Tag: Hungry

Counted as Loss

d“But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ  and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith”

Psalms 40:16  But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation say continually, “Great is the LORD!” As for me, I am poor and needy, but the Lord takes thought for me. You are my help and my deliverer; do not delay, O my God!

Isaiah 65:13  Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: “Behold, my servants shall eat, but you shall be hungry; behold, my servants shall drink, but you shall be thirsty; behold, my servants shall rejoice, but you shall be put to shame;  behold, my servants shall sing for gladness of heart, but you shall cry out for pain of heart and shall wail for breaking of spirit.

Psalms 22:26   The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek him shall praise the LORD! May your hearts live forever!

Psalms 35:27   Let those who delight in my righteousness shout for joy and be glad and say evermore, “Great is the LORD, who delights in the welfare of his servant!”

Psalms 68:3   But the righteous shall be glad; they shall exult before God; they shall be jubilant with joy!

Psalms 119:166  I hope for your salvation, O LORD, and I do your commandments.  My soul keeps your testimonies; I love them exceedingly.

Psalms 105:3    Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice!

Psalms 119:111    Your testimonies are my heritage forever, for they are the joy of my heart.

Luke 14:33   So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.

Matthew 16:26   For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?

I wonder if some of the lack of joy in our life comes from the fact we do not forsake all we have in this world.  Are we attached to things this world has to offer and missing out in having gladness and joy in our heart that comes from a closeness to God, a dependency on Him, and eyes of our heart, soul and mind focused on humbly serving Him in the short time we have this side of eternity.  Attachment to things this world has to offer is to believe the lie “it will satisfy”.  It is always very short in delivering satisfaction and is very good at sugar coating this false promise.  True  and lasting joy can only be found in God, humbly serving, willingly obeying, and always seeking Him.  What does it profit man to gain the world and lose their soul?

 

Wipe away every tear

” He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

“And do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.””

Psalms 30:11  You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness,  that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks to you forever!

2 Chronicles 20:3   Then Jehoshaphat was afraid and set his face to seek the LORD,

2 Chronicles 20:12   O our God, will you not execute judgment on them? For we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”

Isaiah 25:8   He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the LORD has spoken.

John 16:20   Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy.

Revelation 7:14-17   I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.  “Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence.  They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat.  For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

Revelation 21:4   He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

Ecclesiastes 3:4   a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

Jeremiah 31:13-14  Then shall the young women rejoice in the dance, and the young men and the old shall be merry. I will turn their mourning into joy; I will comfort them, and give them gladness for sorrow.  I will feast the soul of the priests with abundance, and my people shall be satisfied with my goodness, declares the LORD.”

Nehemiah 8:10  And do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”

Psalms 126:5-6   Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy!

2 Corinthians 7:10  For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.

Luke 6:21-25  “Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied. “Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.  “Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man!  Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets.  “But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.  “Woe to you who are full now, for you shall be hungry. “Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep.

There are times to mourn and weep and times to laugh and dance.  Such is life this side of eternity.  We know not when times of mourning and weeping will come but surely they are part of our life.  They hurt and burden our heart to the point of despair.  We are given words of encouragement for both our selves and friends in these times.  We are to mourn with those who mourn and weep with those weeping.  Times of despair seem to occupy everything aspect of our life, it consumes us and we seem to be carrying a burden so heavy it can break us at any moment.  But God gives us hope, our despair will be turned in to joy and praise.  Our tears will be wiped away and the darkness we are in will be turned in to light and our pain will be taken away.  There is joy in the morning.  This joy is found in seeking Him, waiting for Him, trusting Him and calling upon Him.  There is no other with power to lift us out of our despair.

What is the Cost?

So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple

The question is asked from our heart at some point in our life – What is the cost of following Jesus Christ?  We then come up with a list of do’s and don’ts, rights and wrongs, and perceived changes required in our life.  The fact is there is no cost at all – it is all blessing.  God our Father says come onto me all who are burdened and He will give us rest.  He says He will never leave us or forsake us.  He will guide our path.  He will be our strength.  He will prepare a place for us in heaven.  He will fill our heart with peace, joy, hope, faith, love, mercy, grace, giving, strength……. and above all He  will give us eternal life to be with Him forever.  Give all of your life to Him for there is truly no eternal cost.

Matthew 19:29
And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first

Matthew 25:34
Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me. ’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink

Luke 14:33
So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple

Philippians 3:7
But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord