| (Copyright 2022) by James McBride (United Kingdom) |
|---|
| The apostle Paul’s letters shed a bright light on our walk with God. Our world is fast becoming the mirror image of the world of the apostle. Like that world we attend to our daily lives as best we can despite the stranglehold of red tape, of petty authoritarian interference and the pressures of a self-centered society. As Christians, Paul says, we must be prepared to‘…suffer tribulation [Gk.thlipsis] and persecution [Gk diogmos]’. That is, pressure, trouble, affliction, burdens, and persecution. He spoke from personal experience! (II Corinthians 11:23, 29). We are, however, in the loving care of our great God, our heavenly Father, who monitors our every woe: ‘…[God] will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that you may be able to bear it’ (I Corinthians 10:13). And ‘…If God be for us, who can be against us? ‘ All too often we need that escape route from trouble—though our problems are often caused by our neglect of God’s principles for living, the remedy for which can be found in His Word through our diligent study. The added imminent external pressures— energy, high living costs etc.—can test our trust in His provision of our daily needs. But we are assured of His care, as Elijah told the widow; ‘… thus says the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sends rain upon the earth’ (I Kings 17:14). Recall how He fed Israel with the manna for forty years, protected them from the sun, provided water, and fed Elijah by ravens. We are comforted by the words of the apostle: ‘‘…Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for them that love him. But God has revealed them unto us by his Spirit.’ ———————————————————————————————————- See James McBride’s other articles at: McBride, James – Church of God, Bismarck (church-of-god-bismarck.org) Reprinted with permission from: The Churches of God Outreach Ministries http://www.cgom.org/ ———————————————————————————————————- |
Views: 0
Sign up to Receive [The "New" Church of God Messenger] weekly newsletter: