Hello Everyone ...

Here we are at the doorstep of Resurrection Time and Activies for many of God's people, and already we have entered into another season called "SPRING."

With that thought in mind I am reminded of the passage of Scripture that says, "For all flesh is as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away." (1 Peter 1:24)

If we are only thinking in the temporal, we as believers are deeply in trouble.

Hebrews 9:27 says "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: ..."

You and I as believers in Christ will face our BEMA [Judgment Seat of Christ] and must give account for our deeds (2 Corinthians 5:10) which may not be rewarding if indeed our eyes are only focus on what our flesh can or cannot accomplish.

But if we are thinking eternally ["... looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith" (Hebrews 12:2)], praise the Lord because our "redemption draweth nigh." (Luke 21:28)

I trust you are living in the light of our Saviour's return today (Titus 2:12-14) and that as believers in Christ, you'll not be caught with your hands in the cookie jar of sin and thus to be "ashamed before him at his coming" (1 John 2:28) but that your deeds or "those things" (2 John 8) or "all that we and you have labored for" (2 John 8, AMP) will be that which can receive a "full reward" or "a perfect reward [in full]." (2 John 8, KJV and AMP respectively)

If you know not Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house." (Acts 16:31)

The verse that precedes 1 Peter 1:24 says, "Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever." I trust that you are born again by the living word of God, and that indeed you are living in the light of His return.

That makes each and everyday a special day for it may be your last day to be living on this side of eternity, and as Ephesians 5:15-16 says, we ought to be walking circumspectly (exactly, accurately, diligently or "purposefully and worthily and accurately", AMP), not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil."

God also says of your life,

10 "The length of our days is seventy years-
or eighty, if we have the strength;
yet their span is but trouble and sorrow,
for they quickly pass, and we fly away.

11 Who knows the power of your anger?
For your wrath is as great as the fear that is due you.

12 Teach us to number our days aright,
that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

Believer, may you and I live each day as we are living in the realm of eternity and may it be with eternity's values in mind and heart.

Praise the Lord, let the time be as it may, for we are now one day closer to our Lord's return when we shall see Jesus Christ face to face. (1 John 3:2-3).

Have a GREAT DAY in the LORD! (Psalm 118:24)

In Christ's Love, Gary L

WHAT ABOUT DISCOURAGEMENT?
Current mood: peaceful
Category: Friends

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Spending time in God's Word can give one great strength for a given day.

Psalm 119:25, "My soul cleaveth unto the dust: quicken thou me according to thy word."

Psalm 119:28, "My soul melteth for heaviness: strengthen thou me according unto thy word."

The first verse has to do with "giving up on life" ... "cleaveth unto the dust."

How many times do we as God's people just want to give up, throw in the towel, or just wish the rapture would happen so we do not have to face whatever experience God is having us to go through.

There is so much strength that comes from focusing on and being in God's precious Word, "... quicken [which means to revive, stimulate] thou me according to thy word."

It is God's precious, life-giving, life-transforming Word that provides the strength that we need to face the experiences that God would have us to walk through. He is the One that will provide the direction through those experiences and it is always through His precious Word. (Psalm 119:9, 11, 105)

The second verse has to do with discouragement.

Yes, even God's people can easily become discouraged when facing all that is in their lives.

Discouragement is simply being deprived of courage or confidence." The Amplified Bible says "My life dissolves and weeps itself away for heaviness." Discouragement is always a heaviness in life, so many burdens, so many cares, so many things to have to contend with, and so many things to worry about.

In Matthew 14:27-33, Peter is declared to be walking on the water toward Jesus, and when he took his eyes off of Jesus and looked around and saw the waves which we compare to the storms in life), he was afraid, losing courage and began to sink.

Jesus was there reaching out his hand and taking Peter's hand into His and saying to Peter "O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt [me]?" (Matthew 14:31)

So many times when we take our eyes off of the Lord Jesus and we see and do things in our own fleshly ways, desires and strength do we begin to lose faith, courage or confidence.

That will always lead to discouragement, and many times, discouragement will lead to depression. Faith, courage or confidence always comes by focusing on Jesus Christ and His precious life-sustaining Word, "... quicken [make be alive, or revive] me according to they word."

As the song "Thy Word" so says in its second stanza, "When I feel afraid, and I think I've lost my way, Still You're there right beside me. Nothing will I fear as long as you are near, Please be near me to the end."

Focus believer, on Jesus Christ, and His precious, life-giving, life-transforming, life-sustaining Word, and He will take care of your or my wanting to throw in the towel on life and he will take care of your or my being discouraged, and He will do so by renewing our faith, courage or confidence in Him.

Remember ... FOCUS on HIM (Colossians 3:1-2; Hebrews 12:2)

Have a GREAT DAY in the LORD! (Psalm 118:24)
Gary L Folz