At my Office.........

In my office, I have this cute cartoon. It is showing a cute person wearing the Armor of God and shooting arrows (devil's schemes). A quote under the cartoon states: "Look at it this way...... Without these trials, testing of your faith, working of patience, and fighting a good fight.......LIFE COULD BE BORING." (see 1 Peter 1:7) 1 Peter 1:7 (NIV) These have come so that your faith-of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire- may be proved genuine may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed." Prayer: Lord, I will accept the way of uncertainty in my life. By faith, I will expect that not all Your secrets (will) will be revealed. I understand that You will lead me not in a comfortable way but in a right godly way. Your godly right way means putting me through experiences that most clearly produce Jesus' image in me. I realize that you are leading me to an internal goal, not an external goal that many of my experiences will make no sense in my life. I will remember to be thankful for all experiences (good and bad) in my life, since they all "work together for good", that is the good of being conformed to the image of Jesus Christ (Romans 8:28-29). I understand that Your will (plans) will be worth all of my pain and trouble. Amen

Tested by Fire

According to various scriptures, I will use one reference for an example which is 1 Corinthians 3:12-15. My works will be tested by fire each day I walk, and while I am walking, my works will be burned and purified. Some rewards will be burn up and some will remain. I won't know until I get into heaven. Reading the Scriptures, I understand that I will be rewarded for the good that's remaining after my spiritual motivations (however anyone wants to term this) have been burned up, and the burning of the stuff occurs in 1 Corinthians 3. Sin in my life towards the end of my life. I can begin to forfeit my rewards and those things listed would be taken back off the list, added to the "wood, hay, and stubble" kind of thing, and your reward would be less. Gold, silver, and costly stones. These are symbolic of good work. But it’s more than good. It’s eternal work, spiritual work. It’s work that is born of the Spirit of God, ordered by Him. It’s work that is born out of an abiding relationship with Christ. Wood, hay, and straw. These are symbolic of inadequate work. Now that does not mean that it’s not perceived as good. It may look good, but in reality it was not good at all. That’s because it had its origin in the flesh. The Spirit of God never authorized it. It’s work that is not led by the Spirit, but is merely human effort to please God. Motive may be a selfish desire to do something for Jesus. It may be a desire to look good in the eyes of others. In the WoF world, motives are my primary problem because many desires are related to "NOW" rather than later. It is not enough to do good spiritual works, such as prophesy, healing and other spiritual gifts. Spiritual works must flow from the will of God. Jesus said it is the one who does the will of the Father who really does good works. That’s the key requirement for doing the works of the Kingdom. When the Lord looks, He sees all. He sees beyond the surface, even to the thoughts and intents of our heart. So perhaps this fire that will try our works is the all seeing eye of the Lord Himself. But in any case, the nature of our works will be revealed. And what is the outcome? What is the prize which awaits those who do Kingdom work? The nature of the spiritual work determines the reward or loss. Example If what I have built survives, I will receive my reward; however, if it is burned up, I will suffer loss. I am still saved and I am sealed to enter into heaven regardless. Whatever I built spiritual during my human life, my rewards may escape through the flames. If my works passed the test and stand because they are true spiritual works of the Kingdom, then I will be rewarded according to my works. Now if my works are consumed because they were works built on the flesh based on wrong spiritual motives, then I will suffer the loss of them, and there will be no reward. So, my spiritual goals are to lay up treasure in heaven. I am going to focus on building on the foundation (Christ) with the right spiritual motives, that my spiritual work will be gold, silver, and costly stones. "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." (Gal. 6:9)

