Encouragement in Suffering

How Long Must I Suffer?  - Do you ever feel despair in suffering?
You might even be afraid to talk about it with other believers.
The message linked is on Psalm 13, and it is taught by Pastor Don Green in Cincinatti, OH.

Something Better than Life - This message was also given by Don Green, and it is another encouraging message on God's being able to preserve His children until we reach our final destination.

Chris & Rich are a couple of guys that I listen to the podcast of on a regular basis.
On their most recent podcast they addressed the subject of those who suffer - including how not to respond to or address those going through difficult times.

Last but not least, the following is some music for your day sung by James Phillipps.

Are We Justified By Faith Or Works Or Both?

Roman Catholics & the Eastern Orthodox church believe that works are a part of justification.
The Eastern Orthodox church says that justification is by faith & works.
Roman Catholics believe same.
Both have a false gospel.
The Bible says that those who teach a false gospel are to be cursed (Galatians 1:9).
This is serious.

Here are just a couple of the sources where the EOC & Roman Catholics get it wrong:

Eastern Orthodox
Decree 13

We believe a man to be not simply justified through faith alone, but through faith which works through love, that is to say, through faith and works.  But [the idea] that faith can fulfill the function of a hand that lays hold on the righteousness which is in Christ, and can then apply it unto us for salvation, we know to be far from all Orthodoxy.  For faith so understood would be possible in all, and so none could miss salvation, which is obviously false.  But on the contrary, we rather believe that it is not the correlative of faith, but the faith which is in us, justifies through works, with Christ.  But we regard works not as witnesses certifying our calling, but as being fruits in themselves, through which faith becomes efficacious, and as in themselves meriting, through the Divine promises {cf. 2 Corinthians 5:10} that each of the Faithful may receive what is done through his own body, whether it be good or bad.

Roman Catholics
Council of Trent, Canons on Justification

CANON XXIV.-If any one saith, that the justice received is not preserved and also increased before God through good works; but that the said works are merely the fruits and signs of Justification obtained, but not a cause of the increase thereof; let him be anathema.

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Many Roman Catholics cite James 2:24 as their authority for their view - regardless that the Bible has so many passages and individual verses that show that their understanding of that passage is incorrect. The overwhelming evidence of justification by faith alone could make a head swim by finding them all.

I realize that it can be confusing as to what James meant, because at first, it may seem to contradict so many other portions of Scripture.

I have been reading through the book Holiness by J.C. Ryle, and something he said really stood out to me.

"We are frequently told that a man is "justified by faith, without the works of the law," by Paul.  But not once are we told that we are "sanctified by faith, without the deeds of the law."  On the contrary, we are expressly told by James, that the faith whereby we are visibly and demonstratively justified before man, is a faith which "if it has not works is dead, being alone." (James 2:17.)  I may be told, in reply, that no one of course means to disparage "works" as an essential part of a holy life. It would be well, however, to make this more plain than many seem to make it in these days."  - J.C. Ryle

James 2:24 is in a context that is demonstrating that a living faith will produce works that prove to men that our faith is a real faith and not a said faith.
That particular verse in James is speaking of a different kind of justification that is before man & not the being declared righteous by faith kind of justification before God.
Many many verses make it clear that we cannot be justified before God by our works.
Romans 4, Romans 5:1, Ephesian 2:8-10, & Romans 3:28 are examples.
Plus, Galatians warns against those who were trying to add the works of the law back in.
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Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh?  Galatians 3:3 NASB

Works are the fruit of a living faith, but they don't make the faith efficacious.
Faith is a gift of God - not of works.
Forgiveness of sins is not a result of our works either.
Unlike what the EOC teaches, works are witnesses to a living faith & have to do with sanctification.
Works can't add a thing to what Christ did on the cross...not physical baptism, church, or communion, etc.
Works are evidence of a life being transformed by the Holy Spirit.
We don't keep ourselves saved or help make ourselves declared righteous by works.
Justification and sanctification go together, but they are also distinct.
A true Christian is given the desire to obey Christ and to fight against sinful desires.

"The only righteousness in which we can appear before God is the righteousness of another — even the perfect righteousness of our Substitute and Representative, Jesus Christ the Lord.
His work, and not our work — is our only title to Heaven.
This is a truth which we should be ready to die to maintain."
- J.C. Ryle

"Justification is the reckoning and counting a man to be righteous for the sake of another, even Jesus Christ the Lord.
Sanctification is the actual making a man inwardly righteous, though it may be in a very feeble degree."   - J.C. Ryle

Justification is the act of God for us and is not easily discerned by others.
Sanctification is the work of God within us and cannot be hidden in its outward manifestation from the eyes of men.   - J.C. Ryle

J.C. Ryle quotes are from:
https://www.gracegems.org/Ryle/holiness1.htm
https://www.gracegems.org/Ryle/holiness3.htm

Added Food For Thought For Christians: 
Created For Good Works - Voice of Reason Podcast

Marshmallow Christians, Voice of Reason, & Challenges

Within one week's time I've learned of two youth pastors and one pastor in Tennessee & in Virginia who were soliciting immoral relations with minors.  Sin promises pleasure, but its end is the way of death.

This should be a wake up call once again to those in the church.
In some cases people are unbelievers, but believers are not immune to the deceitfulness of sin.
We expect the world to wallow in sin, and we know they need the Gospel, but the church needs to be purified.  We should see a stark difference.

Sin's pleasure is passing and twists the gifts God offers, and temptation is common to mankind.
God does provide a way of escape.  First, we (Christians) should seek holiness and God's glory and kingdom, we should hate and fear the contamination of sin though we are tempted, we should flee sin, and when we cannot flee physically when it is our thoughts...we must fight and redirect our thoughts to God and His Word.

We are often too much like marshmallows that melt and wallow in weakness rather than soldiers who yield in obedience to God and fight our hearts and feelings that are prone to wander.
Whatever our temptations, they are like fishing lures that lead the fish to a hook and a fish fry.  Though saved by grace and not by works, the Christian life is not a picnic.  We focus too much on ourselves instead of Christ and others.

What are we feeding ourselves?  A steady diet of truth or idle pleasures?
What are we focusing on?  God's Kingdom and righteousness, or our "kingdom" or feelings or pleasures?


Voice of Reason - A couple of online friends of mine (Chris Hohnholz & Richard Story) have started a podcast together.


Personal Note:  I'd really appreciate prayer by Christians for me and my family in the coming weeks.
I've been struggling a lot and feeling very low, and there are a number of challenges facing our family as well.