Encouragement from the Word of God:
Matthew 11:28 "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest."
These are the words of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. In Him we experience the only truly comfortable place to be as we walk this walk together in the unity of the faith. He's the unique One, both God and man simultaneously, who through His substitutionary sacrifice on the Cross, has completed the only work able to redeem us from spiritual death.
He accomplished this grace work for us for one reason - He loves us.
John 10:18 "No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again."
Never forget that He's got everything under control. He's the creator of the universe and therefore maintains sovereign control over it and all creatures in it.
Hebrews 1:3 "...and upholds all things by the word of His power."
So even though "...our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 6:12), we needn't despair because our Lord and Savior has everything under control.
So you & I can relax.
Romans 8:28 "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose."
What's important is that each of us understand this calling, this purpose of His. At salvation, we are given a personal sense of destiny that we need to align with, a spiritual compass, if you will. And as with all things concerning God, it's by grace through faith that we receive it.
1 Timothy 4:8 "...but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come."
"Godliness" (eusebeia in the Greek) in 1 Timothy 4:8 refers to the "spiritual life," which is the key to life. It is my wish for all reading this that you understand exactly what this means fully and to the point where you arrive at a state of rest where the following passage of scripture truly means something to you.
John 14:6 "Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me."
When you learn Bible Doctrine through me or whoever your right pastor-teacher is, your soul advances, progressing towards the "mind of Christ" (1 Corinthians 2:16).
Plainly stated, Christ's mind is the Word of God.
John 1:1 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
John 1:14 "And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth."
Learn His Word through Bible Doctrine and you come to know Him, the Truth...and that's the key to life!
Why?
John 8:32 "and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."
-Pastor Ed Collins
