and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Romans 5:1-2

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,  through whom we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.   

                                 Romans 5:1-2 Berean Bible

What exactly does this “rejoice in the hope of the glory of God” mean to us?   It says to me, I come to God believing He is my rewarder which moves me into His grace, that the bible says is rich and abounding.  This grace is sufficient for any and every circumstance I’m facing.  In this place I possess an unshakeable hope that I shall see the goodness of God manifested to me. This hope is full of rejoicing.

This is from the Discovery Bible Word Study notes on this word “rejoice” 

2744 kauxáomai – properly, living with "head up high," boasting from a particular vantage point – i.e. the base of operation to deal with a matter.  Only the context shows whether this root (kaux-) refers to Holy Spirit-produced boasting (Spirit-confidence) or vain boasting (self-confidence).

[2744 (kauxaomai) likely comes from the root, auxēn ("neck"), i.e. what holds the head up high (upright); figuratively, it refers to living with God-given confidence.

Faith should always move us into His grace. Standing in that grace gives us a “base of operation to deal with a matter”.  We enter into peace which flows from the we hold. Hope which we rejoice or boast about.   Read Romans 5:1 from the Phillips Translation ~ Since then it is by faith that we are justified, let us grasp the fact that we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.  Through him we have confidently entered into this new relationship of grace, and here we take our stand, in happy certainty of the glorious things he has for us in the future.  This doesn’t mean of course, that we have only a hope of future joys ~ we can be full of joy here and now even in our trials and troubles....  

David (McGrew) asks the question: when the circumstances dominate your emotions negatively, ‘where is faith?’.  Without that unshakeable trust in our Father, there is no peace, no hope (expectation), no joy and certainly no rejoicing or boasting in God.  

I understand the times we just don’t feel like boasting in God but I’m also aware that ‘rejoicing’ is the greatest expression of our faith and hope that can be seen.  It isn’t about ‘happy’. It’s about our declaration in the midst of trouble.  It’s about knowing and declaring our redeemer is great and mighty.  It’s about knowing and declaring His love and care, being assured He is working on our behalf.  “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord”. 

Every circumstance should bring us into a closer encounter with our Father.  A drawing near to him for the salvation we need in the circumstances in which we find ourselves.  Proverbs decrees - trust in the Lord with all you heart and lean not to your own understanding. Our own understanding is limited until the Spirit of Truth is able to reveal truth to us and we are able to be ready and willing to hold the mind of Christ and the wisdom of God. When this comes, we must choose to acknowledge His ways and walk in them to find the life He gives.  This is the fear of the Lord.  This is departing from your own wisdom, this is a turning away from the evil of self will.  We don’t outthink our problems.  We bring them captive to the obedience of His word and we ‘boast’ in the greatness and glory of our God.

O you of little faith, why are you discussing among yourselves the fact that you have no bread? 9 Do you not yet perceive...? Matthew 16:8-9

Last week we saw where the children of Israel had seen and experienced the glory and goodness of God and yet their experiences failed to shape their understanding and conviction that at all times and in every circumstance, God was faithful to care for them. 

Here we find a New Testament example of the same thing:  

When the disciples reached the other side, they had forgotten to bring any bread. 6 Jesus said to them, “Watch and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” 7 And they began discussing it among themselves, saying, “We brought no bread.” 8 But Jesus, aware of this, said, “O you of little faith, why are you discussing among yourselves the fact that you have no bread? 9 Do you not yet perceive? Do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? 10 Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? 11 How is it that you fail to understand that I did not speak about bread? Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” 12 Then they understood that he did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees. 

God manifests himself and in our humanity we examine the manifestation to pieces.  Jesus called it reasoning.  Jesus said it was little faith; faith yes, but little faith. From verse 8,  the ESV reads “discussing” and that sounds perfectly reasonable and yet that’s the point.  Heres the Greek on that word. 

dialogísomai, from diá (1223), and logízomai (3049), to reckon, reason. To reckon through, to settle an account,  to consider, reason, discourse, whether in silence by oneself or by discourse with others to consider together, deliberate, debate.  Thayer says “the thinking of a man deliberating within himself. Lightfoot says, It is the intellectual rebellion against God. Helps Word Studies says it is a back and forth reasoning that is self based and therefore confused especially as it contributes to reinforcing others in discussion to remain in their initial prejudice.  

Jesus uses this word in Mark 7:21 about “evil thoughts”.  He uses this word in Luke 24:38 when he appears to the disciples who are troubled and doubting his resurrection.  It is the same word used in Philippians 2:4 where we are instructed to do all things without grumbling and disputings- “dialogisomai”.  

It’s when we enter into this “dialogisomai” with ourselves or others that has the ability to lead us into temptation and sin.   It’s either the internal dialogue or the external debate. How far can I get to the edge of this command and still not fall over?   We can’t argue with God or His word and win. 

Kenneth E Hagin used to say, “God said it, I believe it, and that settles it for me.”

A good truth to live by.

“Surely all the men who have seen MY glory and MY signs... yet have put Me to the test these ten times and have not obeyed my voice.” Numbers 14:22

You'll recognize this portion of scripture as the judgment God gives regarding the result of Israel spying out the promised land.  God decrees, from Numbers 14:21-23; " But truly, as I live, and as all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord, none of the men who have seen my glory and signs that I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and yet have put me to the test these ten times and have not obeyed my voice, shall see the land that I swore to give their Fathers. And none of those who despised me shall see it." 

There is danger in seeing the glory of the Lord and His signs yet refusing to allow them to shape your revelation of God.  “Put me to the test” means we demand to see God work before we trust Him; always doubting and questioning Him and His word.  As NT believers, from Luke 4, we learn; “ It is written, you shall not put the Lord your God to test” 

We get a better understanding of what that looks like when we see how Satan tempted Jesus.  He took him onto the pinnacle of the temple in Jerusalem and said “if you are the son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written, He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you, and on their hands they will bear you up, lest youstrike your foot against a stone.”  Jesus answered, “ It is written you shall not put the Lord your God to test. 

