Isa.65:24
“It shall come to pass That before they call, I will answer;
And while they are still speaking, I will hear.
Sometimes circumstances come into our lives that leave us/me
feeling disillusioned and disappointed
because it seems like God did not keep His Promise to hear our cry and answer...
Ps.34:17
The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears,
And delivers them out of all their troubles.
Yet, how often am I guilty of ignoring His cry/command to me?
How wholly, in view of God’s mercy, do I offer my body as a living sacrifice,
holy and pleasing to God—as my true and proper worship?' (Rom.12:1)
How utterly am I willing to give Him my friendship in return for His;
'You are My friend(s) if you do whatever I command you.'
John 15:14
Do I take Peter's exhortations as seriously and devotedly as I should?
'therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers'. 1. Pet.4:7
or am I surprised at the fiery trial that tries us as if it were a strange thing? v.12
Do I truly rejoice to partake of His sufferings? v.13
Do I approach God with a sense of entitlement
or with Christ-seeking humility?
Do I find extra excuses to spend extra time
in precious fellowship with Him in prayer
or do I stumble through a kind of obligatory rote,
then dash away to duties etc? check
Do I consider it pure joy?!!! when I encounter trials of many kinds...
so I may be mature and complete, not lacking anything?
James 1:2-4
'Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you encounter trials of many kinds,
3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.
4Allow perseverance to finish its work,
so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.'
Do I revere the call to pursue peace and holiness?
Heb.12:8---
Am I yielded (oh Lord, help me) to 'Endure suffering as discipline;
(because) God is treating me as daughter?
'For what son/daughter is not disciplined by his father?
( or do I prefer 'undisciplined ease' of illegitimate children?)
*8 If you do not experience discipline like everyone else,
then you are illegitimate children and not true sons.
9Furthermore, we have all had earthly fathers who disciplined us, and we respected them.
Should we not much more submit to the Father of our spirits and live?'
Our fathers disciplined us for a short time as they thought best,
but God disciplines us for our good, so that we may share in His holiness.
11No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful.
Later on, however, it yields a harvest of righteousness and peace
to those who have been trained by it...
...Pursue peace with everyone, as well as holiness,
without which no one will see the Lord.
See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God,
and that no root of bitterness
f springs up to cause trouble and defile many.
See to it that no one is sexually immoral,
or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his birthright.
17For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing,
he was rejected. He could find no ground for repentance,
though he sought the blessing with tears...
Do I seek the blessing before repenting?
Do I dare to rail at Mount Zion?? (Heb.12:22)
or do I 'See to it that I do not refuse Him who speaks?' (v.25)
'Thy will be done'
Dear Lord, Thy hand, oh let me not despise
Thy love delights to wean me from this world
Where lust of flesh and eye, and pride of life
Lures from the path of righteousness unfurled
Lord, it seems we are easily seduced
By what sight sees rather than what/Who faith knows
How dumbly human nature is amused
By logic, that soon logic overthrows
Faith's substance of things hoped for, still unseen
Believes, while You refine the heart's desire
Regardless of how vile the trial, or mean
Devotion steps into the line of fire
Returning us to *Lystra once again
To Lystra?!! where foes sought our very lives
Oh Lord, to prove the power You sustain
'Only the one who walks by faith survives'
'Thy will be done' Lord, purify my plea
And let me trust though disciplines increase
Lest there be any wicked way in me (Ps.139:24)
That lures me from Thy righteousness and peace
Janet Martin
Acts 14:19-22
*Then Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there;
and having persuaded the multitudes, they stoned Paul
and dragged him out of the city, (Lystra) supposing him to be dead.
20 However, when the disciples gathered around him,
he rose up and went into the city.
And the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe.
And when they had preached the gospel to that city and made many disciples,
they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch,
22 strengthening the souls of the disciples,
exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying,
“We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.”
