Suffering
SCRIPT FOR TODAY: PDCP- 12/17- “I’m All In—With My Whole Heart!” (Psalms 119:10)
SCRIPT FOR TODAY: Double Entendre (meaning)…(1) A prescription (script) prescribed, by The Great Physician, for us to take each day, for our benefit and (2) A script written, for the purpose of giving direction and guidance to us, for our everyday life, in the way and manner we ought to be conducting our daily lives, given to us, by the Great playwright, in the sky, The Author of all that is good, right, just and holy. Blessings…
SCRIPT FOR TODAY: 12/17- “I’m All In—With My Whole Heart!” (Psalms 119:10)
Premise Question: What place, position, preeminence and precedence should seeking, serving and worshipping The LORD, have, be and take in our lives?
“I have tried hard to find you— don’t let me wander from your commands.” (Psalms 119:10 NLT)
I, therefore, completely surrender my entire being, not holding anything back or in reserve, but with a deliberate diligence, abandon myself wholeheartedly, to serving and worshiping You alone, The One True Sovereign LORD GOD Almighty. So, my dear LORD GOD Almighty, I urgently and with a sincere heart, humbly request that You help me, by keeping me from ever deviating, stumbling or leaving Your righteous path, that You, O LORD, have clearly marked and paved, with Your life-giving, sustaining and preserving, commandments for my life. (Psalm 119:10 PDCP)
Bottom Line: Seeking, serving and worshiping The LORD should never be relegated to something we just poke or pick at, or just have in our lives as an enjoyable hobby, or as an activity that we use as a way to socialize or accommodate some business venture.
We should and must abandon ourselves completely to Him—His righteous way, His perfect will and His divine purpose for our lives!
You’ve heard it said before…”Either The LORD is LORD of all or He’s not LORD at all!” Let’s all choose to give The LORD His rightful place, position, preeminence and precedence, by making Him The LORD of all! Blessings…
http://www.theshipministry.com papadoncox.wordpress.com #firstandforemost
SCRIPT FOR TODAY: PDCP- 08/03- “It Is Papa God Who Restores Us, Supports Us And Makes Us Strong!” (1 Peter 5:10)
SCRIPT FOR TODAY: Double Entendre (meaning)…(1) A prescription (script) prescribed, by The Great Physician, for us to take each day, for our benefit and (2) A script written, for the purpose of giving direction and guidance to us, for our everyday life, in the way and manner we ought to be conducting our daily lives, given to us, by the Great playwright, in the sky, The Author of all that is good, right, just and holy. Blessings…
SCRIPT FOR TODAY: 08/03- “It Is Papa God Who Restores Us, Supports Us And Makes Us Strong!” (1 Peter 5:10)
Premise Question: What does Papa God restore, support and strengthen in those who’ve become members of The Company of The Redeemed?
“In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation.” (1 Peter 5:10 NLT)
And The Sovereign LORD GOD Almighty, our most merciful and gracious Papa God, showing His unmerited favor toward us, has summoned you out of darkness, enabling you to keep your divine appointment with His perpetually transforming glorious light, to forever, without end, be in the very presence of Jesus Christ, The LORD of all. This though, after a brief period of enduring and being subjected to pain, distress, trial, trouble and suffering in this life; for The Sovereign LORD GOD Almighty Himself is resolved to show up, on your behalf, to personally deliver and perfect you, by refreshing your spirit, renewing your mind, regenerating and restoring your body, causing you to function at full strength, spiritually, mentally, emotionally, as well as, physically; thereby, becoming a sure and sturdy stalwart, staying rock solid, secure, ever ready and steady, resolute in your faith and purpose, being fully and firmly established in your Holy High Calling. (1 Peter 5:10 PDCP)
Bottom Line: Papa God is beyond good and gracious, lavishly pouring out His unfailing love upon humankind, by being most merciful and kind towards His very own, all those who through Jesus Christ, His Son, have become greatly beloved members of The Company of The Redeemed; and thus, have answered the clarion call Papa God has sent forth into the earth, inviting all those of humankind who will come, to share in His eternally divine nature and His magnificently splendid glory.
