ALWAYS be studying; it is like food for the soul, and water for the spirit; ever refreshing, and renewing the inspiration, and desire TO REMAIN IN THE LORD! Knowledge is as a safety net against erring, against the hurdles of adversity, and the adversaries of this Earth, and time...
Having knowledge and understanding ALSO includes know HOW to use it, and when to, because things fly at us with extreme speed, leaving us reeling at times, thus, we should be able to switch on every lesson we have taken to heart in order to STAY THE WAY despite what is coming at us!!!
Learning THE LORD *GOD*, HIS WILL, HIS WAYS, HIS WORD KEEPS us ON THE PATH, even when our heads might be spinning, AND prompt us to PRAYER as we brave our way forward! The enemy ruler of this realm, of this valley IS utilizing EVERY means feasible, and then some TO shake some loose; to distort TRUTH; to confuse and delude us; and on it goes, hence the NEED to EVER BE taking in more, more, and more OF THE LORD'S WISDOM, and SUPERNATURAL GIFTS of THE SPIRIT!!!
We MUST KNOW HOW to REMAIN IN THE LORD, and to RETAIN OUR FOCUS ON HIM even when all hell is hitting us like a hail storm! Unprecedented, but forewarned events, wonders, and signs in the end times WILL see some, if not many being taken, because of incomplete knowledge, and the lack of THE TRUTH rooting within them; EVEN the most mature of HIS people WILL face great challenges TO REMAIN steadfast, and to remain girded in THE WORD, the armour of *GOD*, and so, we should never relent in being as a sponge and absorbing EVERY bit of instruction HE has left for us!!!
In the world but a short time, we ARE preparing FOR THE KINGDOM, and THE BIBLE IS as our homework; it IS a manual which enjoins us TO Sanctification, and Consecration, AS THE LORD *GOD* IS PERFECTING us, and TEACHING us THE WAY we shall exist forever, and more! Also, THE BIBLE SHOWS us the standards, principles, ethics, virtues, and much more in which we ARE to exist as we journey to our eternal destination! We also learn the means to GLORIFYING THE LORD *GOD* ALMIGHTY THROUGH ALL we think, say, and do, AS we SERVE HIM, then others, which we do FOR HIS SAKE, and their encouragement to TURN to HIM! You see, there is never enough knowledge to be found, and the closer we come TO HIM, the more earnest we are to know as much as HE WILLS us to!!!
1+++Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
2+++fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
3+++For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
4+++You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin;
5+++and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons,
“MY SON, DO NOT REGARD LIGHTLY THE DISCIPLINE OF THE LORD,
NOR FAINT WHEN YOU ARE REPROVED BY HIM;
6+++FOR THOSE WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES,
AND HE SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES.”
7+++It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline?
8+++But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.
9+++Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live?
10+++For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness.
11+++All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.
12+++Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble,
13+++and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed.
14+++Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord.
15+++See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled;
16+++that there be no immoral or godless person like Esau, who sold his own birthright for a single meal.
17+++For you know that even afterwards, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought for it with tears.
The persevering obedience of faith in Christ, was the race set before the Hebrews, wherein they must either win the crown of glory, or have everlasting misery for their portion; and it is set before us. By the sin that does so easily beset us, understand that sin to which we are most prone, or to which we are most exposed, from habit, age, or circumstances. This is a most important exhortation; for while a man's darling sin, be it what it will, remains unsubdued, it will hinder him from running the Christian race, as it takes from him every motive for running, and gives power to every discouragement.
When weary and faint in their minds, let them recollect that the holy Jesus suffered, to save them from eternal misery. By steadfastly looking to Jesus, their thoughts would strengthen holy affections, and keep under their carnal desires. Let us then frequently consider him. What are our little trials to his agonies, or even to our deserts? What are they to the sufferings of many others?
There is a proneness in believers to grow weary, and to faint under trials and afflictions; this is from the imperfection of grace and the remains of corruption. Christians should not faint under their trials. Though their enemies and persecutors may be instruments to inflict sufferings, yet they are Divine chastisements; their heavenly Father has his hand in all, and his wise end to answer by all. They must not make light of afflictions, and be without feeling under them, for they are the hand and rod of God, and are his rebukes for sin. They must not despond and sink under trials, nor fret and repine, but bear up with faith and patience.
God may let others alone in their sins, but he will correct sin in his own children. In this he acts as becomes a father. Our earthly parents sometimes may chasten us, to gratify their passion, rather than to reform our manners. But the Father of our souls never willingly grieves nor afflicts his children. It is always for our profit. Our whole life here is a state of childhood, and imperfect as to spiritual things; therefore we must submit to the discipline of such a state.
When we come to a perfect state, we shall be fully reconciled to all God's chastisement of us now. God's correction is not condemnation; the chastening may be borne with patience, and greatly promote holiness. Let us then learn to consider the afflictions brought on us by the malice of men, as corrections sent by our wise and gracious Father, for our spiritual good.
A burden of affliction is apt to make the Christian's hands hang down, and his knees grow feeble, to dispirit him and discourage him; but against this he must strive, that he may better run his spiritual race and course.
Faith and patience enable believers to follow peace and holiness, as a man follows his calling constantly, diligently, and with pleasure. Peace with men, of all sects and parties, will be favourable to our pursuit of holiness. But peace and holiness go together; there can be not right peace without holiness.
Where persons fail of having the true grace of God, corruption will prevail and break forth; beware lest any unmortified lust in the heart, which seems to be dead, should spring up, to trouble and disturb the whole body. Falling away from Christ is the fruit of preferring the delights of the flesh, to the blessing of God, and the heavenly inheritance, as Esau did. But sinners will not always have such mean thoughts of the Divine blessing and inheritance as they now have. It agrees with the profane man's disposition, to desire the blessing, yet to despise the means whereby the blessing is to be gained. But God will neither sever the means from the blessing, nor join the blessing with the satisfying of man's lusts. God's mercy and blessing were never sought carefully and not obtained.
LWINSOR © 2017
BIBLICAL, and/or other references marked BOLDLY IN COLOURS
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