But I would ye should understand, brethren

Php 1:12 But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel;

Good morning again my dear friends. Well last night we began our visitation training program, it was started off well and encouraging to see people gathered together to learn how to share the gospel more effectively! The Pastor is putting this on for the next three weeks and encouraging the members of the church to attend of course so that we may break down the barriers of witnessing! If your church doesn't have a program then let me encourage you to pray first for the Lords direction, and then get with your Pastor and ask how you can help him get one started! Well a lot of things are going on in my life right at this moment, not like there aren't a lot of things going on in your lives also. A lot of people that have a true concern at my church has asked if everything is OK and will everything be OK, and my reply happily is yes! You see sometimes we get so caught up in the here and now we forget to look at what path we have been down. I say this not to look backwards and wallow in sorrow, but however to look there and see where the Lord has taken us from and where He is taking us to. The above verse says all the things that are going on in Paul's life were for the furtherance of the gospel! It also encourages us to understand, that is to to be thoroughly familiar with; apprehend clearly the character, nature, or subtleties of. Paul also wrote this to the brethren, the saved of his time because this people in this world would have you to give up on God and lean unto their wordly wisdom and worldly explanations as to why their are problems going on in your life! It is hard to believe sometimes when the pressures of this life are bearing down that they could lead to the furtherance of the gospel. Let's look at how this may be explained:

1. Our problems lead to patience
2. Our patience lead to prayer
3. Our prayers lead to promises
4. Our promises lead to perseverance

All this is proven by many of the testimonies of the Apostles in the Bible. They had problems, which showed them how to live a patient life through prayer, which led to fulfilled promises, which increased their faith and led to perseverance to spread the gospel message to a lost and dying world! It is only because of the gospel, that is the good news that Jesus Christ was born of a virgin, and lived a sinless life on earth to go to the cross and die in my place for my sins, and be buried and rise again for His glorious second coming that I have any unction, and encouragement in life! It is because when the Lord saved me, he ordained me, and commissioned me to be an ambassador for Him and proclaim His message that I wake up in the morning and get going. My trust is in Him, and as Paul said no matter what may come his way, or what he has to endure thank God this life will be over and we will spend an eternity with the Lord! Friend if the pressures of life are becoming to much then just put on the brakes and call unto the Lord and let Him work in your life. It is because the Lord cares that He listens, and He has promised to never leave us or forsake us. Friend don't be burdened down with to much of the cares of this world, for all this will pass and the petty things of this life will mean nothing in the space of eternity! Focus on Jesus who is the author and finisher of our faith, glorify Him by living a life consecrated to Him and you will see a change in your life!