070225

 

8am mass


Still crying irritated because mom keeps calling over & over
Involuntary age regression

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Strong’s Greek 3483 (ναί) is the standard New Testament particle of affirmation... it signals unambiguous agreement, truth, or confirmation. While its English equivalent is usually “yes,” ναί often functions with richer theological weight, sealing promises, confessions, or prophetic certainties.

1. Affirmative replies in dialogue, a direct unfeigned reply
2. Confirmation of prophetic or revelatory statements, affirming divine decree

⭐ Liturgical assent in worship and doxology= Greek-speaking congregations likely echoed prophetic readings with ναί, paralleling & mirroring Hebrew “Amen” in Jewish liturgy. This vocal assent reinforced communal participation in Scripture’s truths, giving consent to God’s righteousness. We employ ναί in prayer and worship as a heartfelt seal of agreement with divine truth.

⭐⭐Secure Reliability of Divine Promises= the certainty of God’s Word, a shorthand for divine faithfulness. Christological and soteriological promises; guaranteed in the person and work of Jesus. “Yes in Christ (THE Word Incarnate)” assures believers that every covenant promise finds fulfillment in Him, encouraging our unwavering trust. We can anchor all our hope in God’s unqualified “Yes” realized in Christ... Every “Yes” in Scripture points believers to the ultimate “Yes” found in the Lord Jesus Christ— unchanging, trustworthy, and eternally triumphant.

⭐‼️‼️Ethical emphasis on truthful speech = Jesus links ναί to righteousness. A disciple’s credibility depends on plain, consistent speech— avoiding oaths, evasions, or duplicity. Speak plainly; honor commitments. Believers are called to transparent personal integrity & unvarnished honesty.

⭐Eschatological Expectation= Revelation’s repeated "ναί" answers assure readers that prophecies— Christ’s return, martyr’s vindication, final judgment— are not hypothetical but settled reality.
We too must respond to God’s revelation promptly and affirmatively... our ready "yes" fuels a worshipful expectation of Christ’s return.

⭐Ministers employ ναί-centered texts to cultivate both personal sincerity and theological hope, urging believers to mirror God’s unwavering “Yes” in their commitments.

⭐‼️Martha’s and Peter’s affirmative responses to Christ's questions model sincere & deliberate personal engagement: the power of the Gospel summons an explicit "ναί" to the equally explicit Truth of Christ’s Person and His clear, specific claims; not a vague nod to a mere nebulous, discarnate spirituality!

⭐Amen (ἀμήν) (meaning “Truly,” “So be it”)– Often follows statements; whereas "ναί" ("yes") is a direct affirmation preceding or answering speech. Together they convey both assent (ναί) and ratification (Amen).
Ge (γε, Strong’s 1065) – An emphatic particle sometimes rendered “indeed,” but lacking the categorical agreement force of ναί.

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In all common speech a man’s words should be as good as his oath. Yes should mean yes, and No should mean no, even though there be no oath to strengthen it.

The worse men are, the less they are bound by oaths; the better they are, the less there is need for them... we must have such a constant regard to truth as would render oaths unnecessary... No man is believed any sooner in common conversation because he swears to a thing. When we hear a man swear to a thing, it is pretty good evidence that he knows what he is saying to be false, and we should be on our guard... The man who is always believed is he whose character is beyond suspicion in all things, who obeys all the laws of God, and whose simple declaration, therefore, is enough. A man that is truly a Christian, and leads a Christian life, does not need oaths and profaneness to make him believed.

Let a simple Yes and No suffice in affirming the truth or the untruth of anything.

The practice of going beyond Yes and No in affirmations and denials—as if our word for it were not enough, and we expected others to question it—springs from that vicious root of untruthfulness which is only aggravated by the very effort to clear ourselves of the suspicion of it. And just as swearing to the truth of what we say begets the disposition it is designed to remove, so the love and reign of truth in the breasts of Christ's disciples reveals itself so plainly even to those who themselves cannot be trusted, that the true Christian's simple Yes and No come soon to be more relied on than the most solemn asseverations of others. Thus does the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, like a tree cast into the bitter waters of human corruption, heal and sweeten them.

