The Test of Your Endurance - Time No Longer2024-03-29T12:38:36Zhttps://timenolonger.ning.com/forum/topics/the-test-of-your-endurance?commentId=5124148%3AComment%3A1835&x=1&feed=yes&xn_auth=noNo glitch - I just edited it…tag:timenolonger.ning.com,2010-07-08:5124148:Comment:18352010-07-08T02:43:42.000ZDeborahhttps://timenolonger.ning.com/profile/Deborah
No glitch - I just edited it three times. Is there a way that <b>I</b> can delete the repeats, when and if this happens again? I didn't see that I could, or I would have. Thanks for doing that.
No glitch - I just edited it three times. Is there a way that <b>I</b> can delete the repeats, when and if this happens again? I didn't see that I could, or I would have. Thanks for doing that. Deborah, consider yourself hi…tag:timenolonger.ning.com,2010-07-07:5124148:Comment:18252010-07-07T20:39:28.000ZCypriumhttps://timenolonger.ning.com/profile/Cyprium
Deborah, consider yourself highly blessed, though it might seem like a strange blessing..that you have been already exposed to what it means to suffer, what it means to have faith tested and what it means to lean on His strength. Those believers who have never endured great trials and feel that it must be the destiny of a Christian to live like royalty in this temporal life are ill prepared to face a hard times. Worse yet, this mindset removes the close and intimate connection every believer…
Deborah, consider yourself highly blessed, though it might seem like a strange blessing..that you have been already exposed to what it means to suffer, what it means to have faith tested and what it means to lean on His strength. Those believers who have never endured great trials and feel that it must be the destiny of a Christian to live like royalty in this temporal life are ill prepared to face a hard times. Worse yet, this mindset removes the close and intimate connection every believer ought to feel with the price Messiah paid. Understanding suffering puts us in a place to have a deeper perspective of what He did for us.<br />
<br />
Now here we are facing a future which could easily be fearful...that would be natural, and no, we don't have the strength to do it or to overcome that natural fear...but He does. When fear comes, it's useful to sit and do a little math exercise. Start adding up all the times that He has provided a way when you thought there was no way, the times He answered a prayer that was said in desperation, the times He blessed you with just what you needed. Now ask yourself if this same Heavenly Father will desert you when you need Him most.<br />
<br />
All hell might break loose on planet Earth...but it's really going to be ok.<br />
<br />
a little "p.s." here...<br />
<br />
you might have had some difficulty adding this last post of yours, maybe a glitch on the site...it got up here three times..just to let you know, i'm going to remove the repeats of it and leave this first one up. :) How strong is your faith? How…tag:timenolonger.ning.com,2010-07-07:5124148:Comment:17782010-07-07T17:07:04.000ZDeborahhttps://timenolonger.ning.com/profile/Deborah
<i>How strong is your faith? How far will you go to prove out your trust in your Creator and Savior?</i><br />
<br />
<b>I have not always wanted to acknowledge that the Christ-life is a call to do hard things: to be tested and tried by the circumstances and people of your daily life. Like too many others who are taught that to be Christ-like is to receive and live with all the blessings of the child of a king, I, too, wanted to live in that camp. But if that was the measure, then my lifestyle was like a…</b>
<i>How strong is your faith? How far will you go to prove out your trust in your Creator and Savior?</i><br />
<br />
<b>I have not always wanted to acknowledge that the Christ-life is a call to do hard things: to be tested and tried by the circumstances and people of your daily life. Like too many others who are taught that to be Christ-like is to receive and live with all the blessings of the child of a king, I, too, wanted to live in that camp. But if that was the measure, then my lifestyle was like a blazing neon sign that I was far from God's graces.<br />
<br />
I hold fiercely to God; like the child that clings to its mother's legs, refusing to be rebuffed or removed. O, it is OK when I decide to assert my independence and will. Otherwise, I cling with fierce tenacity, for my strongest desire is to be found worthy to suffer.<br />
<br />
"And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name." Ac 5:41<br />
<br />
Sitting in the camp of the "blessed" I felt humiliation and shame that obviously my faith walk was so dismal that God found me unworthy to bless. The final embarrassment, for me, was when the hand of God absolutely removed me from this camp, relocating me miles away.<br />
<br />
