Verse of the Day 4/18

Verse of the Day 4/18

Acts 14:22 strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, "We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God."

As I read today's verse and considered the passage that it comes from; starting with the heading "Paul Stoned at Lystra" I couldn't help but think of the character, of the faith of whom it is written about.  Paul was a man who had suffered beatings; being stoned and left for dead; shipwrecked; wrongfully imprisoned; and had to deal with a thorn in his side, an ailment that he prayed several times for the Lord to take away; yet he persevered in faith; strengthening others all along the way.  Think of Paul and Silas in prison or how he ministered to those that had been shipwrecked with him.   He was able to "exhort others to continue in the faith" because he did that exact same thing.

If the Apostle Paul was around today, he would not be of the "name it and claim" it crowd with a message of wealth, health and economic prosperity.  He would still be facing challenges and tribulation of his own while encouraging others to hold onto their faith showing them an example of how he held on with his.

Charles Naylor writes, "Life has its adversities--it must needs have them. Adversity, pain, sorrow, and disappointment--are the lathe upon which God shapes us. They are the grinding-wheel which grinds and smoothes us. They are the polishing-wheel which makes us shine......If we can never be happy until we are so situated that nothing exists which may tend to render us unhappy--then we shall have little happiness in life....Happiness does not come from a life of ease and indolence. It is not the result of the absence of obstacles and difficulties. Happiness comes from triumphing over them. Therefore the song of true happiness, often arises from the soul which undergoes many adversities."

Have you ever seen someone operating a lathe?  The block of wood spins and the craftsmen holds a sharp tool against it as it spins.  Wood chips fly everywhere.  But when the craftsmen has finished you have a smooth, beautiful piece of wood; now suitable for use for its intended purpose.

If things are going good, great!  If you are facing challenges; keep going in faith; encouraging and challenging others as you do so with that same attitude "we must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God."

--   In Christ,  Mike    Folllow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com  Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins,  in accordance with the riches of God's grace.  NIV    

Acts 14:19-23 English Standard Version (ESV)

Paul Stoned at Lystra

¹⁹ But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having persuaded the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead. ²⁰ But when the disciples gathered about him, he rose up and entered the city, and on the next day he went on with Barnabas to Derbe. ²¹ When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, ²² strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God. ²³ And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed.