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Rom. 8:18 - "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us." NASU
We all are going to suffer in this world. We may suffer physically, mentally, or emotionally. It really doesn't matter how we suffer. What matters is how we deal with our sufferings when they come. The way I picture this scene is this way: first visualize a set of scales. On the one side we place all of our present sufferings on the scale and on the other side you place your future glory of being in Heaven. KABOOM! The side with your future glory being much heavier immediately forces the pan down and your sufferings go flying off of the other side. Paul is basically saying that, our present sufferings in this life are not worthy to be compared with our future eternal glory in heaven. When you suffer please remember to compare your sufferings with your future reward of being in God's glory, Heaven. The apostle John said it this way: Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, 4 and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away." Revel. 21:1-4 NASU
On the other hand with God our glory is eternal. There will be no end to our glory. It is a no brainer. When you are suffering compare them to eternal glory with God in Heaven. There really is no comparison. Think On These: People always get into trouble when they think they can handle their lives without God. God isn't just a present help in time of trouble, but a great help in keeping us out of trouble. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word Share this Pump Up with others by Sharing on Your Facebook Page, Twitter or Forwarding to a friend.
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1 Thes. 5:18 - "…in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." NASU
Tomorrow is the day that has been set aside for us to give thanks for all the blessings we have been given from God. I am sure we do not wait until this one day of the year to give thanks.
For years I have had people say to me that they want the Will of God to be done in their lives. I would say to them be "thankful and you will be doing the Will of God." They always got this strange look on their face and would say, "Yeah, I am thankful, but you know, I really want to do the Will of God." I would always tell them, "According to the Apostle Paul, if you are "thankful" in everything you will be doing the Will of God."
Instead of me answering that question since I have never had one of my children die I quote a man who was familiar with the death of a child. In fact, he lost 10 children in one disastrous day. Job's wife even wanted him to curse God for what had just happened to their family. Job 2:9-10 - Then his wife said to him, "Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die!" 10 But he said to her, "You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?" In all this Job did not sin with his lips. NASU Job had just lost his 10 children, all his animals, his herds or in other words, his wealth. But Job's ATTITUDE guides his BEHAVIOR. He didn't sin by saying things that he would later regret. Job wasn't "thankful" for the death of his children or the loss of his wealth, but his attitude was he would accept good from God, and now that adversity had come into his life he would accept it as well. Many times in life we have to accept things that we don't like.
We must wait upon the Lord and in time once the pain has decreased some we will start to allow God to give us the answers to the trials we face. Job's attitude guided his behavior. The scripture says, "In all of this Job did not sin with his lips." In other words he didn't curse God and ask to die.
If you do a little inspection of your life you will find you have more to give thanks for then you might realize. Develop an attitude of thankfulness and you will never regret it. Think On This: It isn't what you have in your pocket that makes you thankful, but what you have in your heart. Many times we don't get all that we want, but we should be thankful that we don't get what we deserve. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word Share this Pump Up with others by Sharing on Your Facebook Page, Twitter or Forwarding to a friend. Prov.11:13 - He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets,
But he who is trustworthy conceals a matter. NASU
Friends know how to conceal things about you and not reveal them. This proverb says a talebearer or one who walks about spreading scandal about you will not be a friend. This person will reveal the events that you didn't want made known. If they will reveal simple embarrassing things then imagine if there was something serious that you didn't want people to find out about you. Please know that I am not talking about anything criminal here. What I am referring to is things that happen to all of us in life but you don't want the whole world to know about it.
I had a reputation that no matter what anyone told me it never got repeated by me. If you are going to be a friend the first characteristic you want to develop is being trustworthy. When someone shares with you an event in their life and asks you to keep it a secret, be a trustworthy friend and don't repeat it. Honor their request. Don't be a low life and blab everything you know. No one can force you to reveal secrets. The power is all yours. You can either conceal or reveal the matter the choice is yours. Take the high road and conceal what you have been asked to conceal. Be a trustworthy friend and conceal matters that pertain to you and your friend(s).
Be a friend today and contact a friend and tell him/her how they have blessed your life. "Walking with a friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light." - Helen Keller Think on These: A good friend knows all your best stories, while a best friend has lived them with you. Good Friends are Hard to Find, Harder to Leave, and Impossible to Forget. Events in life are not quite as scary when you have a best friend. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word Share this Pump Up with others by Sharing on Your Facebook Page, Twitter or Forwarding to a friend. John 8:3-5, 7, 10-11 - The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery, and having set her in the center of the court, they said to Him, "Teacher, this woman has been caught in adultery, in the very act. "Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?" …He straightened up, and said to them, "He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." …Jesus said to her, "Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?" She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said, "I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on sin no more." NASU
Jesus shows the woman MERCY. Let me ask you a question, "If you find yourself in a position where you can demand justice or give mercy what will you do?" My observation in life is that people WANT MERCY when they break laws; but, WANT JUSTICE when others break laws.
You may have heard this referred to as "reaping what you have sown" or some say it this way, "what goes around comes around." If you would some day like to be the recipient of mercy then my advice would be to be a "giver of mercy." Jesus says, "You're blessed when you are merciful." Mercy is an attribute of God and therefore it would be wise for us to make it an attribute of our life. James 2:13 gives us something to think about when he wrote these words for us, "For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment." In other words there is a day coming when we will probably wish we had been less judgmental and displayed more mercy.
Some times in order to receive mercy you have to ask or even cry out for it. Matt 20:30-34 - And two blind men sitting by the road, hearing that Jesus was passing by, cried out, "Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!" The crowd sternly told them to be quiet, but they cried out all the more, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!" And Jesus stopped and called them, and said, "What do you want Me to do for you?" They said to Him, "Lord, we want our eyes to be opened." Moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes; and immediately they regained their sight and followed Him. NASU These two men humbled themselves and asked for mercy. Are you in need of mercy? Then you might need to ask for it to receive it. Do you know someone who is in need of mercy? Then you might have to be the giver of mercy to bless someone else's life. Think On These: God still speaks to those who take time to listen. The smallest good deed is better than the grandest intention. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word Share this Pump Up with others by Sharing on Your Facebook Page, Twitter or Forwarding to a friend. Matt 9:9 -"As Jesus went on from there, He saw a man called Matthew, sitting in the tax collector's booth; and He said to him, "Follow Me!" And he got up and followed Him. NASU
I can tell you from experience that if you have a bad reputation associating with Jesus will restore your reputation in the eyes of God. I wrote a Pump Up a while back entitled "Show Me Your Friends And I Will Show You Your Future." This can work for the good as well as the bad. Matthew was a tax collector or a modern day agent for the IRS. He collected taxes for the Roman Government. His reputation with the Israelites would have been awful, and he would have been seen as a traitor, but look at the changes he makes when he accepts the call of Jesus. He goes from "life is all about how much money one can acquire" to "life is about how to serve God best." We are able to read the Gospel according to Matthew because he accepted the call to follow Jesus. What has preoccupied your life? Are you like the younger Matthew and acquiring money is your major goal in life and you have no room for God? If so, then here is a plan to help you restore your reputation.
John 1:1-4 - In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. What an inspiring passage of scripture about Jesus the Word. Spending time with the Word is the same as spending time with God. There is no better way to restore your reputation than associating with Jesus and allowing Him to have an influence on you. When you associate with Jesus, you associate with God and when you associate with God you will have a desire to please Him and to do better. Think On These: It is impossible for you to influence others to live on a higher level than that on which you live yourself. A man lives as long as there are those who bear the stamp of his influence. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word Share this Pump Up with others by Sharing on Your Facebook Page, Twitter or Forwarding to a friend. |
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