The Suffering Saint - 1 Cheshvan 5786

Here and Now:

I have been feeling stressed, sad, broken, defiled, taken for granted, violated, and all the negative things that a person feels because of the evil in this world. I felt anxious, scared, insecure and unloved by the environment that was supposed to be a safe space for me. Since last night I have been crying out to GOD to help me, help me to survive and overcome this evil world. But then GOD's word comforts me today that is why I write what I have been receiving from GOD.

SOAP

Scriptures

Amos 6
English Standard Version
Woe to Those at Ease in Zion
1 “Woe to those who are at ease in Zion, and to those who feel secure on the mountain of Samaria,
the notable men of the first of the nations, to whom the house of Israel comes!

2 Timothy 2
English Standard Version
A Good Soldier of Christ Jesus
1 You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, 2 and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men,[a] who will be able to teach others also. 3 Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him. 5 An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. 6 It is the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops. 7 Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.
8 Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel, 9 for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound! 10 Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. 11 The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with him, we will also live with him;
12 if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us;
13 if we are faithless, he remains faithful—for he cannot deny himself.

Observation

The WORD in Amos 6 speaks to me in which it says: “Woe to those who are at ease in Zion, and to those who feel secure on the mountain of Samaria.... I believe it applies to all who are living at ease in this world because they are depending their security on mountains of the world, the mountain of wealth, the mountain of power, the mountain of money. Even though I live in a mountain that ought to make me feel secure and at ease but I am very insecure in it because the mountain I live troubles my soul. And so this word is parallel to the WORD in 2 Timothy 2:3 To share in the suffering of CHRIST because as long as we are in this world, the Saints of GOD suffer all kinds of tribulation and affliction in their souls because this world defies GOD and we who are one in GOD feel troubled in this world who defies the GOD we love. 

Application

It is okay to be troubled, it is okay to not feel comfortable, to feel afflicted and to feel uneasy because as a child of GOD we should be carrying the heart of GOD, and not feel comfortable in a place that defies GOD. This WORD encourages me, because it explains all that I am feeling. It explains all the pain, and affliction and suffering of my heart. Just as the soul of Lot (nephew of Abraham) was troubled everyday by what he was experiencing in Sodom and Gomorrah, emphasized in 2 Peter 2:8 (KJV), "For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds." As a child and follower of GOD, I ought to share the same suffering, and therefore I should rejoice even though I am troubled and vexed in this world, just as the WORD commands us in James 1:2 Count it all joy, my brothers,[b] when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. If you are an obedient child of GOD then you are a Saint, and Saints always suffer persecution because the darkness in this world, hates the light in you. 

Prayers

Dear FATHER, 

Make me strong, steadfast and immovable in this evil world. Help me to accept that suffering is normal for true followers of JESUS and enable me to overcome the tribulations of this world by YOUR grace and HOLY SPIRIT within me that empowers me and makes me who YOU have called me to be - a winner, an overcomer, victorious warrior more than a conqueror! 

In the Name of YESHUA, JESUS the KING, AMEN!

The struggle - April 27, 2014

Scripture: Job 7-8

1 “Is not all human life a struggle? Our lives are like that of a hired hand,
2 like a worker who longs for the shade, like a servant waiting to be paid.
17 “What are people, that you should make so much of us,

that you should think of us so often?
18 For you examine us every morning and test us every moment.
19 Why won’t you leave me alone, at least long enough for me to swallow!
21 Why not just forgive my sin and take away my guilt?
For soon I will lie down in the dust and die. When you look for me, I will be gone.”
Message:
The test and punishments of GOD are the struggle of Humanity.

Observation/Promise:
We are being tested from time to time. GOD wants to form our character and make our faith into gold. Job had the hardest test, GOD was confident in Him, He was going to pass the test. If GOD is confident in you, then He will allow you to go through tough times, because HE knows that you will emerge from the storms of life, stronger, wiser, discerning, and glorifying GOD. GOD is never out of control. Everything that happens in our lives is under the permission of our great and loving GOD.