Oaths taken...From an evil conscience, or from the devil.


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⭐⭐⭐Christian suffering is suffering incurred as a result of our relationship to Christ⭐⭐⭐

⭐‼️Affliction and consolation operate in tandem, producing “patient endurance,” exemplified in the Cross + Passion. The incarnate Lord enters the believer’s world of constriction, bearing the ultimate pressure under the weight of sin, and thus is able to sympathize with those being “pressed” today.

The term denotes the external hardships that display the surpassing power of God in fragile vessels.

⭐⭐⭐‼️‼️One who has personally endured pressure is expected to alleviate it in others, turning private suffering into public ministry. Those who have been sorely “pressed” learn empathy and become effective comforters.

Salvation is pictured as a pathway hemmed in by pressure. Affliction is therefore not an aberration but an intrinsic feature of true discipleship... it links the New Covenant people with the persecuted faithful of the past, forming a trans-historical community shaped by pressure yet sustained by promise.
New believers must be taught that the Christian journey is intentionally narrow and pressured, and to expect this struggle in their daily lives. Yet we must persevere in faith; affliction is survivable— we are “hard pressed… but not crushed.”
⭐‼️Nevertheless, the church is charged to recognize and relieve those currently under pressure, whenever & however possible. By our present particular actions, we reflect the true hope of God’s future universal reversal, and witness to His Nature of compassionate mercy towards those in pain.
‼️Our ultimate relief from affliction is grounded not in immediate change, but in the revelation of Jesus Christ. Affliction serves a probationary function now, but perfect justice is deferred until “the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels.” We must remind each other that our trials as believers carry an implicit promise: the pressure has an endpoint.

"θλίβω" gathers up the tangible feel of being hemmed in/ crowded in by trouble & distress, and applies it to the whole panorama of redemptive history— from patriarchs to apostles, from the ministry of Jesus to the consummation of the age, we believers have all suffered the hostility of spiritual warfare in this fallen world. Yet every occurrence testifies that while believers are undeniably pressed, they are never abandoned, and every moment of compression is destined to give way to eternal relief in Christ.


2347 thlípsis – properly, pressure (what constricts or rubs together), used of a narrow place that "hems someone in"; tribulation, especially internal pressure that causes someone to feel confined (restricted, "without options").
2347 /thlípsis ("compression, tribulation") carries the challenge of coping with the internal pressure of a tribulation, especially when feeling there is "no way of escape" ("hemmed in").
[By contrast, 4730 (stenoxōría) focuses on the external pressure exerted by circumstances.]


Strong’s Greek 2347 describes the varied pressures that press upon God’s people: external persecution, internal anguish, material hardship, and eschatological distress. Although the contexts differ, the theme is consistent— God’s people encounter constriction yet are sustained and refined by His sovereign grace.

We have an unfailing Encouragement if we Hold forth Christ’s victory and the glory to come.

In the Parable of the Soils, tribulation tests a superficial profession of faith... fiery trials refine faith.
⭐Tribulation purifies us; it exposes motives and excises idols.
⭐⭐‼️‼️Suffering validates the witness of our testimony, displaying Christ’s worth above comfort. Suffering is not a detour or hindrance to sharing the Gospel message, but a powerful & empowering platform; authentic witness often shines brightest under duress.

Jesus prophesies a unique “great tribulation, unmatched from the beginning of the world”. Yet He simultaneously assures, “In the world you will have tribulation. But take courage; I have overcome the world”. For the disciple, distress is neither unexpected nor ultimate... Scripture is clear that God limits the final tribulation's duration and preserves His elect.
⭐⭐‼️‼️Jesus says, “I know your tribulation…Be faithful unto death”... [yet] those persisting in immorality will be “cast into great tribulation”... The climactic vision of Revelation shows a multitude emerging “out of the great tribulation”; their robes are washed in the Blood of the Lamb, proving salvific sufficiency amid eschatological judgment... Believers therefore watch, pray, and remain faithful, confident that final deliverance is secured by the conquering Lamb.

