trials | Ed Rodgers

1381. Rejoice Always

Yes, it is possible to find joy in the worst of our trials if we learn to walk by faith and not sight. Continue reading

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1380. News + In All These Things

IT’S NEWS TO ME

Study Shows Rapidly Deteriorating Vaccine Efficiency as Delta Variant Spreads

Facts Matter (Aug 18): $83B Spent on Afghan Army Ends Up in Taliban Hands: Guns, Ammo, Helicopters, Rockets

New Poll Shows that Democrats Now Prefer Socialism Over Capitalism

Biden Admin Issues Transgender-Themed ‘Back-to-School Message’ Urging Students to File Complaints Against Schools

Homeland Security Ignoring Congressional Requests for Info on Where Illegal Immigrants are Being Sent

Washington Post Fact-Checker Calls Out Biden’s Afghanistan Military Lie: ‘The President Is Misleading Americans’

Exclusive: Space Force Officer, Punished After Denouncing Marxism, to Leave Military

Lessons From Afghanistan

Subway Franchisees Revolt, Demand Company End Woke Rapinoe’s Ads: ‘It Gets Tiring Apologizing’

Male Pastor Fired After Coming Out as Transgender, Now Suing Church After Congregation Voted to Fire Him

UK Parliament Makes Unprecedented Decision to Hold Biden in Contempt

Teacher Disciplined for Hanging BLM Flag, Scores Six Years’ Worth of Salary in Settlement

Taliban ‘Carrying Out Door-to-Door Manhunt’: Intelligence Group

Southern Situation “Unsustainable”

40 Percent of Illegal Immigrants Released in Texas City Tested Positive for COVID-19: Officials

SETTING OUR MINDS ON THINGS ABOVE

In All These Things

But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer

through Him who loved us

(Rom. 8:37).

God has Ordained Them

Comfortable Christianity in America has led many Christians to believe that when God allows painful circumstances to engulf them, He must not love them. In this verse from Romans, Paul is addressing this very issue by reaffirming that no situation, calamity, or event, however painful, can come between us and God’s love. But that’s just the beginning. Because of His unending love for us, He will be with us in all our difficult situations because He has ordained them to reveal Himself in and through us, and in the process, give us the victory.

No Battle, No Victory

We need to remember that without a battle, there can be no victory. Nothing worth gaining comes without a fight of some kind, and the very things that appear to be obstacles are the very things God will use to grow us, draw us closer to Him, reveal something new about Himself, and bring the victory. It’s all about how we see these “obstacles.” The same giant wave that would scare me half to death is a surfer’s dream. He has learned to let the energy of the twisting pipeline of raging water that engulfs him propel him to victory while he remains calm, cool, and collected.

“In” All These Things

This is exactly what God wants to do with us. He is prepared to let our “obstacles” propel us right through them with an exhilaration that baffles all onlookers. Notice that the verse above doesn’t say “in spite of these things,” but “in all these things.” With the right perspective, we can actually welcome what these uncertain days have in store for us. We know that believers will be persecuted in the near future, but we are not to be afraid. The enemy will do everything he can to frighten us from the front line of the battle. The China Virus pandemic has shown just how easy it is to sideline millions of people, even Christians.

The Thrill of Victory

When we understand what our Heavenly Father is doing, it’s easier to accept what is bound to come. Imagine how exciting it would be to know that our loving Heavenly Father has engineered ways to transform us into the conquering kings He has already declared us to be. Clearly, Paul had learned this lesson. Why else would he declare, “I am exceedingly joyful in all our tribulation”? Persecution is coming, but so is the thrill of victory brought to us courtesy of God’s indomitable love for His children.