Thursday, November 21, 2013
"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE FOR THOSE WHO ARE WEEPING"
"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE FOR THOSE WHO ARE WEEPING"
Luke 6:21b Blessed are you who weep now, For you shall laugh.
Some explanatory thoughts and application:
1. Blessed and weeping somehow don't seem to go together, but they do as far as believers are concerned.
2. The word blessed, means, to be happy. Simply that happy.
3. Jesus is saying to people who are weeping now, that they will laugh. The word laugh as it's used here, means, joy or satisfaction.
4. The word weep as it's used here means, to mourn, to be weeping as a sign of pain and grief, to bewail.
5. Christians and non Christians weep, but, for the Christian, there is the promise of laughter, or joy, but not so for the non believer. Not at all.
6. The joy does not only come when we get to heaven, but may I say, what joy it will be when we get there, but it can come now, and it does. Let me share a Scripture with you that speaks to this.
Ps 30:5 His anger lasts for a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime! Weeping may go on all night, but joy comes with the morning.
7. The Lord in the above verse speaks clearly about the fact that weeping can go on for along time, "all night" as it were. But, He also says that joy comes in the morning. Maybe not tomorrow morning, but sometime in the future.
8. God promises to work whatever it is that you are going through that may be causing you to weep, to work together for your good. Just like Joseph said in the Bible, Gen 50:20 " As far as I am concerned, God turned into good what you meant for evil. He brought me to the high position I have today so I could save the lives of many people."
A prayer:
Father, there is no one like You. You are above all. And, You are all powerful, and all knowing. We pray right now for those who are weeping today, weeping in the quietness of their homes, or places of work, or in their hearts, or before they left home today, or when they come home today, we pray for them, that You O Lord would pour Your Word into their hearts, and bring them comfort.
Send them a email from a friend, that brings encouragement, put it on a friends heart to just call and say hello, and I love you, and we are praying for you. Lord do something, even if it's through a complete stranger, to bring some comfort.
But, most of all Lord, help them to remember, that one day, all the weeping will be over, no more tears, no more paining, only unspeakable joy and gladness in heaven with you. And, Lord help them and us to rejoice right now in the wonderful hope we have in Christ. In Jesus name.
Pastor Bob Grenier
Calvary Chapel Visalia
Luke 6:21b Blessed are you who weep now, For you shall laugh.
Some explanatory thoughts and application:
1. Blessed and weeping somehow don't seem to go together, but they do as far as believers are concerned.
2. The word blessed, means, to be happy. Simply that happy.
3. Jesus is saying to people who are weeping now, that they will laugh. The word laugh as it's used here, means, joy or satisfaction.
4. The word weep as it's used here means, to mourn, to be weeping as a sign of pain and grief, to bewail.
5. Christians and non Christians weep, but, for the Christian, there is the promise of laughter, or joy, but not so for the non believer. Not at all.
6. The joy does not only come when we get to heaven, but may I say, what joy it will be when we get there, but it can come now, and it does. Let me share a Scripture with you that speaks to this.
Ps 30:5 His anger lasts for a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime! Weeping may go on all night, but joy comes with the morning.
7. The Lord in the above verse speaks clearly about the fact that weeping can go on for along time, "all night" as it were. But, He also says that joy comes in the morning. Maybe not tomorrow morning, but sometime in the future.
8. God promises to work whatever it is that you are going through that may be causing you to weep, to work together for your good. Just like Joseph said in the Bible, Gen 50:20 " As far as I am concerned, God turned into good what you meant for evil. He brought me to the high position I have today so I could save the lives of many people."
A prayer:
Father, there is no one like You. You are above all. And, You are all powerful, and all knowing. We pray right now for those who are weeping today, weeping in the quietness of their homes, or places of work, or in their hearts, or before they left home today, or when they come home today, we pray for them, that You O Lord would pour Your Word into their hearts, and bring them comfort.
Send them a email from a friend, that brings encouragement, put it on a friends heart to just call and say hello, and I love you, and we are praying for you. Lord do something, even if it's through a complete stranger, to bring some comfort.
But, most of all Lord, help them to remember, that one day, all the weeping will be over, no more tears, no more paining, only unspeakable joy and gladness in heaven with you. And, Lord help them and us to rejoice right now in the wonderful hope we have in Christ. In Jesus name.
Pastor Bob Grenier
Calvary Chapel Visalia
"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE CONCERNING GOD'S GRACE"
"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE CONCERNING GOD'S GRACE"
Acts 20:32 “So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.
Heb 10:29 Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?
Heb 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
1 Peter 5:10 But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.
Some explanatory thoughts and application:
1. Grace of course means, God's unmerited favor. It is as pastor/author Warren Wiersbe said, "God's grace is God's provision for our every need. God's grace is not a mystical substance, that God pours into us when we have a need. Grace, is God's bountiful supply for our every need. Law means that I must do something for God, but grace means, that God does something for me. Grace cannot be deserved. Grace cannot be earned. Grace can only be given"
2. There are several things said here about grace, that is, about the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. All for our benefit and help.
3. Jesus is called the Word of His grace. See Acts 20:32 above. And, Paul was commending, or encouraging the Ephesian elders, to be committed to or presented to or set before Jesus, the Word of His grace. He also tells us what the Word of His grace, "Jesus" is able to do. He is able to build us up, and to give us an inheritance among all those who are sanctified, or set apart to God, by faith in Jesus Christ.
4. The Holy Spirit is spoken of in Heb 10:29, and called, "The Spirit of grace" This third person of the Trinity then, is given this wonderful name, "The Spirit of Grace" He is also called the Helper.
5. Notice the wonderful truth and invitation, and promise given to us in Heb 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
6. Finally, we have a beautiful name given to us about God. In 1st Peter 5:10, He is called the God of all grace. And, this name is given in connection with His calling in our lives, He has called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, ( that is, by our faith in Christ for salvation ) Then, the subject of suffering is brought up. That God in His grace, will do a number of things in your life. He will perfect, establish, strengthen and settle you.
7. Here's how the above verse from 1st Peter 5:10 reads in the NLT. In his kindness God called you to his eternal glory by means of Jesus Christ. After you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation.
7. Here's how the above verse from 1st Peter 5:10 reads in the NLT. In his kindness God called you to his eternal glory by means of Jesus Christ. After you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation.
8. So, then, to round it all off, God is indeed the God of grace, the Son is gracious, the Spirit is gracious, and our Father is also.
A prayer:
Father, Son and Holy Spirit, we are the blessed recipients of Your favor. We do not deserve the grace you give. We did not earn it, nor could we ever. You have not given us justice, which we deserve, but, You have given us mercy and grace. Thank You.
We will for all eternity be glorifying You for what you do, and what You have done. Thank You.
We will for all eternity be glorifying You for what you do, and what You have done. Thank You.
Pastor Bob Grenier
Calvary Chapel Visalia
Calvary Chapel Visalia
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)