Application/Command:

We can complain but let us remain faithful to GOD. No matter what happens in life, may the LORD grant us a spirit of perseverance and faith. May our trust for the Lord Almighty deepen as we hold on to His mercies and cling to His love. Let us be humble, may we never think we deserve better than what we have now. Let us learn how to ask GOD to deliver us from every trial winning every battle always in the end.

All Work Out - April 22, 2014

Scripture: Romans 7-8

18 Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later. 19 For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are.20 Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, 21 the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay. 22 For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us.24 We were given this hope when we were saved. (If we already have something, we don’t need to hope for it. 25 But if we look forward to something we don’t yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently.) 

26 And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.27 And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will.28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. - Romans 8

Message:

Our sufferings now can only remind us of our Hope for a glorious Future.

Observation/Promise:

We may have sufferings and troubles on earth, but they are only to mold us into better persons, shaping us to be a people of great character, one that GOD is working to be worthy of the paradise He has prepared for us. Yes we are all saved from our sins and condemnation when we accept the Lord Yeshua as our GOD but acceptance is not the end but only the start of our transformation. We can not stop pursuing GOD just because we are already sure of our salvation. The Word says we need to work out our salvation. When GOD saves us, He starts molding us into people with golden characters. And the process of molding and transformation may not be a pleasant experience because it is usually painful most of the time. 

Application/Command:

We need to only trust GOD in our troubles and suffering. When we trust GOD, we are letting go of our human ways of getting things done, we simply trust that the hardship and difficult circumstance is only making us hope more on the glorious future He has in store for us and that what we are going through now will bear into such a fruit that will make good use in the tasks and roles we will be responsible for in the future. And even in our failures, we can be confident that GOD will use our mistakes for His glory and our greater good. With GOD, no experience could ever be a waste, when we follow GOD, everything will all work out in the end and only GOD knows how. 

Endurance with Joy - April 15, 2014

Scripture: Romans 5-6
1 Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. 2 Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.
3 We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. 4 And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. 5 And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.
- Romans 5

Message:
Enduring through Trials without sinning but by trusting in GOD.

Observation/Promise:
We are all tried and tested in our life. Especially when we believe and follow the Lord Jesus who went through the worst things any human being could ever go through when He was on earth. But our trials and troubles are there to mold us and shape our character. One they are to help us develop endurance. It's human nature for people not to endure because they don't like to endure, it's not a pleasant feeling, it's a feeling of being pressed. But when we learn the secret of endurance, something changes within us and it changes our character. Not our personality, taste or likes, but something deep within us such as our character is being shaped into what is good. When our character is being developed, it pushes us to rely on GOD even more and strengthen our faith and hope in HIS salvation. It makes a person that trusts GOD all the more and that kind of person is someone that is humble and wise just like Joseph, Moses and Abraham.

Application/Command:

Learn to endure the trials in your life not just with sorrowful prayers lifted up to Heaven every time you are going through a difficult situation. Learn to endure with a smile, with rejoicing, and laughter because then you know that these trials are for a specific purpose allowed by GOD to make us into the best that we can be. Learning to endure in trials with joy is a proof of one's deep trust and hope in GOD. No sane person on earth will laugh when their house got burned down, or when an accident wrecked their car. But a person of deep trust in GOD will be able to thank HIM even after the difficulties in life because deep inside he/she knows that GOD has a greater purpose that will result in greater and wonderful things.

Unfailing One - April 12, 2014

Scripture: Job 3-4
11 “Why wasn’t I born dead?
Why didn’t I die as I came from the womb?
12 Why was I laid on my mother’s lap?
Why did she nurse me at her breasts?
13 Had I died at birth, I would now be at peace.
I would be asleep and at rest.
14 I would rest with the world’s kings and prime ministers,
whose great buildings now lie in ruins.
15 I would rest with princes, rich in gold,
whose palaces were filled with silver.
16 Why wasn’t I buried like a stillborn child,
like a baby who never lives to see the light?
17 For in death the wicked cause no trouble,
and the weary are at rest.

Message:

The agony of suffering to the point of regret.

