I am sharing the following message which Nelson Turner -- one of my college roommates and now a shepherd of my soul by the calling of the Lord Jesus Christ -- shared with me and my wife relative to a host of issues presently confronting us to the point of overwhelm in our life.
[I am responsible (in all my inadequacy) for updating Nelson's website www.ExperienceOfTheWord.com (and for disseminating his sermons to a mailing list of many faithful souls in places not served by Bible-believing churches.) So, my intro message to that audience is appended in advance to the generous lesson, scriptural citations and prayer given by Nelson which follows below.]
As we recognize the Holy Spirit in one another, and are encouraged (and emboldened) by what God has done in us to proclaim and bless the name of the Lord -- that in all things He may receive honor and glory -- I hope and pray that the inspiration given by God, and shared among us in love and fellowship may be for perpetual blessing to one another and those the Lord places in our path.
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Blessing <2john1vs3@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, Feb 24, 2019
[Brothers and sister in the Lord,
Pastor Turner shared the thoughts below with my wife and myself, inviting us to share them with each other as we try patiently to endure difficult times in our daily life. They are graceful words and of great consolation indeed, reminding us of our position with the Lord by His grace, and of His abiding presence with us which fails not.
May they likewise comfort you now, or at some future time, when a little reminder of the infinite mercies shown us continually are there to keep you in peace. May the friendship and pastoral care shown here by Nelson likewise be an example to each of us to console each other with these thoughts that they may be of benefit to them in knowing the Lord's presence as they face life's daily challenges.
May the Lord's blessings be upon you all in abundance,
Chris
"Be Content in Hardship and Testing" from Pastor Nelson Turner on the Lord's Day February 24, 2018]
Please share the Scripture verses below underlined, received as comfort in distress that I face.
Our hardships are the seal of our sonship. The correction of the Lord appears in every struggle and every battle we face here. His strength is made manifest in our weakness, and his power is made manifest in we who are powerless. We of ourselves can do nothing, but by Him we can do all things. We endure the chastening of the LORD as apprentices being taught the ways of life by Him that turned us from the ways of death. We are the objects of His love and His grace, He is our peace. They that are in the flesh cannot please God, but we are in the Spirit by His work and His divine power that has begotten us again unto a living hope. We look not to ourselves, but unto Him that is the Author and Finisher of our faith. By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, and that He upholds us by that same word.
KJV Psalm 66:8-9 O bless our God, ye people, and make the voice of his praise to be heard: Which holdeth our soul in life, and suffereth not our feet to be moved.
He holds our lives in His hands, our times are in His hands, he knew us when we did not know Him, he cares for us every moment of every day, and bowing to Him in these truths is all our hope and peace. Rebukes and reproofs are the way of life. May I by God’s grace embrace the rebuke and reproof of God, both by His direct action, and by His secondary actions dealt to me through the circumstances of my life, the people that speak to me, my things that fail, my things that succeed. I who am but dust and ashes have been chosen and called to stand before the great King and Judge of all the earth, and standing in Christ before the Father my cries are heard, my cares are heard, my distress is made known, and upon such an one the Father bestows the comfort of the Spirit crying out in me ABBA Father!!!
KJV Hebrews 12:11-15 "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. Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees ; And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed. Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled...”
Especially I note the chastening of people, places, and circumstances of my work; the presence of the Devil opposing and accusing: they are indeed grievous, and if I look at them alone apart from the Lord there is no hope in me being victorious.
But I am in Christ and His victory is mine, His faith is mine, and most of all HIS LOVE IS MINE. So then I am able to endure the hardness of the way in a journey which is too great for me.
In the flesh “the odds are stacked against me” but in the Spirit I am “well able” to go in and occupy the place Christ has prepared for me.
Grace to you, and peace in the Lord Jesus Christ!!!
Nelson
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Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love. 2John1:3
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