Sunday, July 12, 2015

Reflecting God - Embrace Holy Living from The Global Church of the Nazarene in Lenexa, Kansas, United States for Sunday, 12 July 2015 - An Unclear Journey" Scripture: 2 Thessalonians 1:3-12

Reflecting God - Embrace Holy Living from The Global Church of the Nazarene in Lenexa, Kansas, United States for Sunday, 12 July 2015 - An Unclear Journey" Scripture: 2 Thessalonians 1:3 We have to keep thanking God for you always, brothers, as is appropriate; because your trust continues to grow greater, and the love you each have for one another continues to increase. 4 Therefore, we boast about you in the congregations of God because of your perseverance and trust in all the persecutions and troubles you are going through. 5 This is clear evidence that God’s judgment is just; and as a result, you will be counted worthy of the Kingdom of God for which you are suffering. 6 For it is justice for God to pay back trouble to those who are troubling you, 7 and to give rest along with us to you who are being troubled, when the Lord Yeshua is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels 8 in a fiery flame. Then he will punish those who don’t know God,[2 Thessalonians 1:8 Isaiah 66:15; Jeremiah 10:25; Psalm 79:6] that is, those who don’t listen to the Good News of our Lord Yeshua and obey it. 9 They will suffer the just penalty of eternal destruction, far away from the face of the Lord and the glory of his might.[2 Thessalonians 1:9 Isaiah 2:10, 19, 21] 10 On that Day, when he comes to be glorified by his holy people and admired by all who have trusted, you will be among them, because you trusted our witness to you.
11 With this in view, we always pray for you that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill by his power every good purpose of yours and every action stemming from your trust. 12 In this way, the name of our Lord Yeshua will be glorified in you, and you in him, in accordance with the grace of our God and the Lord Yeshua the Messiah.

"An Unclear Journey" by Author: Paul Sheneman
The Christian journey is not a straight shot. Though we often condense the narrative down to seeking, conversion, crisis, sanctified, and glorified we rarely experience life with such succinct clarity. Rather the journey of our Christian life is like an exploration into unfamiliar territory.
Paul’s letters to the Christian community in Thessalonica reveal such an understanding. In his first letter, Paul wrote, “Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again and supply what is lacking in your faith” (1 Thess. 3:10). In the beginning of his second letter, he boasts about their flourishing faith, even in the midst persecution. So at one point in their journey they are lacking in their faith and at the next point they are thriving while being attacked for the gospel.
We should take this as a source of encouragement. There will be times when we feel we are missing something in our faith. Perhaps something we can’t even describe. And at another point, we’ll be flourishing, even though our circumstances wouldn’t predict it. Yet no matter where we are at, we are to witness to God’s work in our lives.
Hymn for Today: "He Leadeth Me" vy Jospeh H. Gilmour
1. He leadeth me: O blessed thought!
O words with heavenly comfort fraught!
Whate'er I do, where'er I be,
still 'tis God's hand that leadeth me.
Refrain:
He leadeth me, he leadeth me;
by his own hand he leadeth me:
his faithful follower I would be,
for by his hand he leadeth me.
2. Sometimes mid scenes of deepest gloom,
sometimes where Eden's flowers bloom,
by waters calm, o'er troubled sea,
still 'tis God's hand that leadeth me.
Refrain:
He leadeth me, he leadeth me;
by his own hand he leadeth me:
his faithful follower I would be,
for by his hand he leadeth me.
3. Lord, I would clasp thy hand in mine,
nor ever murmur nor repine;
content, whatever lot I see,
since 'tis my God that leadeth me.
Refrain:
He leadeth me, he leadeth me;
by his own hand he leadeth me:
his faithful follower I would be,
for by his hand he leadeth me.
4. And when my task on earth is done,
when, by thy grace, the victory's won,
e'en death's cold wave I will not flee,
since God through Jordan leadeth me.
Refrain:
He leadeth me, he leadeth me;
by his own hand he leadeth me:
his faithful follower I would be,
for by his hand he leadeth me. 
Thought for Today:
"But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith, and pray in union with the Ruach HaKodesh. Thus keep yourselves in God’s love, as you wait for our Lord Yeshua the Messiah to give you the mercy that leads to eternal life." [Jude 20-21].
Please pray:
For the development of Christian leaders in Madagascar.
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