We live in a world plagued by sickness, war, heartbreak and suffering of every kind. At times it is difficult to reconcile this pain to the nature of our loving, merciful God. How many of us have heard, or asked, the question: “Why, Lord?”

Yet in a broken world, suffering does not have to  mean  defeat.  We  face  adversity

because of sin, but we are saved by Christ’s sacrifice.Suffering may belong to this world and us with it while we live here, but the good news is that we do not belong to this world forever. Jesus saves us in at least three ways by His grace through faith:

1. By His death on the cross we have been saved form the penalty of sin – past

2. By His resurrection we can and are being saved daily from the power of sin – present

3.  By His ascension we will be saved form the presence of sin – future

God’s will is not for our comfort, convenience, safety, security, health, personal rights, prestige, position, authority and power.  But because the will of God is for us to be conformed to the image of His Son, all things work together for our good.

The real issue is not what happens to us, but how we respond. The choice is ours:

1.  Negative Response – a response of unbelief characterized by:

a)  Blaming someone else (Galatians 5:15; Romans 12:14, 17-19)

b)  Indulging in self-pity (1 Peter 4:12; Hebrews 12;3-13)

c)   Fostering unforgiveness – bitterness, resentment, hostility,

withdrawal (Hebrews 12:15; Matthew 6:14-15; Mark 11:24-25)

d)   Fighting against suffering – attacking others, self-justification

(James 3:13-18; Matthew 5:44; 2 Timothy 2:24-25)

2.  Positive response – a response of faith characterized by:

a)   Affirming that God loves us (Romans 8:1, 31-39)

b)   Remembering that Jesus understands (Isaiah 53:1-12:

Hebrews 4:15, 5:1-9; 12:2-4)

c)   Affirming that God can use all things for good (Romans 8:28)

d)   Specifically giving thanks (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

e)   As a step of faith, considering it joy (James 1:2-4)

f)    Exulting in tribulation (Romans 5:3)

We cannot escape suffering, but we can choose to respond in faith. Christ is our hope, our salvation, our comfort and our refuge. The choice is ours.                                                                        (JIM GREEN)

There are several things we learn from the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the furnace:

1: A PARTNERSHIP LEADING UP TO THE FIRE

How these men must have been an encouragement to each other in such difficult circumstances! I could never have come as far as I have without the love and support of so many partners in life and ministry. It is the midst of “fiery trials” that you become most aware of your need and most grateful to God for His provision.

2: THE PRESENCE OF GOD WITH THEM IN THE FIRE

God was with them in the fire by His angel. He used the fire to set them free from their bonds. He did not allow the fire to do them any harm. God is always with us. Even in the difficult times. He is in control. He is using the “fire” of suffering to set us free not from physical bonds, but from the bonds of sin: pride, prejudice, and self will. Thus suffering always has as its one great purpose: to make us more like Christ.

3: THE PERSISTENCE OF THE THREE MEN IN THE FIRE

It is easy to trust and obey God when it feels good to do so. The most inspiring thing about the actions of these three young men was that they steadfastly refused to deny God even when stripped of all pleasurable feeling. It is when we do what God requires even when it does not feel good, even when there is no outward sign of God’s blessing, even when we may feel forsaken – as was Christ on the cross – it is when we trust God in these circumstances that we prove the genuineness of our faith.

4: THE PASSING NATURE OF THE FIRE

The fire did not last forever. Our time of trial will not last forever. It may seem long, but God is working in it. Be patient. Pray. Don’t let Satan use it to his advantage. Even if the “fire” lasts a lifetime it is still not forever. We need to learn to view things from the perspective of eternity.

5: THE PERFECTIONS OF GOD ARE SHOWN BY THE FIRE

In the lives of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, God was able to bring good out of their situation.

I have cerebral palsy. I wouldn’t have chosen it. I can’t change it. And neither has God chosen to. I can testify however that God has brought good out of my cerebral palsy in the past. Now that I have been diagnosed with leukaemia. I pray that God will use that too. Again, I believe with all my heart that God is able to deliver me out of this “fiery furnace”. I am praying for this. But even if He does not I hold fast to the truths I have long believed. God is our loving heavenly Father. We can trust Him to only lead us through those things which are necessary to make us the people we need to be – whether in this life or the next.

