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Better Than Gold1Pe 5:6-11 (KJV) “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: (7) Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. (8) Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: (9) Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. (10) But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle [you]. (11) To him [be] glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.” The body of Christ has been going through extremely rough circumstances. These trying times are not focused upon an individual church or denomination, but they are seemingly more common in the lives of those who give their all to the Lord. Though God does not glory in the suffering of His saints, He does allow the enemy to try our faith as we experience the good as well as the bad. Sometimes it is hard to understand all of the whys, and what ifs while suffering for the Lord, but this one thing is certain; He has given us His word and His Spirit to guide us through it all. And this is the attitude that we must keep; we are going through it. Going through it means we do not sit down in the middle of it. One key element of our victory is to realize that we are not attacked in our points of weakness as much as we are attacked in our points of strength. So even though at the times we feel weak, it is in that weak area that the Lord will show us His strength in us. Jam 1:2-6 (KJV) “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; (3) Knowing [this], that the trying of your faith worketh patience. (4) But let patience have [her] perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. (5) If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all [men] liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. (6) But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.” When our faith is being tried, it is possible to be shaken to the very core of our being. But realize this, if while enduring circumstances of suffering and temptations, we are willing to compromise our faith because we don’t understand what we are going through, we are in need of patience. We must always keep in mind the fact that God knows what it is going to take to perfect that which concerns us, and He knows what must transpire so that our faith will be strong enough to endure to the very end. We must let patience have her perfect work, and then we will be able to stand and say with the apostle Peter: 1Pe 1:3-7 (KJV) “Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, (4) To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, (5) Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. (6) Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: (7) That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:” -Kurt Thurston January Newsletter 2005 | Principle of Giving | Attention Deficit Disorder Pastor's Journal January 2004 | Better Than Gold | Storehouses and Treasures part 1 of 3 |
Biblical Counseling for Leaders
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