My frustration grew to anger and resentment. I was bitter that God had seemingly turned His back on me. At every turn I was helpless to improve my circumstances. Then I was diagnosed with cancer. Now God had my attention: my eyes and my ears were focused on Him. And that is when I learned the truth: Christ came to be our example, and the example He was demonstrating was how to correctly respond to a life of pain and suffering.<br />
<br />
It is not ungodly to live blessed, only risky; however, Jesus makes it abundantly clear that those who would be like Him, who wanted to follow Him, must be willing to deny themselves the blessed life of comfort and ease and take up the cross of shame and suffering.<br />
<br />
"Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the shole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" Mt 16:24-26</b><br />
<br />
<i>How strong is your faith? How far will you go to prove out your trust in your Creator and Savior?</i><br />
<br />
<b>These are questions I wrestle with more frequently these days as I foresee the very real possibility that more will be asked or required of me. Having committed to living a life true to my conscience, my more constant prayer must be, Lord, if You find me worthy to suffer for Your name, give me strength.<br />
<br />
I don't know if it is in me to do the harder things ahead. I have little experience taking up my cross and seeing how God will provide and protect. Encountering fear, until 2003, was always understood by me as God's way of warning I was going the wrong way. Believing I was pleasing God, I turned back. I have always lived cautiously, unwilling to confront fear. Until 2003.<br />
<br />
My youth is gone. My health is undependable. It will only be through God's grace and mercy that I will be able to achieve my desire:</b><br />
<br />
<i>If He says stand, be ready to stand, if He says speak, be ready to speak, if He says resist, be prepared to resist and if He says "You will go into captivity to be thoroughly tested in the furnace.", prepare your answer that it might it be "Yes, My King." Endure to the end.</i><br />
<br />
<b>So, these days a balance is needed: to stay in God's Word, practicing and rehearsing our response, but to keep abreast of current events, to be men that have "understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do" (I Chr 12:32).</b> Nebuwkadne'tstsar the king m…tag:timenolonger.ning.com,2010-05-01:5124148:Comment:7012010-05-01T18:50:28.000ZBeanhttps://timenolonger.ning.com/profile/BornAgainNerd
<p style="text-align: left;"><img alt="" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3133623096?profile=original"></img></p>
Nebuwkadne'tstsar the king made an image of gold<br />
whose height was sixty cubits and its width six cubits.<br />
He set it up in the plain of Duwra' in the province of Babel.<br />
<br />
And King Nebuwkadne'tstsar sent word to gather together<br />
the governors of the Paras provinces, the prefects,<br />
the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges,<br />
the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces,<br />
to come to the dedication of the image<br />
that King…
<p style="text-align: left;"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3133623096?profile=original" alt=""/></p>
Nebuwkadne'tstsar the king made an image of gold<br />
whose height was sixty cubits and its width six cubits.<br />
He set it up in the plain of Duwra' in the province of Babel.<br />
<br />
And King Nebuwkadne'tstsar sent word to gather together<br />
the governors of the Paras provinces, the prefects,<br />
the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges,<br />
the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces,<br />
to come to the dedication of the image<br />
that King Nebuwkadne'tstsar had set up.<br />
<br />
So the governors of the Paras provinces, the prefects,<br />
the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges,<br />
the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces<br />
gathered together for the dedication of the image<br />
that King Nebuwkadne'tstsar had set up<br />
and they stood before the image<br />
that Nebuwkadne'tstsar had set up.<br />
<br />
Then a herald cried aloud, "To you it is commanded,<br />
O peoples, nations, and languages, that<br />
at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp,<br />
lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music,<br />
you shall fall down and worship the gold image<br />
that King Nebuwkadne'tstsar has set up,<br />
<br />
and whoever does not fall down and worship<br />
shall be cast immediately into the midst<br />
of a burning fiery furnace."<br />
<br />
So at that time, when all the people heard<br />
the sound of the horn, flute, harp, and lyre,<br />
in symphony with all kinds of music,<br />
all the people, nations, and languages<br />
fell down and worshipped the gold image<br />
that King Nebuwkadne'tstsar had set up.<br />
<br />
Therefore at that time certain Kasdiy came forward<br />
and accused the Yahudiym.<br />