Papa God doesn’t want us to be unaware of, though, nor does He want us to be surprised or shaken by, the fact that we will experience suffering, in this life; some perhaps more than others, but that we are not to succumb to becoming discouraged, disheartened or dismayed, for He has overcome all of it, and shall therefore, most assuredly, carry us through it, come what may, during it.
And then, after the suffering, He has promised to restore and renew a right spirit in us, restoring our inheritance and good fortune. He will also support and sustain us in our soul purpose and cause, holding us up and bringing His great comfort to undergird us.
But that’s not all! He has also promised to strengthen our body, by building us up in our most holy faith, making us strong, with His divine supplements, nourishment and reinforcements, of His Living Word, His personal Holy Spirit and our times of intimacy spent with Him in personal and corporate prayer times and personal and corporate worship times.
Finally, Papa God has set our feet upon a sure and strong foundation, to confidently stand, being sure footed, upon The Solid Rock, Jesus Christ, The Cornerstone of our entire faith and belief system, as He is the only Truth, The only Light, that shines in the darkness, that illuminates The only Path that leads to The only Way back to His Father, our Papa God, in order to experience and share in His eternal and magnificently splendid glory—the glory and splendor of The One True God, Jesus Christ, The Sovereign LORD GOD Almighty! Blessings…
http://www.theshipministry.com papadoncox.wordpress.com #wearecalledtoshareinhisglory #papagodrestoressupportsandstrengthensus
SCRIPT FOR TODAY: PDCP- 07/07- “We Suffer Now—Revel In Glory Later!” (Romans 8:18)
SCRIPT FOR TODAY: Double Entendre (meaning)…(1) A prescription (script) prescribed, by The Great Physician, for us to take each day, for our benefit and (2) A script written, for the purpose of giving direction and guidance to us, for our everyday life, in the way and manner we ought to be conducting our daily lives, given to us, by the Great playwright, in the sky, The Author of all that is good, right, just and holy. Blessings…
SCRIPT FOR TODAY: 07/07- “We Suffer Now—Revel In Glory Later!” (Romans 8:18)
Premise Question: Does everyone suffer in the same way during their time here on earth and do all receive the same glory and recognition in the future?
Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later. (Romans 8:18 NLT)
After careful thought and consideration, I firmly believe and am fully convinced, that our present existing trials and tribulation, with their intolerable conditions of excruciating pain, agonizing distress, along with the great loss and unpleasantness we are even now experiencing, cannot, should not, and in fact, is not even the slightest bit significant or important enough to justify, in any way shape or form, when comparing them side by side, with the immeasurable, incalculable, magnificently distinctive in renown, resplendent glory that will be made known and personally revealed in each one of us—The Company of The Redeemed, by Papa God later on, at His appointed time. (Romans 8:18 PDCP)
Bottom Line: Not everyone will experience suffering and loss in the same way or in the same degree during their time here on earth. Nor will everyone receive the same glory, rewards and distinctive recognition later on, at the appointed time, in the future. But, everyone will suffer in some way or another and at some point and in some degree during their time here on earth.
The great and wonderfully encouraging news flash is though, that all those who share in the suffering of The LORD will also share in His resplendent glory, as well! For our suffering now, is nothing when compared to the glory to be revealed and received by us personally, later on. We will surely suffer now, but we shall also certainly revel in a future glory, at a future time, where we will be clothed and regaled with the magnificence and resplendent glory of The LORD!
The suffering we experience now cannot even begin to be compared, as it is not even worthy of comparison, with the glory, rewards and recognition that we’ll receive later on. For the greater the suffering now, the greater the glory, recognition and reward later on. (2 Corinthians 4:16-18, Matthew 5:12)
I personally came to the full acceptance and realization of this great and encouraging principle, and the absolute truth during the time I watched my precious and greatly beloved wife and mother of my children, Cynthia, go through suffering that was beyond belief and too difficult to explain or understand; for it was more than I could endure and much more than I had ever seen anyone go through before or since!
