Troubled by not Distressed

THE BEREAN CALL

Samuel G Whiteside  · ordnspSote7658a7a412ha97taff694u57g0g10752lu1m2f60att4fim566  · 

Samuel G Whiteside

ordnspSote46580aa412Pa97taf:394u57gM1 07 2lJ1m ly0u t4fim561  · 

COMFORT IN TIMES OF TROUBLE

With Jesus we just get the truth, his words are are always what we need to hear not always what we want to hear, he tells us that in this life we "will" face afflictions, in other words he's telling us that following Jesus does not make us exempt from the troubles that this fallen world will give us through our lives, we will all die, we will all lose people we love we may feel depression the Lord does not lie he tells us life will be hard!

John 16:33

33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

With his truth he also brings a promise that he will be with us through it all, bringing a peace that will be a foundation for us to be able get through this hard life

This truth is evidently shown in every believer I have ever known, and every person that was a child of God in the Bible, everyone faces these trials but through Christ they always find the strength to go on, God upholds us with his right hand he keeps out spirits strong especially when we go through the hard times.

Isaiah 41:10

fear thou not, for I am with thee; be not dismayed, for I am thy God. I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of My righteousness.

Don't get me wrong it's not all doom and gloom God also promises us blessings in life and again we see this in every believers lives but ultimately Jesus words are to comfort us for the times when life gets us down, the promise of salvation and an eternal life that is free from tribulations and troubles is awaiting us all so I think that does our minds and spirits good, that is where we find our rest even in life..

Matthew 11:28-30

28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

I believe all of these promises because they have been proven in my own life, I have been very blessed but I live a simple life I am married I have children, I work and I take care of my family and I enjoy the love within my own house, that is the blessings God has giving me but life still hits hard since I have been walking with God I have lost loved ones I have watched my family go through illnesses there is not one part of my new life that was not promised would happen.

It's so important for us to trust God's word for the tribulations and not just the blessings we receive, in doing so we won't have a mindset of "where is God now" instead we will have a mindset of "God is with me he will get me through this and everything will be ok"

That is where my strength lies and that's why I always encourage fellow believers to keep reading the word of God we are to keep each other strong through encouragement

◄ 1 Thessalonians 5:11 ►

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

I hope and pray this can help or encourage someone in the loving name of our Lord Jesus Christ

The Victor Who Returns | Dr. David Jeremiah

Standing Strong and Remaining Blameless

Many years ago, a non-Christian friend "accused" me of changing as though it was a bad thing. She didn't like the new me after I trusted Christ. She preferred the old me, full of sin and sadness.

 
I am convinced the new me, full of forgiveness from God and joy living in His Spirit, was convincing to her. She did things to attempt to derail my walk with him, I presume with the hope that I would return to the old me.

 
There has been more than one person in my life who did this, and they were all family. One "Christian" who seemed to be jealous of the new me said, "Remember how you used to be?" in an accusatory tone. As though she didn't want me to sense the forgiveness of Christ and experience the freedom from past forgiven sins.

 
I never figured out what this got her, but it produced a wall between us that will never come down unless there is repentance from the jealousy and bitterness.
These interactions were very telling; one person was not born again, the other claimed to be a Christian but acted like the unsaved person who was also jealous of the new me.

Instead of sharing in the blessing of being changed by Christ, they attempted to heap guilt upon me to destroy my peace and joy. It didn't work because when Christ changes us, it is real and permanent, and no attack of the devil will destroy it. And, it was the devil using these two women to discourage and accuse.

 
Revelation 12:10 "
Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers and sisters has been thrown down, the one who accuses them before our God day and night."

No born-again believer would be jealous of the changed heart of another believer; they would rejoice with them. So, from that time to this, I have been praying for these two women to be born again, trust in Christ, and be cleansed of their jealousy and bitterness.

 
Until that happens, we can have no fellowship; we cannot walk together in solidarity because we are not walking the same path.

