Challenge Answers - WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT

Good Evening to All!

The answers to the Challenge of last night's Mortals' Miracles are as follows:

1. b) Aaron (Exodus 7:19-20)
2. d) lice (Exodus 8:16-17)
3. d) made it stand still for a whole day (Joshua 10:12-14)
4. Elijah (1 Kings 17:17-24)
5. c) Elijah's cloak ( 2 kings 2:13-14)
6. a) faith (Matthew 21-21-22)
7. b) Peter healing a crippled man (Acts 3:1-8)
8. True (Acts 6:8)
9. Aeneas (Acts 9:32-34)
10. b) Dorcas (Acts 9:36-42)

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Words of Encouragement - "Pressing On"

In this day and time, I feel like we need more encouraging than ever. When we look at the shape our country is in now and knowing that these are all a "sign of the times" because we are in the latter days, we need to encourage each other all the while remembering that God is in control. We must press on, keeping our eyes on the "prize", keeping our eyes and our hearts toward the heavens, toward the ONE who created us. We will be with him "soon" if we steady our course and continue to follow Him.

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Whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ--the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.
Philippians 3:7-9

I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you.
Philippians 3:13-15 NIV

Our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. Therefore, my brothers, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, that is how you should stand firm in the Lord, dear friends!
Philippians 3:20-4:1 NIV

I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength.
Philippians 4:12-13 NIV
OK, I have read, posted and agreed with each verse which I have included. I have told you before about my little reservation about the different versions of the Bible. Of course my FAVORITE is the King James Version, because I feel that it is the most accurate. Call me picky, but it is just a pet peeve of mine. That being said, let me elaborate on the previous verse. This verse has been misquoted so many times.

According to the KJV, it is stated like this: (12) I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. (13) I can do all things through Christ WHICH strengtheneth me.

Now, I don't know how y'all read it, but to me it says two different things. The words "who" and "which" are totally different. The first verse is saying that "Christ, Himself gives us the strength do to all things. In the KJV, the word "which" tells me that it is not who, but the action of Faith in Christ which I put forth which strengthens me. Kind of like the analogy "what doesn't kill me makes me stronger". Well, the more faith I put in Jesus, the stronger I get, because I know that He won't let me down. There is a verse in the Bible which says that We cannot Please God without Faith. Therefore, the more faith we show, the more pleased He will be and the more He will be willing to help us.

We can look at it this way. If a parent shows no faith in a child, a husband shows no faith in his wife, or an employer shows no faith in his employees, then they would all get the attitude "why bother, I'll fail anyway. Not that God would fail, He Can't, but He can get the attitude, "they don't believe I can do it anyway, so why waste my time? WE have to show faith. Therefore it is the faith in Christ that makes us strong. Just like when Jesus healed the man who was let down through the roof. He told the men THEIR FAITH had healed their friend.

My point is we need to be careful about how we read things. We need to research what we read. Some of these "modern translations" can be misleading. Not that they mean to, they are just trying to make things easier to understand, but sometimes, easier is NOT THE BEST way. They might be good for "study Bibles" but always go back to the KJV for the most accurate reading.

Good night and May God bless!