Faith is an obstacle course

Read Rev 2:1-3:22
 
To him who overcomes:
Rev 2:7   I will give the right to eat from the  tree of life,

Rev 2:11 Will not be hurt at all by the second death.

Rev 2:17 I will give the hidden manna,...a white stone with
a new name written on it.

Rev 2:26 And does my will to the end, I will give authority
over the nations.

Rev 3:5 Like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot his
name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and His angels.

Rev 3:12 I will make a pillar in the temple of my God.

Rev 3:21 I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on His throne.

God has not promised us a life of ease and comfort.  He has promised us everything we need to persevere and be victorious in a world that watches everything we do and waits for us to fail.  The world does not understand that our God wants us to excel in the challenges He puts in front of us.  He guides and sustains us.  He places before us choices every day.
 
God sent His Son to be a stumbling block, a light and a lamp.
We are to follow the path that He has set before us despite the twists and turns.  We will climb mountains and descend into deep valleys.  We will lose sight of our path at times and see clearly at other times, but we will always know that our destination is eternal and beyond our best, most exalted dreams. 
   
Christ has walked this path before us.  He knows and has
experienced all that we have or ever will.  He has told us that there is nothing new under the sun but what man has survived before us.  He has promised that He will not let us suffer more than what we can bear.  He will never leave us or forsake us.  He resides deep within our hearts and minds and spirit.
   
Prov 3:5,6 tells us to trust in the Lord and don't trust in our own understanding.  Trust in His omnipotent ways and He will lead you home to His throne room in the new heaven with streets of gold and gates of pearl.
 

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