Category: Suffering

The Race is On

Posted on by Dorci

And crying with a loud voice, Jesus said, “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.” Luke 23:46 

Faith doesn’t come only when things are good – when the sun is shining, the bills are paid, and everyone loves us.  Who needs faith then?

But when the storms rage, the money jar is empty and the enemy knocks at the door, that is when we need faith.  That is when the exercise of our faith in God is most beautiful and He is most glorified. 

Christ is our example.  Rather than avoid it, He walked through the suffering, through the pain, through the rejection and spitting and scoffing and unbelief – even by His own friends.  Why?  Because He had faith in His Father, the Father who sent Him to the cross.  He kept faith that He had a plan and a purpose in His suffering. 

They would never know anything but how to reject, how to accuse, how to inflict pain unless He died.  Unless He offered forgiveness for their sins and they took it.  Only when their eyes were opened and their hearts were wiped clean of sin would they have the capacity for true love.  So He gave Himself so they could be forgiven and bring love into the world.

And they would go on to trust God through their own sufferings, to commit their spirits to their heavenly Father like their Savior did, so others could hear of Him, have their eyes opened and hearts wiped clean of sin.  So they could learn how to love like Jesus did, completely and unselfishly, and fill the world with it.

The torch has been passed to us, and we are called to do the same.

Grace and peace,

 

Last Days Living

Posted on by Dorci

But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.

They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over gullible women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these teachers oppose the truth. They are men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected. But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone.

You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions, sufferings—what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.” 2 Timothy 3:1-13

What we face today should come as no surprise.  Paul warned us of rampant sin, wolves among sheep, and persecution long ago.  So, the question is: what kind of response should we have? 

1. Expect it. 

There has always been sin and always will be until God pronounces judgment on the world and makes all things right.  But here Paul is warning us about a specific type of sinner.

Those who have a form of godliness but deny its power.  Those who live a form of religiosity but have no relationship with the living God.  These are dangerous people who wield lies as if they were the truth and they lead many down very destructive paths.  Paul warns us not to have anything to do with them.   

It’s not hard to find these kinds of people if we’re living connected to Christ ourselves.  We are to be so filled with the Holy Spirit that we are able to discern the truth from a lie and not get caught up in false doctrine. 

Be aware by staying in prayer and in the truth of God’s Word. 

2. If you can’t beat ’em, don’t join ’em.

That list at the top?  That’s our personal “do not do” list.  Sadly, it’s not just unbelievers who can get caught up in those sins.  Many Christians allow themselves to fall back into temptation, be pulled back into the world and allow it to mold them instead of allowing the Holy Spirit to transform and sanctify them.  Romans 12:2 warns us about this. 

Stay plugged in to the Holy Spirit through obedience and He will lead you into all righteousness. 

3. Live intentionally. 

A tree only bears fruit when it’s been watered and fed properly and when it’s had the proper light.  A godly life doesn’t come by wishing it.  It comes when we’ve purposed to live our lives in the Spirit by praying, reading God’s Word and obeying it. 

And when we do live a godly life, expect persecution.  Sometimes we expect the opposite: that if we’re “good” we’ll be spared from sin.  That couldn’t be further from the truth. 

When we live by the Spirit it is a threat to the enemy and he will stop at nothing to discourage us, to sidetrack us, and outright attack us. 

The apostle Paul attests to that.

It may seem as if those who do evil get away with their evil deeds.  And they very well may, for a time.  But the day will come when they will, in deep sorrow, bow their knee to the One Who is the truth, and they will be judged. 

We will bow our knee to our Savior and be ushered into eternal life and reward. 

Stand tall, stand firm.  Our Savior is with us.  Who can be against us?  No one!

Is Your Anchor Secure?

Posted on by Dorci

I asked the Lord one day how He can stand it.  How can He know all the pain and suffering that goes on in the hearts of men, women and children every minute of every day and not be overcome with grief?

He spoke to my heart and said, “Because I have hope.”

I had to think about that one for a bit. What does God need with hope?  He knows all things.  But the kind of hope God has is not the wishing kind. 

It’s not a verb, as in “I hope this or that will happen…”

It’s a noun.  It’s a sure thing.  An expectation.  A confidence.  And the object of our hope is nothing less than God Himself.

As I write this, Oklahoma is being slammed with a second round of deadly tornadoes.  New mystery viruses are killing people and doctors don’t know what to do about it.  Abuses such as slavery and pornography abound and the news seems to grow darker every day.

And a bit closer to home, I know three people who are currently battling cancer.  I see people struggling in their walk with Christ.  And I have a daily battle going on in my own mind with health issues that keep trying to take my attention away from what’s important.

