PDA

View Full Version : For thought and meditation



rl69
08-08-2017, 06:47 AM
That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death."

—Philippians 3:10

Nick Vujicic was raised in a loving Christian home. But he was born without limbs, and the kids at school were very cruel to him. At times Nick despaired even of life. But then he discovered that God could use him for His glory, and now he travels around the world sharing his story. Nick’s life shows us how God can work through human weakness and suffering.

Part of knowing the Lord is in the fellowship of His suffering. The apostle Paul suffered. He wrote in 2 Corinthians 12 about an experience in which he was caught up to Heaven and saw things that he couldn’t describe. But he went on to say, “And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness’” (verses 7–9).

God can work mightily through disability—sometimes even more effectively than through someone who has no disability. If you’ve faced calamity, if you’ve had a loved one die unexpectedly, if you struggle with a physical infirmity or challenge and can still rejoice and praise God, then that, my friend, is a powerful witness. And in some ways, it can be more powerful than the witness of someone who has no infirmity at all.

EMC45
08-08-2017, 09:18 AM
Excellent word. I saw Nick V. speak in GA once. It was powerful!

Boaz
08-09-2017, 06:05 AM
I agree with this message and might add that I have known many with perfect and complete bodies that were 'handicapped' more through lack of faith in their creator .

Blackwater
08-11-2017, 03:31 PM
God never lets us suffer without a reason. Whenever I have suffered, I have tried to seek out the reason for it. Sometimes, it's to give others a "model" to follow in their own times of suffering. Sometimes, it's to teach us how to get closer to Him, and why that's to our advantage. But always, in all things, God loves us, and has His plans for us. They may not be the same plans we had for ourselves, but then, isn't that a basic lesson we all need to learn - to serve HIS will rather than our own plans and aspirations? It's a hard lesson for many of us. It was for me. But it's always one of the most worthy lessons we CAN learn! Blessed be the name of the Lord in all things, always! For He knows SO much better than we do, what we REALLY need, to become, as the Army likes to say, "all we CAN be!"