through
many tribulations we enter the Kingdom of God
How can you strengthen the faith of another believer?
_________________________________________________________
How do you think weariness, discouragement, trials,
persecution, discrimination and suffering might affect a person’s faith?  _________________________________________________________
There is a popular saying the “What doesn’t kill you only
makes you stronger”.  Do you think this
is true? _________________________________________________________
For an outcome to be truly
enduringly positive, it will need to rooted truth:
- God loves you
 - God’s intent is to free you
     from sin and evil
 - His desire is that you
     desire Him and find satisfaction in His provision:  He is a prize above all prizes, a hope
     above all hopes, and love above all loves
 - He fulfills His purposes and
     desires your ultimate good 
 
In the midst of pain and suffering, (emotional or physical),
it can be hard to keep the truth in focus. 
Here are some ways that believers can help other believers during these
times:
- By coming alongside someone
     (even without words), the truth of God’s love and presence is manifest
 - By sharing in the emotions
     and heartache through empathy, we demonstrate and experience His
     understanding and compassion
 - By carrying that person and
     their burden to God in prayer, we exercise the authority of Jesus to
     overcome, and we operate as the Body of Christ
 - By praying with and for
     them, we affirm their place in God’s family, their status as
     “beloved”.  We also affirm our trust
     and belief that God can and will work all
     things for good for those who love Him and are called according to His
     purposes.
 
Yes, trials are just that—trials!  They are certainly not fun or pleasant or
easy.  But just as certainly, they can
yield fruits of righteousness if we allow the trial to strip away our
independence from God.  If we submit to
truth, a trial can help draw us to Him, and as we draw near to God, our soul is
strengthened for it draws near, and into, the victorious Christ.  Indeed, it is through many tribulations that we enter the Kingdom of God.
Read and Pray:  James 1:2-4, Galatians 6:2, Isaiah
35:3-10
No comments:
Post a Comment