It’s in the Book!
Quote: “But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 1 Thessalonians 4:13. To the afflicted ones I would say, be of good comfort in the hope of the resurrection morning. The waters of which you have been drinking are as bitter to your taste as were the waters of Marah to the children of Israel in the wilderness, but Jesus can make them so sweet with His love. God has provided a balm for every wound. There is a balm in Gilead, there is a Physician there. Will you not now as never before study the Scriptures? Seek the Lord for wisdom in every emergency. In every trial plead with Jesus to show you a way out of your troubles, then your eyes will be opened to behold the remedy and to apply to your case the healing promises that have been recorded in His Word. In this way the enemy will find no place to lead you into mourning and unbelief, but instead you will have faith and hope and courage in the Lord. The Holy Spirit will give you clear discernment that you may see and appropriate every blessing that will act as an antidote to grief, as a branch of healing to every draught of bitterness that is placed to your lips. Every draught of bitterness will be mingled with the love of Jesus, and in place of complaining of the bitterness, you will realize that Jesus’ love and grace are so mingled with sorrow that it has been turned into subdued, holy, sanctified joy.
When we are obliged to drink of the bitter waters, turn away from the bitter to the precious and the bright. In every trial grace can give the human soul assurance, and when we stand at the deathbed and see how the Christian can bear suffering and go through the valley of death, we gather strength . . . and we fail not, neither are we discouraged in leading souls to Jesus.” {FLB 186}
The portion that caught my eye was this one; “In every trial plead with Jesus to show you a way out of your troubles, then your eyes will be opened to behold the remedy and to apply to your case the healing promises that have been recorded in His Word (the Bible.) In this way the enemy will find no place to lead you into mourning and unbelief, but instead you will have faith and hope and courage in the Lord. The Holy Spirit will give you clear discernment that you may see and appropriate every blessing that will act as an antidote to grief, as a branch of healing to every draught of bitterness that is placed to your lips.”
The big question for each of us believers is this; “Can I from scripture, equally from both old and new testament, turn to the relevant passages for the situation current in my life?” “From this Biblical instruction, am I then willing and obedient to follow the instruction unswervingly?” Matthew 4:4 “But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” Or this from 1 Corinthians 10:31 “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” Is the Bible our measuring rod for everything we do? Do we use scripture for what we eat and drink as food, and also for what we do with ordinary things like Books, TV, Conversation, Computer input, Social Media? Who is in control of our lives? What is the measuring stick we use in everything, is it the Bible, or is it something else? Our admonition is that we probably all need to pull up our socks and to step up a level or two as Heaven is about to become a reality, and if you are not willing and living a Heaven based/Bible based life now, you certainly would not fit into a Heavenly atmosphere, and it would be pure torture, so God in kindness may well have to actually leave you out, how so very sad.
2 Corinthians 10:4 “(For the weapons of our warfare [are] not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;” Please now go and read Ephesians Chapter 6 right now; and contemplate our current situation. Ephesians 6:12-13 “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places]. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” Ephesians 6:17 “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:”
Taking Pauls concept of a Sword and The Bible or the Word of God, having the same function, that is to “Attack” and to “Defend,” Then I guess we all need to ask ourselves, as to how good a “Swordsman” we are? Can we from Scripture defend our positions or where necessary to make an attack against any unbiblical stands and to thereby release the captives from Satan’s corruptions. A good Soldier practiced daily with his sword and kept it polished and sharp always. There is an old saying that goes something like this, “The Bible that is falling apart usually belongs to someone who is not.” Are the “cares of this life squeezing you into its worldly mould?”
Today, let each of us resolve and to do our Sword Practice first thing each day, whip out your Bible and read it with the Holy Spirit as our tutor and guide, and then to be instantly obedient by following the admonition and council.
