“Past Sorrows, Future Hope”
(A letter to all the followers of Settled In Heaven Ministries)
1Pe 1:3-6 KJV – “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,
Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: that the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:”
This past year has been a difficult one for me. Beginning in July, the Lord allowed some medical problems to show up in my life that was the direct result of my birth defects that have remained, for the most part, dormant for 50+ years. Over the past 6 months I have been under 2 doctors’ care for these medical issues and have yet to find a resolution for them. I am confident that, in the Lord’s time, these things will come to an end and all will be well. Until then, I recognize the great blessing these medical issues have become in my life. They have drawn me closer to the Lord and have allowed me to experience the Lord’s great comfort and love in a very special way. I am blessed indeed.
But, in September, a far greater trial came upon my wife and myself when my mother in law (87 years old) was diagnosed with brain cancer and passed away in mid-November. She had been living in our home for the past 14 years and was a constant source of blessings for us. We were blessed in being able to care for her in her last days in our home with the help of hospice. She is greatly missed by us both. Our lives have been permanently changed in her absence, but the Lord’s grace sustains us. We are thankful that her life testified of the wondrous saving grace that the Lord has shown to her. She is in a far better place and her suffering has come to an end. May we all praise Him for His grace!
I would appreciate your prayers about both of these issues. Please ask for the Lord’s grace to be shown and that I will remain faithful to Him. Thank you so much.
I do realize that many of you have faced much greater trials in the past year(s). The loss of a spouse, much more difficult medical issues etc . May the Lord bless you and keep you in a very special way this year and in the years to come. May His grace be sufficient for you and meet all your needs.
Also, let me quickly say, I am so thankful for my wife, Eva, seeing how the Lord has worked in her heart to comfort her and strengthen her through both of these issues that we have faced. In spite of all she has been through, she remains faithful to the Lord and a constant help for me. I do not know what I would do without her. May the Lord continue to bless her as she seeks to please Him and care for me.
To those who follow my blog on the ChristianBlessings website and the Christian Gazette…
Lord willing, temporarily, I will be suspending my posts on these sites. As soon as my health improves, I have every intention of beginning my postings once again. (My thanks to both Evelyn and Patricia for their understanding about this leave of absence). I will also be putting my video postings on my youtube site on hold as well.
However, I have every intention, as the Lord permits, to continue with my postings on my main Settled In Heaven site…. www.settledinheaven.wordpress.com For the time being, please continue to follow my postings there.
As I look to 2017, I have much to be hopeful for. Physical healing, continuing growth in grace and strength, the starting of a new series on SIH, and an anticipation of our Lord’s soon return all keep me hopeful and encouraged in Him.
Just think, it is possible that our Lord could come back anytime and take us home to be with Him and, once again, see our loved ones who have passed on before us! What a day that will be!
No matter what issues we have all faced in this past year(s), may we all keep our eyes on our coming Lord and realize that these trials are only temporal and soon, we will be home with our Lord enjoying eternal fellowship with Him…
2Co 4:17-18 KJV – For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
SIH’s Verse Of The Day
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uke 11:9-10 So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
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Isaiah 40:31 but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
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Revelation 14:12 This calls for patient endurance on the part of the people of God who keep his commands and remain faithful to Jesus.
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Psalm 119:50 My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life.
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Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him who have been called according to his purpose.
“Come And See What God Hath Done”
“Come and see what God has done: he is awesome in his deeds toward the children of man.” – (Psalms 66:5 ESV)
In the context of Psalms 66:, the Psalmist invites all of us to see the great things God hath done as He delivered the children of Israel from the bondage of the Egyptians. Folks, some of the Lord’s greatest displays of His power and mercy were on display as He brought the ten plagues upon the Egyptians which resulted in Israel’s release.
However, this was not the greatest display of His power and mercy found in the Bible. In a small city in Israel, Bethlehem, God the Son willingly came to the earth to live among sinners in the face of temptation, abuse and mockery. And then, motivated by love, He chose to willingly die to redeem those sinners.
In my mind, this is the greatest display of power and mercy that we find recorded in the Bible:
- His power was on display as He defeated death, sin, Satan and the powers of darkness during His life and through His death.
- His mercy was displayed as He humbled Himself, came to the earth as a babe and then faced mockery and abuse all His life, culminating in His greatest act of love and mercy, His death on the cross for sinners.
Folks this wondrous act of willingly coming to the earth, humbly, as a babe, is the reason why we celebrate the Christmas holiday season. It is simply a time set apart by man to remember this great event that took place in history… the coming of God to the earth as a man to redeem His people from their sins!
“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us). – Matt 1:23 (ESV)
“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” – Luke 2:11 (ESV)
May we all have a very blessed Christmas season as we take time out from our regular schedules to remember the birth of God the son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, the perfect gift of love given to us by our Heavenly Father…
Let us all “Come and See What He Hath Done”!
https://settledinheaven.wordpress.com/2016/12/18/may-you-all-have-a-blessed-christmas-from-sih
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Lamentations 3:25 The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him;
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1 John 5:14-15 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.
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Psalm 119:114-115 You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word. Away from me, you evildoers, that I may keep the commands of my God!
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Philippians 4:19 And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.
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Psalm 32:8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.
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James 1:12-15 Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
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Isaiah 26:3 You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.
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Hebrews 13:5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”
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Psalm 121:1-2 I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.
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2 Corinthians 5:7 For we live by faith, not by sight.
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Isaiah 43:1 But now, this is what the LORD says— he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
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