Speak Life Church Rev. Kenn Blanchard

Who said that ALL things work together for the good?  What does that mean for you?  Has it been misquoted?  Has it been used out of context?  
A friends mother died.
Another friends mom just had heart surgery while fighting cancer- the son is taking care of her in his late fifties.
A well known local just died.
One of my deacons just got a kidney and is doing great
One of my groomsman’s wife of 37 years has colon cancer
My old bosses kid just got a full ride to college
A clergyman I know is contemplating moving out of his house away from his wife.
Someone is celebrating 30 plus years of marriage
Another is sad for being alone
Someone else misses their mother who died a few years ago this time of the year.
 
My wife celebrates her birthday and goes back and forth between being her old self and a patient.  Last year she was in a coma.  She is scheduled for a new surgery in two weeks.  No one knows what will happen when the go back into her head.  She’ll probably be dancing by new years.  
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Also it would be much appreciated if you prayed for me.
I’ve been going through some stuff lately.  I’ve been sorting out thoughts, life choices, and listening to the pains and struggles of others.  It can wear you down.  And it is supposed to.  I realized today that it is the struggle that makes you better.  It is adversity that is your friend.  Trouble in your life can be good.  Thanks to all that have heard me moaning, complaining and gave me comfort.  I am not ok  but I have a better understanding of stuff. 
 
Romans 8:28 can suck. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 
 
You remember when I said that the Lord will put more on you than you can handle right?  OH YEAH, in case you missed it. Let me remind you.  You might get hit by a mack truck.  You won’t be able to handle it.  You might die.  You might live but walk funny.  Doesn’t seem right does it?  Romans 8:28.  How is that going to work for good?
But our God is more powerful than all the forces of evil and all the rotten things that happen in our lives.  God took death itself and used it to redeem all of humanity.  He reached down into the depths of our brokenness and began the restoration process.
God is taking all of creation, even the broken stuff, and renewing and redeeming it.
 
And so, we should not take Romans 8:28 and use it to try to console ourselves, or others, that any trials or tragedies will ultimately result in success, that God will turn things around, or that even failures and losses are somehow “good.”
 
Rather, we should focus on the more important truth that God is bigger than all our tragedies, all our losses and our failures.  Evil doesn’t win. In fact, in Christ’s death and resurrection, God enter into our brokenness and he redeemed the whole of it.
It is in this way that I think that Romans 8:28 reminds us that all things will be worked out for our good
Paul has been describing the life of Christians on this side of heaven as one of groaning as we long to escape the suffering of this life and to be with our Father God in person (Romans 8:18–23). We wait in the sure hope of the day our bodies will be resurrected and we will share in God's glory (Romans 8:24–25).
What about all the hard things that come along while we are waiting? Paul seems to offer the promise of this verse as a comfort for us.
 
Crucially, though, this promise is limited to "those who love God," and "those who are called according to His purpose." In short, that means the promise is for Christians: for saved believers, who have placed their trust in Jesus Christ (John 3:16–18; 14:6; Romans 3:26). No matter our feelings on a given day, loving God is part of what it means to live in Christ. That's who we are.

“Follow Me”  Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ. 1 Cor. 11:1
 
The single most important directive in the Gospels is the Savior's "follow me." It occurs in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
"If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me" (Matthew 16:24). "As He was passing along, He saw Levi, the son of Alpheus, sitting in the tax collector's place and He said to him, 'Follow me"' (Mark 2:14). "'One thing is still lacking to you. Sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven, and come, follow me.' When he heard these things he was much grieved, for he was very rich" (Luke 18:22-23). "You do not believe because you are not of my sheep. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them and they follow me" (John 10:27).  
I have not seen clear statistical evidence that fewer Christians die of cancer than non-believers or that they are immune in greater degree from the diseases that afflict the human race.
 
Some of the kindest, most selfless persons I have known have had more than their share of bad health.  The fact that they belong to Christ did not protect them from disease.
 
Therefore, I will not follow Christ for promised healing.
 
I will not deny or dispute evidence of supernatural healing but I will rejoice at every recovery from what seems to be hopeless, threatened death.   I will not hesitate to pray for a better health for my loved ones and acquaintances.   I will set no limits on what God may do but I will not follow Christ only for promised healing.
 
I see no sign that Christians escape disaster and accident more often than others.
I’ve seem the evil that men can do.
 
Therefore, I will not follow Christ for any promised protection from natural or man made disaster. 
 
I will not scoff at amazing survivals nor deny that providence has and continues to work for the good of God's own but I will continue to pray for protection from wicked men and tragedy. Just the same, I will not follow Christ just because he can protect me from accident or catastrophe.
 
I do not believe that God has to bless you with financial prosperity. 
 
David said that he "had not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread" and in the deepest needs of this life, that is certainly true but all of us have known good people who have not prospered.
 
Therefore, I will not follow Christ for promised freedom from physical want or hope of affluence.
 
God wills that the mind of Christ be formed in us and there is no doubt in my mind that the Christian's attitudes and actions will be improved by his Christianity, but I will not follow Christ for any promise of personality enhancement or perfection.
 
Why then follow Christ?  Why become a disciple of Jesus when life may become more complicated as He so often warned?
 
