Your salvation and suffering... are both gifts of God’s redeeming grace in Christ.

Therefore, what comes along with His salvation... are also gifts that have been graciously given to you. What comes with His grace?

1. People (the brethren)

2. Places (a family of God)

3. Priorities (of Jesus)

4. Purpose (for the faith of the gospel)

5. Persecution (adversaries)

6. Proof (distinguish between the saints and the world)

Therefore to walk worthy of the gospel through the gifts of His grace these specifics will ALL be involved in your life and journey.

Philippians 1:27-29

Luna moth in distress...

It was shuttering and shivering for two reasons...

1. It was physically in poor condition... he was either attacked or got caught in spiders web not long before I found him on the ground. I picked him up and put him on our easel to keep the ants from getting him.

2. Moths shiver or shake to regulate their body temperature, similar to how we shiver to create energy to warm up our bodies.

You ever feel like you're weak and spread thin, and the load you're carrying is about to topple over? Maybe, you feel torn and tattered and unable to “fly” or perhaps, as if the "enemy" has you right where he wants you and you're going to be stuck where you are forever? I encourage you, don't feel like you're the only one, because you're not alone.

Remember this... God’s sees and He’s always doing something on behalf of His disciples. James teaches, “let patience have its perfect work.” We don't glory and count it all joy over what we’re facing but for WHO and WHY we’re facing the trials of life, that are causing us to seek God and His wisdom. It’s not the tribulation that cause us to rejoice, it’s the transformation and touch of our gentle Redeemer at work that allows us to celebrate the tears and tatters along the journey (James 1 ).

Matter of fact, we are taught in God's word that He [God] often SEES the need to providentially BLESS us with the life changing PROVISIONS of AFFLICTION and ADVERSITY.

I KNOW... you probably read that twice, but I did refer to TROUBLE as a provision of God. Why? Because He speaks of it as such. He speaks of them as bread and water... two essentials that we NEED to sustain physical life are paralleled with two essentials NEEDED (affliction and adversity) for keeping us humble and in need of a Deliverer in this beautiful but harsh world.

Therefore, I encourage you to keeping pressing on my friends... keep looking up, the load you’re under is a gift (Philippians 1:27-29). Also keep in mind, you're not in this alone, God just might be waiting on you, to wait on Him... that He can pour out His grace upon you (Isaiah 30:18-22).

Life and all it's challenges are tough... and for us to enjoy the good, bad and the ugly we'll need embrace it with light, experience it with laughter and express it with love. Don’t forget that He wastes nothing... so try not to waste the trouble you’re going through, let Him use it for His glory and your good.

No Wax...

No Wondering...

No Whimpering

Not shaken...

Let’s apply it to swimming... you can know all there is to know about swimming but you can’t be taught how to swim unless you get in the water. God MUST shepherd us through the murky and clear, deep and shallow, safe and dangerous waters of life for us to be taught how to swim with Him. There’s no way... there’s not another process except His way, that we can testify with Paul... “we can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens us!” How does He strengthen us? By teaching us, in the school of grace, how to embrace, endure and enjoy His renewing and refining process. That we may be authentic, aware of His presence and appreciative of His grace and guidance through the ups and downs of kingdom life.

Blessings my friends... I pray each of you will have a rich and beautiful day.

"And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity, and the water of affliction..." (Isaiah 30:20)

Check out Pastor Nick’s corresponding audio message, “Trouble... It’s Working For Me, When...” posted on March 6, 2019.

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