God is faithful! No matter what I may be experiencing He always gives me words of encouragement! Our family suffered a great loss this week. While riding down the highway, crying and asking why, I decided to turn on the radio. Now, let me add a disclaimer here...if you are super religious and think it's impossible to get a word from the Lord through secular music, stop reading immediately! But if you realize the Lord used a donkey in the Old Testament to minister to a prophet, continue reading. The Supremes song, " Someday We'll Be Together" came on the radio. It ministered to me. It encouraged me to look for the positive, which is extremely hard to do when a loved one has been taken so abruptly. Someday we will be together again, the Word says in Hebrew 12:1-3, "So since we stand surrounded by all those who have gone before, an enormous cloud of witnesses, let us drop every extra weight, every sin that clings to us and slackens our pace, and let us run with endurance the long race set before us. We may feel alone, but we aren't. We are surrounded by an army of witnesses. They have run the race of faith and finished well. It is now our turn. Now stay focused on Jesus, who designed and perfected our faith. He endured the cross and ignored the shame of that death because He focused on the joy that was set before Him; and now He is seated beside God on the throne, a place of honor. Consider the life of the One who endured such personal attacks and hostility from sinners so that you will not grow weary or lose heart." (Voice)
Then to top it off, today, Bishop Alexis A.Thomas preached, "God Will Turn It Around!" he used Job 42:10 as his reference scripture. Job experienced extreme tragedy! Even if a person has never heard of Jesus, they probably have heard of Job. When even say, "they have the patience of Job", to identify people that exhibit more patience than others. He lost his 10 children, all his cattle(money), and his health in a matter of days! His so called friends came to encourage him but really only came to accuse him and criticize him. Even his wife told him to, "Curse God and die!" Job was "Going Through". Job 42:10 says, "After Job had interceded for his friends, God restored his fortune—and then doubled it!" (Message) Did you get that? After Job prayed for his friends, God gave him Double for his Trouble!
What can we take away from this scripture? So glad you asked.
First, life can change in a moment! Even the Apostle Paul said the Lord's return will happen in, "In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye". 1 Corinthians 15:52 (King James Version) Love, live and forgive!
Second, we should never subscribe to the false theology that a person must have done something bad to deserve hard times! 2 Timothy 3:12 says, "In fact, anyone who wants to live a holy life in Christ Jesus will be harassed." (Common English Bible)
Third, our lives will turn around when we forgive. Job had to forgive his friends and then pray for them. Then his situation turned around. Unforgiveness is deadly! Matthew 6:15 says, "Your heavenly Father will forgive you if you forgive those who sin against you; but if you refuse to forgive them, he will not forgive you." (The Living Bible)
Love and prayers, Cynthia
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