Pauline Theology of Tribulation
1. Formation of character: “We also rejoice in our tribulations, because we know that tribulation produces perseverance” (Romans 5:3).
2. Assurance of inseparable love: “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation…?” (Romans 8:35). No earthly pressure can sever covenantal bonds.
3. Light and momentary: Paul calls present affliction “light and momentary… producing for us an eternal weight of glory” (2 Corinthians 4:17).
4. Shared consolation: God “comforts us in all our tribulation, so that we can comfort those in any tribulation” (2 Corinthians 1:4). Ministry is birthed out of experienced distress.
5. Missional necessity: “It is through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22, with Paul as speaker). Tribulation, not ease, is the normal pathway of gospel advance.
6. Apostolic biography: Repeated jailings, riots, and poverty fill Paul’s résumé (Acts 20:23; 2 Corinthians 6:4; 11:23–28). He views them as stewardship— “Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for His Body ” (Colossians 1:24).

James frames authentic religion as visiting “orphans and widows in their tribulation”, urging tangible mercy amid oppression.
⭐‼️We must Develop & participate in ministries of practical aid to those under pressure— physically and spiritually, financially and emotionally, materially and psychologically.

Thessalonian correspondence repeatedly addresses congregational distress, portraying endurance as evidence of election and basis for coming retribution on persecutors... likewise, tribulation has always shaped apostolic mission. Scattered believers carried the gospel, demonstrating that persecution often functions as providential impetus for expansion.

Pressures train believers in patient endurance & perseverance.
⭐⭐‼️Shared distress forges empathetic fellowship & Corporate solidarity.

⭐‼️‼️ Prepare congregations for opposition, and to expect it; false advertising & comfort breeds apostasy: "They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word... As soon as the faithful life gets hard or the Gospel gets them in trouble, they give up."

⭐ Cultivating disciplines of prayer and hope gives us endurance– “Rejoicing in hope, [and therefore] persevering in tribulation”.

⭐⭐‼️In every occurrence, tribulation functions as a crucible under God’s sovereign Hand, purifying faith, advancing the Gospel, and magnifying the sufficiency of Christ until the Day when “there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain.”

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4730 stenoxōría (from 4728 /stenós, "narrow, confined" and 5561 /xṓra, "space, territory, area") – properly, a narrow place; (figuratively) a difficult circumstance – which God always authorized and hence only produces a temporal sense of confinement.
⭐Through Christ's inworking of faith (4102 /pístis, "divine persuasion"), internal distress (sense of pressure, anguish) is ironically the way He shows His limitless work – in our "limitations"!
‼️‼️[Ro 2:9 however uses 4730 (stenoxōría) for negative confinements (inner distress), that result from living outside of God's will.]


⭐⭐‼️‼️Strong’s Greek 4730 focuses on the crushing sense of being hemmed in by hostile circumstances— emotional, spiritual, relational, or physical. It portrays pressure so intense that it seems to eliminate options for relief, yet within Scripture it consistently serves God’s redemptive purposes. Every setting contrasts human helplessness under pressure with divine justice, faithfulness, or empowerment.

Romans 2:9 – Judicial Distress for the Unrepentant
“There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Greek.”
Paul couples “trouble” (the outward squeeze) with “distress” (the inward anguish) to describe retribution at the final judgment. The pairing underscores that God’s wrath is not merely theoretical; it produces felt confinement with no avenue of escape for the unrepentant. Moral accountability, therefore, cannot be evaded by status, heritage, or ignorance. (Evil is always evil, and our conscience is law in the absence of a written code; our culture, societal position, circumstances of birth & family, etc. give NO exemption or excuse to the results & ramifications of what we choose by free will. Morality is fixed and God is the just Judge. Those who freely choose evil, those Unrepentant and attached to sin, have no hope for mercy in Christ. Their troubles are their just deserts; their tribulation is iniquity's inevitable consequence. God's wrath is their only possible end, when they reject and refuse the peace of His righteousness. There is no comfort for them in their affliction, for they have forsaken the God of all comfort.)

