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How Do You Treat Those Suffering In Their Trials? (Part Two) For Part One , see Seek To Offer Comfort . 2) Remember Words Of Grief Are Often As The Wind, Spoken Without Meaning: Job 6:1-5 But Job answered and said, Oh that my grief were throughly weighed, and my calamity laid in the balances together! For now it would be heavier than the sand of the sea: therefore my words are swallowed up. For the arrows of the Almighty are within me, the poison whereof drinketh up my spirit: the terrors of God do set themselves in array against me. Doth the wild ass bray when he hath grass? or loweth the ox over his fodder? Job says, “I am crying out and you can see my misery and you show no pity at all. You act as if I’m not in trouble. I wouldn’t be crying out if I weren’t.” He points out that the longeared donkey out in the field doesn’t bray for something to eat when he is eating grass. So Job is saying that he wouldn’t be crying out if there were nothing hurting him. He says, “I’m hurting and I’...

How Do You Treat Those Suffering In Their Trials? (Part One) As I was reading through the book of Job recently, I was thinking about our response to those suffering through trials or grieving. I have met various people that were not right with God and did not have the right (ie. Biblical) perspective on their trial or in their grief. Many times we hear vain or sometimes even blasphemous words from someone professing to be a believer, who is having a hard time trusting the Lord in their situation. What is our response? Certainly we should pray for wisdom and do what we can to offer them Biblical comfort and hope - but how do we react to their words spoken in fear or pain? I agree, sin is sin - if someone speaks against God, it is not somehow excusable or acceptable because they are going through a difficult time in their lives. However, it is understandable. They need to repent of their words toward the Lord that were spoken out of rashness or anger. I believe it is wrong to simply over...

I preached this sometime last week, but didn't write the date on my notes. I wanted to write up this message because I know at least one friend who could use the encouragement because of some trials he is facing for standing for what it right. I encourage you to read Nehemiah chapters four and six first, as that is the background of this devotion. Building Up The Walls In Our Lives Nehemiah 4:1-3 But it came to pass, that when Sanballat heard that we builded the wall, he was wroth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews. And he spake before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What do these feeble Jews? will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned? Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, Even that which they build, if a fox go up, he shall even break down their stone wall. Nehemiah travelled back to Jerusalem and saw firsthand the sad state...

The Holy Calling 2 Timothy 1:6-14 Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God; Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling , not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel: Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles. For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to k...

The High Calling Philippians 3:4-9 Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: In this passage, the Apostle Paul recounts his religious heritage - then he states it was all worthless when compared to knowing the Lord Jesus Christ a...

Our Hope In Christ This study builds on The Hope Of Your Calling . Romans 15:13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost. 1 Corinthians 13:7 Charity... (love for both God and man) Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. The Biblical definition of the word hope is a "confident expectation." If you have trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation, there are many things that the Lord has promised to do in your life. What are some of the things we are to have hope for, that we are to be confidently expecting in Christ? Hope in the resurrection: Psalms 16:8-11 I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou wilt shew...

The Hope Of Your Calling I was reading an encouraging devotional this morning over at Julie's Jewels where Sis Julie reminds of us our high calling in Christ, and that in turn reminded me of a message I have been wanting to tackle for some time now. In the New Testament, we see four different phrases in regards to our calling as believers: 1) The Hope Of Your Calling - Ephesians 1:18; 4:4 2) The High Calling - Philippians 3:14 3) The Holy Calling - 2 Timothy 1:9 4) The Heavenly Calling - Hebrews 3:1 Originally, I was going to tackle these all as one devotion, but as I started to dig deeper, I realized these passages/themes were too rich to mention in passing. I have decided to do one devotion on each theme. I was scheduled to preach at lunch time at the Mission today, but we had some unexpected (at least to me) visitors coming in, so I have decided to preach the supper devotional. That gave me a bit more time to develop the first point. The Hope Of Your Calling One aspect of Pau...

Upheld By The Lord He's got the whole world in His hands, He's got the whole world in His hands, He's got the whole world in His hands, He's got the whole world in His hands. Pretty simple song. A child's song, showing child-like faith and trust in the Lord God. It has various other verses to it, all teaching that God has this whole world held in His hands. It is a song of comfort and assurance. This is the theme I wanted to study out together with you today. Tracing the words upheld and uphold in their various forms throughout the Bible show that the first time this word is used was by one of Job's friends who was rebuking Job for his doubts during his time of trouble: Job 4:3-6 Behold, thou hast instructed many, and thou hast strengthened the weak hands. Thy words have upholden him that was falling, and thou hast strengthened the feeble knees. But now it is come upon thee, and thou faintest; it toucheth thee, and thou art troubled. Is not this thy fear, thy co...