Addendums
This is our overflow Bread (Word) basket and where we keep all of our wonderful assortment of butter, jellies, and jams (add-ons).
Here is when we engage with a paradigm beyond the limitation of our devotions. We include these additional writings in our Addendum section.
The Fiery Trial - 5
Based on 1 Peter 4:12-19
To caution the fools for Christ mentality, let us expand on the thought of how foolish that can be. To act like a fool, one expresses a desire to act without caution or no filters. To act without caution would mean that you are either so steeped in the Word that error is close to impossible or the opposite; you are so loose with your attitude that you have thrown caution to the wind.
A word of caution comes from Matthew 10:28, where fear is implied with a reaction of death, fear Him that is able to destroy body and soul in an eternal hell. What drives a fool is pride (Proverbs 16:18). Can you act proud using the Word of God? Misguided babies in Christ will read 1 Corinthians 4:10, We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are distinguished, but we are dishonored!
1 Corinthians 1:18-31 - For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where [is] the wise? where [is] the scribe? where [is] the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, [are called]: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, [yea], and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
Simple things can confuse the wise, but the revelation of God will open the hearts of those who seek Him. If you seek Him, don’t stop at the first verse or the first group of verses. Study and pray to be approved unto God (2 Timothy 1:3, 2:15-16). Delight yourself in the Lord (Psalm 37:4); learn His Ways, His Words, His Power.
There is a movement for developing “next” normals that some consider new but check it out: Here's the formula for how to develop “next” normals. The first phase is to engage and open the gateway to a particular behavior as a matter of birth; this is what you say you are born to; it was not your choice, which results in Sympathy (sharing pity and sorrow) and envelopes Empathy (the ability to share feelings based on the behavior). Phase Two is Acceptance (consenting or tolerating the behavior), “let me be who I am because I am.” Phase Three is Approval (stating agreement or making the behavior official); you need to understand that “I have no control over this behavior, and I need you to need to validate it.” After you get approval for the “next” normal, you can develop a state of reprobate mentality. Becoming a reprobate (Romans 1:27-29) is like lining your windows with aluminum foil and backing it with black construction paper, and painting the window with flat black paint claiming to look for sunlight- an oxymoron.
The Fiery Trial - 3
Based on 1 Peter 4:12-19
Luke 6:23 - Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets. The reality of life in Christ requires us to release ourselves from personal desires and the thought of a bed of roses. Unmistakably the association of suffering is a distraction to achievement. No work, no gain started with discipline because if you don’t work for what you want, it will not have any value.
Does God expect us to get something for nothing (Romans 5:3-5)? The price we pay for God’s Glory is paid by tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, and sword. For the Lord’s sake, we are killed all day long. The Joy of the Lord is that we are more than conquerors through Jesus Christ. How do we process tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, and sword? We process all this with the Grace of God. The Blood of Jesus paid the price of Grace when He died on the cross. Is there value in the suffering of Jesus?
Can we be blessed as in Matthew 5:10-12, Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. Our reward is not in the immediacy of this life but the eternal life promised in renewing our minds, hearts, and souls. Stop looking for instant savings when it comes to eternal things; work for what works for you!
In Their Trouble - 4
Based on Psalms 107:20a
The context of these scriptures leads us to a sagacious or more profound understanding and respect for "crying, trouble, distress, His Word and Healing." At this juncture, as we draw to the close of this semi-colon in verse 20, there is a declarative statement "and healed them," (Psalm 107:20) " implying the restoration of normalcy. Healing is a process but healed signifies a process completed, as in past tense (James 5:14-15). The God-head has no restriction with definitive time; God works in Kairos (Mark 1:15). Is His Son enough to heal you of your pain?
Look up "time," or even better, "definitive time," you will find a long list of descriptions that will end with the accepted measurements of time, seconds, minutes, hours, days, and so on… when looking for Truth, none of these conclusions will surface to address the infinite understanding of how God operates. Whatever God has done, wants to do, continues to do, when He wants to do it, is Kairos.
When we see healing, healed, and consider the process of being healed, we have to look at Kairos because human time is intangible because we have no control over time. You will engage in a physics discussion; nevertheless, we engage with time by measurement but without a definitive understanding of what it is. For example, we measure the time of life from conception, but it's only an estimate because we estimate the gestation period to be nine months; however, the measurement of life is not calculated from gestation but the child's delivery. Shouldn't we at three months call it a year?
Relevant to how God handles healing or, in actuality, any action of God, we can only measure in Kairos time. We have no idea when healing starts because it's tied to or connected symbiotically to pain, and it's counter healing. In pregnancy, the first step is conception, a sperm fertilizing the egg.