I don't know about you- but I think the word has many applications to Lyme and those dealing with Lyme!
With Lyme, the symptoms are vicissitudinal;
the route in finding helpful health practicioners is vicissitudinal;
our protocols have a certain amount of vicissitude;
during treatment, there is a lot of vicissitude;
we have to keep ahead of the buggers because they are by nature vicissitudinal;
which causes us to have a very vicissitudinality life!
THANKFULLY- our LORD is NOT vicissitudinal! He is Unchanging;
He is the same yesterday, today and in the coming days;
He was, and is, and is to come;
He never fails;
He never leaves;
He is the author (beginning) and the perfector (finisher) of our faith!
Our lesson yesterday was taken from another sermon by Dr. Tony Evans (Comforting the Afflicted- Discovering the Strength of Faith) The main verses were in Hebrews 12:1-3 and Hebrew 10:23-25 (NASB
Brothers and Sisters, when we are battling Lyme- we are weighed- down (can I get an 'amen'?)
Scripture reminds us that we have a Saviour- one who is acquainted with suffering and grief- who dwelt in the flesh amoung us- who endured hostility, pain, isolation, shame, the weight of the sin of the world, dying on a cross.... He endured this because He was fixed on the joy set before Him-
knowing He was to then sit at the right hand of the throne of God-- having done this 'so that you will not grow weary and lose heart'!
In our suffering- we must fix our eyes on Jesus: study how, in His humanity- He lived on earth by faith, how He related to His Father, and how He was set/fixed on the joy set before Him.
We should not fix our eyes on: our self, wrong things, things that are wrong with ourselves... these things will be ironed out of our souls the more we fix our eyes on Jesus.
We must be careful not to encumbrance ourselves with these things; extra baggage will slow us down, limit us.... (even things that are not necessarily 'sinful' can slow us down from our maximum spiritual growth potential).
What is slowing you down today?
Is it pain, isolation, frustration/anger, dissapointment, being misunderstood, unbelief, weariness....
Dear One- let us fix our eyes on, and see- this One Who Is the Author and Perfector of our Faith... He is UNCHANGING, there is NO vicissitude in Him.
Peter fixed his eyes on Jesus and boldly stepped out onto the stormy sea-water...even when he took his eyes off Jesus and began to sink- Jesus stretched out His hand to Him and lifted him up...Jesus did not condemn him in his unbelief as much as to infer that there was so much more Peter missed out on because he overwhelmed himself with his circumstance instead of Jesus' presence.
Matthew 14:28-32
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
28 Peter said to Him, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” 29 And He said, “Come!” And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” 31 Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and *said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32 When they got into the boat, the wind stopped.
Today- in our own stormy, vicissitudinal, day- may you reach out and find the gentle, but firm, grasp of Jesus. The One who understands your affliction today...who loves you...who is Lord Over All--- He is Unchanging- His Lovingkindness endures forever--
Look to Him today- fix your mind, heart, and soul on Him....the wind will stop, the waves will calm, the storm will fade...
Keep holding onto His mighty right hand. In Him is your strength today.
That will not change!
blessings-
Hebrews 12:1-3
Today- in our own stormy, vicissitudinal, day- may you reach out and find the gentle, but firm, grasp of Jesus. The One who understands your affliction today...who loves you...who is Lord Over All--- He is Unchanging- His Lovingkindness endures forever--
Look to Him today- fix your mind, heart, and soul on Him....the wind will stop, the waves will calm, the storm will fade...
Keep holding onto His mighty right hand. In Him is your strength today.
That will not change!
blessings-
Hebrews 12:1-3
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
12 Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 [a]fixing our eyes on Jesus, the [b]author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
3 For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary [c]and lose heart.Isaiah 33:2
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
2 O Lord, be gracious to us; we have waited for You.
Be [a]their [b]strength every morning,
Our salvation also in the time of distress
Be [a]their [b]strength every morning,
Our salvation also in the time of distress
Isaiah 33:6
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
6 And He will be the [a]stability of your times,
A wealth of salvation, wisdom and knowledge;
The fear of the Lord is his treasure.
A wealth of salvation, wisdom and knowledge;
The fear of the Lord is his treasure.
Isaiah 26:3
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
3 “The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace,
Because he trusts in You.
Because he trusts in You.
Isaiah 40:26
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
26 Lift up your eyes on high
And see who has created these stars,
The One who leads forth their host by number,
He calls them all by name;
Because of the greatness of His might and the [a]strength of His power,
Not one of them is missing.
And see who has created these stars,
The One who leads forth their host by number,
He calls them all by name;
Because of the greatness of His might and the [a]strength of His power,
Not one of them is missing.
Isaiah 40:28-29
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
28 Do you not know? Have you not heard?
The Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth
Does not become weary or tired.
His understanding is inscrutable.
29 He gives strength to the weary,
And to him who lacks might He increases power.
The Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth
Does not become weary or tired.
His understanding is inscrutable.
29 He gives strength to the weary,
And to him who lacks might He increases power.
Isaiah 40:31
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Isaiah 41:10
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
10 ‘Do not fear, for I am with you;
Do not anxiously look
I will strengthen you, surely I will help you,
Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’
Do not anxiously look
I will strengthen you, surely I will help you,
Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’
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