Waiting for the Latter Rain
“Be patient therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. Behold, the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient over it, until it receives the early and late rain. You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.” (James 5:7-8 WEB)
Pastor Joseph Prince announced in the first sermon of 2019 that this year is The Year of the Latter Rain.
It’s so exciting to learn that the latter rain comes during the time of harvest and signifies a time to see the manifestation of what we have been praying for!
As the Apostle James said in the passage of the day, patience is the key to receiving the fruit of our believing because the latter rain will come only in its season.
While you’re waiting this year, there’s no point worrying or complaining about it. It won’t come one second earlier or later than God has appointed it.
In the meantime, you can already start thanking God that your harvest is on the way and will surely come to pass!
Praise is a great way to ask God for the latter rain because you’re declaring that it’s already done and settled.
The above is one way of interpreting the text.
The true application of this passage is talking about our eternal rewards - the fruit which we will receive from the good works done in faith during our lifetime.
Salvation is a free gift received simply by believing in Jesus as your Lord and Savior.
Eternal rewards is a whole different story. They are earned through good works done by faith in Jesus Christ and there’s many principles governing how we can maximize eternal rewards and ensure that we don’t lose any of them when we stand before the Bema Seat of Christ at the end of time.
One thing’s for sure: when you follow the truths revealed in the Bible about laying up eternal treasures in heaven, your good works will surely endure the test of divine fire at the end of time and the rewards will make a huge difference in your standard of happiness in eternity.
Jesus alluded to giving authority and rulership over kingdoms for those who live an overcoming life by faith.
““When he had come back again, having received the kingdom, he commanded these servants, to whom he had given the money, to be called to him, that he might know what they had gained by conducting business. The first came before him, saying, ‘Lord, your mina has made ten more minas.’ “He said to him, ‘Well done, you good servant! Because you were found faithful with very little, you shall have authority over ten cities.’” (Luke 19:15-17 WEB)
Imagine that we’re chasing intrinsically worthless paper currency here on earth and meanwhile the streets of heaven are made of gold.
“But be doers of the word, and not only hearers, deluding your own selves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man looking at his natural face in a mirror; for he sees himself, and goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of freedom, and continues, not being a hearer who forgets, but a doer of the work, this man will be blessed in what he does.” (James 1:22-25 WEB)
God has great things in store for those who choose to live by the truth of His word. That’s what is means to be a “doer of the word”.
No it’s not talking about following the Ten Commandments - it means living by faith and being led by the Holy Spirit.
Those who hope in God’s promises will never be put to shame!
Learn more about maximizing eternal rewards, fulfilling your calling and living a worthy life in my book “Sandcastles Don't Last Forever”: http://bit.ly/sandcastlesdontlastforever
looking in the mirror (2019) 在 weish Facebook 的最佳解答
Best thing I did for myself in 2018 besides quit my job: Brazilian Jiu Jitsu at Field Assembly Training Facility. ❤︎ I’ve been waxing lyrical about this so much to everyone I meet, I should stop before it gets annoying––probably already is––so I’ll put it all in a couple posts and stfu irl hahaha
So here goes 👉🏽
I’m only so mind-blown about this because... being a slob has always been a big part of my identity. I hate working out. I hate running. I hate doing reps of anything. For 8 whole years I could never bring myself to exercise proper. I rolled my eyes at #fitspo gym rats and their #fitstagram bullshit. 😷
Work made me stress-eat. I ballooned in those years; most of my wardrobe grew irrelevant. I tried evening jogs, swimming, weird classes... but nothing lasted. I brought salad lunches to work, cut carbs, everything. Nothing worked. I was grumpy / hangry all the time.
So… when Elias first suggested BJJ I laughed in his face. The idea of getting my ass routinely whooped by fit people was the furthest thing from enjoyment I could fathom.
But Nurudin wanted to go. So I gave it a shot, last December. Then one sad day at Basketball (another thing I’m really pleased has lasted), I tore my MCL just as 2017 ended. Was out of action for ages. It wasn’t until July this year that I picked up BJJ proper… and man. It’s been such a euphoric ride. 🌸
The thing is, every moment is so intellectually engaging you don’t even notice you're exercising. They call it human chess because it’s an elaborate puzzle –– less about brute force and more about clever use of angles, leverage, strategy, problem solving. You get so caught up figuring shit out, you completely forget that you’re exhausted. Every little muscle on your person is going into overdrive, but you're too busy analysing the physics of everything in your head. Then, after awhile… your body starts being able to do these wild, miraculous things you never thought it could do.
I don’t even need to motivate myself to work out anymore. It’s so addictive I spend whole days looking forward to training. We’ve started to go 3, 4, even 5 times a week. It’s just stupidly bizarre that a potato like me could crave exercise, and so intensely. And for those few hours, everything––crippling self-doubt, existential crises, creative ruts / blocks, ennui, restlessness––fades away. Your entire mind and body focuses on just one thing. And by the end, such a visceral joy.
At the bottom of it all, it’s just really empowering to know that, as a tiny chick 🐧, I can use wit against strength and actually overcome much bigger guys. (Well… occasionally. On a good day la hahaha.) But, still –– as a fumbling flailing white belt I can barely believe it, each time. I still suck and it’s rare, but so rewarding.
So... here I am!!! All of a sudden I can fit into old jeans from 2008. I haven't been pinching flabs in the mirror, stepping on the scale everyday like I used to... It just sort of happened. Din, too, dropped 9 pant-sizes without even noticing within 4-5 months. NINE 👖 Honestly, I feel like anyone and everyone can and should try #BJJ at least once. Anthony Bourdain started at age 59 and became obsessed.
Guys and girls of all shapes and sizes train at Field Assembly Training Facility, where Gene and Elias have created a safe space totally free of judgement and pressure. 🙌🏽 Everybody learns at their own pace so it's as chill or challenging as you want it to be! Our coaches Harold Ko Royal Chang Tan Xing Hua are mad knowledgeable and detailed but also damn full of shit hahaha so classes are super fun 💯 –– filled with laughter and great company and brain games. The actual workout is *so* secondary, I barely even notice I'm gassed out or sweating buckets.
To anybody out there with a #2019 #health-ish resolution –– come join me!!! You get to do a free trial as my buddy with no strings attached, so you are free to ditch it if you hate it. Fo real. x
(Ok my royal ramble is done! Sry I laid it on so thick, I'm just... very... expressive. And a bit extra)
looking in the mirror (2019) 在 Gucci Facebook 的最佳貼文
“Visually [the mirror] created an 'in camera' collage, shards of mirror reflecting peoples’ faces within other faces work seamlessly with the collage. When looking in the mirror we question our own beauty. At first I thought the video would be about vanity, through the process of shooting the models of the show the narrative very quickly became more about what people find attractive in others and what insecurities they overcome in their own beauty on a daily basis,” director Frank Lebon on Gucci Beauty for the Gucci Spring Summer 2019 fashion show. Discover more on.gucci.com/unconventionalbeauty_