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Acts 14:22b - Tribulation for Entrance to the Kingdom.Acts 14:22b (NKJV) "We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God."Acts 14:22b (NIV) "We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God," Acts 14:22b (NCV) "We must suffer many things to enter God's kingdom." INTRODUCTION Paul and Barnabas returned to visit the believers in all the cities where they had recently been threatened and physically attacked. These men knew the dangers they faced, yet they believed that they had a responsibility to encourage the new believers. No matter how inconvenient or uncomfortable the task may seem, we must always support new believers who need our help and encouragement. It was not convenient or comfortable for Jesus to die on the cross for us! Paul and Barnabas also visibly demonstrated that life in Christ does not mean freedom from pain, suffering, or persecution. Our freedom comes internally - freedom from sin, from addictions, from the slavery of our own dangerous beliefs. Sometimes God blesses us with physical relief and a reprieve from travails, but Paul and Barnabas remind us to persevere in all times of hardship. [Life Application SB 2019] COMMENTARY PEARLS This earth is the place of preparation for heaven. The time spent here is the Christian's winter. Here the chilly winds of affliction blow upon us, and the waves of trouble roll against us. But in the near future, when Christ comes, sorrow and sighing will be forever ended. Then will be the Christian's summer. All trials will be over, and there will be no more sickness or death. "God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying ... for the former things are passed away" (MS 28, 1886). In all ages Satan has persecuted the people of God. He has tortured them and put them to death, but in dying they became conquerors. They revealed in their steadfast faith a mightier One than Satan. Satan could torture and kill the body, but he could not touch the life that was hid with Christ in God. He could incarcerate in prison walls, but he could not bind the spirit. They could look beyond the gloom to the glory, MB29, 30 In the pathway of all who seek the crown, is the cross. If we would become partakers with Christ of his glory, we must be willing to share with him in his sufferings. If we would reflect his glorious image, we must be submissive to the divine molding; we must follow in the footsteps of the Man of Calvary. God has claims upon every one of us. He created us, he redeemed us with an infinite sacrifice. He has promised the overcomer the great rewards of eternity. Why do we cling to anything that is offensive to him? Why not separate from every sin, and perfect holiness before him? The only reward for sin is unutterable woe and death; but the righteous shall be at his right hand in fullness of joy, in his presence, where are pleasures forevermore. {RH, September 16, 1890 par. 2} God permits trials to assail His people, that by their constancy and obedience they themselves may be spiritually enriched, and that their example may be a source of strength to others. "I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil." Jeremiah 29:11. The very trials that task our faith most severely and make it seem that God has forsaken us, are to lead us closer to Christ, that we may lay all our burdens at His feet and experience the peace which He will give us in exchange. God has always tried His people in the furnace of affliction. It is in the heat of the furnace that the dross is separated from the true gold of the Christian character. PP129 ILLUSTRATIONS Learning to Fly An Amazing Fact: Because of its grace, strength, and sheer size, the bald eagle was chosen to symbolize the United States. Baby eagles (eaglets) begin their lives high in a tree nest typically five feet in diameter. After making the first break in the shell, it can take an eaglet 12 to 48 hours to completely hatch out. The parents provide well for their offspring, and the young birds grow rapidly - they add one pound every five days. But eventually, they must learn to fly and hunt for themselves. The mother teaches her eaglets to fly by making the nest very uncomfortable. She rips up the soft padding to expose sharp sticks, bones, and rocks. Then she stops bringing food, but she'll frequently fly by the nest of hungry eaglets sporting fresh fish or rabbits to tempt them. The little eaglets become so hungry and uncomfortable they are eventually compelled to leave the nest and commit themselves to the unknown world of air outside. It's incredibly dangerous, as approximately 40 percent of young eagles do not survive their first flight. It's believed that only about 1 in 10 eagles survive to adulthood (five years old). Some of the primary reasons are gunshot wounds by hunters that kill for feathers and talons to sell on the black market and lead poisoning from eating wounded ducks, rabbits, and other game that eluded the hunter but later died. It can be tough to be an eagle; in fact, they were once declared an endangered species. But they've since made a comeback. Paul encouraged young Timothy, "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind" (2 Timothy 1:7). Perhaps Timothy was timid and needed encouragement to "get out of the nest" and spread his wings. Certainly the eagle depicts power as well as risk that we all eventually experience in our Christian growth. [Moving Mountains by Amazing Facts re Rom.8:15] The Cocoon/Butterfly Story - Miracle Of Transformation A man found a cocoon of a butterfly and one day a small opening appeared. He sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through that little hole. Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could and it could go no farther. The man decided to help the butterfly, so he took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining tip of the cocoon. The butterfly then emerged easily, but it had a swollen body and small shriveled wings. The man continued to watch the butterfly because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which would contract in time. Neither happened! In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings. It never was able to fly. What the man in his kindness and haste did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly to get through the tiny opening were God's way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon. Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our life. If God allowed us to go through our life without any obstacles, it would cripple us. We would not be as strong as what we could have been. And we could never fly. http://submission.org/Butterfly_Cocoon.html Pebbles To Jewels Pebble Beach, on the California coast, has become quite famous for the beautiful pebbles found there. The raging white surf continually roars, thundering and pounding against the rocks on the shore. These stones are trapped in the arms of the merciless waves. They are tossed, rolled, rubbed together, and ground against the sharp edges of the cliffs. Both day and night, this process of grinding continues relentlessly. And what is the result? Tourists from around the world flock there to collect the beautiful round stones. They display them in cabinets and use them to decorate their homes. Yet a little farther up the coast, just around the point of the cliff, is a quiet cove. Protected from the face of the ocean, sheltered from the storms, and always in the sun, the sands are covered with an abundance of pebbles never sought by the travelers. So why have these stones been left untouched through all the years? Simply because they have escaped all the turmoil and the grinding of the waves. The quietness and peace have left them as they have always been - rough, unpolished, and devoid of beauty - for polish is the result of difficulties. Since God knows what niche we are to fill, let us trust Him to shape us to it. And since He knows what work we are to do, let us trust Him to grind us so we will be properly prepared. O blows that strike! O hurts that pierce This fainting heart of mine! What are you but the Master's tools Forming a work Divine? Nearly all of God's jewels are crystallized tears. [Streams in the Desert by Cowman re Isa. 49:2] The Horse Story - Paradox of Curses and Blessings Once there was an old man who lived in a tiny village. Although poor, he was envied by all, for he owned a beautiful white horse. Even the king coveted his treasure. A horse like this had never been seen before - such was its splendor, its majesty, its strength. People offered fabulous prices for the steed, but the old man always refused. "This horse is not a horse to me," he would tell them. "It is a person. How could you sell a person? He is a friend, not a possession. How could you sell a friend?" The man was poor and the temptation was great. But he never sold the horse. One morning he found that the horse was not in the stable. All the village came to see him. "You old fool," they scoffed, "we told you that someone would steal your horse. We warned you that you would be robbed. You are so poor. How could you ever hope to protect such a valuable animal? It would have been better to have sold him. You could have gotten whatever price you wanted. No amount would have been to high. Now the horse is gone, and you've been cursed with misfortune." The old man responded, "Don't speak too quickly. Say only that the horse is not in the stable. That is all we know; the rest in judgment. If I've been cursed or not, how can you know? How can you judge?" The people contested, "Don't make us out to be fools! We may not be philosophers, but great philosophy is not needed. The simple fact that your horse is gone is a curse." The old man spoke again. "All I know is that the stable is empty, and the horse is gone. The rest I don't know. Whether it be a curse or a blessing, I can't say. All we can see is a fragment. Who can say what will come next?" The people of the village laughed. They thought that the man was crazy. They had always thought he was a fool; if he wasn't, he would have sold the horse and lived off the money. But instead, he was a poor woodcutter, an old man still cutting firewood and dragging it out of the forest and selling it. He lived hand to mouth in the misery of poverty. Now he had proven that he was, indeed, a fool. After fifteen days, the horse returned. He hadn't been stolen; he had run away into the forest. Not only had he returned, he had brought a dozen wild horses with him. Once again the village people gathered around the woodcutter and spoke. "Old man, you were right and we were wrong. What we thought was a curse was a blessing. Please forgive us." The man responded, "Once again, you go too far. Say only that the horse is back. State only that a dozen horses returned with him, but don't judge. How do you know if this is a blessing or not? You see only a fragment. Unless you know the whole story, now can you judge? You read only one page of a book. Can you judge the whole book? You read only one word of a phrase. Can you understand the entire phrase? "Life is so vast, yet you judge all of life with one page or one word. All you have is a fragment! Don't say that this is a blessing. No one knows. I am content with what I know. I am not perturbed by what I don't." "Maybe the old man is right," they said to one another. So they said little. But down deep, they knew he was wrong. They knew it was a blessing. Twelve wild horses had returned with one horse. With a little bit of work, the animals could be broken and trained and sold for much money. The old man had a son, an only son. The young man began to break the wild horses. After a few days, he fell from one of the horses and broke both legs. Once again the villagers gathered around the old man and cast their judgments. "You were