<html><head></head><body><div><div><div>Romans 8;31&amp;32<div><br></div><div><b>31. &nbsp;What then shall we say to this? If God is for us, who is against us?</b></div><div><b>32. &nbsp;He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, will he not also give us all things with him?<br></b><br>Life in the flesh is doomed to trouble, as Jesus said, <i>“In the world, you have tribulation; but be a good cheer, I have overcome the world.” </i>(John 16;33)</div><div><br></div><div>Notice that Jesus does <u>not</u>&nbsp;say, ‘…you <u>will have tribulation…’</u>. &nbsp;He says, <i>“In the world <u>you have tribulation…’</u></i><i></i></div><div>Trouble is already with us, this is a war zone and we have many enemies both without and within.</div><div><br></div><div>When trouble comes, be it persecution, sickness, sorrow, betrayal, disappointments, frustrations, violence,</div><div>poverty, slander, false accusation, miscommunications, whatever comes, when they come, we automatically&nbsp;</div><div>(<span></span>according to our flesh)&nbsp;are tempted to question ‘Why?’ &nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>But we already know the answer, <i>‘we suffer because we belong to Christ.’</i>&nbsp; (see,&nbsp;John 15;18&amp;19)<i></i></div><div><br></div><div>In truth we should and are commanded to&nbsp;rejoice. &nbsp;(see, James 1;2-4) &nbsp;&nbsp;Whatever these may be, we may be assured they are <u>not punishment!</u>&nbsp; All of our&nbsp;punishment was taken by Christ on the cross. &nbsp;(Some of our sufferings ‘may’ be loving&nbsp;disciplines, but never punishment.)</div><div><br></div><div>Every trouble is another opportunity to respond in faith with thankfulness, believing even our troubles and sufferings are <i>“working together for good”</i>&nbsp;for called&nbsp;Believers. &nbsp;We are sharing in the sufferings of Christ.</div><div>We are being&nbsp;given opportunity to show this world that we have a peace and a joy which are not from this world, but from Him who is with us, Jesus our Lord.</div><div><br></div><div>All&nbsp;display of such faith and hope are made easier as we&nbsp;keep ever before us the vision of Christ Crucified, and the knowledge that the Father loves us so much as to allow His Son to suffer hell for us so that we need never know those terrible torments.</div><div><u><br></u></div><div>Realize that in our sufferings, <i>“The Law of the Spirit of L</i><i>ife </i><u>in Christ Jesus”</u>&nbsp;<i>&nbsp;</i>is most needed. &nbsp;</div><div>All the&nbsp;good things God the Father desires to give us, come to us <u>only</u>&nbsp;<u>in Christ.</u>&nbsp; &nbsp;We don’t receive heavenly peace or joy, apart from Christ, but only <u>in Him.</u></div><div><u><br></u></div><div>We receive the whole Kingdom of God as we by faith abide in&nbsp;the King. &nbsp;There is no&nbsp;peace or joy apart from Jesus. All earthly peace and joy are counterfeit and false, they&nbsp;are&nbsp;not enduring. &nbsp;No one can rob us of the lasting peace and joy which is ours&nbsp;<u>in Christ.</u></div><div><span><br></span></div><div><u></u><span>Troubles are best born by hearts that are by faith obediently&nbsp;thankful and cling in faith believing God is working good in everything we endure. &nbsp;It is all to his glory. &nbsp;We have been made one with Him whom death could not hold.</span></div><div><span><br></span></div><div><span>Prayer: &nbsp;Merciful Father, forgive we pray all&nbsp;our complaining. &nbsp;Fill our minds and hearts with the vision of Christ&nbsp;crucified and risen for us. &nbsp;Bless us to remember Him, <i>“Who for the joy set before Him</i>&nbsp;(His perfected Bride, the Church) <i>endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the&nbsp;right hand of the Father.” &nbsp;</i>(Hebrews 12;2)<i>&nbsp; </i>In the midst of all our tribulations, srengthen us to know</span><span>&nbsp;the end of our story is so</span><span>&nbsp;wonderful-</span><span>filled and joyous, so glorious and beautiful, earthly minds and words cannot express or&nbsp;comprehend it. &nbsp;Merciful Father, by this vision of&nbsp;Faith grant we endure whatever comes to us from Your most loving perfect hand. &nbsp;In Jesus we pray, Amen.</span></div><div><br></div><div>Love,</div><div>Dad/Baba/Eric/Grandpa Pickle Pastor</div><div>“A chapter a day, every day, progressively, be transformed, ‘soak’ in the living Word. &nbsp;God’s Word is our habitation, and we, broken-hearted, contrite, forgiven, suffering children, are His.”</div><div><br><div><a href="https://mail.onelink.me/107872968?pid=nativeplacement&amp;c=Global_Acquisition_YMktg_315_Internal_EmailSignature&amp;af_sub1=Acquisition&amp;af_sub2=Global_YMktg&amp;af_sub3=&amp;af_sub4=100000604&amp;af_sub5=EmailSignature__Static_" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a><br></div></div></div></div></div></body></html>

Romans 8;31&32
31.  What then shall we say to this? If God is for us, who is against us?32.  He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, will he not also give us all things with him?

