OUT OF THE BOX

Dear Friends, I am thankful for those of you who read my articles. I pray the messages have been and will continue to strengthen and bless you in your walk with God. I know that some of you face persecution and hardship because you have taken your stand for the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.  In my times of intercession, I pray that special grace and strength will be upon those of you who suffer for Christ's sake. I pray HE will open the windows of heaven and will reveal Himself to you as HE did for Stephen when Stephen was stoned (Acts 7:54-60). And remember there were those who, by faith, did wondrous things and had great miracles of deliverance during their persecutions (Hebrews 11: 30-35).  But there were also others who by faith were mocked, stoned, and slain, and gave their lives for Jesus' sake. Whether a miracle of deliverance, or a life laid down as a martyr for Jesus sake, they all stood in faith. Jesus told us to forgive those who persecute us, and t...

  Prov 24:10;  Jeremiah 12:5; Gen 41:52 Christians tend to naively believe they will have victory without battle, but when faced with adversity they tend to skeptically think they will have battle without victory. We must remember that we will have battle, but we will also have victory. Luke 22:39-46 When the load cannot be lightened, we must be strengthened. In the agony of Jesus’ prayers in the Garden of Gethsemane He knew He would have to carry that load. It was not lifted, but the angels came and strengthened Him. Sometimes He lightens the load or lifts it, but at other times we must carry it. He will strengthen us if we stand in faith and call out to Him in prayer. Luke 21:19; 2 Thess 3:5; Rev 2: 10-11, 13, 19, 25-26; 3: 8-10; Rev.1:9; 13:10; Rev 14:12. The mark of spiritual strength is perseverance and endurance, not glory clouds and glitter. We can be tempted to grow soft on the mountain top. Comfort sometimes breeds complacency. Popularity breeds compromise. Muc...