Sword of the Spirit – Ask in His Name #1110

Posted on August 20, 2020 by ron021950

SWORD OF THE SPIRIT                                                                                               1110

“Ask in His Name”

Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it. – John 14:13-14

Our reference Scripture, out of context, appears to be a blank check for us to get whatever we desire in the Name of Jesus. Far too many of us use the holy name of Jesus as some type of magical incantation without reverence for the person of Jesus Christ.

However, in the totality of Scripture we learn that, yes, there is power in the Name of Jesus, but that power originates in the person of Jesus Christ. The name ‘Yeshua’ (Jesus) was a common name in biblical times but there was only one Yeshua Nasraya – Jesus of Nazareth, Son of God, Lamb of God, the second Person of the Triune God, Our Lord and Savior.

I and the Father are one; …Whoever has seen me has seen the Father…- John 10:30; John 14:9 

It is the person of Jesus Christ that sets His Name above all other names and it is in the Name of the person of Jesus Christ that we are to ask, seek and knock.

…Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. – Philippians 2:5-11

To ask in faith and confidence in His Name we must have a personal relationship with Jesus. Religion and religious rituals are insufficient and cannot be a substitute for the continually abiding presence of Jesus in us.

Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually! If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. – Psalm 105:4; John 15:7

The Word of God tells us about the seven sons of Sceva who were beat up severely by a demon possessed man when they attempted to invoke the Name of Jesus by proxy. (Acts 19:13-16) Jesus also warns us of the danger of using His Name without a relationship with Him personally.

…“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ – Matthew 7:20-23

We are living in some seriously challenging times. Anarchy and political turmoil are prevalent in our country. Evil from the very gates of Hell appears to have been unleashed upon the world. We must repent of worldliness and return to our first love, Jesus, our Lord. Pray in the power and authority of the Name of the person Jesus Christ for peace and restoration of our land. Pray in His Name for protection from all evil.

Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you…; And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him. – James 4:8; 1 John 5:14-15

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Sword of the Spirit – Called to Be Saints #1109

Posted on August 12, 2020 by ron021950

SWORD OF THE SPIRIT                                                                                               1109

“Called To Be Saints”

To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints – Romans 1:7

I grew up in a religious tradition where sainthood had an entirely different meaning from that of the Bible. We never thought of ourselves as saints.

The Greek word, hagios, is translated in the New Testament as saints. It means to be called and set apart by, or for God, to be holy, sacred, kind, pious, and sanctified.

To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours – 1 Corinthians 1:2

If you are a Christian believer in Jesus Christ, saved by His death and resurrection, then you are called to be saints. The Christian church – The Body of Christ – is a congregation of saints called to be equipped to carry out the Lord’s ministry.

And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, – Ephesians 4:11-12

As a saint we are called to be set apart from this world – to be different. We are to let the light of Jesus shine through us to dispel the darkness of sin and evil in the world.

You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.

Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. – Matthew 5:14-16

As saints being sanctified by the power of the Holy Spirit we are to exhibit the fruit of the Spirit in our everyday lives and circumstances. This is what it means to let our light shine.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law; But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. – Galatians 5:22-23; Ephesians 5:3

In the Book of Daniel we see how the enemy wages war against the saints. This is evident in our world today.

He shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and shall think to change the times and the law…; Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus – Daniel 7:25; Revelation 14:12

Saints of God now is not the time to cower in fear. Now is the time for the church Body of Christ to stop playing church and be the church. Now is the time to shine the light of Christ brightly, laser focused on the evil that seeks to hinder or prevent Christian worship. Now is the time to rise up as a sanctified Body of Christ and vote to purge the evil from our government.

Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. – Isaiah 55:6-7

You are called to be a saint. Answer the call.

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Sword of the Spirit – My Plans His Plans #1108

Posted on August 5, 2020 by ron021950

SWORD OF THE SPIRIT                                                                                               1108

“My Plans His Plans”

The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps. – Proverbs 16:9

I first wrote on this topic in January 2018. Search for “Recalculating” at    https://b2bconcertofprayer.wordpress.com/

I made plans two years ago that this first week of August 2020 I would be enjoying a fresh caught halibut steak on the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska. Since I am still here in Florida I felt compelled to write on the topic again.

Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand – Proverbs 19:21

I could have forced the achievement of my goal – to my demise! Who could have predicted this pandemic with closed borders and mandatory quarantines? I couldn’t, but God knew.

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. – Jeremiah 29:11

When our plans fail and our desired goal is missed we have two choices: Pitch a fit or praise God for His wisdom, protection, provision and love and care for us.

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. – Romans 8:28

Note that God’s promises are for His children – those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. Far too many people live their lives with nary a thought or care about the Lord and yet they seek to claim His promises for themselves as if God were a genie in a bottle and they become angry with God when their plans and desires do not come to fruition.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths; And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left. – Proverbs 3:5-6; Isaiah 30:21

So I will continue to trust in the Lord and ‘kick the can’ down the road a bit to August 2022. I will trust that the Lord will establish my steps and that His purposes will stand – for my good and for the good of my family.

Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established. – Proverbs 16:3 

May the Lord bless you and keep you safe through these difficult times.

May he grant you your heart’s desire and fulfill all your plans! – Psalm 20:4

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Sword of the Spirit – Impending Doom #1107

Posted on July 23, 2020 by ron021950

SWORD OF THE SPIRIT                                                                                               1107

“Impending Doom”

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. – John 14:27

We are all experiencing some sense of foreboding as we navigate through our current pandemic. One of the leading causes of a sense of impending doom is that of having persistently elevated stress levels.

The virus alone is enough to make us anxious, but couple that with the social and news media hype and hyperbole about conspiracy theories, political agendas at work behind the scenes, along with civil unrest and our stress levels and feelings of hopelessness increase exponentially.

Our elected representatives bicker like schoolchildren, and our ‘experts’ disagree on what action to take to lead us out of this quagmire. Where do we turn? To whom do we look for leadership? How do we discern truth from the preponderance of misinformation being thrust at us? The answer is found in the Word of God.

Pray for the Holy Spirit to give you discernment for truth.

…but test everything; hold fast what is good; casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. – 1 Thessalonians 5:21; 1 Peter 5:7

We need the abiding presence of the Lord to give us the strength to persevere and yes, thrive during this difficult time.

Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually! I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken. – Psalm 105:4; Psalm 16:8

It is prudent to prepare for difficult times. However we must be careful not to place our trust in our stockpile of material goods. Our trust must always be in Jesus if we are to have peace.

You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you; I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth; The Lord is my helper, I will not fear – Isaiah 26:3; Psalm 121:1-2; Hebrews 13:6

The devil is the prince of the air and the media is a tool he wields to instill fear and steal your peace.

Do not be afraid of sudden terror or of the ruin of the wicked, when it comes, for the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught; And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts… – Proverbs 3:25-26 Colossians 3:15

Rest in the knowledge that you are a child of God. He will keep you safe.

We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one; What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe. – 1 John 5:19; Romans 8:3; Proverbs 18:10

May the Lord bless you and give you peace.

Be still, and know that I am God. – Psalm 46:10

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Sword of the Spirit – Weigh In #1106

Posted on July 16, 2020 by ron021950

SWORD OF THE SPIRIT                                                                                               1106

“Weigh In”

…you have been weighed in the balances and found wanting; – Daniel 5:27

Belshazzar had head knowledge about God. He had seen how his father, Nebuchadnezzar had been humbled before Him.

And you his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this, but you have lifted up yourself against the Lord of heaven…And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see or hear or know, but the God in whose hand is your breath, and whose are all your ways, you have not honored. – Daniel 5:22-23

Knowing about God and knowing God are entirely different things. Having head knowledge without a heart replete with the abiding presence of God is like being an empty shell of a Christian.

When weighed in the balance scales against Jesus such a hollow Christian will be found wanting – A mere counterfeit Christian devoid of the true character of Christ.

All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirit; whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked. – Proverbs 16:2; 1 John 2:6

As professing Christians we can do many right things but the wrong way. We can go through the motions in dutiful Sunday worship services with hearts and minds on the golf course or elsewhere.

‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; – Mark 7:6

We can proselytize in the work place but our own observed work ethic and worldly character testifies that we truly do not have the abiding presence of Christ in our hearts and we render our testimony null and void.

Talk no more so very proudly, let not arrogance come from your mouth; for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. – 1 Samuel 2:3

How substantive is your Christian character?  Does your character have depth that sustains you in all circumstances and contexts? Belshazzar was weighed in the scales and found deficient or wanting. How would your character hold up against God’s standard in the scales?

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ – Matthew 7:21-23

Let us pray: Lord, God I repent of the many character failings that I have had – the words spoken, thoughts I entertained, and my actions that were more of the flesh than led by your Spirit. Forgive me my transgressions through your great mercy and love. Fill me fresh and anew with your Holy Spirit and give me the power to live in this world as a solid Christian so that when weighed in the balance I will not be found wanting for the presence of Christ in my heart. I ask in Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually! – 1 Chronicles 16:11

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Sword of the Spirit – Battle Ground #1105

Posted on July 8, 2020 by ron021950

SWORD OF THE SPIRIT                                                                                               1105

“Battle Ground”

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. – Ephesians 6:12

We began our lives in this world at war with God.

And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds – Colossians 1:21

Having accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior, forgiven, saved and born again by His Holy Spirit we continue in the flesh with new battles to fight on new front lines. Your enemy, Satan may not be able to steal your salvation, but he can work to make you weak and ineffective in the battle to further the Kingdom of God.

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. – 1 Peter 5:8

In wartime, propaganda is used to undermine the resolve of opposing forces. Tokyo Rose’s radio broadcasts worked to plant doubt, fear, and insecurity in the hearts and minds of American soldiers. Satan does the same today planting doubtful and sinful thoughts on our minds. ‘You are not forgiven.’ ‘Is there really a God?’ ‘You can’t go to heaven – live for today, go ahead and sin, you know you want to.’

We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ – 2 Corinthians 10:5

If he can’t entice you to sin he works to steal your peace by enticing you to fear. ‘This pandemic will never end.’ ‘You better get weapons to defend against looters.’ ‘You will lose your job and become homeless.’ ‘Your spouse will die from COVID19 and you will be left alone to fend for yourself – you can’t make it on your own.’

I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears; for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. – Psalm 34:4; 2 Timothy 1:7

As in any battle, we must have a good defensive and offensive strategy. One defensive maneuver is to establish a perimeter – a no fly zone if you will around your mind. Tune out the media hype and hyperbole and hone in on the Truth of the Word of God.

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect; Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. – Romans 12:2; 1 Peter 1:13

Take the offense with prayer and you will have ‘peace that surpasses understanding’ in the midst of the chaos, civil unrest and turmoil in our country today.

…do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 4:6-7

The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. – Psalm 121:7

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Sword of the Spirit – Complete in Christ #1104

Posted on July 2, 2020 by ron021950

SWORD OF THE SPIRIT                                                                                               1104

“Complete in Christ”

For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. – Colossians 2:9-10

Like a puzzle missing a piece to complete the picture do you feel incomplete in your Christian walk?

Meditate for a moment on the depth of the Truth of God’s Word in our reference Scripture: Jesus embodied the ‘whole fullness’ of God. He was and is complete in God.

“I and the Father are one.” – John 10:30

Consider then, that as born-again Christians we have been filled in Christ. We are complete in Him. To be complete is to have all that is necessary or appropriate.

And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 4:19

To be complete in Christ is to be made whole.

Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ; who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases – 1 Thessalonians 5:23;  Psalm 103:3 

Our completion in Christ makes us righteous before God.

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. – 2 Corinthians 5:21

Our completion in Christ gives us the promise of eternal life with Him.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life – John 3:16

Being complete in Christ is to be a joint heir with Him – a child of God.

Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life; But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God – 1 John 5:12; John 1:12

Being filled and complete in Christ means forgiveness of our sins and freedom from condemnation.

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace; There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus; For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace. – Ephesians 1:7; Romans 8:1; Romans 6:14

What do you feel you are lacking? Is there an empty hole in your soul that you keep trying to fill by good works or doing penance or trying harder to be better and more deserving? You cannot fill that empty puzzle piece by your own devices. You can only be made complete in Christ Jesus through faith in Him and by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Then he said to me… Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts.–Zechariah 4:6

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Sword of the Spirit – Not My Friend #1103

Posted on June 25, 2020 by ron021950

SWORD OF THE SPIRIT                                                                                               1103

“Not My Friend”

You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. – James 4:4

Friendship transcends casual acquaintances and implies a close mutual bond between people.

The world and all its material appeal is not and should not be your friend. Our flesh is easily trapped in worldliness – that is a love for the things of this world that grew out of friendship with the world. This worldliness becomes a wedge that distances us from a close relationship with God the Father and His Son, Jesus. Our affections become divided and God calls us an adulterous people.

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. – 1 John 2:15

How many of us have neglected reading, meditating, and praying the Word of God choosing instead to work, play, or indulge in other worldly fleshly pursuits? How many times have we pushed our relationship with God aside as we clamored for more material wealth, and possessions?

