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Tag: love

  • Friends and Brothers: Adversity

    Friends and Brothers: Adversity

    1 Thessalonians 5:11  Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

    I was praying for a sister in the Lord this morning. I had already prayed for my wife and our own children. I had already prayed for others – brothers and sisters in the Lord — dear friends… and as I prayed for these, each became dearer to my heart.

    I had prayed through the sufferings of my own adversities and also the more severe impending adversity of family members. I asked God to get them through it all.  I remembered the encouragement my faithful mother had often given to me, my brothers and my sister as I thought of a mom so discouraged and concerned for the salvation of her own children.

    Yes, God is also concerned for these; yet God will give it all the time required, while we struggle with the adversity of our daily life and adversity in the lives of our loved ones.

    What peace God gives us though prayer. Peace in our own struggles and peace for our faithfulness in praying for loved ones.

    Proverbs 17:17

    A friend loves at all times,
    and a brother is born for adversity.

    Have you ever considered the comfort of Jesus, after having invested considerable, limited earthly time with twelve Apostles, calls them His friends? (John 15)

    What a Friend we have in Jesus

    all our sins and griefs to bear!

    What a privilege to carry
    everything to God in prayer!

    O what peace we often forfeit,
    O what needless pain we bear,
    all because we do not carry
    everything to God in prayer. 

    [all verses]

    Do you have a friend and brother who does not suffer adversity?  Do you have a friend and sister who does not grieve over her children and afflictions of her family?

    Pray for these.

    1 Thessalonians 5:16

    Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing,

    18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you…

    25 Brothers, pray for us.

    26 Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss.

    You are my brothers, my sisters, and friends — my family — family of our friend, Brother and Lord, Jesus.

    Isaiah 30:20 And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your Teacher will not hide himself anymore, but your eyes shall see your Teacher.

  • An Excellent Wife Who Can Find?

    An Excellent Wife Who Can Find?

    Proverbs 31:

    10 An excellent wife who can find?
    She is far more precious than jewels.
    11 The heart of her husband trusts in her,
    and he will have no lack of gain.
    12 She does him good, and not harm,
    all the days of her life.

    A rare jewel is a wife faithful to Christ Jesus.  A reward more precious than gold is a wife faithful to her husband.

    An excellent wife who can find?

    The vows of commitment of our Christian marriage speak of unbreakable relationship:

    • unbreakable relationship of a man to a woman (We sure need them in our lives.)
    • unbreakable relationship of a woman to a man
    • and life-long relationship to our God as perfect example of love to both.

     “In the name of God, I, ______, take you, ______, to be my wife/husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until we are parted by death. This is my solemn vow.”

    The vow and the word of a Christian is witness to our trust in Christ Jesus as our Lord.

    A Christian wife is trusted by her husband as he must also trust in Christ our Lord to keep His promise of eternal Life.

    When we are joined as one in the name of God, we are also one with the witness of our vows: our God and Lord, Christ Jesus. A Christian wife would no more betray her husband than an Apostle would betray his Lord. She is a woman of faith and integrity in the Lord.

    The Bible makes clear that Christian marriage is the best example of the intimacy of the Bride, Christ’s Church, being joined as One with the returning Bridegroom, Jesus Christ our Lord, who IS and will return for His faithful Bride.

    “She does Him good and not harm all the days of her life.”

    Is this not the witness every Christian (man or woman) ought to have for Christ our Lord?

    The Bible offers many examples of advice for men and about the counsel and company of other godly men; but the one place in the Bible offering some of the best advice for women is Proverbs 31.

    Proverbs 31 opens with a reference to King Lemuel.

    I never knew anything of this wise husband.  I can offer no better insight than that of John MacArthur, a faithful authority on scripture.

    I would offer my sisters in the Lord one additional resource to the scripture. (Some may be familiar with their radio broadcasts, which I too find encouraging.) Proverbs 31 Ministries.

    Like a faithful husband in the Lord, a good wife needs encouragement of other Christians, women to offer her encouragement in scripture and prayer.

    Please pray for my wife.  Pray also for me.

    Beloved sister in the Lord,

    Seek the Lord and you will find Him. He is faithful to His bride.

    07-07-07
    07-07-07

    I love my wife, my blessing.

    (“Love” includes many loves for me. {See 1 Corinthians 13 & Song of Songs})

    I love Jesus Christ as my Lord. Let no one doubt this First love of mine.

    I will pray also for your Christian marriage.

    (Just add a comment.)

  • Christian Anger resource: How to Handle Adversity by Charles F. Stanley

    Christian Anger resource: How to Handle Adversity by Charles F. Stanley

    NOTE: Last week we posted a series: ANGRY Children of a Loving God. 

    I wanted to point you toward an additional resource I discovered from a recent study on Christian Anger.  I have not read this entire book, yet recommend it with confidence based on the attached:

    How to Handle Adversity

    It is important to support Christian authors by purchasing their books. Although many are recognized and trusted theologians like Dr. Stanley, many Christian authors are publishing wonderful contemporary resources.

    Here is a link to Dr. Stanley’s book: InTouch Ministries.

    Adversity is the chisel used by God to shape, define, and sculpt the lives of Christians into the reflection of Christ’s character.

    Dr. Stanley teaches that everyone faces adversity- and the way you respond will determine how quickly you overcome life’s trials. Learn what a powerful combination praising, obeying, and waiting on the Lord can be. Softcover book, 208 pages.

    Price reduced.

    Everyone encounters adversity in this world. Pray to handle it with Christ’s calmness.

    Please do not try to handle anger on your own.  Ask your pastor, priest, or a Christian Counselor to help you with any adversity which causes anger, destroys relationships, and hurts you and your loved ones. – Roger