(DAVID BURGE)

Human beings have a fundamental need to feel safe and secure. But anytime we base our sense of security on the things of this world, we can expect disappointment. This is especially true when it comes to our finances. We are living in very uncertain times of high unemployment and diminishing retirement accounts. Our money can quickly fly away no matter how   carefully   we   plan   and guard it. At times like this, we need to remember our eternal future.

Isn’t it wonderful to know that believers have an inheritance in heaven that never depreciates and cannot be stolen? It was given to us when we placed our hope in Christ and will never be taken away because it’s reserved and protected for us in heaven. Someday, when we see Jesus face to face, we will enjoy all the riches of God’s grace and receive the fullness of our inheritance.

But did you know that every day we live on this earth, we have an opportunity to build up that inheritance by investing in the things the Lord values and credits to our account? That’s what Jesus was talking about when He said, “Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven” (Matt. 6:20). Whenever we live righteously in obedience to God, we’re adding to our inheritance

Are you more concerned with investments in this life than with everlasting riches? It’s easy to let daily demands and responsibilities overshadow the importance of building our eternal inheritance. Take time each day to refocus your mind and heart. Then start sending up some heavenly treasures.

(IN TOUCH MINISTRIES, INC.)

Most people are honest in some things, but a person of integrity is honest about all things.

Several years ago, in Long Beach, California, a fellow went into a fried chicken place and bought a couple of chicken dinners for himself and his date late one afternoon.

The young woman at the counter inadvertently gave him the proceeds from the day – a whole bag of money (much of it cash) instead of fried chicken. After driving to their picnic site, the two of them sat down to open the meal and enjoy some chicken together. They discovered a whole lot more than chicken – over $800! But he was unusual. He quickly put the money back in the bag. They got back into the car and drove all the way back.

Mr. Clean got out, walked in, and became an instant hero. By then the manager was frantic. The guy with the bag of money looked the manager in the eye and said, “I want you to know I came by to get a couple of chicken dinners and wound up with all this money. Here.” Well, the manager was thrilled to death. He said, “Oh, great, let me call the newspaper. I’m gonna have your picture put in the local newspaper. You’re the most honest man I’ve heard of.” To which the guy quickly responded, “Oh no, no, don’t do that!” Then he leaned closer and whispered, “You see, the woman I’m with is not my wife…she’s uh, somebody else’s wife.”

Integrity means truth characterizes your whole life. It is to let every area of your life to be governed by God’s truth. Now Jesus is our perfect example in every regard. “They came to Him and said, ‘Teacher, we know that You are a man of integrity. You aren’t swayed by men, because You pay no attention to who they are …’” (Mark 12:14). Jesus didn’t let men decide what was going to be true today. Jesus let God decide what was going to be true everyday.

That same Lord taught “Whoever is faithful in small matters will be faithful in large ones.” (Luke 16:10). You see, that is the completeness of integrity, and people like that are rare. But the difference they make in this world is awesome.   (SOURCE UNKNOWN)

The story is told of an old man who lived  on a farm in the mountains of eastern Kentucky with  his  young   grandson.   Each  morning, Grandpa  was up early  sitting at  the kitchen table  reading  from  his  old  worn-out  Bible. His grandson who wanted to be just like him tried to imitate him in any way he could.

One day the grandson asked, ‘Grandpa, I try to read the Bible just like you but I don’t understand it, and what I do understand I forget as soon as I close the book. What good does reading the Bible do?’ The Grandfather quietly turned from putting coal in the stove and said, ‘Take this old wicker coal basket down to the river and bring back a basket of water.’

The boy did as he was told, even though all the water leaked out before he could get back to the house. The grandfather laughed and said, ‘You will have to move a little faster next time,’ and sent him back to the river with the basket to try again. This time the boy ran faster, but again the old wicker basket was empty before he returned home. Out of breath, he told his grandfather that it was ‘impossible to carry water in a basket,’ and he went to get a bucket instead. The old man said, ‘I don’t want a bucket of water; I want a basket of water. You can do this. You’re just not trying hard enough,’ and he went out the door to watch the boy try again.