For one reason alone:
 
In Jesus we get the chance to behold the face of God.  He is the truth, the everlasting truth, he is Emanuel God in the flesh.  I know that in His life, death, and resurrection, I am redeemed to God, the giver of life.
 
I believe that nothing can separate us from the love of God.  He has all power and goodness and I trust Him and His promises.  To him, I offer my life, damaged or whole, brief or full of years.  It matters not.  God is my rock.  God is my anchor. He  is the one certain thing in an uncertain world.  He is to be worshiped, not for my benefit but because HE is worthy.
 
He saves me.  When this poor man cried out He heard me.  HE saved me.  He is my justification.  To worship the God of our salvation, to offer sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving; that alone is our vocation.  We offer our lives to God, not so as to be healthy, wealthy, or wise, not even so to gain the strength to do great things for Him; we offer our lives to Him because He alone has claim upon us. 
 
Everyone who wants to live a godly life in C

Today I give thanks for everyone who has been a part of my life’s journey.
 
And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
Luke 18:13
 
 
Bible Verses about Mercy
Luke 6:36 James 2:13 Matthew 9:13 1 Peter 1:3 Titus 3:5 1 John 1:9 Hebrews 4:16  Romans 15:9-13 Hebrews 12:6 Proverbs 3:12 Matthew 5:7  Galatians 5:22-23 1 Peter 3:9-12  Matthew 15:22  Matthew 17:14-18   Matthew 20:29-34 Ecclesiastes 7:29 Acts 14:16  Isaiah 53:6  Romans 11:32  thanks for being here.  God bless you,
 
Kenn 
 
 
P.S.
Thank you for listening, downloading and supporting the Speak Life Church and this podcast.  
 
 https://giv.li/p2nj61

Zelle  - pastor@SpeakLifeChurch.net

https://www.patreon.com/speaklifechurchpodcast

You can support the ministry by check or money order by sending it to Speak Life Church, 14713 Kent Drive, Upper Marlboro, MD 20772
 
 
Rev. Kenn Blanchard 
Kenn.blanchard@gmail.com
pastor@speaklifechurch.net 
 

It's a trick question.  It has been asked since the 4th century.  Aristotle proposed it, motivational speakers seized it, books have been written and the damage has been done.  What is your purpose?  According to who?  God just want you to live and whatever you do, do it to His glory.  Free your mind this week.
 
Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going.Ecclesiastes 9:10
 
1 Peter 4:11 
Whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
 
Colossians 3:23-24
Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.
 
Love you,
Rev. Kenn Blanchard 
 
Giving Links
 
Thank you for listening, downloading and supporting the Speak Life Church and this podcast.  
 
 
 https://giv.li/p2nj61

Zelle  - pastor@SpeakLifeChurch.net

https://www.patreon.com/speaklifechurchpodcast

You can support the ministry by check or money order by sending it to Speak Life Church, 14713 Kent Drive, Upper Marlboro, MD 20772
 
 
Rev. Kenn Blanchard 
Kenn.blanchard@gmail.com
pastor@speaklifechurch.net 
240-200-0713
 
 
 
 

This week we are talking about anger.  Yours and Gods.
Isaiah 13:9
Behold, the day of the Lord is coming,
Cruel, with fury and burning anger,
To make the land a desolation;
And He will exterminate its sinners from it.
 
Deuteronomy 31:17
Then My anger will be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them and hide My face from them, and they will be consumed, and many evils and troubles will come upon them; so that they will say in that day, ‘Is it not because our God is not among us that these evils have come upon us?’
 
Pissing off the Most High
God’s anger is no joke, and it understandably makes us uncomfortable. In fact, God’s anger is one of the main reasons people state for not liking the God of the Bible. But if we take a closer look at the biblical stories about God’s anger, we will find a more complex and nuanced picture than we might assume.
Ezra 8:22 Isaiah 42:25 Exodus 34:6 Romans 2:4 Judges 2:12-14 2 Kings 13:2-3 Romans 1:24 Romans 1:28 Romans 5:6-11 Deuteronomy 31:16-18  
Prayer
Speak Life.
Love you, 
Rev. Kenn
 
Giving Links
 
Thank you for listening, downloading and supporting the Speak Life Church and this podcast.  
 
 
 https://giv.li/p2nj61

Zelle  - pastor@SpeakLifeChurch.net

https://www.patreon.com/speaklifechurchpodcast

You can support the ministry by check or money order by sending it to Speak Life Church, 14713 Kent Drive, upper Marlboro, MD 20772
Rev. Kenn Blanchard 
Kenn.blanchard@gmail.com
pastor@speaklifechurch.net 
 

Get in the proper mindset for prayer (talking to God)
Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. James 4:3 King James Bible
Thanks BB for the music.
Please continue to pray.
 
Love you,
Kenn 
 
Giving Links
 
Thank you for listening, downloading and supporting the Speak Life Church and this podcast.  
 
 
 https://giv.li/p2nj61

Zelle  - pastor@SpeakLifeChurch.net

https://www.patreon.com/speaklifechurchpodcast

You can support the ministry by check or money order by sending it to Speak Life Church, 14713 Kent Drive, Upper Marlboro, MD 20772
 
 
Rev. Kenn Blanchard 
Kenn.blanchard@gmail.com
pastor@speaklifechurch.net 
240-200-0713