There has been much teaching on grace, and rightly so. However, if other truths concerning our call to live godly in this present world are ignored or not emphasized, we are in error. Note the phrase near the end of the above scriptures: “according to the grace of our God.” His grace enables us to live as He calls us to live. Sad to say, but some minimize sin by claiming the ‘grace of God’ and that He is pleased with them even though they may continue in sin. Romans 6:1 is clear: “What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning that grace may abound? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live it any longer? Our verses for today give us the right focus. Jesus is coming again-what an awesome day that will be! The most important question for believers is will He find us living worthy of our calling. Paul prayed that the believers he was writing to would be found worthy; this implies that it is possible that a believer could be found not living worthy of the calling of God. To be found not living worthy and to be living in a way that is not pleasing to Him when He returns would be ‘uncomfortable’ for us to say the least. What I have said so for is in no way meant to condemn, but to encourage us to see the importance of living daily according to our calling. We discover our calling as we read His word and as we follow the leading of the Holy Spirit who lives in us. We must not lose sight of the fact that He is coming back at any moment; and while we await His return, let us live daily in a way that is worthy of our calling. To be called by God is awesome; the call of God carries with it certain responsibilities for us. God puts within us a “desire for goodness and the work of faith with power;” now, let us walk worthily by working out what He is working in us; let us be living expressions of the love, the grace, and the power of God.
James 1:12 “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love Him.”
Romans 12:1 “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.”
Colossians 1:10 “so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.”
Blessings,
Buddy
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    Buddy Fitzgerald

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