Keep on Keepin' On

Romans 5
Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord, Jesus Christ:
By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
And patience, experience; and experience, hope
And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
Romans 5:1-5 KJV

LET IT GLOW

I know we all experience those down times in our life. Many people have it during the last month of the year, the Christmas season. I find it at other times, though it maybe just around the corner. So we got to "keep on keepin' on"; looking up; staying focused on Jesus; singing His praises throughout the day; well, you get the idea. (I couldn't stop at verse 1, so there's all 5 verses in case you don't have the Word with you. smile

Charles Swindoll shows us three benefits in the key verses:
1. Peace-A justified sinner is no longer under God's wrath, but is at peace with his Creator.
2. Grace-Those who have become children of God are ushered into a brand new relationship with
               Him and  a  whole new life of liberty.
3. Joy-It's the theme of joy, or exultation, that brings us to the observation of three levels of rejoicing.
(from Coming to Terms with Sin)

Wait a minute, where did Brother Chuck find the word "joy?"  It's not in verses 1-5.  I had to search; it's in verse 11.

LET IT GROW

As I was reading this chapter ahead of time, I stopped and took a break. Then I  read what the day's reading for my ladies' Bible study class was. We're in Jennifer Rothschild's book Walking By Faith, Lessons Learned in the Dark.
Today's title is Delight in the Discipline That Strengthens. Here's some main points:
"God allows suffering to discipline us; our choice is whether to discipline ourselves to respond with rejoicing.
(Hebrews 12:10-11 is quoted.) Both forms of discipline will strengthen us. I'm not convinced that suffering alone creates strength. It's our response to suffering that does that. We can rejoice even in suffering because of the harvest of peace and righteousness we will certainly enjoy when the training is complete. James 1:3, NCV, says,'You know that these troubles test your faith, and this will give you patience.' In Greek, patience refers to the perseverance that actively overcomes the trials of life. Perseverance results when we rejoice in suffering. (Romans 5:3-5 is quoted.)"

Comparing KJV and NIV helps:
King James says:                                        New International Version says:
tribulation produces patience,                      suffering produces perseverance,
patience produces experience,                     perseverance produces character,
experience produces hope.                          character produces hope.

Lord, You don't have to hit me over the head with a 2x4. (I take notice and perk up my ears whenever the same Scriptures come to me in the same day.) "What are You saying to me, Lord?" I ask.

Jennifer said to rejoice in suffering? Brother Chuck said to show joy in tribulation? How is this possible?

Jennifer said,"Choose to rejoice in spite of difficulty-suffering strengthens faith, joy showcases God's power, and mourning ministers to others."
(So we don't do it on our own; it's God's power, Holy Spirit,  in us. If we are already having joy, rejoicing daily, then it is to continue through our times of suffering/tribulation. Now I understand.)

Brother Chuck says there are three levels of rejoicing:
1. Rejoicing in Hope (verse 2b) God is committed to His Christians' development. Our hope is to one
    day be  like Him in every respect.
2. Rejoicing in Tribulation (verses 3-10) It doesn't say we are to have joy because of our sufferings and
    struggles, but rather that we should be joyful as we go through them.
3. Rejoicing in God (verse 11) As a result of our salvation, we worship and adore our God.


LET IT GO

Continue in hope and joy.

Allow God to work in me through trials, tribulation, and suffering. Don't resisit.

Share His love by sharing with others how God worked in my life.