It was during that time, and right after though, that The LORD opened the eyes of my heart and understanding, so that I could clearly see and perceive, with great insight and a deep understanding, that ultimately He was going to use it all for His glory and divine purpose in me, as well as, the tremendous gracious and glorious benefit of my beloved wife, Cynthia.
For one day, in the future and at the appointed time, I will see with my own eyes, the glory of The LORD upon His faithful and enduring great suffering servant Cynthia, as I too will one day stand before The LORD, The One who is our loving, full of gracious favor and great mercy, our Savior, who is ever faithful to His Word and every promise therein, and shall then receive the glory, rewards and recognition that shall far outweigh and exceed any suffering I endured and experienced during my stay and sojourn here upon this earth. We will suffer now, but later on, we shall revel in His glory! Hallelujah! Blessings…
http://www.theshipministry.com papadoncox.wordpress.com #thesufferingnowcanneverbecomparedtothegloryreceivedlateron
SCRIPT FOR TODAY: PDCP- 06/05- “Run Your Race With Dogged Determination!” (Hebrews 12:1b-2)
SCRIPT FOR TODAY: Double Entendre (meaning)…(1) A prescription (script) prescribed, by The Great Physician, for us to take each day, for our benefit and (2) A script written, for the purpose of giving direction and guidance to us, for our everyday life, in the way and manner we ought to be conducting our daily lives, given to us, by the Great playwright, in the sky, The Author of all that is good, right, just and holy. Blessings…
SCRIPT FOR TODAY: 06/05- “Run Your Race With Dogged Determination!” (Hebrews 12:1b-2)
Premise Question: How are we, as members of The Company of The Redeemed, supposed to approach the race we’ve each been given to run in this life, how are we to run the race we’ve each been given in this life and finally, how are we to finish the race we’ve each been given to run in this life?
And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.
(Hebrews 12:1b-2 NLT)
Be doggedly determined, while running the race of your life; proceeding with a sense of urgency, persistently steady, regardless of the obstacles or challenges you encounter along the course and path that’s been clearly marked out for you to follow. Refuse to acknowledge anyone or anything else that would distract you and take you off course and path, in your race. Always remain focused, with your eyes gazing intently only upon our Victor, The Savior of humankind—Jesus Christ, who is the first, the pathfinder, The One who forged a new path, by entering and clearing the way for all of us to enter into a new faith that is without any flaws, entirely faultless and beyond any improvement, being that it is entirely perfect. It was because of the exhilarating extreme joyful delight that was presented to Jesus, by Papa God, His Father, namely, the deliverance and salvation of the whole of humankind, that He willingly yielded to the abject, contemptible disdain and the disgracefully painful ignominy of the cruel cross. Following this, though, Jesus sat down in the most highly exalted, most honored and His rightful place, seated right next to His Father, The Sovereign Almighty Papa God, upon His eternal throne. (Hebrews 12:1b, 2 PDCP)
Bottom Line: We, as members of The Company of The Redeemed, are to approach our individual race with an attitude of humility, awe, having hopeful expectations, with great excitement, along with a joyful enthusiasm.
We should devote our lives to running well, always looking up, not down, moving and pressing forward, looking ahead, not behind.
We are to run our individual race, with a dogged determination, completely resolute and tenacious while running in our race. Refusing to quit, never giving in to the pressures, temptations and vicissitudes of life, but always relying on the leading, guiding and empowering of The LORD’S Holy Spirit.
And, perhaps, when on an occasion we are distracted by something or someone, causing us to stumble and fall by the wayside; then, we must not allow ourselves to stay down on the ground, just laying around, on our path and course, stewing and wallowing in defeat, shame and ignominy, just waiting, and at times, even wanting to die. But, we must arise, get up, repent and begin again! Remembering that as long as we are still here, there is still something we’ve not done; and so, we must finish the race we’ve been give to run and complete.