⭐⭐⭐Romans 8:35 – No Distress Can Sever the Believer
“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?”
Here the same pressure that dooms the ungodly cannot disengage the believer from Christ’s covenant love. Paul moves the term "tribulation" from a sentence of condemnation to a powerless antagonist. The gospel transforms distress from final doom into a defeated threat.
(CHRIST is the Conqueror! As believers, "we can do ALL things" because CHRIST is our strength and our song— we do it all IN Him (as His Members), WITH Him (present in our hearts), BY Him (working His Will in us by His Spirit), THROUGH Him (His grace empowering us to virtue), and FOR Him (in loving loyal obedience & service). All external suffering becomes the Cross (our "stenochória" and "thlipsis" both are transformed into "pathéma"?), and therefore only draws us closer to Him, through His very Wounds. Furthermore, we TRUST the Goodness of God and His Will, which pervades all circumstances and cannot be stymied. In famine and nakedness and danger, God is still holding the reins and pushing the buttons and calling the shots; He sees us, He loves us, He knows our needs and He will never abandon or neglect us. Whatever He does or doesn't do for us in those situations, we CAN TRUST that it is HIS LOVING WILL and it IS the BEST thing for us, whether something is given OR withheld in His Omniscient Charity. All our suffering and anguish, all our pain and loss and struggle, occurs because HE permitted it and HE has a purpose for it and that purpose is ALWAYS OUR SALVATION. So you see, His Covenant Love is actually mysteriously MANIFESTED even WITHIN our hardships! That is how totally Omnipotent He is! This is the ultimate unshakeable comfort of the believer— the man who does good, who therefore abides in God's always-Good Word, can likewise take refuge in the Good Will of the One Whose Word he trusts. The ungodly fear these same circumstances, because they rely only on themselves, and do not recognize the Goodness of God— in fact, their corrupt consciences see that very Virtue as a threat, realizing that the tribulations that become "purifying fires" for the just will burn the faithless to ashes. The worldly deprivations that paradoxically fill the surrendered & humble with the riches of God serve only to agonize & impoverish the self-sufficient, even driving them further into desperate ego-driven vice. Worst of all for the impious is the looming enemy of Death itself; physically, it haunts their every waking moment, the inevitable herald of an even deeper death, the final end of devilish pride's disease that even their perversely godless soul fears by the most innate spiritual instinct. The final judgment is prophesied in every worldly anguish they endure. And yet, even this terror is a grace of God, should they recognize it as such at last— it is His unfailing Love, reaching out even still in the only way it CAN reach their hard & troubled heart, calling them still to repent and return and so be rescued and restored... because until their final breath, there is still hope. The Gospel can change it all, in one glorious instant, with the invincible power of Faith by Love by Grace, which is offered even now, even now, on the very Cross that you are currently nailed to!)
(Why do tribulations sentence "condemnation" to the godless? It is because sufferings MANIFEST the inner condition of their heart! Like in the OT, "curses" would only fall on those who turned from God, BECAUSE they turned from God— it was the NATURAL RESULT of their rebellion, just as closing a door to the sun outside blocks out the warmth & light, yet without affecting the reality of the sun itself. HOWEVER!! Suffering for the righteous is paradoxically NOT a curse, but an ATTACK??? The keyword is "ANTAGONIST." Remember, EVEN CHRIST SUFFERED... AT THE HANDS OF EVIL MEN LED BY SATAN. And yet, remember JOB too— EVEN SATAN IS UNDER GOD'S ULTIMATE CONTROL.  So the believer in Christ can STILL rest in God's Love THROUGH Christ, WHO DEFEATED SATAN ON THE VERY CROSS OF SUFFERING— CHRIST "BECAME [THE VICTIM OF SIN'S] CURSE FOR US" AND IN HIS BODY, FREED US FROM THE "SENTENCE OF CONDEMNATION"!!! The evil man who REJECTS Christ, and so rejects the CROSS, therefore ONLY has one other option, and that is to suffer the natural consequences of sin AS THE CURSE IT IS. To him, all tribulation only EXHIBITS his DISTANCE from God. To the faithful in Christ, it BRINGS HIM CLOSER TO GOD. That's how powerful God is, how merciful for those Who love Him! Satan is utterly declawed, rendered powerless, his threats emptied of all weight, his plans absolutely defeated by the Suffering Savior. Death was destroyed on the Cross. But for the unbelieving, even the pleasures of his earthly life are shot through with dissonant notes of inevitable death, of a doom that brings no light, of a final judgment without deliverance, for he has forsaken the Gospel of Love. All his earthly distress is but a foretaste of his final end, rather than the temporary refinement of the virtuous. "The love of God is the fire of hell," in that such holy charity burns the cold and bitter heart unbearably. That same fire is the ardor of passionate devotion in heaven. All is God, everywhere, from the lowest to the highest, from the dust to the stars, from tribulation to triumph. Our perception of Him determines our experience of everything else. His Covenant is the key that unlocks the Truth. But it is up to you, whether or not to believe in the Gospel He offers. Will you let Him rule over your life? Because If you say "yes," and you live therein, then nothing can separate you from His Love ever again, for The King has conquered even death— the Cross itself has become His Throne.)


