From Pain to Promise

From Pain to Promise

by Elder Carol Tolbert

"My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life." ~ Psalm 119:50 (NIV)

We don’t like pain. We don’t like to go through. We just want to get to the promise. We don’t want to suffer, but what we need to realize is that as Christians, we must go through some painful times in order to get to our promise.

God’s promises for our lives will come to pass, in His time. As we journey toward our promise, we must travel over some paths that will be full of challenges, sorrow and pain. Know that going through painful experiences builds our character, strengthens our integrity and perfects our faith. As we go through, we learn who God is to us and who we are to Him. Our relationship with Him deepens.

We must continue to hold on to the promises of God because His Word is true and it shall come to pass. As God takes us through the painful times, remember that He will never leave us nor forsake us. He will comfort us and keep us in perfect peace, if we keep our minds stayed on Him and Him only.

God bless,

Elder Carol Tolbert

But Have Not Love

“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.” ~ 1 Corinthians 13:1-2

As many of you may know, I tend to be a very reserved and aloof person. I don’t say much and tend to stay to myself. As a result, social situations are not easy for me. So, needless to say, when I attended orientation for law school this past week, I was quite nervous about how I would do in making new friends and meeting new people.

But rather than allow those feelings of nervousness to take over, rather than curling up into my shell as is my natural inclination in situations like this, I challenged myself and made a decision – a decision to let love be my guide.

So, 1 Corinthians 13 became my guiding light. I told myself that rather than fearing the unknown, rather than allowing the fear of rejection to overcome me, I was going to do what God has ultimately called us to do and love my neighbor as myself, and as ultimately Christ loves each of us – unconditionally, without pretense or prejudice, fully and wholeheartedly, genuinely.

See, when we allow love to be our guides, we are not only being obedient to God’s world, we not only bless other people, but we open up worlds of possibilities for ourselves as well. God has promised that if we stay true to His word, He would open up windows in Heaven that no man can shut (Revelations 3:7). But in order for the promise to be fulfilled, we’ve got to be obedient to His word. The rewards don’t come without the sacrifice.

So, be guided by love today. Instead of having an attitude, take on a spirit of love today. Love those around you and watch how your life will be richly blessed because of it.

God bless,
J.W.

Signs of the Times

“You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains." ~ Matthew 24:6-8

It started with 9/11 and continued with Hurricane Katrina.

In 2004, we entered Iraq and a deadly tsunami hit Indonesia and the Asian Pacific.

In the past year, we’ve had earthquakes in Haiti, Chile, Baja, CA, and China.

Most recently, we’ve had unprecedented volcanic eruptions in Iceland, another earthquake in Indonesia, and a major earthquake in China.

Still having doubts that Jesus’ promises aren’t real? Just look around and you’ll see that His words still ring true.

Believe today!

God bless,
J.W.

His Promises Are True

"Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, 'And to seeds,' as of many, but as of one, 'And to your Seed,' who is Christ." ~ Galatians 3:16

Remember Abraham? God promised him the world.

Remember Joseph? God delivered him from slavery.

Remember the Hebrews in Egypt? God protected their children from the angel of death during Passover.

Remember David? God turned him from a little shepherd boy into a great king.

Remember Moses? God turned him from a bumbling fool into a deliverer of His people.

Remember Jeremiah? God turned him from a coward into a bold prophet.

And He can do the same for us.

His promises are true.

God bless,
J.W.