Observation/Promise:
We all suffer from hardship and troubles in life. Pain and troubles are part of being in this world, it is part of life. And we can regret the day we were born for when we taste the suffering and troubles in life, we will begin to think that death is sweeter than life. But everything that GOD allows to happen on earth has a significant purpose and most especially the day of our birth because HE has a purpose for our being.

Application/Command:

We may regret the day of our birth and wish for death because of our sufferings and troubles on earth but GOD who brought you life truly has a purpose for you. Even Job who had everything then and lost everything in a single day was blessed even more in the end that he was blessed in the beginning. GOD's purpose for Job's life is to be a model for all those that love GOD, an example for all that want to be faithful to GOD, that even when we go through trials, GOD will carry us through all of them just as He carried Job. That our end is better than our beginning. Let us trust GOD even in the sorrows, hardship, persecution and sufferings. Hold on to the Almighty and Trust the unfailing one.

Faithful GOD - April 3, 2014

Scripture: Job 1-2
6 Adonai said to the Adversary, “Here! He is in your hands, except that you are to spare his life.”
7 Then the Adversary went out from the presence of Adonai and struck Iyov down with horrible infected sores from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. 8 He took a piece of a broken pot to scratch himself and sat down in the pile of ashes. 9 His wife asked him, “Why do you still hold on to your integrity? Curse God, and die!” 10 But he answered her, “You’re talking like a low-class woman! Are we to receive the good at God’s hands but reject the bad?” In all this Iyov did not say one sinful word.
13 Then they sat down with him on the ground. For seven days and seven nights, no one spoke a word to him; because they saw how much he was suffering.
Message:
HE is GOD and He is a faithful GOD through the good and the bad times.

Obeservation/Promise:
All of GOD's children are in GOD's hands, He protects us from harm and everything that is not good for us. The only time GOD gives us up from His hands is when He is going to test us and so we go through trials, and great sufferings, but this is all with GOD's consent. But the great about Iyov or Job was that he knew GOD and was faithful to him in both the good times and the bad times. The devil thought that he was just like any other man on earth, that will curse GOD when horrible things happen to him, but he was none like the others and GOD was proud of him the Lord even boasted about his servant to the devil and He was right about Job.

Application/Command:
Be faithful to GOD in the good times where we are not troubled by trials and everything to GOD but most especially in the bad times when we are suffering and going through such misery. GOD is always in Control, even when we see that everything is out of control. GOD has a purpose and plan for everything, therefore trust HIM and stay faithful to Him. No matter how hard difficult life is, all the more cling and hold on to GOD. In the end, GOD will prove Himself faithful and true to us and we His servants will end in praise and rejoicing because He is good!!! 

Overcome with Him - March 21, 2014

Scripture: Revelations 12-17

11 And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony.
And they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die. - Rev 12

10 This means that God’s holy people must endure persecution patiently and remain faithful. - Rev 13

12 This is when perseverance is needed on the part of God’s people, those who observe his commands and exercise Yeshua’s faithfulness. - Rev 14
15 (“Look! I am coming like a thief! How blessed are those who stay alert and keep their clothes clean, so that they won’t be walking naked and be publicly put to shame!”) 

- Rev 16
14 They will go to war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will defeat them, because he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are called, chosen and faithful will overcome along with him.” 

17 For God put it in their hearts to do what will fulfill his purpose, that is, to be of one mind and give their kingdom to the beast until God’s words have accomplished their intent. 

- Rev 17

Message:
Persevere! As GOD's chosen people, we are called to persevere the trials that we face in our lives.

Observation/Promise:
We are living in the end of days and we have not even started yet with the tribulation but the trials and hardship that we go through is already excruciating. We are troubled by our finances, work, in church, in our relationships, we can feel the birth pangs of the world. But Yeshua has overcome that world and we should hold on all the more when the going gets tough that those who are called, chosen and faithful will overcome along with him.” (Rev 17:14) 

Command/Application:
Do no love your life - let GOD be the center of your heart and the One you love the most. If GOD is your greatest love, then you will fear nothing else not even losing your life.
Endure Persecution - whether it is persecution from the world or even from your own family, friends or to the group you belong, endure!
Patiently remain faithful - be faithful to GOD, HE is always faithful to you. Do not let circumstances and trials shove you away from GOD.
Persevere - stand firm in the Lord and His word and persevere whatever trials may come your way. GOD has promised - We shall overcome with Him! We can only overcome through HIM.