More Quotes

When He wore a crown of thorns, do you wish to wear a crown of gold?" Johann Arndt, *True Christianity*. "To know the mechanics does not mean that we are practicing the Disciplines. The Spiritual Disciplines are an inward and spiritual reality, and the inner attitude of the heart is far more crucial than the mechanics for coming into the reality of the spiritual life." ------- Richard Foster, *Celebration Of Discipline* 2nd ed. (Harper, 1988), p.3 "Resolved : that all men should live for the glory of God. Resolved second : that whether others do or not, I will." ------- Jonathan Edwards "You may as well quit reading and hearing the Word of God, and give it to the devil, if you do not desire to live according to it." -------- Martin Luther "Faith, if it be true faith, is a sure trust and confidence of the heart, and a firm consent whereby Christ is apprehended: so that Christ is the object of faith, yea, rather he is not the object, but, as it were, in the faith itself Christ is present." ------ Martin Luther "Faith...comes only when the outward fact penetrates to the inner heart of man and takes possession of him there -- and this is the work of the Spirit." ------ George Hendry, *The Holy Spirit in Christian Theology*. "By faith we receive the saving grace of God that delivers us from guilt and sin. In love we participate in the victorious struggle of God against the principalities and powers of evil." ------ Gabriel Fackre, *A Christian Story*, p.203 "If knowing answers to life's questions is absolutely necessary to you, then forget the journey. You will never make it, for this is a journey of unknowables -- of unanswered questions, enigmas, incomprehensibles, and, most of all, things unfair." ------ Jeanne Guyon, in *Spiritual Torrents* "Spell this out in capital letters: THE HOLY SPIRIT IS A PERSON. He is not enthusiasm. He is not courage. He is not energy. He is not the personification of all good qualities, like Jack Frost is the personification of cold weather. Actually, the Holy Spirit is not the personification of anything...... He has individuality. He is one being and not another. He has will and intelligence. He has hearing. He has knowledge and sympathy and ability to love and see and think. He can hear, speak, desire, grieve and rejoice. He is a Person." ------ A W Tozer, *The Counselor* "Medicine makes people ill, mathematics makes them sad, and theology makes them sinful." ~ Martin Luther (1483-1546) German Reformation leader "Although Satan does his part, God still retains supreme authority." (John Calvin) "If there were no God, there would be no atheists." - Where All Roads Lead, 1922 The riddles of God are more satisfying than the solutions of man." - Introduction to the Book of Job, 1907 "Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross." Dietrich Bonhoeffer, *Cost Of Discipleship*, p.47 "When a successful figure becomes especially prominent and conspicuous, the majority give way to the idolization of success. They become blind to right and wrong, truth and untruth, fair play and foul play." Dietrich Bonhoeffer, *Ethics* "God never gives us discernment in order that we may criticize, but that we may intercede." ------ Oswald Chambers "Defend the Bible? I would just as soon defend a lion. Just turn the Bible loose. It will defend itself." (Charles Haddon Spurgeon) Every time we say, "I believe in the Holy Spirit," we mean that we believe that there is a living God able and willing to enter human personality and change it. J. B. Phillips, *Plain Christianity* The incentive to peacemaking is love, but it degenerates into appeasement whenever justice is ignored. To forgive and to ask for forgiveness are both costly exercises. All authentic Christian peacemaking exhibits the love and justice—and so the pain—of the cross. John R. W. Stott Love is an act of endless forgiveness. Jean Vanier Faith is believing He, the miracle worker, can turn my stone-cold indifference into a fire of love toward certain "unlovables". Pamela Reeve If we want the advantages of love, then we must be willing to take the risks of love. And that requires vulnerability. Of course, we can refuse this path and trod another one devoid of openness. But the toll on such a road is extremely high. Charles (Chuck) R. Swindoll Not all of passion is love and not all of love is passion. Ed Cole, Christian Men's Network Our merriment must be of that kind (and it is, in fact, the merriest kind) which exists between people who have, from the outset, taken each other seriously - no flippancy, no superiority, no presumption. And our charity must be a real and costly love, with deep feeling for the sins in spite of which we love the sinner - no mere tolerance or indulgence which parodies love as flippancy parodies merriment. C. S. (Clive Staples) Lewis, Into The Wardrobe If we truly love people, we will desire for them far more than it is within our power to give them, and this will lead us to prayer: Intercession is a way of loving others. Richard J. Foster Instead of allowing yourself to be unhappy, just let your love grow as God wants it to grow. Seek goodness in others. Love more persons more -- love them more impersonally, more unselfishly, without thought of return. The return, never fear, will take care of itself. Henry Drummond The greatest happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved - loved for ourselves, or rather, loved in spite of ourselves. Victor Hugo Dare to love and to be a real friend. The love you give and receive is a reality that will lead you closer and closer to God as well as those whom God has given you to love. Henri J. M. Nouwen Love finds no steady home in psychological health. I am sure God wants us to be whole and healthy in every way possible, but love neither depends upon these things nor ends with them. In fact, blessings sometimes come through brokenness that could never come in any other way. Gerald May There are so many different ways of being healed. The best way, and by far the commonest, is to be loved. To be loved by God, and to know it and live it, is to be healed indeed. The Good News first of all is that you and I are accepted and loved by God. From all eternity you and I have been in the mind of God. God’s love for us is utterly reliable and has no conditions whatsoever. Cyril Brooks "We do not choose suffering simply because we are told to, but because the one who tells us to describes it as the path to everlasting joy." John Piper "Thinking Theologically is a tough thing to do. It works against our human and horizontal perspective on life. Thinking vertically is a discipline few have mastered. We much prefer to live in a here-and-now realm, seeing life as others see it, dealing with realities we can touch, analyze, prove, and explain. We are much more comfortable with the tattile, the familiar, the logic shaped by our culture and lived out our times." Chuck Swindoll, The Mystery of God's Will (pg 17) "It is misleading to imagine that we are developed in spite of our circumstances, for we are developed because of them. It is mastery in circumstances that is needed, not mastery over them." - Oswald Chambers People with disabilities are God's best visual aids to demonstrate who He really is. His power shows up best in weakness. And who by the world's standards is weaker than the mentally or physically disabled? As the world watches, these people persevere. They live, love, trust and obey Him. Eventually the world is forced to say, "How great their God must be to inspire this kind of loyalty." Joni Eareckson Tada "You as a family have been chosen in a special way to display His unique Masterwork. I pray that your roots of faith will grow deep down into the faithfulness of God's Loving Plan, that you will exchange your inadequacy for the Adequacy of Jesus' resurrection power, and that you will be awed as you witness the fruits of the Spirit manifested in your family." Elisabeth Elliot (Back to the Bible) "Thinking Theologically is a tough thing to do. It works against our human and horizontal perspective on life. Thinking vertically is a discipline few have mastered. We much prefer to live in a here-and-now realm, seeing life as others see it, dealing with realities we can touch, analyze, prove, and explain. We are much more comfortable with the tattile, the familiar, the logic shaped by our culture and lived out our times." Chuck Swindoll, The Mystery of God's Will (pg 17)