Psalm 18:30; 119:140 and Proverbs 30:5 all declare God’s word has been tested and proved.  Every word is flawless one translation reads.  

In this temptation, Jesus is pushed to doubt His place and the Fathers care.  Sin would have moved Him to a place of self preservation, in other words, to do something God had not instructed Him to do from a place of insecurity and fear. It is the same temptation we face when we meet circumstances beyond our control.  Is His word strong enough to sustain us through these circumstances?  Our answer must be an unshakeable and resounding YES!

I’m sure we all have, in different times and seasons, been guilty of putting God to the test. First Corinthians 10:6tells us that Old Testament events have been written not to condemn us and leave us hopeless but rather as “examples for us” that we might not desire evil like they did.  If we hear His voice, we don’t harden our hearts and refuse to believe what God is saying. Our admonition is Hebrews 3:12 ~ 

“Take care brothers, let there be in any of you an evil unbelieving heart leading you to fall away from the living God.  But exhort one another every day as long as it is called “today” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” (note: Satan tried to reason with Jesus using the word of God.  It’s always good to know your motivators as you rightly discern the will of God).

Just remember - there were those who did see God’s glory and His signs and believed His word. They obeyed Him and entered the promised land. Numbers 14:24 "But my servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit and has followed me fully, I will bring him into the land...." 

There is hope for us in this one word ~ Today.  Today, we can refuse to test Him, choosing to allow His glory and His signs declare His goodness and faithfulness to us.  Today we can choose to believe and simply obey.   

“.... filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes thorough Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God”. Philippians 1:11

As I look into this greater weight of glory this season, I am continually checked by the Holy Spirit that ‘meekness is required and humility is a must’.  Manifesting this greater weight of glory will truly demand selfless souls.  We are not striving to show off ourselves. We are not seeking our own glory. John 8:50. We live with the awareness that humanity tends to hero worship and self adulation.  All that is in the world, the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions (accomplishments) is not of the Father and are all passing away. We can not lose sight of this and allow ourselves to be lured into any deception that says “by the might of my hand”.

When Moses asked to see the glory of God it was for the purpose of understanding the nature and character of God.  We must always guard our motivation when seeking the promises of God.  Why do I really want this?  Ephesians 1:12 reminds us "so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory." 

Paul wrote about momentary light afflictions working a greater weight of glory. I see the season that we have left as one of great pruning in the church for the purposes of bringing forth this greater fruit in all righteousness.  Pauls prayer in chapter one of Philippians is the desire for the church to be increasing in love with knowledge and all discernment, so that they are able to approve things that are excellent, to be pure and blameless and filled with the fruits of righteousness that come through Jesus Christ and always bring glory and praise to God.

To manifest a greater weight of glory will require a great weight of abiding, abounding love.  Every thought, every word and every deed must be saturated with the pureness of God’s love and righteousness.   It is only with and in this Spirit that we can hope to see God work mightily in and through us.

Let us purpose in this season to lay aside all the things that have entangled us, get our eyes off of us and our issues and move into Him as never before for the purpose of carrying His presence and manifesting this greater weight of glory.

Christ in you the hope of glory. Colossians 1:27

We are all familiar with Colossians 1:25-27, where the Apostle Paul discusses the stewardship he has received to reveal to the saints the fulness of the mystery of gospel of Christ and how God chose to make known the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

It is the awareness of this mystery, and understanding the riches it holds, that enables us to fully display Christ in His glory. We can never exceed “what has been given” buthave we entered into the place of “fully operating” in all that has been assigned and given us? Are we fully functioning as the part we have been made in the place we have been given? Jesus declared in John 17, I have glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. Jesus said, in John 9 as the light of the world, that he had to do the works given him while it was light, verse 4.   

The glory has many ways of being expressed but if we use Exodus 34 as a standard we find God himself manifesting His glory as He proclaims His name; 6:The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, 7: keeping steadfast love for thousands, (literal Hebrew on this phrase is: covenant-loyalty preeminently, God's perfect loyalty to His own covenant) forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin...”  Pauls prayer from Ephesians 1 is “that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory would give unto us a Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him”.  

From the New Testament we see Jesus expressing the glory of His Father. Hebrews 1:3 tells us Jesus was the express image of the Father and from John 1:14 when Jesus was manifest we were able to behold His glory; full of grace and truth. So we know that glory is something we are able to see.  Glory is full of grace, which we understand to be God’s enabling power at work and glory is full of absolute, pure truth.  It is light and there is no darkness in it.  When His glory is manifested it is in all mercy and grace, full of compassion, faithfulness and love and forgiveness (but in no way clearing the guilty ~ repentance is always the foundation for forgiveness, by mercy and truth iniquity is purged). This is the very heart of God that we must hold in order to righteously expressHis glory 

John’s gospel shows us Jesus as the true light which gives light to everyone.  His light dispels darkness and 2 Corinthians 4:4 tells us it is the work of Satan to blind the minds of the unbelievers to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.  We can then see the first place of glory that we as the church are to manifest His glory is through the proclamation of the mystery of the gospel of Christ.  It is this proclamation of the word, not enticing words of mans wisdom but in power and demonstration bringing light, revelation, and dispelling blindness.  Jesus’ own testimony is that the Spirit of the Lord is upon me to preach the gospel to the poor.  Only the preaching of the word has the power to change a heart and thus a mind. It is the word that carries His glory.  It is Jesus and it is full of grace and truth.  It is the preaching of His word that we see Him high and lifted up receiving glory and revealing glory.  

Paul said in Col. 2:28-29;  Him we proclaim warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom that we may present every man mature in Christ.  For this I toil struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.  

