Willing

"Arm yourself with this same mind"
A Soldier? Am I prepare to be opposed not applauded, to be rejected not embraced . . . ?

ONE MAN PRAYED :
Teach me to serve you as you deserve;
to give and not to count the cost,
to fight and not to heed the wounds,
to toil and not to seek for rest,
to labor and not to ask for reward,
save that of knowing that I do your will.

Am I prepared for the
"wearying of the will"?

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: - Philippians‬ ‭2‬:‭5‬

We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak;

For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. - 2 Corinthians‬ ‭4‬:‭13, 16‬

If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. - 1 Peter‬ ‭4‬:‭14‬

Blessed are you, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. - Matthew‬ ‭5‬:‭11-12‬

ISAAC WATTS WROTE:
Am I a soldier of the cross,
A follower of the Lamb,
And shall I fear to own His cause,
Or blush to speak His Name?

Must I be carried to the skies
On flowery beds of ease,
While others fought to win the prize,
And sailed through bloody seas?

Are there no foes for me to face?
Must I not stem the flood?
Is this vile world a friend to grace,
To help me on to God?

Sure I must fight if I would reign;
Increase my courage, Lord.
I'll bear the toil, endure the pain,
Supported by Thy Word.

Thy saints in all this glorious war
Shall conquer, though they die;
They see the triumph from afar,
By faith's discerning eye.

When that illustrious day shall rise,
And all Thy armies shine
In robes of victory through the skies,
The glory shall be Thine.

Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself. - ‭2 Timothy‬ ‭2‬:‭3-4, 12-13‬

Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. - Galatians‬ ‭6‬:‭2, 9‬

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Jenner

OPINIONS, BELIEFS & FACTS

An ESPY Award (short for Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly Award) is an accolade presented by the American cable television network ESPN to recognize individual and team athletic achievement and other sports-related performance during the calendar year . . . WIKI

Opinions are reasoned conclusions (usually) logically drawn from facts or a combination of facts and beliefs.

So, it is what I BELIEVE about a hero that will lead me to examine the "evidence" and come to a (reasonable) conclusion IMHO. (OPINION)

A fact about a person is a logical conclusion drawn from supporting evidence - "he was guilty of theft".

A belief is an assumption
which when tested and proven
may or may not become a fact.
- Astronomers once believed
the earth was flat.

We all have beliefs about circumstances and
about people.

A statement of fact is true or false.

A belief is accepted or rejected.

Some people BELIEVE that based on the "achievement" in this case the award is not justified. That is their OPINION.

FACT: "From their inception to 2004, ESPY Award winners were chosen only through voting by fans. Since 2004, sportswriters, broadcasters, sports executives, and sportspersons, collectively experts; or ESPN personalities also vote. Award winners have been selected thereafter exclusively through online fan balloting conducted from amongst candidates selected by the ESPY Select Nominating Committee."

An opinion may or may not be factual. 'Expert' opinions are usually based on some study.

A belief may be
unproven or just unprovable.

Since beliefs can determine behavior, we should try to understand to what extent our conclusions are based on faith and fact. Many battles have been fought over fiction, fantasies and falsehoods !

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belief

ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD . . .
Unbelief believes something different
Disbelief refuses to believe
Make believe believes lies

. . . they took Lot, Abram's brother's son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.

And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants, born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them unto Dan.

And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people.

And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.

And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all. - Genesis‬ ‭14‬:‭12, 14, 16, 18-20‬

After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.

And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness.
- Genesis‬ ‭15‬:‭1, 6‬

A belief is an assumption
Which when tested and proven
May become a fact.
Astronomers once believed
the earth was flat.

We all have beliefs about circumstances and
about people.

A belief may be unprovable.

Beliefs may be passed
from person to person
by suggestion.

For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.

Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,
- Romans‬ ‭4‬:‭3, 16‬

So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.
- Galatians‬ ‭3‬:‭9‬

By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. - Hebrews‬ ‭11‬:‭8-10‬

Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
- ‭James‬ ‭2‬:‭22-24‬

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perspective

ISRAEL’S RESTORATION - Isaiah 49 GOD'S WORD® Translation

1 Listen to me, you islands. Pay attention, you people far away. Before I was born, the LORD chose me. While I was in my mother's womb, he recorded my name.

2He made my tongue like a sharp sword and hid me in the palm of his hand. He made me like a sharpened arrow and hid me in his quiver.

3He said to me, "You are my servant Israel. I will display my glory through you."

4But I said, "I have worked hard for nothing. I have used my strength, but I didn't accomplish anything. Yet, certainly my case is in the LORD's hands, and my reward is with my God."

HIS PURPOSE: 5The LORD formed me in the womb to be his servant in order to bring Jacob back to him and gather Israel to him. (The LORD honors me, and my God has become my strength

6Now, the Lord says, "You are not just my servant who restores the tribes of Jacob and brings back those in Israel whom I have preserved. I have also made you a light for the nations so that you would save people all over the world." -----THE LORD TALKS

7The LORD is the defender of Israel, its Holy One. This is what the LORD says to the despised one, to the one scorned by the nation, to the slave of rulers:

HIS PROMISE: Kings will see [you] and stand. Princes will see [you] and bow. The LORD is faithful. The Holy One of Israel has chosen you.

8This is what the LORD says: In the time of favor I will answer you. In the day of salvation I will help you. I will protect you. I will appoint you as my promise to the people. You will restore the land. You will make them inherit the desolate inheritance.

9You will say to the prisoners, "Come out," and to those who are in darkness, "Show yourselves." They will graze along every path, and they will find pastures on every bare hill.

10They will never be hungry or thirsty, nor will the sun or the burning, hot wind strike them. The one who has compassion on them will lead them and guide them to springs.

11I will turn all my mountains into roads, and my highways will be restored.

12They will come from far away. They will come from the north and from the west, and they will come from the land of Sinim.

13Sing with joy, you heavens! Rejoice, you earth! Break into shouts of joy, you mountains! The LORD has comforted his people and will have compassion on his humble people. --------ISAIAH TALKS

14But Zion said, "The LORD has abandoned me. My Lord has forgotten me."------- ISARAEL TALKS

15Can a woman forget her nursing child? Will she have no compassion on the child from her womb? Although mothers may forget, I will not forget you.

16I have engraved you on the palms of my hands. Your walls are always in my presence.

17Your children will hurry back. Those who destroyed you and laid waste to you will leave you.

18Look up, look around, and watch! All of your children are gathering together and returning to you. "I solemnly swear as I live," declares the LORD, "you will wear all of them like jewels and display them on yourself as a bride would."

19Though you are destroyed and demolished and your land is in ruins, you will be too crowded for [your] people now. Those who devoured you will be long gone.

20The children taken from you will say to you, "This place is too crowded for me. Make room for me to live here."

21Then you will ask yourself, "Who has fathered these [children] for me? I was childless and unable to have children. I was exiled and rejected. Who raised these [children for me]? I was left alone. Where have they come from?"

22This is what the Almighty LORD says: I will lift my hand [to signal] the nations. I will raise my flag for the people. They will bring your sons in their arms and carry your daughters on their shoulders.

23Then kings will be your foster fathers, and their queens will nurse you. They will bow in front of you with their faces touching the ground. They will lick the dust at your feet. Then you will know that I am the LORD. Those who wait with hope for me will not be put to shame.

24Can loot be taken away from mighty men or prisoners be freed from conquerors?

25This is what the LORD says: Prisoners will be freed from mighty men. Loot will be taken away from tyrants. I will fight your enemies, and I will save your children.

26I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh, and they will become drunk on their own blood as though it were new wine. Then all humanity will know that I am the LORD, who saves you, the Mighty One of Jacob, who reclaims you.

In any crisis it is important to keep these things in perspective.

Questions – things not understood

Concerns – things to forget

Commands – things to do

Declarations – things to remember

Acts of God – things to marvel at