the real battle
By jingbautista
@jingbautista (2456)
Philippines
November 18, 2008 5:05am CST
When James and John came to Christ with their mother, asking Him to give them the best place in His kingdom, He did not refeuse their request.
He told them that the place would be given to them if they could do His work, drink His cup, and be baptized with His baptism. (See Mark 10:36).
Are we willing to comete for God's best, with the knowledge that the best things are always achieved by the most difficult paths?
We must endure steep mountains, dense forests, and the Enemy's chariots of iron, since hardship is the price of the victor's coronation.
Arches of triumph are made not of rose blossoms and strands of silk but of hard blows and bloody scars.
The very hardships you are enduring in your life today have been given to you by the Master, for the express purpose of enabling you to win your crown.
Therefore, do not always look ahead to your tomorrows for some ideal situation, exotic difficulty, or farawar emergency in which to shine.
Rise today to face the circumstances in which the providence of God has placed you.
YOur crown of glory is hidden in the heart of these things- the hardships and trials pressing in on you this very hour, week, and month of your life.
Yet the most difficult things are not those seen and known by the world but those deep within your soul, unseen and unknown by anyone except JESUS.
It is in this secret place that you experience a little trial that you would never dare to mention to anyone else and that is more difficult for you to bear than martyrdom.
Beloved, your crown lies there. May God help you to overcome and to wear it.
it matters not how the battle goes,
the day how long;
faint not! fight on!
tomorrow comes the song
2 people like this
3 responses
@cathyisgodschild (94)
• United States
18 Nov 08
My friend, I just want to know how to respond to truth. You have stated truth so well that there is no response to this.
3 people like this
@jingbautista (2456)
• Philippines
19 Nov 08
hehe.. thank you my friend.. it is from my devotional that morning. and i was so blessed with that. it hit me right down to my heart.. and even right now. i just recognized that the real battle is within.. within ourselves. is where the battle starts.. and sometimes i am a loser to this.. my friend, i need your prayers a lot.. i posted it to encourage those who needs encouragement. i am not aiming to gain much attention to this site, but to encourage and help others.. to share the love of CHrist even to this site.. thanks...
2 people like this
@cathyisgodschild (94)
• United States
23 Nov 08
My dear brother, we all fight those battles from within. That is what the spirit verses the flesh is about. I have the battle with my flesh all the time. My other great battle is conviction verses condemnation. Any ideas on that one? i seem to prefer condemnation as it gives me the opportunity to wallow in the muck of self pity as opposed to walking in the freedom of Christ and holding my head high based on His redemption.
2 people like this
@Zelmarq (12607)
• Cebu City, Philippines
25 Nov 08
I also have my battles within, maybe from the the way you see things when you look at me maybe you can say that im a lax person and without worries, but deep within im a lonesome soldier about to loose the battle with myself, my self centeredness and my own carelessness. Im about to loose but im not giving in to these petty selfful issues. I know i am here to be used for God's glory and fighting these battles within. The kids somehow refocused my attention to them and have allowed me to look introspectively at things that i have not looked before and i know i am going to win my selfullnes battles.
Thank you for the reminder and thank you for you life.
1 person likes this
@wendylb (203)
• Philippines
24 Nov 08
I hope God will be helping me in overcoming the the real battle and wear the said crown.
Thank you jing for sharing. It inspire me somehow to fight in real battle field. I've always in a hardship of winning souls to Him because I've been into wrong battle field(Self centered).
These past days, i realized that the more you get involve in others lives especially to your Bible study contact, you will be thinking less of your self. Even your emotional feeling you wouldn't mind because you're mind sets on your flocks condition. I saw this from our Leader's and yours too.
I jealous that you already have apartment by God's provisions of financial and Bible study contact souls. We've been together when Kuya Marlon shared to us the Gospel but look at me now, I'm STAGNANT about to SPOIL!.. I hope i can have soul to follow up, to grow with that i too can get the promised crown.
God Bless jing.. I'm inspired by your life!.
1 person likes this