May this year continue to hold new realms of revelation, wisdom and understanding in the knowledge of Him enabling each of us to more fully express Christ and show forth His glory.

"...A greater weight of glory..." 2 Cor. 4:17

This is the phrase the keeps coming to me as I pray about 2017. We know that Jesus is coming after a glorious church, one without spot, wrinkle or any blemish. I believe the pruning work the Holy Spirit has been doing in His body has prepared us for this next season the church is entering. 

Paul wrote these momentary light afflictions work a far greater weight of glory in us.  As we have learned, and continue to learn to lay aside self, God is able to more fully manifest Himself to the world we live in.  Jesus said he did not seek the glory for himself but His desire was to manifest the Father and do His works.  He glorified the Father by finishing the works he was given.  

Jesus prays saying the glory that was given to him by the Father he has given to us, his disciples, so that we may be one even as Jesus and the Father are one.  “I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one. John 17:22-23. 

Greater works with greater glory are destined for His church in the days ahead. 

When Jesus began his ministry Johns gospel tells us ‘the word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only son from the Father, full of grace and truth.  John 1:14

From Acts 2:22 we read Peters message to the crowds, “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know,”  The word “attested” here from the Greek means to show off, exhibit; figuratively it means to demonstrate or accredit (Strong’s). The ASV and others use the phrase “approved of God“. 

The glory that rested upon Jesus was the approval of God. The manifestations brought glory to God.  God manifesting His glory through a yielded vessel who would not take the glory for himself. 

Our desire can never be to seek the glory that comes from man.  This is strength of the pride of life.  To promote oneself for the purpose of acquiring validation from man only shows the insecurity of our own hearts.  Jesus did not seek his own glory.  If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. John 8:50.  It is only the Fathers glory resting upon us that brings the vessel glory. John 8:54

Humility well be the hallmark of the Christian walking in this greater weight of glory in the days ahead.  The Holy Spirit reminds me, “meekness is required and humility is a must "
in order to walk in this greater weight of glory, a glory filled with grace and truth.  

C.S. Lewis wrote in his message on Weight of Glory  ~ “When human souls have become as perfect in voluntary obedience as the inanimate creation is in its lifeless obedience, then they will put on its glory, or rather that greater glory of which Nature is only the first sketch.”

What we long for and what we seek is the approval that rests upon sons, the glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth, that the Father pronounced upon Jesus, as hewalked in obedience to all He commanded.  

As we enter into this New Year may we do so seeking the glory that can only come from the Father on sons and daughters wholly separated to do His will. 

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given .... and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6

As we move into this Christmas season let’s take a look at the prophetic promise given by Isaiah concerning Jesus and His name. 

Philippians 2:9 tells us God has exalted Jesus to the highest place and given Him the name above all names that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.  

Its interesting to note that the KJV lists Isaiah 9:6 as 5 distinct names, separating Wonderful from Counselor.  Keli and Delitzsch OT commentary establishes the argument for this rendering to be accurate along with Jamieson Fausset Brown.  However the majority of commentaries and bible translations today seem to lean to one name here, “Wonderful Counselor”.  We know him to be all; Wonderful, Counselor and a Wonderful Counselor.  However we interpret this, we will never diminish the glories found in this name ~   Wonderful Counselor ~ 

Is. 28:29 This also comes from the Lord of hosts; he is wonderful in counsel

and excellent in wisdom. 

We know from Isaiah 11 the Spirit of the Lord will rest upon Jesus; the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. And his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. 

Proverbs tell us it is the Lord who gives wisdom and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding with the assurance when wisdom comes into our hearts knowledge comes and discretion watches over us.  Understanding guards us and delivers us from every evil way.  King David declared in Psalm 16:7~  I bless the Lord who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me.

Every promise of God finds its yes and amen in Christ Jesus.  Colossians 2:2-3 tells us in Christ are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.   Christ is the wisdom of God who has been made unto us wisdom and we now are able to hold the mind of Christ. 1 Corinthians 1:24;30. 1 Corinthians 2:16.

Do we lack wisdom?  James epistle exhorts, ask God! He gives liberally without reproach.  Jesus desires for us to be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.  The Father does not withhold any good thing from us and that includes His wisdom.  Proverbs tells us it must be searched out.  We find wisdom as we feed upon the word.  Jesus and his word are inseparable.  Jesus is the word.  The word is Jesus.  Jesus said in John 15:15 ~ No longer do I call you servants,for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.  He promised the Holy Spirit would take the things he had declared and make them known to us. John 16:14

His name is called Wonderful Counselor. His wisdom, his will, his purpose, his heart, his mind are all revealed to us through Jesus.  A wonderful reason to rejoice in this season. 

For all the promises of God find their yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory. 2 Corinthians 2:20

ALL the promises of God find their ‘Yes’ in Christ.  Our job is to utter the ‘So be it’  to the promises we hold bringing glory to God from a place of absolute confidence in Him to perform what He has promised.  

Let us not loose sight of Romans 8:32; He who spared not His own son has, with Him has freely given us all things.

Ephesians 1:3 We have been blessed in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. Everything we have need of has has been provided for us, in Christ.

Colossians 2:9 reminds us we are complete in Him.  Jesus has destroyed the power of the devil.  He has translated us out of the dominion of sin, the Kingdom of darkness, and we reign in this life by Him.  We are more than conquerors through him who loved us. This is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith. 

We need to make sure that we are fully trusting God in and through all of life’s opportunities.  The danger of knowing truth is just that - knowing. Knowing doesn’t necessarily mean we also believe them.  We can mentally assent to a truth but that does not in any way equate to active faith.  You shall know the truth (Jesus is the word, thy word is truth) and the truth shall set you free.  It must be living heart knowledge that moves us to active believing.  