2 Corinthians 6:4 – Credential of Authentic Ministry
“...but in every way as servants of God we commend ourselves: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships, and calamities...”
Paul lists distress among the conditions that validate, rather than invalidate, apostolic ministry. Genuine servants do not escape constriction; they prove God’s sustaining grace WITHIN it. The church’s leaders are thus measured not by the absence of hardship, but by Spirit-enabled perseverance inside the squeeze.

(This also ties into the next verses with "not reasoning according to the flesh"??? The worldly man will drop a promised commitment, or blithely forego an abstention, with equal levity, based solely on his comfort or pleasure or convenience or whims concerning either. If a promise he made demands he endure hardship & inconvenience to keep it, he simply won't. Not so with the virtuous man, who "keeps his word even to his own disadvantage and does not change it [for his own benefit]." A Godly man accepts hardships as from the hand of God, and doesn't even think to avoid or evade them, because he's not afraid of suffering, since he lives uprightly and is not haunted by his conscience! Not only that, but he knows that all hardships are from the Hand of the Good God he serves obediently and with love– a God Who is with him in his suffering as Christ Crucified– and therefore are ALSO allotted to him WITH Love, to help him Grow in virtue! So he CAN and DOES keep his word, because he has FAITH that, if he indeed leta God guide his decisions, then God will help him carry them out to their proper and righteous end, come what may.)

2 Corinthians 12:10 – Occasion for Christ’s Power
“For the sake of Christ, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
Distress joins a catalog of weaknesses that become platforms for divine strength. The apostle’s paradox—delight in pressure—flows from the conviction that Christ’s power “tabernacles” over those who acknowledge their limits (12:9).

The concept echoes the Hebrew imagery of being pressed in a narrow place (e.g., Psalm 118:5, “From my distress I called to the LORD”)... The theme moves from Israel’s national crises to personal apostolic experience, highlighting continuity in God’s dealings with His people.

Theological Trajectory

1. Retributive: Unrepentant sin culminates in inescapable distress (Romans 2:9).
2. Redemptive: Union with Christ renders external pressure incapable of severing divine love (Romans 8:35).
3. Vocational: Authentic ministry is proven under constriction (2 Corinthians 6:4).
4. Transformational: Weakness within pressure becomes the avenue for manifesting Christ’s power (2 Corinthians 12:10).

Pastoral and Practical Application

• Assurance: Believers facing suffocating circumstances can rest in Romans 8:35; distress cannot nullify Christ’s hold.
• Examination: Persistent sinful patterns warn of Romans 2:9’s looming distress unless there is repentance.
• Endurance: Ministers and laypersons alike measure faithfulness not by ease but by steadfastness amid hardship.
• Empowerment: Adopting Paul’s mindset converts unavoidable pressure into a venue for experiencing and displaying the Lord’s strength.

Historical Witness

Early church testimony—from Acts’ imprisonments to second-century martyr narratives—confirms the pattern: constriction intensified the church’s proclamation. Distress became a proving ground that advanced, rather than stifled, the gospel.

