Have things come against you? People? Problems? Pressures? Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were thrown into a furnace so hot that the guards who threw them in were killed by the heat (Dan 3). The 3 were thrown in the fire because they refused to worship the image of King Nebuchadnezzar. When in the 3 were in the furnace, the King noticed a fourth person: "like the Son of God" (Dan 3:25). Jesus was in the fire and delivered them.

Paul described the tribulations, persecution and afflictions that came against him as he obeyed God in ministry (1 Cor 11:24-28; 2 Tim 3:11-12). He was beaten stoned, hungry, tired and threatened by angry crowds and robbers. However, Paul said triumphantly that God delivered him every time.  

Jesus said we would have challenges in this life but he also said not to worry because he is victorious over everything that can come against us. (John 16:33). Jesus was in a boat with his disciples when a fierce storm arose. The disciples woke him up in a panic: “And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm” (Mark 4:39).  Isn't it wonderful to know that when the storms of life come against us, we have Jesus in our boat (Mark 4:35-40)?

Been in the fire lately?

Please pass this on. All right reserved.

Check out our web site ( www.onthewayinlove.com ) for information on our book: “On the Way: Basic Christian Training”, including how to purchase it and also to see more encouraging Bible based blogs. Please recommend our book to others.

Wisdom for Every Issue of Life

“My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures.” (Prov 2:1-4; KJV)

Do you get the impression that God is trying to tell us something here? He directs us to receive his word, not just hear it. We are to treasure his commands, incline our ears to wisdom, apply our hearts to and lift up our voice to understanding. God says, cry out for discernment, seek understanding as silver and search for her as if she were a treasure. This does not have the ring of a passive occupation but one of active pursuit, a passionate pressing in to something of paramount importance in our life.

As we do this, God gives us the Holy Spirit to reveal God’s word to us; (John 14:26) we just need to do our part.

If we look at the whole of the second chapter of Proverbs, we see the benefits of our pursuit. We will learn to respect and hallow our awesome God. We will understand justice and equity and how God sees us as his children; righteous in his presence. God gives us the knowledge, understanding and wisdom we seek. My, how we and the church need all of that. God will lead us, protect us and preserve us and cause us to dwell in the land. When Israel dwelt in the land and obeyed God, the nation settled, prospered and enjoyed peace. Does this interest you? It should. Well, the action plan is simple.

Please send this to a friend. All rights reserved.

Check out our web site ( www.onthewayinlove.com ) for information on our book: “On the Way: Basic Christian Training”, including how to purchase it and also to see more encouraging Bible based blogs. Please recommend our book to others.

"And the Lord make you to increase and abound and in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you" (1 Thess 3:12; KJV).  That verse is requiring a lot of love from us. This love is to be extended to our Christian family (one another) and also people in general (all men). The writer indicates that the Lord will help us do this; we certainly can't do it in our own ability. The love of God: “has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us” (Rom 5:5). Love is a fruit of the Holy Spirit (Gal 5:22). If we desire it and allow it, the Spirit will develop this love in our lives.

We are probably all familiar with the famous love chapter - 1 Corinthians 13, but we also find many characteristics of love in Colossians 3:12-13, where we are told how to behave- with pity, mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, endurance and forgiveness. I believe that all these added together would equal love.

I encourage you to spend time reading and meditating on the love scriptures each day and you will find that increasing and excelling in love will come much easier. Make a decision to grow in your love walk, ask God to help you - and he will.

Please pass this on. All right reserved.

Check out our web site ( www.onthewayinlove.com ) for information on our book: “On the Way: Basic Christian Training”, including how to purchase it and also to see more encouraging Bible based blogs. Please recommend our book to others.

"A good man sheweth favour, and lendeth..." (Ps 112:5; KJV). We learn in many places in scripture that God wants us to be generous to the poor. In Proverbs 19:17 it says that God will pay back to us what we give to the poor and in Proverbs 28:27 it says that if we give to the poor we will not lack.

It's not just in the Old Testament that we read this either; in the gospel of Mathew (Matt 5:42). Jesus said to give to him who begs from you and don’t look the other way. The Greek word for give in that verse is, didomi, which means to give freely as Christ would give. In other words, we have to have a desire to give and be a blessing. We know from many scriptures that when we give God promises to bless us, for example in Ecclesiastes 11:1 it says to: "cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days", also in Mathew 10:42 we are told that if we only give a cup of water to someone we will be rewarded.

The apostle Paul quoted Jesus as saying: “it is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:25). The early church clearly had giving and meeting needs established; they had all things in common; gave generously and no one was in lack (Acts 4:32-37)!

Lord give us a heart for the needy.

Please pass this on. All rights reserved.

Check out our web site ( www.onthewayinlove.com ) for information on our book: “On the Way: Basic Christian Training”, including how to purchase it and also to see more encouraging Bible based blogs. Please recommend our book to others.

The word of God is full of references to mercy. In Ephesians 2:4, we read that God is rich in mercy and in Lamentations 3:23, we are reminded that his mercies are new every day.

So, what is mercy? It is compassion, love, pity, goodness and kindness; a tender desire to bless and do good, especially to the sinner, the hurt and the needy. In several interactions with the Pharisees and Scribes, Jesus illustrated mercy by contrasting it to the harsh, judgmental and legalistic attitude of such leaders. (Matt 9:13; 12; Luke 23:23) In several such encounters Jesus quoted from the book of the prophet Hosea (Hos 6:6) where God said: “I desired mercy not sacrifice” (KJV).

He used the parable of the Good Samaritan to exemplify the attitude and outworking of mercy. (Luke 10:37) The Samaritan cared for a Jewish man who had been robbed and beaten when others of the victim’s nationality walked by without showing any compassion. The point of the story is even more poignant when you consider the enmity between these two people groups.

It was God’s mercy that saved us and we are called to walk in his mercy in our own lives: “mercy rejoiceth against judgment” (James 2:13); “be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful” (Luke 6:36).

Lord, may your mercy flow through us.

Share this with another. All rights reserved.

Check out our web site ( www.onthewayinlove.com ) for information on our book: “On the Way: Basic Christian Training”, including how to purchase it and also to see more encouraging Bible based blogs. Please recommend our book to others.