Security During Hardships ~

Our Basis for Security During Hardship ~

READ/Romans 8:31

Perhaps right now, even as you read these words, you are experiencing heaviness of heart. You might be facing unbelievable hardships that no one else knows about. Maybe you are beginning a day that you know will be a challenge or ending a day that knocked you off your feet. Be encouraged,my friend. You are not alone.

Whether you're on top of the world or down in the dumps today, try this little exercise. Say aloud, "If God is for us, who is against us?" (Rom 8:31). Say it again. Repeat it over and over until it becomes a part of you. Let the biblical challenge ring forth from within your spirit and echo through the chasm of your troubles--"If God is for us, who is against us?"

First Peter 1:5 reminds us we are under God's protection. Think about what that means: absolutely nothing can touch us unless God allows it. Moreover, Jesus promises that as we remain in Him, He remains in us (John 15:4). We are protected through and through! We have an almighty defender standing between us and the world. It is as though the Father says to our Enemy, "If you want My child, you've got to come through Me first."

:rainbow:Whatever hardship comes into our lives must first pass through God's divine, all-loving hands. Of course, we may still experience hurt or loss, but we'll be aware that our Father has permitted it for some higher purpose. And we will be certain of the power to overcome--without ever having to face the struggle alone.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
Pastor Charles Stanley
IN TOUCH ~
Blessings, Abishag

well I truly admire Charles Stanley but he should have mentioned the fact that most Christians don't have the emotional fortitude to really wait on and trust in God 100% of the time and so.. they suffer hardship after hardship after hardship... which hopefully after many years will of suffering and hardship will pan out as faith.

Strictly speaking, if Mr Stanley's words were competely true in all cases.. for every Christian,, Christians would not die of cancer... their children would all be perfect etc etc etc.

God allows what we allow, keep that in mind also. Open the door to something God does not approve of and suddenly, it is in your life even though He does not approve. And it can sometimes take years to clean up the mess from a few moments of bad decision making. That goes for Christians as well as non-Christians.

I think if you picked Charles Stanley's brain he would agree but he doesn't talk much about it because people don't want to hear it..

I heard somewhere once.. someone asked Billy Graham how many of the people did he think actually got saved that came to his altar calls and he said.. realistically... only about 5%.

Hi Abishag, Hi So Sick.. (((( Smiles ))))

I think of Job and..
The Universal Challenge...
Job went through so much..
God allows, God knows, God has a final plan...
God allows freedom of choice, and the freedom to do and be..
Even if it's against God's codes of conduct in the Love Thy Neighbor theme..
Alot of terrible things are caused in this world by us humans..
as ...
We are all imperfect in the eyes of God...
All fall short.. Thats one big cause of human suffering..
Free will is another one as we can choose to behave however we want..
And of course we know who the ruler of this system is at this time..
God allows this for a reason.. the universal challange...

And learning to recognize warning signs...
" Time and unforeseen occurances befall [us] all, " says,
{ Ecclesiastes 9:11 }

Plus.. You must not put Jehovah your God to the test, " says
{ Deuteronomy 6:6 }

And from physical harm and principles that save lives, hence,
when danger threatens, they heed the inspired advice:
" Shrewd is the one that has seen clamity and proceeds to conceal
himself , but the inexpirenced have passed along and must suffer the penalty." ------- Proverbs 22:3

Plus..

God gave us a life and that right there is a precious gift..

God wants us to appreciate that gift..
Life isn't fair.. Life is a great teacher of that..
Makes a person want better.. Put's the desire there..
Makes one want to live in a world made into a haven of peace,
where there will be no fear of natural disasters...
No wars, no pain, no sickness, no suffering, no Satan,

The universal challenge.. Of..
Do you want to live under Satans rules or God's rules..
We get to compare and choose..
God's promise will be fulfilled:
My people must dwell in a peacefull abiding place and in residences of full confidence and in undisturbed resting places. "
{ Isaiah 32:18}

This principle applies even more to divine warnings recorded in the Bible.
" As for the one listening to me, " God promises,
" he will reside in security and be undisturbed from dread of clamity."
{ Proverbs 1:3 }

How do we listen to God ?
By reading his inspired Word regularly and applying it's teaching..
So we can instead look forward to gaining everlasting life in Paradise earth,
where they will " find their exquisite delight in the abundence of peace."
-- Psalm 37,10,11..

Mankind's tragic era of independence from God is about to end..
Therefore, the entire earth and all it's inhabitants will be fully under the loveing sovereignity of Jehovah...

A new Heaven and a new earth... Abundant peace....
Looking forward to that for sure..
Untill then, we have to go through this.