At this point, the boy knew it was impossible, but he wanted to show his grandfather that even if he ran as fast as he could, the water would leak out before he got far at all. The boy scooped the water and ran hard, but when he reached his grandfather the basket was again empty. Out of breath, he said, ‘See Grandpa, it’s useless!’

‘So you think it is useless?’ The old man said, ‘Look at the basket.’

The boy looked at the basket and for the first time he realized that the basket looked different. Instead of a dirty old wicker coal basket, it was clean.

‘Son, that’s what happens when you read the Bible. You might not understand or remember everything, but when you read it, it will change you from the inside out.’

Moral of the wicker basket story: Take time to read a portion of God’s word each day; it will affect you for good even if you don’t retain a word.

Alila stood on the beach holding her tiny infant son close to her heart. Tears welled in her eyes as she began slowly walking toward the river’s edge. She stepped into the water, silently making her way out until she was waist deep, the water gently lapping at the sleeping baby’s feet. She stood there for a long time holding the child tightly as she stared out across the river. Then all of a sudden in one quick movement she threw the six month old baby to his watery death.

Native missionary M.V. Varghese often witnesses among the crowds who gather at the Ganges. It was he who came upon Alila that day kneeling in the sand crying uncontrollably and beating her breast. With compassion he knelt down next to her and asked her what was wrong.

Through her sobs she told him, “The problems in my home are too many and my sins are heavy on my heart, so I offered the best I have to the goddess Ganges, my first born son.” Brother Varghese’s heart ached for the desperate woman. As she wept he gently began to tell her about the love of Jesus and that through Him her sins could be forgiven. She looked at him strangely. “I have never heard that before,” she replied through her tears. “Why couldn’t you have come thirty minutes earlier? If you did, my child would not have had to die.”

Each year millions of people come to the holy Indian city of Hardwar to bathe in the River Ganges. These multitudes come believing this Hindu ritual will wash their sins away. For many people like Alila, missionaries are arriving too late, simply because there aren’t enough of these faithful brothers and sisters on the mission field.

“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” But how can they call on Him to save them unless they believe in Him? And how can they believe in Him if they have never heard about Him? And how can they hear about Him unless someone tells them?  And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!”  (Romans 10: 13-15) (CHRISTIANITY TODAY)

In the Bible, a covenant is always initiated by God; grounded in His love, law and justice; and the result of His sovereign grace and promise. In Bible covenants, God, always on His own initiative, offers fellowship with man, and commits Himself irrevocably. We can even go so far as to say that God never has fellowship with anyone except by a covenant. Or to put in in a more personal way – no one can be in a saving relationship with God unless they are in a covenant with Him.

COVENANT:   IN EDEN
REFERENCE: Genesis 3:15
GOD’S PROMISE: Satan and mankind will be enemies.
SIGN: Pain of childbirth, work for bread

COVENANT:   NOAH
REFERENCE: Genesis 9:8-17
GOD’S PROMISE: God would never again destroy the earth with a flood.
SIGN: Rainbow

COVENANT:  ABRAHAM
REFERENCE: Genesis 15:12-21: 17:1-14
GOD’S PROMISE: Abraham’s descendants would become a great nation if they obeyed God. God would be their God.
SIGN: Smoking fire pot and flaming torch

COVENANT:   AT MOUNT SINAI
REFERENCE: Exodus 19:5-6
GOD’S PROMISE: Israel would be God’s special people, a holy nation. But they would have to keep their part of the covenant obedience.
SIGN: The Exodus

COVENANT:   DAVID
REFERENCE: 2 Samuel 7:13; 23:5
GOD’S PROMISE: Salvation would come through David’s line through the Messiah.
SIGN: David’s line continued and Christ was born as a descendant of David.

COVENANT:   NEW COVENANT
REFERENCE: Hebrews 8:6-13
GOD’S PROMISE: Forgiveness and salvation are available in and through Christ.
SIGN: The resurrection of Christ
The New Covenant is the fulfilment of the  Old and New Testament. Through Jesus Christ all the promises are ours! Praise Him!