These are days where we must move beyond the place of knowing to making sure we are living fully engaged in the midst of circumstances trusting the Greater One who lives in us. We must fight the good fight of faith and take what is ours through the authority committed to us in That Name.  

Our adversary, the devil, the accuser, the father of all lies, will simply not yield uncontested ground. Therefore where we are complacent, we will live with restriction and limitations, not because God does not love us or care about what we are experiencing but simply because we choose not to take the weapons given to us and find our strength in God to fight for what is ours.

Jesus said, when He met Satan in the wilderness, “man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.”  There is no abundant life without exalting Gods word.  

Secondly He said, “you shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.”  We must evaluate every circumstance in our lives to make sure the circumstances are not defining us leaving us to worship the lie and thus giving undue glory to the Father of all lies, Satan.

We spend our time trying to get problems out of our lives but if we spent the same energy staying vitally connected to Him, full of the Holy Spirit; He then becomes the supernatural barrier which deflects every fiery dart of the evil one. 

All His promises are Yes and we add our Amen to them.

So repent (change your mind and purpose); turn around and return [to God].... that your sins may be erased (blotted out, wiped clean)....... Acts 3:19 Amplified Translation

Jesus said a house divided can not stand.  Where I am not aligned and conforming to the Fathers will, in thought, purpose and action, I am divided.  I am not seeking His will but mine and the Father says this is sin.  The only remedy for sin is repentance.   

I think most of us know the definition of the word repent, but look at the difference between our English definition and the Greek. 

•  English: feel or express sincere regret or remorse about one's wrongdoing or sin.  
• Greek: metanoeó from Acts 3:19 means: to change one's mind or purpose.

 There is no repentance where there is no change.  There might be “sorries” (our favorite Canadian word) but have we truly changed our mind or purposes?

John the Baptist cried ~ Bring forth fruit meet for repentance.  In other words don’t tell me you’re sorry - show me.  Show me by the change of behaviour, change of words, change of mind set, change of heart- for a godly sorrow works repentance not to be repented of.   

We know change can only be done by the empowering work of the Holy Spirit and some personal inclinations -“iniquities”- might take longer to break off, but Jesus said it’s because we love our darkness more than the light; John 3:19 that repentance does not take place.  When we step into the light, as he is in the light, there is no darkness abiding there; John 12:35,46.  I have to ask myself regarding lingering actions, have I really changed my mind?  Do I really agree with what God has said about this?

  This work the Holy Spirit does in us is “miracle working power”, Acts 1:8. He is a purifier of the heart. He is holy.  Where sin abounds, grace does much more abound, Romans 5:20 and from the Amplified bible it says grace has surpassed it (sin) and increased the more and superabounded.   God is greater and the One who lives in us is greater than He that is in the world; 1 John 4:4. If we abide in Him and His word abides in us the power of that word keeps us from falling into old patterns of the old man.   That word illuminates our understanding, it opens our eyes.  It leads us into right paths; Psalm 23:3  

As I stand to receive from God, any place where I have not turned from my ways to serve Him, becomes the stumbling block for my ability to receive from God.  There are times each of us need mercy because we have sinned.  If because of sin consciousness, we are unable to come boldly to Him, we do not receive the things He is willing to freely pour out. 

James 4:3 tells us if we ask and fail to receive it’s because we have asked with the wrong motives.  Our intention, in that case, is to get what we desire and spend it in sensual pleasures.  In other words, wemay need some kind of healing, but when we do get healed we simply return to walk in the old places. James goes on to say this behaviour is like unfaithful wives having illicit love affairs with the world and breaking marriage vows to God.  Whoever chooses to be a friend of the world takes his stand as an enemy of God.  His Spirit dwelling in us yearns to be welcomed with a jealous love.  He gives us more and more grace, power of the Holy Spirit, to meet the evil tendency.

1John 3: 20-21 God is greater than our heart and knows all things and if my heart does not condemn me then I have confidence toward God and whatever we ask, we receive. 

What’s the answer?  Again: James said, Come close to God and He will come close to you.  We must acknowledge the sin, get our soiled hands clean; realize we have been disloyal, wavering, individuals with divided interests, and purify our hearts from spiritual adultery.  ‘Humbling ourselves’ is the place before God that He will exalt us, lifting us up. 

It is in the place of unity with our Father that He commands the blessing ~ life evermore. 

“..Your faith is growing abundantly and the love of everyone of you for one another is increasing”. 2 Thessalonians. 1:3

 Paul wrote to the church that he was thankful for them, acknowledging their faith was growing and not just growing but growing abundantly. This faith had to be connected to the relationships they had because he says the love you have for each other is increasing.  Somehow Paul was able to see or hear that these believers had stepped up a notch and their faith, working by their love for one another, was somehow manifesting in visible, viable actions. 

W.E. Vines in his Expository Dictionary writes concerning the Greek word agape for love, that this God kind of love can only be seen in the action it prompts.  In other words, you don’t know it’s love until it prompts actions for someone else.  To top it off, this love, this agape love, or the love God has, is always sacrificial.  It does not consider self in the equation of doings.  It always does for the well being of another.  i.e. God so loved that he gave his only begotten son.  This God love does not give on the basis of what someone deserves, for while we were yet sinners, Christ died, nor does it give with expectation of return,  

1 Timothy 4:1tells us the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons. 

In Matthew 24 Jesus tells us that the love of many will grow cold because lawlessness will increase in these last days.  

John writes the letter to the church in Ephesus in the book of Revelation with the charge, “you have left your first love”. I think we all know that the busier we get the potential diminishes for personal intimate times with our Father.  

There are these three things in life that only flow and are strengthened by the Father through His Spirit and Word.; faith, hope and love, but the greatest of these is love.

We need all three to have any kind of overcoming abundant life in this day. Hopeless people quit on life.  Where there is no hope there is no vision.  Where there is no sense of purpose in life, we cast off restraint.  We do not engage in the purposes of the Kingdom and begin to conform to the circumstances around us. Without a vital connection to the Father, love is not nurtured and growing. 