No one gets through life without experiencing at least a few storms.  Waves of trials come crashing into our lives and it can feel like we barely have a chance to take another breath before we feel the sting of another. We feel tossed around emotionally and spiritually in the violent winds and waves and there are moments we can feel like the whole thing is going to capsize.  

But we’ve been given an anchor to still us.

When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, saying, “I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.” And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised. People swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument. Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, He confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.” Hebrews 6:16-19

The world puts its hope in things like health, finances, children, a spouse, friends.  And there are religious doctrines that will tell you God wants our lives to be perfect, that He wants us to put our hope in those things.  I’m not sure how anyone can read the accounts of Abraham or Job or Joseph or Paul or even Jesus and come to that conclusion.

No, God wants us to know that no matter what happens He is our hope. So He swore by Himself–because He cannot lie–to prove that His promises are true.  But we may have to weather a few storms first.

Hope in God is what anchors us in those storms. 

Intead of being overcome, hope is what keeps us still and grounded, focused on God instead of thunder and lightning and our wet feet. 

And the more we know who God is—that He is a God Who never changes, that He is Who He says He is, and does what He says He’ll do, and that He loves us beyond comprehension and wants for us His absolute best—the more heavy with hope we’ll become. 

Sometimes it’s in the middle of the storm we’re tempted to panic and let go of hope. But that’s when we need to hold on the tightest. 

God has hope because He knows the plans He has for us.  He knows He’s in the boat with us and He maintains control of the storm at all times.  He knows that if we’ll just hold onto Him, at the end of our storms we’ll be children of God who will shine pure as gold, who will more and more reflect the beauty of His Son.

And we can have hope that this life is not all there is.  That there is another one waiting for us.  One where all our hopes and dreams will be fulfilled.  One where our joy is never again interrupted by pain or sorrow or suffering.  The hope of living with Jesus in paradise.

The storms may not abate, not for a while at least, but we can be confident in the One Who has power over them, and us.

With great hope,

 

 
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The Greater Love

Posted on by Dorci

This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.  No one has greater love than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:12-13

In the light of the example Jesus gave us at the cross, this is our daily duty – to lay down our lives, our preferences, our wills, in favor of those God gives us.  This is, Jesus tells us, the highest, mightiest, strongest, most powerful love.  It is this love that carries crosses, moves mountains, divides oceans, binds unseen wounds and heals pain that otherwise would never heal.  It is to this love we aspire. 

And it is this love we honor today.  It is this love that leaves behind one’s own dreams, loved ones, births and deaths, to serve, protect, run into harm’s way, fight the enemy even when the odds are down, conditions are at their worst and injuries are unbearable, and risk all to carry our banner.  All for the greater good and love of freedom. 

This love and duty to country has impassioned many to lay down their lives to buy the freedom of an entire nation, and this continued courage and sacrifice has kept us free for over 200 years.  Let us honor these brave men and women with our deep gratitude, but also by following their example of greater love.

When we live our lives with respect for one another, with words that build up and not tear down, with actions that better our own corner of this country, when we live not carelessly, but thoughtfully, we honor those who have fought so hard to make us free. 

You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.'” Galatians 5:13-14

May God fill you with strength and courage as you seek to live out His greater love.

 

 

My Redeemer Lives

Posted on by Dorci

I’ve been a believer in Christ almost half my life (maybe more, but that’s a story for another day).  I’ve lived this Christian life so long that I can sometimes forget all that Christ has saved me from.

But once in a while God gives me a reminder, a little glimpse into what my life could have been like had I kept walking the path I was on.  I very well could have died in my sins.  Lost forever. 

But my Redeemer lives.

For I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth; and after my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God, Whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!”  Job 19:25-27

Even Job, who lived centuries prior to Christ’s incarnation, because of his intimate relationship with God knew he had a Redeemer.  While he sat utterly destitute and broken by the tornado of suffering he suddenly faced, he held onto hope that he would be saved, even if not until he passed on from this life.  He knew His Redeemer would reign victorious at the end of all things and that He would be raised with Him and see his Redeemer face to face. 

God did save Job and restored his life.  And I have no doubt that Job’s faith carried him home to see the face he so longed to see, where all suffering melted away.

God’s saved me from more than I have time to tell you here.  And no matter what struggles I go through as a believer, it’s nothing compared to living this life without Jesus, without the hope of salvation. 

He’s redeemed my soul from the pit.  He’s saved me from destroying myself. He’s rescued me from destructive relationships and from wandering the earth in a state of spiritual blindness. 

He’s given me sight to see Him and ears to hear Him.  He’s changing my heart from hardened stone to pure, soft flesh. He’s blessed me in ways that before I would have thought impossible. And He’s filled me with His Spirit to give me  the hope of salvation and that one day I, too, will see my Redeemer face to face. 

From what has your Redeemer saved you?

Grace and peace!