For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? – Matthew 16:26 

We can learn from the account of Lot in the book of Genesis. Lot chose the best land when He and Abraham went different directions. Later we see that he has pitched his tent near the city of Sodom. (Genesis 13:11-12) Then we see that he was captured by an enemy as one of the residents of Sodom. (Genesis 14:11-12) Friendship with the things of this world drew him in deeper and deeper and his soul was tormented by the sinfulness of the area he was immersed in. (2 Peter 2:7-8)

God loves the world, which are the people of the world that He created in His own image. He loves us even steeped in our sin and He sent Jesus, His Son to bear the punishment for our sin and make a way for us to have eternal life with Him.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. – John 3:16

We are to love the world as Jesus loved the world – He loved the people of the world and abhorred worldliness. He loved the people enough to die for them but reserved the intimacy of friendship for those who repented and accepted Him as Lord and Savior.

You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. – John 15:14-15

We are to live in this world as Jesus did, loving others, caring for them, We are to impact the world for Christ and not allow the world to impact and corrupt us to the exclusion of our friendship with God.

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. – Romans 12:2

May you walk in this world as a citizen of Heaven avoiding the trap of worldliness. May you enjoy the close friendship, love, and abiding presence of Jesus continually.

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Sword of the Spirit – Share Your Truth #1102

Posted on June 19, 2020 by ron021950

SWORD OF THE SPIRIT                                                                                               1102

“Share Your Truth”

As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed with demons begged him that he might be with him. And he did not permit him but said to him, “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled. – Mark 5:18-20 

Every one of us who has accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior has been commissioned to share the Truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

… Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” – Matthew 28:16-20

Every one of us who has received the free gift of salvation has come to Christ in the bondage of sin and by His sacrifice on the cross has been set free – our chains have been broken. This truth needs to be shared with those who also need to come to Jesus.

So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?” They went out of the town and were coming to him. – John 4:28-30 

Every one of us will encounter ‘divinely ordained opportunities’ to share our truth.  People will cross our paths, situations will occur, a question will be asked, and you will sense the prompting of the Holy Spirit deep within your soul to broach the subject and share what Jesus has done for you and what He can do for the people you are speaking with. We need to be ready for these divine opportunities.

I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus… be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching… – 2 Timothy 4:1-3

I confess, and you can probably relate, that I have not always been ready and for a variety of lame excuses have quenched the Spirit and remained silent. Lord, forgive my silence and failure to speak and share the Truth of your Word. I do not want stones to speak in my place.

And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.” – Luke 19:39-40

May the Light of Christ, His indwelling presence and power, shine forth freely in your life.

May you be empowered by the Holy Spirit with boldness to speak Truth to dispel darkness and break the chains that hold people in bondage to sin.

May you share your truth – your story about what Jesus has done for you and may that story plant a seed for the Holy Spirit to nurture in others that they too may be set free and receive salvation through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. – Matthew 5:14-16

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Sword of the Spirit – Afflicted #1101

Posted on June 10, 2020 by ron021950

SWORD OF THE SPIRIT                                                                                               1101

“Afflicted”

We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; – 2 Corinthians 4:8

Afflicted means to distress with mental or bodily pain; trouble greatly or grievously. For example: To be afflicted with arthritis. Job was afflicted. Paul and Silas were afflicted as were the other Apostles and Disciples.

Jesus was afflicted.

Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted…- Isaiah 53:4, 7 

Why then are we surprised by our afflictions? Why do we question God’s love for us when He allows us to be afflicted? The Truth of His Word tells us to expect affliction in this life.

Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you…; I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” –  John 15:20; 16:33

We are afflicted for a variety of reasons. Sometimes we bring it upon ourselves as a natural consequence of our actions.

Some were fools through their sinful ways, and because of their iniquities suffered affliction; …Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He sent out his word and healed them, and delivered them from their destruction. – Psalm 107:17-20

Sometimes God allows affliction in order to get our attention – to turn us away from our stiff-necked stubborn rebellion.

He delivers the afflicted by their affliction and opens their ear by adversity; Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep your word. It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes. – Job 36:15; Psalm 119:67, 71

Other times God allows affliction as part of His perfect plan for our good and for the good of others.

As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”  Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. – John 9:1-3

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. – 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. – Psalm 34:19; Romans 8:28

May you:  be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. – Romans 12:12 (NIV)

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