The Apostle ended his epistle with a blessing of PEACE (quietness and rest), LOVE (the bond of perfectness), FAITH (persuasion, conviction of religious truth) and GRACE (unmerited divine favor). I wish these things for you, today. May God give you peace that passes all understanding, love for Him that will never die, faith to see you through, and grace for you and those you love.
Ephesians 6:23 - "Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen."
PRINCIPAL - "The Churches Of Macedonia"
The Churches of Macedonia (Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea, and others in the region) were inspiring examples to all other Churches. "In a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality." True saints help others even when their resources are limited.
2 Corinthians 8:3-5 - "Beyond their power they were willing of themselves; Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. ...gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God."
PRINCIPLE - "Share Your Abundance With Those Who Have Not"
When God sent manna in the wilderness, He commanded the children of Israel, "Gather of it every man according to his eating." Each man was told to gather manna for those in his tents. Ultimately, "he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack," Exodus 16:18. God intends for every person to have his needs supplied. Those who have should help those who have not.
2 Corinthians 8:14 - "Your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality."
PROPHECY - "Satan As An Angel Of Light, Imposters In The Ministry"
Paul was jealous to preserve the Church as a chaste virgin unto Christ. He zealously "cut off occasion from them which desire occasion... For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ." Even today, Satan and many false ministers delude multitudes, appearing as great men of God, although they are evil through and through. Resist!
2 Corinthians 11:14-15 - "No marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works."
Leave the Past Behind |
...But this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before. - Philippians 3:13 |
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Failures and disappointments. Aches and pains from the past that just won’t seem to go away. Most of us know what it’s like to suffer from them but too few of us know just what to do about them. So we limp along, hoping somehow they’ll magically stop hurting. But it never happens that way. In fact, the passing of time often leaves us in worse condition—not better. Because, instead of putting those painful failures behind us, we often dwell on them until they become more real to us than the promises of God. We focus on them until we become bogged down in depression, frozen in our tracks by the fear that if we go on, we’ll only fail again. If depression has driven you into a spiritual nose dive, break out of it by getting your eyes off the past and onto your future—a future that’s been guaranteed by Christ Jesus through the great and precious promises in His Word. Forget about those failures in the past! That’s what God has done (Hebrews 8:12). And if He doesn’t remember them any more, why should you? The Bible says God’s mercies are new every morning. So if you’ll take God at His Word, you can wake up every morning to a brand-new world. You can live life totally unhindered by the past. So, do it! Replace thoughts of yesterday’s mistakes with scriptural promises about your future. As you do that, hope will start taking the place of depression. The spiritual aches and pains that have crippled you for so long will quickly disappear. Instead of looking behind you and saying, “I can’t,” you’ll begin to look ahead and say, “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me!” |
Amen
ReplyDeleteAmen! An very true.
ReplyDeleteSincerely, Monica