One thing is for sure- we all have room for our faith to grow abundantly and the love of God to increase in us and flow through us. 

It is when we are in a sulky frame of mind that the devil has his greatest opportunity. Ephesians 4:27 J.W.C. Wand

The KJV reads “Be angry and sin not, let not the sun go down on your wrath neither give place to the devil.”  

Sulky is a great word.  Not a great condition, but a great word.   It is vivid with description. It means morose, bad-tempered, and resentful; refusing to be cooperative or cheerful. Somehow it does a good job expressing a slippery slope to sin.  

I’ve enjoyed Dr. Caroline Leaf’s books on the science of the brain in it’s relationship to the processing of thought through the lens of God’s Word.   The science reveals that it is the processing of thoughts that ultimately frame all aspects of our lives. It does matter what I choose to believe.  Science shows that every thought enters through our physical senses.  We don’t even form emotions until we have embraced the thought.  It is the embraced thought which releases chemicals which in turn produce emotions, positive or negative.  A sulky frame of mind would be a negative state.  I don’t always arrest the initial thought but when the emotion manifests, I’ve found I can trace it back to the thought that created it.  We can all recognize sulky. 

We live with two contrasting dynamics daily working in and around us.  We have the Spirit of Truth, who dwells in us continually directing us into the truth.  We have this external force working as well.  Diligently using every opportunity, Satan goes about seeking whom he may devour.  As a liar and the Father of all lies, there is no truth in him, John 8:44.  Yet somehow through all of his craftiness and subtlety he manages to seduce us into dismissing the promises of God and picking up his lie.  He continually works to blind minds to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel, 2 Corinthians 4:4.

Kenneth E. Hagin always said, you can’t stop a bird from flying over your head but you can stop it from building a nest.  We are instructed to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ fromIn other words, what does God say about my thought?

We are told from 2 Timothy 1:7 God has not given us a Spirit of Fear, but power, love and as the amplified bible reads, a calm, well balanced mind.  Philippians 4 rehearses exactly what we are to think on in order to have God’s peace rule us.  Colossians 3:1 tells us to set our mind on things above.  Isaiah reminds us His (God’s) thoughts are higher.  There is always a better, higher, loftier thought to embrace about every situationwhich fully expresses the Father’s heart and mind.  Holding His thought frees us from these places of fear, anxiety, and personal pouting, i.e. frees us from a sulky frame of mind. 

It’s a choice.  Its a matter of the will.  It’s my brain. I am in control.  I can choose what I let take place in there.  No bird houses allowed!

Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart... 1 Peter 1:22

The Literal Greek reads ~ the souls of you having been purified by obedience to the truth unto brotherly love sincere out of (a) pure heart one another love.  The emphasis being "having been purified" and having been purified is accomplished by obedience to the truth.  

Our souls are made up of our mind, will, intellect and emotions. There is much work required to actually purify those realms and bring them into obedience to the truth.   

James 3 tells us the wisdom of the world is of the earth, it is natural or sensual and when we are simply led by anything other than the Spirit and the word we are operating out of a place that is simply natural. Could we say it is mental, emotional or willful?   When our soul is not governed, renewed or purified it can not be supernatural or spiritual. 

Jesus told his disciples they were washed by the words he had spoken, John 15.   You purify things that get defied or dirty.  The word Hebrews tells us it is the word that separates between soul and spirit.  It is the only safe dividing line we have.

How do I know if my thoughts or feelings are right? Only by measuring them according to the word.  Do they lead me into Christ or into self?  And there the rubber hits the road.  The will of man comes into play and choices are required. 

This verse shows us it is our obedience to the truth that leads us to a sincere brotherly love.  This word sincere is made up of two words meaning not the hypocrite. It describes sincere behaviour free of hidden agendas.  It is only by Holy Spirit working in our hearts giving us the grace to love that we can maintain pure souls and sincere love.   Jude tells us to keep ourselves in the love of God by praying in the Spirit.  So this too requires choices.  I must move into the spirit and receive the grace that enables me to think right and act right. I choose love and mercy over judgment and condemnation.   

The Father has many wonderful attributes, but God is love in it’s purest form. The fruit of love is seen in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8His love to us is worked in and through us that we might be patient and kind without envy and boasting.  Not insisting on our own way free from being irritated or resentful.  Rejoicing with the truth, bearing all things believing all things, hoping all things and enduring all things.  For this love never fails and this love according to 2 Corinthians 5:14 controls us or as the literally Greek implies grips tightly with a sense of constraint and enables us to “earnestly love from a pure heart”. 

Purified souls are washed and measured by our obedience to the truth for the purpose of holding ourselves in sincere love for the brethren. We are after pure souls and pure hearts.  We can evaluate heart and soul by the fruit we produce. 

For the joy that was set before him endured... Hebrews 12:2

In Context Hebrews 12:1-3 reads ~ Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured......so you don't grow weary or fainthearted....

For the joy set before Him Jesus endured.  There was a joy that was constantly before him.  It was this joy that strengthened him and drove Him to achieve the Fathers purpose.  Jesus saw the end.  He saw the prize, many redeemed.  

How could Jesus say, My yoke is easy and my burden is light, if there was not a joy before Him he was constantly seeing?  Hebrews tells us this man Jesus was anointed with the oil of joy.  If Jesus was, we can be too.  We know in His presence is fulness of joy and we are encouraged to live there.  We know joy is our strength.    

When we murmur and complain about what we "have to do" there is no joy.  Where there is no joy, there is not whole hearted devotion. We are to serve with joyfulness and gladness of heart.  We are to give willingly and cheerfully.  We might be obedient but are we willing?  Joy is always willing.  Joy doesn’t ‘have to’, it moves us to ‘want to’. 

Jesus does not consider his work burdensome. He didn't complain on earth, and I can't see him seated at the Fathers right hand fussing about praying for us.   People did not discourage him, nor did circumstances overwhelm him. The joy of knowing that His sacrifice would pave the way for our redemption and reconciliation was enough for Him to endure. 

As a matter of fact, Jesus says come to me all you who are weary and heavy laden.  Whats happening to us when our service to the Lord no longer holds any joy.  What are we considering?  What are we looking at?  

Pauls letter to the Philippians is filled with joy and thanksgiving for individuals, for their faith and their love.  His life is yielded for these people whom he loves and lives for.  He calls them his joy and his crown.  

The Message Bible reads ~ 

Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!

We don't want to just run our race, we want to run it with joy. We want to grow in our love for the brethren with a willingness to die daily for the well being of another.  We don’t want to wear out, burn out or give up.  We want to move from faith to faith, glory to glory, and strength to strength.  This can’t be done in our own power.  We want to finish our course with joy. We want to look forward to the crown that is laid up for us.  Just as Jesus made light of the disgrace of the cross and it’s humiliation, we too must must view our momentary light afflictions as nothing in order to finish our course with joy. 

There must be a joy set before us so we can endure.  Shoot some adrenaline to the soul.  

Thanks be unto God who always causes us to triumph in Christ. 2 Corinthians 2:14

Many times we get sucked into believing success means a life free from hardships.  In the church world large crowds, lots of money, prestige and notoriety speak to us of success YET this is not the standard by which God measures success.

Success is defined as the accomplishment of an aim or purpose and once we have achieved our purpose we can say we have succeeded. Since we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus there can be no “true” success apart from Christ. Created for good works which God has prepared before hand that we should walk in them; success must be considered through the lens of the works we have been created to achieve. There can be no triumph until we engage in His work and live through His victories.  He is the one that causes us to triumph.  Success is overcoming every obstacle we face in order to achieve the works He has left for us. 

When we find our identity in Christ, we discover our purpose. We see the works ordained for us.   Our beginning is in Christ.  He is the author and finisher of every aspect of our life.  We have nothing that has not first originated with the Father, discovered in Christ, birthed by the Holy Spirit, walked out and finished by us.  

Jesus on the cross declares, “it is finished”. Success in the eyes of God.   From Acts 27 we find Paul, a prisoner on a ship headed to Rome, in the midst of a storm with the ship sinking.  Success to Paul in the midst of this was to encourage the men to take heart because God said no life would be lost. In 2 Corinthians, Paul lists the hardships he has faced and to the Ephesian Elders, Paul affirms none of ‘these things’ move him.  Success to Paul was to be able to finish his race and the ministry he had received in the Lord.  In Philippians Paul measures success through his knowledge and conformation to Christ. 

What greater glory are we able to bring to the Father than a life that accomplishes all that it has been created for.  Don’t allow yourself to be sucked into the lie that says you are not succeeding.  As long as we stay connected to Christ ~ in Christ, we always triumph. We learn. We grow. We work. We conform. We overcome. 

Success is getting to the end knowing you have finished all the good works assigned to you and are still living vitally connected to Him.   Today we are strengthened with His might in our inner man to know, to be and to do and we give thanks to God because He always causes us to triumph in Christ. 

And these are the ones along the path where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them. Mark 4:14 ESV

We all know this parable.  It is a parable about heart conditions.  The first place the word hits is ground along the path.  The path is the road I am on. Could we liken it to a mind set I hold?  If it is a path I tread frequently, it is packed down with my personal belief system.  This belief system has been influenced by the experiences I’ve had in life and more importantly, how I’ve responded to them.  This is why Proverbs 4 tells us to guard our hearts with all diligence for from it flow the issues of life.  Luke reminds us that it is out of the heart that all issues manifest.  What I look at, what I meditate on, moves from my head to my heart and develops a belief system.  

We are all tempted in some way with some circumstance, on a regular basis, to remove ourselves from our stedfast trust in God.  The most basic definition of faith is, simply believing.  I believe God. I believe what God has said over and above everything I see, feel, think or know. If God has said, our position- when in faith- must be ~ yes and Amen to His word. 

God’s word is a seed that must be sown and every seed produces after it’s own kind. God sows life, and that more abundantly.  Satan works the same way.  He just sows seeds that steal, kill and destroy.  

If Satan is a liar (and he is, John 8:44) and the Father of all lies, then what he works to sow are lies by challenging the truth of God’s word. Did God say?  If God said?  Jesus said, If we were His disciples- John 8:31- we would know the truth and the truth would set us free.  Jesus said He was the true vine and every branch that abides in Him is cleaned by His word. 

It is vital to our well being to know what the word says in order to bring every thought captive and keep the soil of our heart receptive to good seed being sown. 

This path does have the word sown on it.  It could receive the word with meekness- James 1:22- allowing it to be engrafted into its soil and bringing salvation to the soul. BUT the hardness of the soil, or heart, is so pre-conditioned that it must be worked upon until it will receive the word. 

How can I possibly change my head, change my heart? The only way I know that I have tried and proven is by attending to the word.  This book of the law shall not depart from you eyes, but you shall meditate upon it day and night to do all that is written in it, Joshua 1:8. 

Proverbs 4: 20 My son be attentive to my words, incline your ear to my saying, Let them not depart from your sight, keep them, within your heart, for they are life to those who find them and healing to all their flesh. 

Proverbs 3:1-2 My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments for length of days and year of life and peace they will add to you 

Proverbs 16:20 Whoever gives thought to the word will discover good, and blessed is he who trusts in the Lord (ESV) 

If we would spend the time needed to feed upon the bread of life, the peace that passes all understanding, we would enter into the rest of God.  For the light that comes from His word is the same light that dispels darkness.  It is the same light that illuminates our steps and orders our way. It strengths our heart with grace and we are able to face the circumstance for the day ~ standing still and seeing the salvation of God at work.  