Eschatological Outlook

Scripture forecasts intensified global distress before the Lord’s return (e.g., Luke 21:25-28). For the unregenerate it portends judgment; for the faithful it signals imminent redemption. Present experiences of pressure therefore function as rehearsals, training believers to stand firm when the ultimate narrowing arrives.

Summary

Strong’s 4730 frames the believer’s experience of pressure within God’s larger story: judgment for the hardened, security for the redeemed, authenticity for servants, and strength for the weak. Far from negating faith, the tight spaces of life display the sovereignty, justice, and steadfast love of God.




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Cognate: 3804 páthēma (from 3958 /pásxō, "the capacity to feel strong emotion, like suffering") – properly, the capacity and privilege of experiencing strong feeling; felt, deep emotion, like agony, passion (ardent desire), suffering, etc.

Under God, 3804 /páthēma ("strong feeling") is redemptive, preparing us to know the Lord better now and forever in glory (cf. Ro 8:18; Phil 3:10; 1 Pet 5:1). 3804 (páthēma) is not inherently negative; indeed, it is only negative when experienced outside of (apart from) faith. See 3958 (pasxō).

[3804 /páthēma ("strong feeling") includes affliction (suffering), which should always (ideally) result in knowing God's glory – like going through difficulties (persecution, etc.) in faith. Note the -ma suffix, emphasizing the end-result (experiencing strong feeling).]








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5147 tríbos (from tribō, "to rub") – properly, a rut (path) formed by rubbing (constant use); (figuratively) the "route" established by the Lord, where people can best know Him. This is also a regular path that all saints must travel in their spiritual journey (romance) of knowing God. It is the "road of faith," which God equally extends to all people, so all can know Him for who He really is (personally grasping His attributes, cf. Mal 3:6; Heb 13:8).

‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make His paths straight.’
The plural form (“paths”) underscores the comprehensive nature of preparation—heart, mind, and conduct are all in view.
First-century listeners were familiar with roadworks undertaken before imperial visits. Crews would level ground, remove debris, and straighten bends so a dignitary’s entourage could travel quickly and display authority. John’s audience therefore understood that spiritual “road-work” was urgently required because God’s Anointed was at hand.
Straightening the roadway symbolizes moral rectitude. Sinful obstructions—pride, injustice, unbelief—must be removed.
Believers continually “clear the way” through confession and obedience, ensuring unhindered fellowship with the Lord.

Congregations examine communal life, removing stumbling blocks of division or hypocrisy so that Christ is honored within His body 

The imagery forecasts the in-breaking kingdom of God. Preparing “paths” is preparatory for the greater eschatological reality of divine visitation and judgment.
Just as ancient workers labored ahead of a king, the church labors in a mission of evangelism and mercy, preparing society to acknowledge Jesus’ reign. John’s model encourages gospel heralds to point beyond themselves, exalting Christ and calling listeners to radical heart change... to moral clarity & committed discipleship.

Strong’s Greek 5147 conveys more than a physical track; it encapsulates the prophetic imperative to ready oneself for the Messiah... Scripture summons every generation to remove hindrances, embrace repentance, and welcome the King, whose arrival transforms wilderness into a highway of salvation.


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Strong’s Greek 3844 (παρά)

Spatial Proximity and Physical Presence: Beside a person in need... underscores the incarnational pattern of ministry—God draws near in tangible ways.

Παρά frequently designates where something or someone comes from, highlighting divine initiative. By marking the Father as the origin of gifts, messengers, and grace, παρά underlines the sufficiency of divine provision for salvation and service.

Instrumentality... especially in Spirit-empowered mission... Divine agency “from beside” God authenticates apostolic proclamation.

Beyond Expectation or Contrary to Norm = Paul employs παρά to describe what goes beyond ordinary limits: “Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed…” (Romans 4:18). Macedonian believers gave “beyond their ability” (2 Corinthians 8:3). In discipleship, παρά encourages faith that relies on God’s possibilities rather than human probabilities—“With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible”.

Used for testimony or charges laid “before” authorities, Παρά frames the setting of justice, reminding believers of accountability both on earth and before God.

