Thoughts

A Thought or Two for Today

In a letter to a pastor friend the 17th century pastor Samuel Rutherford wrote;
"Tribulation and temptations will almost loosen us to the root; and yet, without tribulations and temptations, we can now no more grow than herbs or corn without rain."


This quote generates a couple of thoughts from the scriptures.

The first from Hebrews 12: 5-11

"And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:  For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
 
If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?  But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
 
Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?  For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.
 
Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby."

Paul wrote to the Thessalonians; " In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."


So, in light of our national Thanksgiving holiday and in the spirit of thanksgiving (daily), the scriptures are clear, believers are to give thanks for every thing, including our tribulations and temptations. This sounds good in theory and on paper, but go now and put it into practice!


Go now and partake of the divine nature (2 Pet 2), press on in your tribulations and temptations and enjoy the peaceable fruit of righteousness and be conformed to the image of His dear Son! And finally, if I may close with this thought from the apostle John, "beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure." 


May the Lord bless His word this day and may He bless you too!