 
Amos 3:3 " 3 Can two walk together without agreeing where to go?"

2 Corinthians 6:14
"Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership can righteousness have with wickedness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness?"

My prayer has been that those who do not know Christ will find Him, submit to Him in repentance, and be changed by Him. If this happens, then we will have sweet fellowship as sisters in Christ walking the same path.

 
Do not be discouraged when you become saved and encounter friends and family who would rather believe you were not changed than share in your joy of being made a new creation by Christ. IT IS GOING TO HAPPEN because the devil hates the new us too, and will use those closest to us to attempt to derail our faith.

 
The stronger we become in the Lord the more He will reveal who are our brothers and sisters and who are the unsaved or pretenders, it will become clear.

 
Matthew 10:34-36
34 “Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I came to turn a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; 36 and a person’s enemies will be the members of his household."

We are peaceful because we Christ lives in us, but those who come against us are not peaceful, they are angry and often out of control emotionally.

Romans 12:18
"18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all people."

We need not fight with those who try to produce arguments, but we do not capitulate either. We speak the truth and leave their response to it to the Lord. Their response is on them and not our fault or business. The fault lies with them, and it is God's business.

 
Often, when a nonbeliever is angry, they will attempt to blame others for their own anger. Anyone who becomes angry is an angry person on the inside, and it is all on them.

 
Romans 12:19 "19 Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but leave room for God’s wrath. For it is written: “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, says the Lord."

Proverbs 16:7
"When a man’s ways please the LORD, He makes even the man’s enemies live at peace with him."

When the enemy wants to fight, we let them fight alone without response. Unreasonable people will never discuss anything rationally; they are all about controlling people, never about learning about them or from them.

 
Once we learn the tactics of the devil through his use of human beings, we don't have to take anything personally; we dismiss it as God's business and remain blameless.

Hallelujah!!!!

Water Baptism Vs Baptism of the Holy Spirit

Amen, Amen!!!! Mankind is predisposed to think they must "do" something to save themselves. When we know Christ does it all by His grace, we will depend on Him more fully when we know we are helpless and He is all-powerful.

Albert Jesus Major said:
There’s a big difference between Holy Spirit baptism and water baptism, and they are not interchangeable.

1 Corinthians 12:13 (𝙆𝙅𝘽)
13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

That’s the baptism of the Holy Spirit, it happens the moment a person believes the Gospel (1 Corinthians 15:1–4 KJB). It places us into the Body of Christ, that is salvation.

Water baptism, on the other hand, is a public testimony, not the cause of salvation.
Ephesians 2:8–9 (KJB) makes it clear:
8 𝙁𝙊𝙍 𝘽𝙔 𝙂𝙍𝘼𝘾𝙀 𝘼𝙍𝙀 𝙔𝙀 𝙎𝘼𝙑𝙀𝘿 𝙏𝙃𝙍𝙊𝙐𝙂𝙃 𝙁𝘼𝙄𝙏𝙃; and that 𝙉𝙊𝙏 𝙊𝙁 𝙔𝙊𝙐𝙍𝙎𝙀𝙇𝙑𝙀𝙎: 𝙄𝙏 𝙄𝙎 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙂𝙄𝙁𝙏 𝙊𝙁 𝙂𝙊𝘿:
9 𝙉𝙊𝙏 𝙊𝙁 𝙒𝙊𝙍𝙆𝙎, 𝙇𝙀𝙎𝙏 𝘼𝙉𝙔 𝙈𝘼𝙉 𝙎𝙃𝙊𝙐𝙇𝘿 𝘽𝙊𝘼𝙎𝙏.

Even in Acts, salvation came by believing, not water:
Acts 10:43–44 (𝙆𝙅𝘽)
43 To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.
44 While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.
They were saved before water baptism (Acts 10:47–48):
47 Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?
48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.
Salvation is by faith alone in Christ alone, not by any work, not even water."







Albert Jesus Major