right," they said. "You proved you were right. The dozen horses were not a blessing. They were a curse. Your only son has broken his legs, and now in your old age you have no one to help you. Now you are poorer than ever. The old man spoke again. "You people are obsessed with judging. Don't go so far. Say only that my son broke his legs. Who knows if it is a blessing or a curse? No one knows. We only have a fragment. Life comes in fragments." It so happened that a few weeks later the country engaged in war against a neighboring country. All the young men of the village were required to join the army. Only the son of the old man was excluded, because he was injured. Once again the people gathered around the old man, crying and screaming because their sons had been taken. There was little chance that they would return. The enemy was strong and the war would be a losing struggle. They would never see their sons again. "You were right, old man," they wept. "God knows you were right. This proves it. Your son's accident was a blessing. His legs may be broken, but at least he is with you. Our sons are gone forever." The old man spoke again. "It is impossible to talk with you. You always draw conclusions. No one knows. Say only this: Your sons had to go to war, and mine did not. No one knows if it is a blessing or a curse. No one is wise enough to know. Only God knows." [In the Eye of the Storm by Max Lucado.] The Donkey Story - From Death To Life Farmer had an old donkey he'd had a long time that fell into an empty well. Because the donkey was so old and it would cost so much to get him out he decided to just bury him. He called the neighbors and they started shoveling dirt into the well. The donkey would raise a fuss with each shovel full of dirt and the farmer felt so bad. But with each shovel full of dirt the old donkey would just shake it off his back and take a step up. It wasn't long that the old donkey walked out of the well to the surprise of the farmer and his friends. That's the way life is for Christians on this old sinful planet. Satan keeps tossing a load of dirt on us, but if we will just keep shaking it off and take a step up it wouldn't be long and we'll find ourselves in heaven. [Internet] The Best Is Yet To Come - "Keep Your Fork" There was a woman who had been diagnosed with a terminal illness and had been given three months to live. So as she was getting her things "in order", she contacted her pastor and had him come to her house to discuss certain aspects of her final wishes. She told him which songs she wanted sung at the service, what scripture she would like read, and what outfit she wanted to be buried in. The woman also requested to be buried with her favorite Bible. Everything was in order and the pastor was preparing to leave when the woman suddenly remembered something very important to her. "There's one more thing," she said excitedly. "What's that?" came the pastor's reply. "This is very important," the woman continued. "I want to be buried with a fork in my right hand." The pastor stood looking at the woman, not knowing quite what to say. "That surprises you, doesn't it?" the woman asked. "Well, to be honest, I'm puzzled by the request," said the pastor. The woman explained. "In all my years of attending church socials and potluck dinners, I always remember that when the dishes of the main course were being cleared, someone would inevitably lean over and say, "Keep Your Fork". It was my favorite part because I knew that something better was coming.....like velvety chocolate cake or deep dish apple pie. Something wonderful, and with substance! So, I just want people to see me there in the casket with a fork in my hand and I want them to wonder, "What's with the fork?!" Then I want you to tell them: "Keep your fork...the best is yet to come". The pastor's eyes welled up with tears of joy as he hugged the woman good bye. He knew this would be one of the last times he would see her before her death. But he also knew that the woman had a better grasp of heaven than he did. She KNEW that something better was coming. At the funeral people were walking by the woman's casket and they saw the pretty dress she was wearing, the favorite Bible and fork placed in her right hand. Over and over, the pastor heard the question, "What's with the fork?" And over and over he smiled. During his message, the pastor told the people of the conversation he had with the woman shortly before she died. He also told them about the fork and about what it symbolized to her. The pastor told the people how he could not stop thinking about it either. He was right. So the next time you reach down for your fork, let it remind you, oh so gently, that the best is yet to come. http://www.guideposts.org/why-do-people-say-keep-your-fork ONE LINERS The most beautiful sunsets are made by cloudy skies. [source unknown] If things are tough, remember that every flower that ever bloomed had to go through a whole lot of dirt to get there. Barbara Johnson As God uses us, He transforms our lives in the same way He changes a piece of coal into a diamond. Our tears crystallize into sparkling jewels of blessing that sparkle in the night of despair "like the stars of the morning," shining out in the darkness with the light of God's embracing, sustaining love. Barbara Johnson Out of pain and problems have come the sweetest sons, the most poignant poems, the most gripping stories. Out of suffering and tears have come the greatest spirits and the most blessed lives. Billy Graham LINKS FOR FURTHER STUDY Acts 14:22b - Tribulation for Entrance to the Kingdom. https://www.abible.com/devotions/2021/20210810-1026.html http://www.abible.com/devotions/2015/20150624-2038.html Acts 14:22 - TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS: WHY????? http://www.abible.com/devotions/2003/20030819-1147.html LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT https://abible.com/links/ |