He does keep us and His grace is sufficient for this day. 

Work on the hard places in your heart and allow the Holy Spirit to turn that hardened path into a pathway of life that accesses the blessings and goodness of God. 

The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hands. John 3:35

From the New Testament, we find exceeding great and precious promises that have been given to us to know, to believe and then walk in.  Todays scripture is such a word. 

The Father loves the Son and has given all things in his hands.  

Jesus in John chapter 17 says, “I have given them the glory you gave them so they may be one as we are one... and that the world will know you love them as much as you love me.”   From Matthews gospel we know the authority given to Jesus has been committed to His disciples for the purpose of extending His Kingdom and doing His work. This is a finished work.  All things have been given into His hands.  

 From Ephesians we understand that Christ is the head of his body the church. “..seatedwith him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion and above every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.“ Ephesians 1:20-23

 His body operates in His authority on earth.  We as members of His Body, (his hands, His feet) to bring His government and extend His rule here and now on earth as it is in Heaven. 

 The Father loves the son and not only has he given all things into his hands, He (the Father) shows him (the Son) what he is doing.  John 5:20 

2 Peter 1:3 tells us his divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness... Jesus’ own testimony is that He has come to give life and life more abundantly.  What do we have that has not been given to us to do the greater works required in service to our Lord and King? 

Jesus has (past tense) destroyed the power of the devil in every area of life - spirit, soul and body. Telling his disciples in Luke’s gospel, chapter ten, that their ability to cast out devils was just a tool, a resource to do the greater works of salvation in others, the cause for all true rejoicing.  Living with the awareness that we are the embodiment of Christ’s authority today will direct the kind of action we take in all situations.   Christ in us, the hope of glory for the purpose of exercising His government on this earth in our lives and for others.  

A side thought ~ Authority carries responsibility and must be exercised through and by the love of God.  Without the motivation of love in all we do there can be no true righteousness in the act.  

And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? Matthew 14:31 KJV

The NLT reads, “why did you doubt me”. 

Doubt from Strong's #1365 distazo means to stand in two ways ( dis” double” stasis “a standing”) implying uncertainty which way to take. It is used in Matthew 14:31 and again in Matthew 28:17 of believers whose faith is small. 

I’ve been writing about endurance lately and this scripture addresses the moments that we are beginning to shift in our position while we wait.  The Gospel of Matthew describes Peter as “beginning to sink”.  How do you begin to sink?  I think it is the expression of beginning to shift our position of absolute confidence in God to reasoning in our circumstances. The Book of James calls it a “double minded man”.  When Peter saw, he began to sink.  

The only way we are not moved, not double minded and unstable in all our ways, is to continually feed upon the promise God has given. We do not allow them to depart from our sight.  We meditate on them day and night.  They must be the daily bread we feed on as we wait upon God. Man does not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. 

 In Luke chapter one, Gabriel is sent from the presence of God to speak and preach to Zechariah about the son he will have in answer to his prayer.  Luke describes Zechariah as a righteous man and blameless, yet he asks Gabriel to prove this word.   Gabriel strikes him dumb UNTIL the day these thing take place because he did not believe the words “which shall be fulfilled in their time.”   In contrast, we find Mary who was blessed because she believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.  

The word God sends out always accomplishes its purpose. It has it’s own timetable for fulfillment.  There are many words we send out but God’s word never fails. God watches over HIS word to perform it.  Has he not said it and will he not do it?  God can’t lie.  It is impossible for God to lie.  Let us remember the word must be spoken to us before it can be spoken through us. The bible is not a wish book.  We don’t randomly choose scriptures that feed our personal desires and just begin confessing them.  We take the time to allow the Holy Spirit to make the written word (logos) our spoken word (Rhema) and that word never fails. 

When God speaks our job is to simply agree and then continually feed upon His promise as we wait for the word to be fulfilled in its time. 

There shall be a fulfillment of those things promised. 

Don’t give up.

8 Those who pay regard to false, useless, and worthless idols forsake their own [Source of] mercy and loving-kindness. Jonah 2:8 Amplified Translation.

From the JFB Commentary ~ (see footnote)

“ ‘Jehovah, the very idea of whom is identified now in Jonah’s mind with mercy and loving-kindness. As the Psalmist (Ps 144:2) styles Him, “my goodness”; God who is to me all beneficence. Compare Ps 59:17, “the God of my mercy,” literally, “my kindness-God.” Jonah had “forsaken His own mercy,” God, to flee to heathen lands where “lying vanities” (idols) were worshipped. But now, taught by his own preservation in conscious life in the fish’s belly, and by the inability of the mariners idols to lull the storm (Jon 1:5), estrangement from God seems estrangement from his own happiness (Je 2:13; 17:13). Prayer has been restrained in Jonah’s case, so that he was “fast asleep” in the midst of danger, heretofore; but now prayer is the sure sign of his return to God."

Internal pressures demand submission to God for abundant life to manifest.  Internal pressures demand external choices.  The individual who has learned to seek God doesn’t escape the pressure, he just knows where to run. Jesus himself said the narrow gate is the one to take and the way is hard or pressing BUT it’s path leads to life.  It’s in the press where we are tempted to follow an easier way.  Its in the press we want to move to self preservation.  Choices must be made.  Pay attention to lying vanities and forsake the source of our mercy and loving kindness or run to God and rest in it. 

Jonah’s choice came as he was moved by what he knew about the Ninevites.  These were brutal and cruel people. I don’t think I can blame Jonah for not wanting to go into this ‘camp” and call for repentance.  Yet God had a plan and out of Jonah’s own mouth, 4:2, he declares, “O Lord, is not this just what I said when I was still in my country? That is why I fled to Tarshish, for I knew that You are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness, and [when sinners turn to You and meet Your conditions] You revoke the [sentence of] evil against them.”