The Judgements of GOD - Feb 28, 2014

Scripture: Malachi
1 “Look! I am sending my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. Then the Lord you are seeking will suddenly come to his Temple. The messenger of the covenant, whom you look for so eagerly, is surely coming,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
2 “But who will be able to endure it when he comes? Who will be able to stand and face him when he appears? For he will be like a blazing fire that refines metal, or like a strong soap that bleaches clothes.3 He will sit like a refiner of silver, burning away the dross. He will purify the Levites, refining them like gold and silver, so that they may once again offer acceptable sacrifices to the Lord. 4 Then once more the Lord will accept the offerings brought to him by the people of Judah and Jerusalem, as he did in the past.
6 “I am the Lord, and I do not change. That is why you descendants of Jacob are not already destroyed.7 Ever since the days of your ancestors, you have scorned my decrees and failed to obey them. Now return to me, and I will return to you,” says the Lordof Heaven’s Armies. - Malachi 3
1 The Lord of Heaven’s Armies says, “The day of judgment is coming, burning like a furnace. On that day the arrogant and the wicked will be burned up like straw. They will be consumed—roots, branches, and all.
2 “But for you who fear my name, the Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in his wings. And you will go free, leaping with joy like calves let out to pasture. 3 On the day when I act, you will tread upon the wicked as if they were dust under your feet,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. - Malachi 4
Message:
The Lord is a just GOD and His righteousness He will show through His judgements.

Observation/Promise:
The Lord has already spoken His prophecies to His people and the judgements that is coming to take place in the Philippines. There's wickedness everywhere, and hearing about them make me cry out, O Lord have mercy and judge the wicked for your righteousness sake. He is already judging His own house first, those that believe in Him and we are filled with trouble from every side. But the Lord will preserve and protect His children, to those that love Him and fear His Holy Name, difficult it may be right now but they will be healed by the righteousness of GOD, there is hope and restoration even though we have to go through the fiery fires of trial, when the judgement comes, for the children of GOD, it is like the Lord refining us like metal, or silver burning away the impurities from us. But for the wicked, what a terrible day it will be, for they will be gone without hope, without a future. But if they decide to repent with their hearts, they will live and find hope in the GOD of our Salvation.

Command/Application:
When the day of judgement comes and you are in the fires of trial, Look up, for your salvation is near. Hold on to the Lord and make sure never to fall away. Submit yourself to the refining of GOD and let your heart be sober before Him. Ask for His forgiveness all the time and trust in His Sovereign power. The day of the Lord is upon us, but those who fear the Lord they will become better than they were before. 

Feb 16, 2014 - Holding on to GOD

Scripture:

5 In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone. - 2 Peter 1

10 So, dear brothers and sisters,[c] work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Do these things, and you will never fall away. 11 Then God will give you a grand entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

9 So you see, the Lord knows how to rescue godly people from their trials, even while keeping the wicked under punishment until the day of final judgment. 10 He is especially hard on those who follow their own twisted sexual desire, and who despise authority. - 2 Peter 2

9 The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.

14 And so, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen, make every effort to be found living peaceful lives that are pure and blameless in his sight.

17 I am warning you ahead of time, dear friends. Be on guard so that you will not be carried away by the errors of these wicked people and lose your own secure footing. 18 Rather, you must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. - 2 Peter 3

Message:

Live to please the King so that when He returns we will surely come with Him. The righteous may suffer during their time in the world but GOD will rescue those that belong to Him.

Promise:

GOD's promise will come to pass in time, HE is not slow in fulfilling His promise, HE is just merciful giving time for others to repent. GOD will rescue us from our trials. GOD will give us a grand entrance in Heaven when we have persevered until the end. 

