Hebrews 12 ⁷Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? ⁸If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. ⁹Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! ¹⁰Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. ¹¹No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.


When things get tough, whether it be physically, in our emotions, relationships, mistakes, finances, or other areas we must have a greater understanding of God then the western world around us.

When we as believers face trouble, whatever it may be, we must look to the scriptures to see that trouble does not mean God has left us or God is against us but rather He is loving us through this hardship.

The writer of Hebrews shows us that we should endure hardship as discipline, that it is a sign that you are part of the family of God and what kind of Father would God be if he did not discipline His sons and daughters.

God is the perfect Father so we believe what we are going through is perfect for us.

That is why we should as David did, compare our lives only to the Love of God not the life of someone else.

We now have an even greater comparison then David for although the spirit of God spoke the coming of Christ through him he never saw the fulfillment of that word as we have now seen it and know it to be true through scripture and our hearts.

Let us compare our current troubles to that of which Jesus Christ humbled himself...to very death itself, even when he lived the only flawless life that has ever been lived.

Perfect love drives out all fear.

When we see that God is Love and that He has shown us this and truly lived it out to the point of death we can be set free of the fear of failure and of suffering and of every other kind of fear this life brings.  God does not drive away suffering he drives out the fear of it.

Compare your life to His love and great joy will fill your heart by grace through faith.

Not only will we see that the hardship (if you can call it hardship living on the northern beaches) is God's way of disciplining us but we will see that without pain it is impossible to truly become the chosen people of God's Kingdom, for it is pain and suffering and our response to it in this life that reveals whether the grace of Jesus Christ is truly in us and completing its work in our hearts and lives.

Now don't be discouraged if you haven't responded well to trouble lately or in the past, but just as I have to consistently, let's as followers of Christ fix our eyes again not on the things of this world but on Christ who is seated far above this world and that we also by His grace through the work of the cross and the power of the resurrection have been seated in heavenly realms with Him.

Our joy is not reliant on us but on the completed work of Jesus Christ.

This I pray will set us free to be the hands and feet of a lost generation that need this good news preached through action, word and lifestyle.

As we see the perfect love of Christ I believe we can stop worrying about the little hardships we are facing in this life, that Paul describes as light and momentary and begin to reveal the joy that is beyond all joys in Jesus Christ.

This is your salt, this is your light.

With no suffering there is no discipline, with no discipline there is no growth, with no growth there is no righteousness and peace. 

Righteousness and Peace is what Jesus came to bring, right relationships with God, people and within ourselves and peace between God, people and within ourselves.

Be encouraged today the Father must love you.  Don't skip out of the race there are many who have gone before you and they are cheering you on from the stands of heaven. 

+jk

“Sing to God, sing praise to his name, extol him who rides on the clouds — his name is the LORD— and rejoice before him. A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling.”- Psalm 68:4-5


Why do we sing?

"One of the reasons we sing is to remind ourselves that it’s not about us – and we get to be part of it (God’s story)…" Rob Bell

I have grown up singing every day and every week...music seems to run through my veins(not that I am good at it, just that I really like it), it inspires me, challenges me, changes me, reminds me and is beyond me.

Words leave my mouth and go beyond my mind when I sing...singing is acknowledging that life is bigger than you

Singing to God is faith...because we sing in the good, the bad and the ugly because of who He is.

Singing is a physical statement of the joy that exists inside your heart for you are redeemed and saved by the name of Jesus.

He rides on the clouds and His name is the Lord...lets rejoice before Him!

He is high above yet he is a father to the fatherless, he is a defender of the helpless and He is Holy.

Why do I sing?

He is my everything.  I am designed to worship.  All of humanity was designed to worship. 

Lets join together and sing!

“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.”- 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18


It is God's will that we would be joyful always!!!!

Crazy I know that God would want us to be happy all the time...but it is true.

It doesn't depend on our circumstances.

If we pray continually and give thanks in the good and the bad we will be joyful always in Christ Jesus!

What a promise, what a will.

What's the will of God for your life? 

Joyful always in Christ Jesus.

+jk

If you can read this scripture and Matthew Henry's commentary please do!
I couldn't really say it better so this is a blog by others that help me.   

Habakkuk 2

 ¹ I will stand at my watch
       and station myself on the ramparts;
       I will look to see what he will say to me,
       and what answer I am to give to this complaint. ^[a]

The LORD's Answer

 ² Then the LORD replied:
       "Write down the revelation
       and make it plain on tablets
       so that a herald ^[b] may run with it.

 ³ For the revelation awaits an appointed time;
       it speaks of the end
       and will not prove false.
       Though it linger, wait for it;
       it ^[c] will certainly come and will not delay.

"When tossed and perplexed with doubts about the methods of Providence, we must watch against temptations to be impatient. When we have poured out complaints and requests before God, we must observe the answers God gives by his word, his Spirit, and providences; what the Lord will say to our case. God will not disappoint the believing expectations of those who wait to hear what he will say unto them. All are concerned in the truths of God's word. Though the promised favour be deferred long, it will come at last, and abundantly recompense us for waiting. The humble, broken-hearted, repenting sinner, alone seeks to obtain an interest in this salvation. He will rest his soul on the promise, and on Christ, in and through whom it is given. Thus he walks and works, as well as lives by faith, perseveres to the end, and is exalted to glory; while those who distrust or despise God's all-sufficiency will not walk uprightly with him. The just shall live by faith in these precious promises, while the performance of them is deferred. Only those made just by faith, shall live, shall be happy here and for ever." - Matthew Henry

Luke 23:33 The place which is called Calvary.

This is now a hill of comfort and joy. 

My heart is broken yet glad today as I climb this hill and see my saviour upon that cursed tree.

What was dark is now light and what was death is now life.

So let's live out this life that was freely given to us.

"We must not look at everyday blessings but at the transactions of the crucifixion." (Charles Spurgeon)

Out of this place I pray you are set free to enjoy sharing this time with friends, family and strangers.

The place which is called Calvary. It all hangs on this.

+jk