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(The purpose of these pages is to provide Biblical help for times of fiery
trials, tribulations, adversity, testing, trouble, and difficulty.)
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<FONT size=+1><A href="CDS.html">(This information is now available on audio
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<B><FONT color="#FF0080"><FONT size=+4>Keeping Your
Perspective</FONT></FONT></B>
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<B><I><FONT color="#FF0080"><FONT size=+2>(Regarding Time and
Eternity)</FONT></FONT></I></B>
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<FONT size=+1><B>"Looking unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith,
Who, for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross...
</B><I>(Hebrews 12:2)</I></FONT>
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<FONT size=+1>When Jesus went to the cross to pay the price for man's sin,
He endured the greatest "fiery trial" that has ever been experienced. This
verse tells us that He was able to look beyond the cross to "the joy that
was set before Him." In other words, He was able to see things from the
perspective of Eternity. We need to learn from His example!</FONT>
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<FONT size=+1>I have included here some words from the Bible that will help
us keep our perspective when we are going through the fiery trial. The point
of including these verses here can be illustrated with a couple of
memories.</FONT>
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<FONT size=+1>There are two "trivial" memories from my childhood that still
serve to teach me a valuable lesson about time and eternity.</FONT>
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<FONT size=+1>I remember when I was a nine-year-old boy on the Sunday that
I moved up from the "Primaries" Sunday School class in our small-town church
to the "Juniors" Sunday School class. After I, and a few other boys, had
been taken to our new class, the 13-year-olds in that class were taken out
and promoted to the "Intermediates" class. I remember thinking thoughts to
the effect, "Good grief! I'll be here forever!" I literally couldn't conceive
of the time required for me to get from the age of nine to the age of thirteen!
Now, of course, the whole thing is a fading, distant memory.</FONT>
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<FONT size=+1>I had a similar experience in the ninth grade watching my first
basketball game as a high-schooler. About three rows behind me were some
loud, boistrous high school senior boys. I looked back at them and had the
same thoughts I had had as a nine-year-old in that Sunday School class. I
couldn't conceive of the time required for me to get from high school freshman
to high school senior! And again, of course, the whole thing is a fading,
distant memory.</FONT>
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<FONT size=+1>Through the years, those two little trivial memories have served
to remind me that all of life is like that. We look back with amazement that
things we thought would never come, have come and gone. And so it will be
with life itself.</FONT>
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<FONT size=+1>We tend to get so absorbed with the things of this life, that
we do not really grasp the fact that it will soon be over! We will be looking
back, after passing through some trials and on into eternity, thinking, "Wow,
that was fast!" The fiery trials of this life will seem but dim
memories.</FONT>
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<FONT size=+1>With those thoughts in mind, consider the following
Scriptures...</FONT>
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<FONT size=+1><B>"For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth
for a little time, and then vanisheth away."</B> <I>(James 4:14)</I></FONT>
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<FONT size=+1><B>"The last enemy that will be abolished is death."
</B><I>(1Corinthians 15:26)</I></FONT>
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<HR>
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<FONT size=+1><B>"Since then the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself
likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless
him who had the power of death, that is, the devil." </B><I>(Hebrews
2:14)</I></FONT>
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<FONT size=+1><B>"And He shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and
there shall no longer be any death; there shall no longer be any mourning,
or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away." </B><I>(Revelation
21:4)</I></FONT>
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<FONT size=+1><B>"For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels,
nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor
height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate
us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." </B><I>(Romans
8:38-39)</I></FONT>
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<HR>
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<FONT size=+1><B>"Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man
is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary,
light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond
all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the
things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but
the things which are not seen are eternal."</B> <I>(2 Corinthians
4:16-18)</I></FONT>
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<HR>
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<FONT size=+1><B>"Weeping may last for the night, But a shout of joy comes
in the morning." </B><I>(Psalm 30:5)</I></FONT>
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<HR>
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<FONT size=+1><B>"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time
are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us."</B>
<I>(Romans 8:18)</I></FONT>
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<HR>
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<FONT size=+1><B>"Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he
has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has
promised to those who love Him." </B><I>(James 1:12)</I></FONT>
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<FONT size=+1><B>"But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through
Him who loved us." </B><I>(Romans 8:37)</I></FONT>
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<FONT size=+1><B>"But just as it is written, Things which eye has not seen
and ear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man, all that
God has prepared for those who love Him."</B> <I>(1 Corinthians
2:9)</I></FONT>
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<FONT size=+1><B>"That the proof of your faith, being more precious than
gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result
in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ."</B> <I>(1
Peter 1:7)</I></FONT>
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<HR>
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<FONT size=+1><B>"And after you have suffered for a little while, the God
of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself
perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you." </B><I>(1 Peter
5:10)</I></FONT>
<P>
Steve Hall <BR>
1997 <BR>
<A href="mailto:steve@aboundingjoy.com">steve@aboundingjoy.com</A>
<P>
<FONT size=-2>© 2000 Steve Hall. Permission is hereby granted to quote
from these web pages, in part or in full, as long as the following statement
is included: "© 2000 Steve Hall (steve@aboundingjoy.com). Quoted by
Permission."</FONT>
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