1 Samuel 12:24
21To my shame I admit that we were too weak for that!
Whatever anyone else dares to boast about—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast about. 22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they Abraham’s descendants? So am I. 23 Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. 24 Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, 26 I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. 27 I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. 28 Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. 29 Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn?
30 If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.
2 Corinthians 11:21-30
One of the biggest things I struggle with my walk with God is fearing Him. I'm so brainwashed with the idea that God is a God of love, but not the God of wraith. God has both characteristics of wraith and love. Two sides of the same coin. These few weeks I've had a chance to experience it first hand. The wraith...
The holes makes it so its more aerodynamic D:
Though I'm not being physically punished, I have been in emotional disarray swaying from being okay to falling into a deeper depression. Things have been a lot better since the start, but I'm still not out of the woods yet. I'm realizing during my times of trouble, I always end up closer with God. This dependence on Him is what he wants, but ultimately what I need to overcome my sadness and find joy in life once again.
One thing I noticed that old testament does well is showing God's wraith. For ever stupid little thing that the Israelites do, God freely dishes out the pain for not obeying. Once they forget (which they always do) God dishes out the pain to remind them that hes always present and hes a jealous God. Like allsane parents, it is essential to allow the child to be punished for his mistakes so that he doesn't end up hurting himself later. Though this method sucks, it does accomplish it's goal of understand what it means to fear the Lord.
Compared to the early believers, I consider myself lucky that I'm not smitten by God's wraith this instant. I am sinful, but more despicably, I cause other's to sin. It can't get any worse than that... I honestly feel so guilty and I deserve the full wraith of his punishment, but God has been merciful in my life... In that I should have more fear in Him, so that I don't blatantly sin against him, and end up hurting not only myself, but others as well.
How do I accomplish that?
Serve him faithfully with all my heart and reflect in his blessings he has given me. I have my health, I have a roof over my head, and I have Jesus in my heart. What is there not to be thankful for even in these times of sadness.
Taking Paul's life for example, he has been in a series of bad scenarios that have almost ended his life, yet he persevered. God allowed him to experience those events not only because he believe that Paul would make it through, but also for Paul to depend on Jesus even more. And through that I realize God is putting me through this, not only to cleanse my palate of the nasty sin that's been in my life, but also to fill my taste buds with the sweet taste of the divinity, which is Christ Jesus.
I pray God that you would help me to heal, and more importantly seek you with a greater fervor. Lately you have been pressing in my heart to seek the eternal rather than the temporal. Continue to encourage me to live for the eternal. I pray you would give me courage to follow you whole hearted with the fear that you deserve. Help me from defeating sin and not giving into the temptations that come into my life.
I pray all these things in Jesus name.
Amen.
Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
~Hebrews 12:10-11
Though I'm not being physically punished, I have been in emotional disarray swaying from being okay to falling into a deeper depression. Things have been a lot better since the start, but I'm still not out of the woods yet. I'm realizing during my times of trouble, I always end up closer with God. This dependence on Him is what he wants, but ultimately what I need to overcome my sadness and find joy in life once again.
One thing I noticed that old testament does well is showing God's wraith. For ever stupid little thing that the Israelites do, God freely dishes out the pain for not obeying. Once they forget (which they always do) God dishes out the pain to remind them that hes always present and hes a jealous God. Like all
Compared to the early believers, I consider myself lucky that I'm not smitten by God's wraith this instant. I am sinful, but more despicably, I cause other's to sin. It can't get any worse than that... I honestly feel so guilty and I deserve the full wraith of his punishment, but God has been merciful in my life... In that I should have more fear in Him, so that I don't blatantly sin against him, and end up hurting not only myself, but others as well.
How do I accomplish that?
Serve him faithfully with all my heart and reflect in his blessings he has given me. I have my health, I have a roof over my head, and I have Jesus in my heart. What is there not to be thankful for even in these times of sadness.
Taking Paul's life for example, he has been in a series of bad scenarios that have almost ended his life, yet he persevered. God allowed him to experience those events not only because he believe that Paul would make it through, but also for Paul to depend on Jesus even more. And through that I realize God is putting me through this, not only to cleanse my palate of the nasty sin that's been in my life, but also to fill my taste buds with the sweet taste of the divinity, which is Christ Jesus.
I pray God that you would help me to heal, and more importantly seek you with a greater fervor. Lately you have been pressing in my heart to seek the eternal rather than the temporal. Continue to encourage me to live for the eternal. I pray you would give me courage to follow you whole hearted with the fear that you deserve. Help me from defeating sin and not giving into the temptations that come into my life.
I pray all these things in Jesus name.
Amen.
Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
~Hebrews 12:10-11
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