Being rooted and able to endure...........

Matthew 13:20-22 (New King James Version) But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. Mark 4:16-18 (NKJV) These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness; and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word’s sake, immediately they stumble. Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, James 1:2-4 (NKJV) My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. Romans 11:17-19 (NKJV) And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree, do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you. Ephesians 3:16-18 (NKJV) that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— 2 Timothy 4:4-6 (NKJV) and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

Quotes regarding sufferings

Deny your weakness, and you will never realize God's strength in you. (Joni Eareckson Tada) Man, made in the image of God, has a purpose - to be in relationship to God, who is there. Man forgets his purpose and thus he forgets who he is and what life means. (Francis Schaeffer) We never know when our disappointment will be His appointment. (Charles Swindoll) The best prayers have often more groans than words. John Bunyan We do not choose suffering simply because we are told to, but because the one who tells us to describes it as the path to everlasting joy. John Piper Christianity is a battle - not a dream. Wendell Phillips This is God's universal purpose for all Christian suffering: more contentment in God and less satisfaction in the world. John Piper Truly it is a misery even to live upon the earth. The more spiritual a man desires to be, the more bitter does his present life become to him; because he sees more clearly and perceives more sensibly the defects of human corruption. Thomas a Kempis Paul's sufferings complete Christ's afflictions not by adding anything to their worth, but by extending them to the people they were meant to save. John Piper God knows our situation; He will not judge us as if we had no difficulties to overcome. What matters is the sincerity and perseverance of our will to overcome them. C.S. Lewis "God's purpose in increasing our trials is to sensitize us to people we never would have been able to relate to otherwise." Joni Eareckson Tada "God deliberately chooses weak, suffering and unlikely candidates to get His work done, so that in the end, the glory goes to God and not to the person." Joni Eareckson Tada "Suffering drives us to our knees in weakness, where God wants us, so that His strength is most obvious, not ours." Joni Eareckson Tada "God wants us to lay our burdens on Him and rest in His love. It's His responsibility to work out the purpose and plan in our hardships. Only our refusal to trust Him....can hinder His purposes in our lives." Joni Eareckson Tada Canadian Mark Pickup (disabled with multiple sclerosis). He has said, “I have been more service to God disabled than during my able-bodied years. This didn’t happen despite my disability but because of my disability.” Joni Tada said it beautifully: "Sometimes God will use suffering and affliction to sandblast us to the core and get us seriously thinking about larger than life issues of heaven and hell, I just don't know that we would think about these issues were it not for an ice-cold splash of suffering waking us out of our spiritual slumber. God's purpose in redeeming us is not to make our lives happy, healthy, and free of trouble. It is not an escape from our physical pains. His purpose is to make us more like Christ. He will chose to allow spinal cord injury or multiple sclerosis or blindness or stroke or Alzheimer's or whatever to not only teach us, but also our loved ones, about what it means to become more like him."

