Author: Phil Rehberg

suffering

Your Suffering Makes You Fruitful

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Do you think of suffering as an opportunity to become more fruitful? If we do, then we can more easily embrace suffering. If we embrace suffering then we will “know Christ” better in this life (Phil. 3:10, NIV) and receive “praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed” (1 Pet. 1:6-7, NIV). If we resist or respond poorly to suffering, then those blessings will be lost. The Father wants to make us fruitful (Gen. 1:28; John 15:1-8) and Jesus promised: “every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful” (John 15:2, NIV). This painful pruning produces blessing for others just as Jesus’ suffering did. Our “death” produces life in others; it destroys the work of Satan. Paul viewed his suffering as something he accepted so that he could bless believers: Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my Continue Reading →

Weekly words of encouragement

Yahweh Supports The Afflicted – Weekly Words Of Encouragement

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The LORD will maintain the cause of the afflicted Psalms 140:12 (ESV) All throughout the bible Yahweh expresses his heart of compassion for the afflicted, the needy, the oppressed and the unwanted. If you are afflicted then he will maintain your cause. He is your attorney in the trials of life, and he is the judge who rules in favor of you. You will not be afflicted forever; he will bring resurrection out of death. Consider the passages: He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring Continue Reading →

growth of new self

Living From Our New Self – Part 2

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Last week we described the new self. Your new self wants healthy, loving relationships, especially a union of love with God. Your new self has an aversion to corruption and is open to conviction of sin. I believe this was John’s point when he said: “no one who is born of God will continue to sin” (1 John 3:9, ESV). Your new self wants to know God better and is disappointed when you sin. If you continually embrace these new desires and reject opposing desires, then your new self will mature and dominate.   You can enlarge the influence of your new self by taking a few moments, especially in solitude, to “put on” your new self. Following is a guide for this. You might also use this for challenging situations. Exercise – Living From the New Self Find a place of solitude and silence. Let the concerns of the Continue Reading →

Weekly words of encouragement

You Were Wonderfully Made To Fulfill High Callings – Weekly Words Of Encouragement

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For you formed my inward parts;you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Psalms 139:13-14 (ESV) When God created the world, it was not his intention to govern the world by himself, or even with his angels. It was not his desire to control everything that happened on earth. He gave humans the dignity and honor of being his governors over the earth. This is what the author of Hebrews is getting at when he quotes from Psalm 8: What is man, that you are mindful of him, or the son of man, that you care for him? You made him for a little while lower than the angels; you have crowned him with glory and honor, putting everything in subjection under his feet. Hebrews 2:6-8 (ESV) He called humans to be fruitful, rule over the earth, develop it and protect Continue Reading →

growth of new self

Living From Our New Self – Part 1

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When we first believe God does not patch up or remodel our old self; instead, he gives us a new self, made in his image, and that new self overcomes the old self as we abide in Christ. Yet, he does not wipe out our core personality and gifts, rather they are all redesigned within the image of our new self. It is a mystery as to how God preserves these parts of us yet also creates a new self in which these parts will develop. Our new self desires what is good and desires to participate in what is good. When our new self sees good it recognizes it as beautiful and so is drawn to it. Our new self is good because it reflects God and has the same human nature that Jesus has: Jesus’ human nature and our new human nature are both created in the image Continue Reading →