Comments on: ★ Mission in the midst of suffering… http://www.toddhiestand.com/mission-in-the-midst-of-suffering/07/ Field Notes on Bi-Vocational Church Leadership in Suburban America Sat, 04 Feb 2012 14:10:07 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Dan Benson http://www.toddhiestand.com/mission-in-the-midst-of-suffering/07/comment-page-1/#comment-1403 Dan Benson Fri, 29 Jul 2005 21:12:13 +0000 http://www.toddhiestand.com/?p=249#comment-1403 Well, I think that's the point of persevering. We don't persevere just to get through our day but to be witnesses, to reveal God's presence in our life, aka as "gloryifying God." Persevering is to be a witness to Christ's life. That's the point of Hebrews 12:2-3, at least what I get out of it, that we are following him on the Path of Sorrows and so he urges us to fix our eyes on him, to consider him and to keep going, or pesevere, and to not lose heart. Well, I think that’s the point of persevering. We don’t persevere just to get through our day but to be witnesses, to reveal God’s presence in our life, aka as “gloryifying God.” Persevering is to be a witness to Christ’s life. That’s the point of Hebrews 12:2-3, at least what I get out of it, that we are following him on the Path of Sorrows and so he urges us to fix our eyes on him, to consider him and to keep going, or pesevere, and to not lose heart.

]]> By: Todd http://www.toddhiestand.com/mission-in-the-midst-of-suffering/07/comment-page-1/#comment-1400 Todd Tue, 26 Jul 2005 15:05:50 +0000 http://www.toddhiestand.com/?p=249#comment-1400 Dan, good thoughts. But, do you think we often get so focused on "persevering" we forget to be witnesses to the life of Jesus? Dan, good thoughts. But, do you think we often get so focused on “persevering” we forget to be witnesses to the life of Jesus?

]]> By: Dan Benson http://www.toddhiestand.com/mission-in-the-midst-of-suffering/07/comment-page-1/#comment-1399 Dan Benson Mon, 25 Jul 2005 19:23:04 +0000 http://www.toddhiestand.com/?p=249#comment-1399 Let me edit that last comment -- God uses people who have known trouble to help troubled people. Let me edit that last comment — God uses people who have known trouble to help troubled people.

]]> By: Dan Benson http://www.toddhiestand.com/mission-in-the-midst-of-suffering/07/comment-page-1/#comment-1398 Dan Benson Mon, 25 Jul 2005 18:59:54 +0000 http://www.toddhiestand.com/?p=249#comment-1398 Hi Todd, No answers, but a couple thoughts to offer. I was struck by the parable of the sower the other day and how the good soil represents those with "noble and good hearts who hear the Word, retain and through perseverance produce a crop." A number of things struck me about these "good soil" people, one of which is that they persevere. It's a theme repeated throughout the NT, that Christ followers must persevere, which implies through bad times as well as good times. I've been toying with a 4-part series entitled, "Learning How Life's Low Points Are Launching Pads of the Lord's Love, or Why Does Bad Stuff Happen to Me and What Am I Supposed to Do About It Anyway?" (I'm hoping to win an award for longest teaching series title.) One of the parts is about how in the midst of trouble and anxiety don't retreat or isolate yourself, reach out FOR help and TO help. The illustration from Scripture I am thinking of is Hannah and Eli. I won't share the whole thing, but just that God uses people in trouble to help troubled people. God uses messed up people to help messed up people. Hi Todd,

No answers, but a couple thoughts to offer.

I was struck by the parable of the sower the other day and how the good soil represents those with “noble and good hearts who hear the Word, retain and through perseverance produce a crop.” A number of things struck me about these “good soil” people, one of which is that they persevere. It’s a theme repeated throughout the NT, that Christ followers must persevere, which implies through bad times as well as good times.

I’ve been toying with a 4-part series entitled, “Learning How Life’s Low Points Are Launching Pads of the Lord’s Love, or Why Does Bad Stuff Happen to Me and What Am I Supposed to Do About It Anyway?” (I’m hoping to win an award for longest teaching series title.)

One of the parts is about how in the midst of trouble and anxiety don’t retreat or isolate yourself, reach out FOR help and TO help. The illustration from Scripture I am thinking of is Hannah and Eli. I won’t share the whole thing, but just that God uses people in trouble to help troubled people. God uses messed up people to help messed up people.

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