Gods very nature and heart are revealed to us in the conclusion of Jonah’s story in chapter 4 verse10.  This one verse shows us again the goodness, mercy and lovingkindness of our Father.  And the Lord said, “You pity the plant, for which you did not labor, nor did you make it grow, which came into being in a night and perished in a night. 11 And should not I pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also much cattle?”   Mercy exalted over judgment. 

God never changes.  He is good and His mercy endures forever.  When we heed ‘lying vanities’, circumstances of our lives which scream louder than God’s goodness, we forsake the mercy that God extends to us.  Jonah took the wide path, the easy road, and learned through some tough circumstances salvation is of the Lord but he did learn his lesson; “When my life was fainting away, I remembered the Lord, and my prayer came to you, into your holy temple. Those who pay regard to vain idols forsake their hope of steadfast love. But I with the voice of thanksgiving will sacrifice to you; what I have vowed I will pay. Salvation belongs to the Lord!”   Jonah 2:7.

He is the Father of all mercies and the God of all comfort. Jude reminds us to keep ourselves in the love of God looking (KJV) for the mercy, (ESV ~  waiting for the mercy) of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life.

Footnote 1 ~  Jamieson, R., Fausset, A. R., & Brown, D. (1997). Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (Vol. 1, p. 685). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

I would have fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of God in the land of the living. Psalm 27:13

It’s a wile of the devil to move us away from seeing that God is always, only, good to us.  There is the Hebrew word in the OT “Checed” which is rich is its description of God’s goodness.  ‘For the Lord is good and His “checed” endures forever’ is the declaration in Psalm 136, not just once but twenty six times.  

Our ability to not just mentally assent to this truth but live in the reality of it is foundational to our growth and development as His child.   If we do not fundamentally believe that God will be good to us INDEPENDENT of our performance we do not have strength in our foundation.  Our foundation with Him must rest upon knowing, believing and seeing that He is good and He is good to us because of the intense love He has for us.   

It is vital to our relationship that this truth is our grounding in all things.  So much so that Jesus’ great prayer from John chapter 17:26 “ I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them, was essential for every disciple to possess. 

Jesus came as the express image of God manifesting the very heart of our Father.  He went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil. (Acts 10:38) Jesus corrected religion, tradition, doubt, unbelief, confusion, fear, every condition of man that affected his well being and wholeness in order that they might have life and have it more abundantly all because of the goodness of God.  

Checed means loving kindness, acts of kindness, steadfast love, grace, mercy, faithfulness, goodness, devotion.  It is used 248 times in the OT.  The word carries three main ideas and they always interact.  They are strength, steadfastness and love.  One alone does not carry the full implication of Checed.  God in his love moves towards us in his acts of kindness with strength, goodness, mercy, grace, whatever we need to help.  He is stedfast in his faithfulness to us because He is absolutely devoted to our care and well being.  He is not willing for any to perish.  He takes pleasure in those who hope in his stedfast love.- Checed -Ps. 147.11.

There are four occasions in the OT where the testimony of Gods nature is goodness and they are found in Exodus 34:6; Nehemiah 9:17;Psalm 103:8; Jonah 4:2.  Our God is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in stedfast love and faithfulness.

Our verse today reminds us when we lose sight of the truth that God is only good, always good, we do lose heart, faint and ultimately give in to the temptation to doubt God.  We stop trying.  We do not engage in the battle. This is exactly where the devil wants us; doubting God and removed from our place of fellowship with Him, which then leaves us vulnerable and capable of being devoured. God is our refuge, a very present help in time of need.  

Again, there is one thing that God requires from us and that is to come to Him believing that He is good and He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.  We must believe God is good not just in theory but good to us personally. 

Let’s not allow circumstances of life to define who God is to us, but let us be those who choose to believe He is good.  He is at work on our behalf.  He is a very present help in time of need.  

For the Lord is good and His “checed” endures forever.

“For godly sorrow worketh repentance unto salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death” 2 Cor. 7:10 KJV

In working through my own personal issues, I hear the Holy Spirit say to me “never feel bad about growth - never regret seeing or hearing truth”.  These are to be celebrated, never regretted.  For they work repentance in our heart and lead to growth and increase within.  We see this in our scripture today.  Godly sorrow leads us to a place of repentance, when truth is revealed and that to salvation.  

We all have limitations.  We all have those places God is not done conforming us to His image.  I’m sure this is a lifetimes work, continuing until we finally see Him as He is.   

Elihu, from Job’s story in chapter 36 beginning in verse eight, tells Job that if one of us is bound in chains and caught in the cords of affliction, that God declares our work and our transgressions to us, that we are behaving arrogantly.  He, God, opens our ears to instruction and commands that we return from iniquity.  If we listen and serve him, we complete our days in prosperity and our years in pleasantness.  If not, we perish by the sword and die without knowledge.

Over and over, we find from the word of God, the place trouble in our life enters is through a separation between us and God.  Jesus bore our iniquity that we might become the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.  Jesus bore the nature in every one of us that turns our hearts rom God and His commands. Isaiah 53 calls this iniquity. Jesus bore “every one turning to his own way” that we might be united with him and walk in His righteousness.  

Being one with God is a sure foundation.  It doesn’t promise us an easy path, but it does assure us that we are with Him and He is working, leading and guiding us through all.  Our ears hear and our hearts obey.  Consider it the divine tweaking keeping us on the straight and narrow.

Paul said godly sorrow works salvation, defined from the Greek as a savior, deliverer. Safety, deliverance, preservation from danger or destruction.  That’s a good thing.  
That’s the love of the Father, for what Father is there that does not discipline the child he loves.  Remember Hebrews 12 admonition; shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live, knowing He works all things together for our good.