Take Care
Lynn

God does speak to us, through His word, the bible, but he also SPEAKS to us. If you cannot hear him you need to work on that because he speaks to all of us.. pray about it.. ask Him to help you hear Him...

about 4 days ago he showed me in my mind .. sort of like the ring of fire, volcanoes under the sea... he told me.. there will be an earthquake.. and then a tsunami... in islands of 'indigineous peoples' and he said many people will die.

well today there was an earthquake and a tsunami warning was issued just a short time ago

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080911/ap_on_re_as/indonesia_earthquake

if you know people there you should tell them asap.

That is really neat SS. I don't mean the tsunami.....just that you were that in tune. I "knew" when Katrina was going to happen.

Hi So Sick, ((( Smiles )))

After an earthquake they should issue that kind of warning for sure..
I was watching this program on TV about the big earthquake in Alaska and they had a very destructive tsunami after that one.

That was decades ago can't remember the exact date but
it's best to evacuate for sure with warnings such as that..

Most earthquakes are sudden but when I was little we had a bunny rabbit..
Cute thing, but animals seem to know when an earthquake is comeing and that rabbit did.
He hid and would not come out and the next thing we were hideing too..

It's good to heed warning's for sure..
Earthquakes can be very scary indeed..
I know, been through a few myself..
Not the big one yet but pretty close..
Not looking forward to the big one though.

You Take Care
Lynn

There were 3 earthquakes yesterday, Iran, indonesia, Japan, I was watching the news.. i think there is more coming though he showed me 5 or 6 burning spots.. and I think he actually meant Hawaii but he didn't say Hawaii but probably there are other islands out there too..

he actually usually just tells me stuff relevant to myself... I think he actually told me this because someone here does not believe God speaks to us..

but he does.

It's not a matter of being 'in tune' because if it's real important he pretty much shouts. I really believe he speaks to everyone but so many people do not know him or do not trust him... so they shrug it off.

I actually don't like telling people this stuff but there it is because he told me to tell you 4 or 5 days ago. My experience is people do not listen.. so usually I don't bother.

I think he is just proving himself to someone... even me maybe because I really do not like telling people this stuff. But if it were something in my life.. I would definitely heed him..

He has saved my behind dozens of times over the years. I have pretty much learned not to question him as a result because sometimes the things he says seem outright silly till things come to pass and suddenly you realize... that key little item made all the difference.

Let's hear what the Word has to say, please:

"What is this then that is written, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner? Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but in whosoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder."
JESUS ~
Luke 20: 17- 18

"The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit; MANY are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all." PSALMS 34:18 & 19

HEBREWS 12:6 "For whom the Lord loveth HE CHASTENETH, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. vs.7) If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?" vs. 11) Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby."

Let us all remember the words of King David , "Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm." [repeated in 1 CRONICLES 16:22]

Pastor Charles Stanley is a fine man of God being used mightily for the LORD'S Kingdom , in Atlanta, GA., USA, and also across the globe - and into Iraq.

SS, I believe you have misjudged Pastor Charles Stanley, much to his harm. He is NOT a preacher of the "FAITH" doctrine, which says, only believe, have faith, and you will always be healed. NOT SO!

Please be more careful with your own judgmental opinions. If you don't like something, why not just pass it by and go to something/somewhere else? I say that to help you not get 'banned' again. You do have a good side, which sometimes surfaces. That's a fruit-bearer for the Kingdom of God.

I also find it very hard to believe that Billy Graham gave the figure, you gave, as those being saved at a 'Billy Graham Crusade'. Pastor Graham is very much aware that , "Man looks on the outward appearance but God looks on the heart." (1 SAMUEL 16:7b)

Thank you, Blessings, Abishag <><

No, I have not misjudged Charles Stanley, not by a long shot. I have been listening to and reading his sermons/writings for over 15 years. I love Charles Stanley. And I truly believe if you picked his brain he would tell you exactly the things I stated above.

And I am sorry you don't believe Billy Graham made that statement but he most surely did.

Preaching faith is what Charles Stanley does Abishag, equating him with the 'Word of faith' movement might get you into a bit of trouble, they are pretty far from each other... if that was your intention above since it's a bit unclear as to why you would say Charles Stanley does not preach doctrines of faith.

I realize you mean well, but as you read your little bits of books and tracts it might be wise to consider that others have delved far more deeply into these areas long before you appeared on the scene to attempt to educate everyone. Perhaps the judgemental attitude that your heart bemoans is your own. Perhaps even you should pay more attention to that small little voice, and somehow try to comprehend, that it might be speaking to you, about you.

oh ye of so little faith.. here is a testimony you might learn from

http://www.sidroth.org/site/News2?a...&security=1042&news_iv_ctrl=1121

this one is pretty good too, but about something else...

http://www.sidroth.org/site/News2?abbr=rad_&page=NewsArticle&id=7551&news_iv_ctrl=1121