Speaking of finishing: We are to finish strong the race we’ve been given to run, in this life! We may not be able to run as fast as we once did, when we were younger, but we can still choose to sprint to the finish line and lean into the tape at the end with a flourish!
Then, we will hear these words from our LORD: “Well done! Way to go! You ran great, my faithful servant and dear friend! Come on in and enjoy all the rewards I’ve prepared for you! You are victorious! You have overcome and won your race!”
I once heard a man describe life, our race, as being the – (dash) between the date of our birth, both physical and spiritual and the date of our death in this life. The – (dash) in each person’s life is different, in that each one is given a certain amount of time to run their race and each one is given a different kind of race to run. Some may have a very short race, like a fifty-yard dash, while others may be given a hundred-yard sprint, and still others may be given longer and more difficult races to run, such as, a three-thousand meter steeple race, with many obstacles. Then, there are some that will even be given a marathon to run, which I would say, most of us are given, as it is a life long, in for the long haul kind of race.
Whatever race we’ve been given to run in this life, we need to run like the wind, giving our greatest effort and devotion, with a dogged determination to finish strong the race we began, the one given to us to run, by The LORD Himself. Blessings…
http://www.theshipministry.com papadoncox.wordpress.com #stayfocusedbykeepingyoureyesuponJesus #Jesusisthevictoriouschampion #runyourracewithdoggeddetermination
SCRIPT FOR TODAY:PDCP- 03/05- “Our Greatest Honor!” (1 Peter 4:16)
SCRIPT FOR TODAY: Double Entendre (meaning)…(1) A prescription (script) prescribed, by The Great Physician, for us to take each day, for our benefit and (2) A script written, for the purpose of giving direction and guidance to us, for our everyday life, in the way and manner we ought to be conducting our daily lives, given to us, by the Great playwright, in the sky, The Author of all that is good, right, just and holy. Blessings…
SCRIPT FOR TODAY: 03/05- “Our Greatest Honor!” (1 Peter 4:16)
Premise Question: Is there a difference between suffering, because you’re being recognized as an associate of Christ, and suffering, because of your own willful belligerent behavior?
But it is no shame to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of being called by his name! (1 Peter 4:16 NLT)
There is never any ignominious guilt or shame associated with being recognized as a follower of CHRIST. So, when you suffer reproach, because of your association and personal attachment to Him, rejoice! For it is a great privilege and supreme honor to be identified and labeled as a true follower of CHRIST—when you are called a Christian. (1 Peter 4:16 PDCP)
Bottom Line: The greatest privilege and supreme honor, that a believer in CHRIST can receive, in this life, from the world, is to be associated with, by being recognized and called, by The LORD’s Name—a Christian. It may be done in a contemptuous way and manner, being completely derisive, but it carries not an once of stigma or shame. There is a distinct and marked difference, though, between suffering because of our alignment with CHRIST, and suffering due to our own bad decisions and behaviors, outside of CHRIST! One is filled to the brim and overflowing, being over the top, with loathsome and quite perilous ignominy, while the other is a glorious and wonderful reason to rejoice, with thanksgiving and gratitude, for the great privilege and supreme honor of being identified, as being an associate of CHRIST; thus, wearing the label, termed by designation and reputation, of being a Christian.
A note of interest: The writer, of this great Epistle of 1st Peter, is none other than Peter himself! It’s interesting to point this out, because of his own brief moment of great shame suffered, when he denied his association and personal relationship with the “Galilean”—CHRIST! He definitely rebounded and fully recovered from his momentary lapse, and that, because of The LORD’s great compassion and unfailing love and His mercy and grace. We bear CHRIST’S Name, without any shame, for it is a privilege to do so, as it is our greatest honor.
Check out the entire chapters of 1Peter 3-4. It’s great reading and wonderful insights into how we ought to deal with suffering, as well as, how to approach and interact with others. Blessings…
http://www.theshipministry.com papadoncox.wordpress.com #thereisnoshameinsufferingforChrist #itisaprivilegeandgreathonortobeknownbyTheNameofChrist
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