Life in the flesh is doomed to trouble, as Jesus said, “In the world, you have tribulation; but be a good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (John 16;33)
Notice that Jesus does not say, ‘…you will have tribulation…’.  He says, “In the world you have tribulation…’Trouble is already with us, this is a war zone and we have many enemies both without and within.
When trouble comes, be it persecution, sickness, sorrow, betrayal, disappointments, frustrations, violence,poverty, slander, false accusation, miscommunications, whatever comes, when they come, we automatically (according to our flesh) are tempted to question ‘Why?’   
But we already know the answer, ‘we suffer because we belong to Christ.’  (see, John 15;18&19)
In truth we should and are commanded to rejoice.  (see, James 1;2-4)   Whatever these may be, we may be assured they are not punishment!  All of our punishment was taken by Christ on the cross.  (Some of our sufferings ‘may’ be loving disciplines, but never punishment.)
Every trouble is another opportunity to respond in faith with thankfulness, believing even our troubles and sufferings are “working together for good” for called Believers.  We are sharing in the sufferings of Christ.We are being given opportunity to show this world that we have a peace and a joy which are not from this world, but from Him who is with us, Jesus our Lord.
All display of such faith and hope are made easier as we keep ever before us the vision of Christ Crucified, and the knowledge that the Father loves us so much as to allow His Son to suffer hell for us so that we need never know those terrible torments.
Realize that in our sufferings, “The Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus”  is most needed.  All the good things God the Father desires to give us, come to us only in Christ.   We don’t receive heavenly peace or joy, apart from Christ, but only in Him.
We receive the whole Kingdom of God as we by faith abide in the King.  There is no peace or joy apart from Jesus. All earthly peace and joy are counterfeit and false, they are not enduring.  No one can rob us of the lasting peace and joy which is ours in Christ.
Troubles are best born by hearts that are by faith obediently thankful and cling in faith believing God is working good in everything we endure.  It is all to his glory.  We have been made one with Him whom death could not hold.
Prayer:  Merciful Father, forgive we pray all our complaining.  Fill our minds and hearts with the vision of Christ crucified and risen for us.  Bless us to remember Him, “Who for the joy set before Him (His perfected Bride, the Church) endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the Father.”  (Hebrews 12;2)  In the midst of all our tribulations, srengthen us to know the end of our story is so wonderful-filled and joyous, so glorious and beautiful, earthly minds and words cannot express or comprehend it.  Merciful Father, by this vision of Faith grant we endure whatever comes to us from Your most loving perfect hand.  In Jesus we pray, Amen.
Love,Dad/Baba/Eric/Grandpa Pickle Pastor“A chapter a day, every day, progressively, be transformed, ‘soak’ in the living Word.  God’s Word is our habitation, and we, broken-hearted, contrite, forgiven, suffering children, are His.”
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