God Pruning me through Sufferings

Galatians 2:20, "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me." Without Jesus, I am a nobody however when I serve Christ as He is in me, I am somebody. Christ commanded me to love God and others with all of my heart, mind and soul; I am to live in the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.(see: Galatians 5:22). John 15 is an interesting chapter and I believe this chapter have strong ties to Romans 12:1-2 and Hebrews 12. "The Lord disciplines those He loves, and He punishes everyone He accepts as a child." (Hebrews 12:6). Are we allowing God's will in pruning us so we will bear more fruit? As a Christian, we still can have sinful desires, foolish desires, proud desires and at the same time, have godly desires. Our human heart is very selfish. Our heart is the source of our emotions, thoughts and motives. Our heart is the place of conscience. Our heart is the part of our being where we desire, deliberate, and decide. Our self-interest motives conduct even though it is part of our fallen nature, the cross is a symbol of the selfless, others-centered life of Christ. Love alone can make our conduct acceptable to God. Our motives in our Christian life should be both holy and genuine. In the whole New Testament, what is the primary motive to be a Christian? We are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 2:5). We are to offer our bodies as living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God. This is our Spiritual act of Worship. We will not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by renewing of our minds with the Word of God. By understanding the Word of God, we will be able to test and approve what God's will is; His good, pleasing and perfect Will (Romans 12:1-2). We Christians are the branches that sometime will fail to bear fruit and this is where God will prune our fruitless branches. The fruitless branches are cut off from our life. Jesus is the vine and our vinedresser is the Father. God is pruning in the concept of purging. The word purge means "to cleanse", "to prune". God purges/prunes a branch that bears fruit (a Christian) so that it might bear more fruit (become spiritually mature). Our wonderful God removes sin or worldly distractions that would hinder our fruit-bearing because He wants us to bear godly fruit. Suffering is one of the best methods of purging (pruning). Purging (pruning) can be in various forms such as sickness, hardship, loss of material goods, slander and persecution, loss of loved ones, grief in relationships, or war. From my experiences, I have learned alot and God have pruned me so much over the years. In reality, I cannot expect to escape circumstances because they will always happen, one way or another. Without circumstances, my self-discovery will not be completed and my self-judgment will be biased and imperfect. This is why I am to work along with the Holy Spirit so that I may make amendments as the circumstances demand. By discovering who I am, I will also be finding whom I am not and whom I can be through Christ. My greatest teachers have been my circumstances because my greatest spiritual growth occurred in the most unfavorable of circumstances. When I am most aware of my weaknesses, I am more inclined to collapse into God's strength and experience His amazing grace. "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness." (2 Cor. 12:9). Having faith in God allows me to go as far as I can while trusting in God's grace to overcome the difficulties I face every day. God is asking me to stay strong in faith, keep at it, to carry on, to stick with it, as I trust in HIS possibilities. In doing so God will lift me above my circumstances as He develops my character. Bad things are never good and God never wants bad things to happen, but the Bible clearly repeated reminding me that God uses trials to work for our good for His Glory. Sometimes God allows us to suffer so He can refine us. Suffering purifies us like fire refines gold (1 Pet. 1:6-7). God will ultimately work out for my good and for His Glory. The Bible and the Holy Spirit clearly taught me that God didn't merely promise me that temporal good will come out of difficult situations but did promised that whatever I do during my trials that God will be with me and I will Glorify God. There is a every good reason for me to face circumstances and chronic pains. The reason is for me to work along with the Holy Spirit so that I can make changes in my life as the circumstances demand. That God already knows me thoroughly (Psa. 139:1-6) and He knows what is best for me. I will trust Him even though I will not always understand Him since He is God. I just need to remember of who He is that I can fully trust Him. Because I know that my suffering produces perseverance, character; and hope. Romans 5:1-5 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.