<br />
They spoke and said to King Nebuwkadne'tstsar,<br />
"O king, live forever! You, O king, have made a<br />
decree that everyone who hears the sound of the<br />
horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery,<br />
in symphony with all kinds of music,<br />
<br />
shall fall down and worship the gold image,<br />
and whoever does not fall down and worship<br />
shall be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.<br />
<br />
There are certain Yahudiym whom you have<br />
set over the affairs of the province of Babel.<br />
Shadrak, Meyshak, and 'Abed Negow.<br />
<br />
These men, O king, have not paid due regard to you.<br />
They do not serve your 'eloah or worship<br />
the gold image that you have set up."<br />
<br />
Then Nebuwkadne'tstsar, in rage and fury,<br />
gave the command to bring Shadrak, Meyshak,<br />
and 'Abed Negow.<br />
<br />
they brought these men before the king.<br />
Nebuwkadne'tstsar spoke saying to them,<br />
"Is it true, Shadrak, Meyshak, and 'Abed Negow,<br />
that you do not serve my 'eloah or worship<br />
the gold image that I have set up?<br />
<br />
Now if you are ready at the time you hear the sound<br />
of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony<br />
with all kinds of music, and you fall down and worship<br />
the image that I have made, good!<br />
<br />
But if you do not worship, you shall be cast immediately<br />
into the midst of a burning fiery furnace, and<br />
who is the 'Eloah who will deliver you from my hands?"<br />
<br />
Shadrak, Meyshak, and 'Abed Negow answered and<br />
said to the king, "O Nebuwkadne'tstsar, we have<br />
no need to answer you in this matter.<br />
<br />
If that is the case, our 'Eloah whom we serve is able<br />
to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace<br />
and He will deliver us from your hand, O king.<br />
<br />
But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that<br />
we do not serve your 'eloah nor will we worship<br />
the gold image that you have set up."<br />
<br />
Then Nebuwkadne'tstsar was full of fury and<br />
the expression on his face changed toward<br />
Shadrak, Meyshak, and 'Abed Negow.<br />
<br />
He spoke and commanded that they heat the<br />
furnace seven times more than it was usually heated.<br />
<br />
And he commanded certain mighty men of valor<br />
who were in his army to bind Shadrak, Meyshak,<br />
and 'Abed Negow, and cast them into<br />
the burning fiery furnace.<br />
<br />
Then these men were bound in their coats,<br />
their trousers, their turbans, and their<br />
other garments, and were cast into the midst<br />
of the burning fiery furnace.<br />
<br />
Therefore, because the king's command was urgent,<br />
and the furnace exceedingly hot, the flame of the fire<br />
killed those men who took up Shadrak, Meyshak,<br />
and 'Abed Negow<br />
<br />
and these three men, Shadrak, Meyshak, and 'Abed Negow,<br />
fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.<br />
<br />
Then King Nebuwkadne'tstsar was astonished and<br />
he rose in haste and spoke, saying to his counselors,<br />
"Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?"<br />
They answered and said to the king, "True, O king."<br />
<br />
"Look!" he answered, "I see four men<br />
loose, walking in the midst of the fire,<br />
and they are not hurt and the form of<br />
the fourth is like a son of 'eloah."<br />
<br />
Then Nebuwkadne'tstsar went near the mouth of<br />
the burning fiery furnace and spoke saying,<br />
"Shadrak, Meyshak, and 'Abed Negow,<br />
servants of the Most High 'Eloah,<br />
come out and come here."<br />
<br />
Then Shadrak, Meyshak, and 'Abed Negow<br />
came from the midst of the fire.<br />
<br />
And the governors of the Paras provinces,<br />
prefects, governors, and the king's counselors<br />
gathered together, and they saw these men<br />
on whose bodies the fire had no power.<br />
<br />
The hair of their head was not singed<br />
nor were their garments affected<br />
and the smell of fire was not on them.<br />
<br />
Nebuwkadne'tstsar spoke saying, "Blessed is the<br />
'Eloah of Shadrak, Meyshak, and 'Abed Negow,<br />
Who sent His messenger and delivered His servants<br />
who trusted in Him<br />
<br />
and they have frustrated the king's word and<br />
yielded their bodies that they should not serve<br />
nor worship any 'Eloah except their own 'Eloah!<br />
<br />
Therefore I make a decree that any people, nation,<br />
or language that speaks anything amiss against the<br />
'Eloah of Shadrak, Meyshak, and 'Abed Negow<br />
shall be cut in pieces and their houses shall<br />
be made an ash heap, because there is<br />
no other 'eloah who can deliver like this."<br />
<br />
Then the king promoted Shadrak, Meyshak,<br />
and 'Abed Negow in the province of Babel.<br />
<br />
Daniel Chapter 3<br />
<br />
["Four In The Furnace" Art by Ted Larson]