Command/Application:

Make every effort to respond to GOD's promises. Work hard to prove that you are one of GOD's chosen and set apart ones. Make every effort to be living peaceful lives, pure and blameless. Be on guard. Stay in the path, supplement your faith with moral excellence, knowledge, self-control, patient endurance and godliness, brotherly affection and love for one another. 

Prayer:

Abba Yakar, Great and Awesome One! The one who makes all things come to pass. Forgive us O LORD, of our short commings, when we have doubted you and have not endured some trials. We look to you O LORD, You are our salvation, we cannot be strong enough to live godly lives, we need your grace, your power at work in our lives. We depend on Your Holy Spirit, to move and to cause us to will and to act according to Your great purpose for us. Do not allow us to be deceived or be led astray, but keep us strong and blameless just as Your word has promised until the day of Adonai Yeshua, Ha Mashiach Amen!

Victorious in the End

1 “My spirit is crushed, and my life is nearly snuffed out.
The grave is ready to receive me.
2 I am surrounded by mockers.
I watch how bitterly they taunt me.
6 “God has made a mockery of me among the people;
they spit in my face.
7 My eyes are swollen with weeping,
and I am but a shadow of my former self.
8 The virtuous are horrified when they see me.
The innocent rise up against the ungodly.
9 The righteous keep moving forward,
and those with clean hands become stronger and stronger.
- Job 17


These tormenting times in life is very hard to deal with: depression, anxiety, troublesome, without peace and restlessness are one of the few things men encounter on earth. We cannot avoid times when the waves of life come crashing down on us. People seem to be hostile around us, without kindness, envious, hateful and just indifferent. It is not GOD's fault when we go through such difficult times but yest He allows these trying times in our lives when all we have to do is weep and cry because we have lost ourselves, our hopes, our dreams who we were.

But GOD is still faithful especially during these times because His word has promised that He will not give us a trial beyond what we can bear. When we come before the Father and rely on Jesus His Son and truly depend on Him to save us from all our sorrows, we are  righteous in GOD's eyes. In the life of Job, it is evident that the rigtheous still undergo suffering but He promised that even while the righteous still suffer, the trials that shake them, the troubles that bend them will only make them stronger, flexible, resilient and faithful to GOD coming out victorious after it. Those who trust in HIM will surely be victorious in the end. It is proven in Job's life that those who rely on GOD will not regret anything.

The Coming Judgement

1 The Lord of Heaven’s Armies says, “The day of judgment is coming, burning like a furnace. On that day the arrogant and the wicked will be burned up like straw. They will be consumed—roots, branches, and all.
2 “But for you who fear my name, the Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in his wings. And you will go free, leaping with joy like calves let out to pasture. 3 On the day when I act, you will tread upon the wicked as if they were dust under your feet,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

Malachi 4:1-3

Judgment is the punishment or consequence of the evualtion of our actions from our hearts. Who will judge us? No one else but GOD. Our every little action is being evaluated by GOD and is weighed by the motive of our hearts. Even if we do good, what is the intention of our hearts to do good? Is it to make ourselves look good or truly to please GOD? The LORD of Heaven's Armies, HE is the great GOD and HE is saying to every creation that the day of judgment is coming, has come, and will come again. It will consume us like fire, testing everyone whose hearts are truly loyal to GOD

For even those who are loyal to GOD, who fear HIM reverently, will be judged & affected by the coming judgment, but GOD promises that all HIS children will be healed. Even today we are already being tested or judged. But HIS promise of healing is so beautiful that we can rest in it, inspite of the fiery fires of trial that we may be experiencing today. There is security and hope for all those that truly love the LORD of Heaven's Armies. He promises freedom from every oppression or wickedness that we maybe undergoing through right now. We will not only be free but leap with joy as GOD sets us free. GOD will cause us to be victorious against our enemies, and we will tread on the wicked like they were the dust of the earth! So whatever hardship, troubles or trials you are going through today, do not stop fearing and trusting the LORD. Persevere with your faith because He has never lost control over your life. HE knows what HE is doing so just continue to hold on and trust GOD with the coming judgment and claim your victory!