And not only

And not only [so], but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. (Romans 5:3-5)
We are promised that our sufferings will bear a fruit greater than the power of the suffering: we are promised genuine hope that does not disappoint! What glorious fruit! So then is suffering counted by Paul a reason for rejoicing!

Blessed [is] the man

Blessed [is] the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. (James 1:12)
The crown of life is a promise that God grants to those who love Him. Though we endure tremendous trials and tribulations, we will not be crushed. Our suffering will end in the glory of Jesus Christ and we will receive the crown of life. What a beautiful ending for this life! May God be glorified in our daily trials. May we seek His face and continue to be molded into His perfect image.

If ye then,

If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? (Matthew 7:11)
Rejoice, O believer! Rejoice in the unaccountably vast treasure of mercy the Lord showers upon His bride! He is the King of All and is faithful to reward His children. He has given you a throne! A robe of righteousness! A crown of victorious glory! Every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places is yours by the Father's hand. Give thanks, sing "Hallelujah," and proclaim the joy of His resurrection!

The LORD [is] good,

The LORD [is] good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him. (Nahum 1:7)
Not only is the Lord an unbreachable defence to those who find their identity and righteousness in Christ, but He knows intimately each whom He defends. He is aware of our every need and every weakness, and thus, we, His people, can be supremely confident in His ability to bolster us in the face of even the fiercest enemy. Rejoice, O believer, for He is our great shield and high wall of bastion!

Casting all your care

Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. (1 Peter 5:7)
Implicit in Peter's direction to the believer to cast away all cares to the feet of God is the truth that God Himself will care for them. God is powerful! He is sovereign, calling all matters into submission to His will! And He cares for us! If such a powerful God cares for us and our needs, can we fail to cast mastery of our cares and worries into His mighty hands?

Thou wilt prolong t

Thou wilt prolong the king's life: [and] his years as many generations. He shall abide before God for ever: O prepare mercy and truth, [which] may preserve him. (Psalm 61:6-7)
Christ Jesus, the King of all kings, will sit unopposed upon His throne for all eternity. His reign will be kept unto everlasting. His goodness and glory shall ever be the light of His realm. And joy! We shall reign forever with Him (Ephesians 2:6)! Righteous is our way and righteous is our Lord!

He that overcometh

He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. (Revelation 21:7)
Echoing the testimony of His promise to the nation of Israel, God speaks thus to the overcoming church: "I will be your God and you will evermore be my people." The Father's love is great. It is a beauty to behold. Ever and beyond the end of days will God's majesty remain; and we, His people shall endure and praise His name forever.

For he that soweth

For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. (Galatians 6:8-9)
If we sow the things of the flesh (that is, the things of sin), then we will reap eternal punishment; but if we sow the things of the Spirit (that is, the things of God), then we will reap eternal happiness and joy! As we sow the things of God and cultivate them we must keep pressing on. It may seem that our work is worthless, but in the end, we will reap eternal life with God. For what better harvest could we hope?

For we are his workmanship,

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10)
Well before the blood shed by His Son, God knew His children and their ways. By the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, His children were recreated and renewed in the promises of the Father. As new creations, we are commanded to live in such a way as to bring glory and honour to the Almighty God. May we live in such a way that is worthy of the tremendous sacrifice of Christ as the power of God works through us.

Donnie McClurkin & Kirk Franklin Ooh Child HQ

Trin-i-tee 5:7 - Heaven Hear My Heart

The Great I Am - Earnest Pugh

The Great I Am - Earnest Pugh

Favorites (playlist)

Favorites (playlist)

"A God of Comfort" — 2 Corinthians 1:3-11

"A God of Comfort" — 2 Corinthians 1:3-11
Dear Father, great and gentle one,

Blessed are you, God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. You are the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort.

You comfort us in our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort others who are in affliction with the same comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by you.

You enable us to know that as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we shall share abundantly in comfort too.

Thank you that our suffering is not meaningless, but is for the comfort and salvation of others. Thank you for a hope that cannot be shaken.

Jesus has taught to besiege you with constant prayer. Here we are again, coming in his name. Amen

Yea, the LORD will answer

Yea, the LORD will answer and say unto his people, Behold, I will send you corn, and wine, and oil, and ye shall be satisfied therewith: and I will no more make you a reproach among the heathen: (Joel 2:19)
In the end. After all the tumult of history is passed. After the suffering of the church is complete. It is then that God promises to exalt His people to the consummation of their full glory! Truly we await that day with all the yearning of our being, crying out with our whole hearts: "How long, O Lord? How long?" The answer, beloved, should keep us well: "Not long, dear children. Not long." Amen and amen.

But as it is written

But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. (1 Corinthians 2:9)
We thank You, our God, that You have been pleased to divinely reveal to us the great truths of the gospel!
"These are such as eye hath not seen nor ear heard. Observe, the great truths of the gospel are things lying out of the sphere of human discovery: But, lying out of the sphere of nature, we cannot discover them but by the light of revelation. And therefore we must take them as they lie in the scriptures."
-Matthew Henry

I love them

I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me. (Proverbs 8:17)
Take heart, O blessed body of Christ! The Lord your God has rewarded your diligent search. He has shown Himself to you. You are granted sight of things unseen-you are granted sight of Christ Himself! Christ, the son of the morning! Christ, the eschatological Lamb! Christ, the fulfilment of all the history redemptive! Glory in Him, O congregation of all believers! For in Him consists your new life, your righteous standing, your power to sanctification, and your promise to heavenly rest! In Him consists all things (Colossians 1:17) and it is to Him that you ought be conformed! So give glory evermore: holy, holy, and surely, holy!

27th Grammy Gospel performance by Deniece Williams

27th Grammy Gospel performance by Deniece Williams

27th Grammy Gospel performance by Deniece Williams

27th Grammy Gospel performance by Deniece Williams

Happy Mothers Day - Song for Mothers - Because you loved me - Celine Dion

Praise Him - The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir

Praise Him - The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir

I will instruct thee

I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye. (Psalm 32:8)
God promises to instruct His children into every righteous path. He sent us His very Spirit to guide us in His ways. God cares for us beyond measure imaginable and His Spirit will be faithful to illuminate the glorious treasures of His truth. Ask God to teach you. Ask God to make you teachable. He shall faithfully do both! And by your growth God will use you to edify others in the body of Christ!

Know therefore

Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he [is] God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations; (Deuteronomy 7:9)
What a tremendous God we serve! This fitting description tells of our faithful and loving God who is Lord over all the earth and heaven. The Creator of all things could never love us more or less, for He is acquainted with all our ways. His grace does not extend to the Israelites alone, but to all who believe in every generation (cf. Gal 3:6-29). This is the God we serve! This is the God we worship!

But now thus saith the LORD

But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called [thee] by thy name; thou [art] mine. (Isaiah 43:1)
O church, remember that Christ is the fulfilment of Israel and the seed of Abraham so long awaited by God's people. And recall that you are His bride! His redemption is your redemption! And even as He bears the name of God, so do you bear His own name! He is Christ and you are His Christians! Having been cleansed and made righteous by His blood, you are now counted worthy the honour of bearing the name above all names! Wonder of wonders-take joy, O bride of the Lamb!