His Presence Through the Trials – Purity 1457
Purity 1457 09/21/2024 Purity 1457 Audio Podcast
Purity 1457 on YouTube:
Good morning,
Well, it is Saturday, and I am rejoicing that the weekend has come and I am revitalized after a good night’s sleep and a successful week of work and ministry. Although the week was busy, I was blessed by it because I was able to share the Freedom in Christ message and counsel others in the practice of walking in the Spirit each night this week and I did it with enthusiasm because I am completely healed of my recent bout of pneumonia and am re-energized to pursue good spiritual, physical, and mental health on the path of Christian Discipleship. I was tested during this latest trial but God was with me throughout my illness, and I feel I have grown through the experience as I have a deeper appreciation of my health, life, and ministry.
Today’s In Touch with Dr. Charles Stanley devotional addresses dealing with trials and I am sharing it on the blog today to encourage us all and to help us understand how God will help us.
Through the Trials
“We all will face trials. Realistically, you are either in a storm, just getting out of one, or about to enter one. That is the bad news. Here’s the good news: We serve a good God who provides beautifully—especially during the dark periods of life.
Today’s passage (Matthew 14:22-34) tells of a stormy night on the Sea of Galilee. Jesus provides for us today just as He did for His disciples then. Today, let’s look at some ways He does this.
First, the Father offers us His presence and the promise that He will never leave (Deuteronomy 31:8). We are able to live with a sense of comfort, courage, and confidence, no matter the circumstances.
Second, the Lord blesses His children with a pathway through trouble. He is in total control of our storm and will use the trial for His purpose. We may not understand, but we can trust His hand to guide us and accomplish good.
Third, the Father offers believers the potential to grow. Hardships are exercises in trust and times to learn more fully how great God’s power and love are.
No one enjoys hard times. But remember to express gratitude for God’s hand in your life and the way He will use the adversity. Even though trials are painful, they offer us the chance to trust our Creator and know Him better.” – Charles Stanley
Amen.
I can attest that when we follow the Lord, He will indeed help us in times of trouble with:
- His presence,
- With a way to make it through the trials,
- and with the opportunity to grow and mature in our faith.
God works all things together for good for those who love Him and who are called according to His purposes, and He blesses and helps us through the trials of our lives to prove that He is with us.
So whether you are in the midst of a trial, about to enter one, or have just made your way out of one, thank the Lord for His love and presence in your life. Draw close to Him in all times and seasons because it is only through a close relationship with Him that we can go through the tough times of life with peace, grace, and joy.
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For those who want more evidence for Christianity than my simple encouragements provide, I offer apologist, Frank Turek’s website, https://crossexamined.org/ .
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Today’s Bible verse comes to us from “The Quick Scripture Reference for Counseling” By John G. Kruis.
( While Bible verses on various topics of Counseling can be found with a quick Google search, we encourage you to purchase this resource to support the late author’s work. (https://www.amazon.com/Quick-Scripture-Reference-Counseling-Kruis-ebook/dp/B00CIUJZT2?ref_=ast_author_dp )
This morning’s meditation verse comes from the section on the Forgiveness of Sins (God’s Forgiveness).
Acts 10:43 (NASB)
43 “Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins.”
Today’s verse falls under the thirty-first point of our counseling reference guide resource’s section on the Forgiveness of Sins (God’s Forgiveness).
31. All the prophets testify that through faith in Jesus we have forgiveness of sins.
Today’s Bible verse reveals the answer to the mystery that all the prophets of God were speaking about – that it was only through the Messiah – who was revealed to be Jesus of Nazareth – that we could have the forgiveness of sins.
Today’s verse comes from the Apostle Peter, who preached the gospel to a group of Gentiles. In the previous verses, Peter explained that he was an eyewitness to all of what Jesus did in Judea and Jerusalem, confirmed that Jesus had died and was resurrected and that he had spent time with the resurrected Christ after He was raised and was ordered by Him to preach the truth that Jesus was who said He was and it was only by faith in Jesus that we could be saved.
In this episode, Gentiles came to faith in Jesus, and the authenticity of Peter’s message was proven when they received the Holy Spirit, which was another fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies. In Christ, God’s kingdom came to earth, and forgiveness of sins and a new eternal life is available to all who put their faith in Jesus.
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As always, I invite all to go to mt4christ.com where I always share insights from prominent Christian theologians and counselors to assist my brothers and sisters in Christ with their walk.
Today we continue sharing from “According to Your Word: Morning and Evening Through the New Testament” By Stephen F. Olford – A Collection of Devotional Journals: 1940-1941.
As always, I share this information for educational purposes and encourage you all to purchase Olford’s books for your own private study and to support his work. This resource is available online for less than $10 at many sites.
EVENING READING: HEBREWS 12
“Endure chastening.” – Hebrews 12:7
O Lord, this is a message to my heart today, for I can say that my hands hang down and my knees are palsied. It seems to me that I am being chastened. For what, I do not really know. But Lord, I do know that it is for my good, and I would endure chastening until:
• I become a partaker of Your holiness.
• I yield peaceable fruit of righteousness.
• I am healed.
If this is the way to this threefold blessing, Lord, I will go all the way. So glorify Yourself in me for Your precious Name’s sake.
Amen.[1]
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“The views, opinions, and commentary of this publication are those of the author, M.T. Clark, only, and do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of any of the photographers, artists, ministries, or other authors of the other works that may be included in this publication, and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities the author may represent.”
Encouragement for the Path of Christian Discipleship
[1] Stephen Olford and Heather Olford, According to Your Word: Morning and Evening Through the New Testament, A Collection of Devotional Journals 1940-1941 (Nashville, TN: B&H Books, 2008).
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