Association, Fellowship, and Discipleship= Staying with someone... Learning alongside a teacher... Receiving the word... Παρά manifests shared life and truth transfer, shaping the pattern for mentoring and communal growth.

Παρά binds Father, Son, and Spirit in unified mission while maintaining personal distinctions. The Spirit proceeds “from the Father,” the Son is “with the Father,” and grace comes “from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” Such texts contribute to classical formulations of the Trinity.

James exhorts believers to seek wisdom “from God” (James 1:5), while Hebrews encourages hospitality to strangers who stand “before” us (Hebrews 13:2, using a cognate idea). Παρά thus motivates prayerful dependence and practical compassion.

Nearness to hostile powers contrasts with security that comes “from God,” underscoring hope amid adversity.

In the Septuagint παρά translates Hebrew prepositions indicating proximity (ʿim, ʿet) and origin (min). By the first century it retained that flexibility, allowing New Testament writers to echo both Greek idiom and Hebrew thought. Its range made it ideal for conveying the nearness of God experienced in Christ and the church.

• Emphasize God’s nearness: παρά assures believers that divine resources are “beside” them.
• Encourage generous faith: παρά marks God working “beyond” human limits.
• Cultivate discipleship relationships “alongside” others.
• Affirm Christ’s supremacy “beyond” all comparisons.

Understanding the varied uses of παρά deepens appreciation of Scriptures that present God as both transcendent source and present companion, calling the church to live and minister in that same posture of nearness and grace.

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3870. parakaleó

1. (properly) to call near (as to receive or give help)
2. to implore, entreat (to urgently ask (for mercy or help))
3. to exhort (to urgently counsel, encourage or admonish)
4. to comfort

From para and kaleo; to call near, call to one's side, summon, i.e. Invite, invoke (by imploration, hortation or consolation) -- beseech, call for, (be of good) comfort, console, strengthen, refresh, cheer, desire, (give) exhort(-ation), admonish, beg, entreat, pray, instruct, teach.

3870 parakaléō (from 3844 /pará, "from close-beside" and 2564 /kaléō, "to call") – properly, "make a call" from being "close-up and personal." 3870 /parakaléō ("personally make a call") refers to believers offering up evidence that stands up in God's court.

[3870 (parakaléō), the root of 3875 /paráklētos ("legal advocate"), likewise has legal overtones.]

the word consistently carries the idea of bringing one person ­alongside another for an earnest, purposeful exchange.

The repeated imperative communicates that Christian obedience is not coerced but earnestly invited.
Biblical shepherding is neither cold command nor soft suggestion; it is a persuasive summons shaped by truth and love.
Exhortation is integral to disciple-making and church planting; Mutual exhortation functions as spiritual oxygen for the gathered body.

Scripture shows the fellowship of believers offering warm and consoling solace that mirrors the Father’s own heart.

intense human need often drives people to seek intervention.

The cognate noun “Paraclete” identifies the Holy Spirit (John 14:16). The verb’s repeated appearance in Christ’s ministry (Matthew 5:4; Mark 1:40) anticipates the Spirit’s ongoing work of drawing near to counsel and strengthen believers.

“Now I urge you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me.” Supplication is framed as coming alongside in the presence of God.

In Greco-Roman society, appeals were central to legal and civic life. The New Testament baptizes this cultural practice, redirecting it toward kingdom purposes. Exhortation becomes a Spirit-empowered literary form that unites doctrine and discipleship.

Practical Ministry Application Today

1. Preaching: Biblical proclamation blends explanation with earnest appeal.
2. Counseling: True comfort arises from Scripture-saturated presence.
3. Discipleship: Regular, mutual exhortation guards against drift and fuels perseverance.
4. Mission: Evangelistic invitation mirrors Paul’s “We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God” (2 Corinthians 5:20).

The recurring pulse of Strong’s 3870 across the New Testament testifies that God draws near, speaks into the human condition, and calls His people to do the same.




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Bless the Lord God in everything; beg him to guide your ways and bring your paths and purposes to their end.

He who can give good things to his children urges us to ask, to seek and to knock.* The more loyal our faith, the stronger our hope and the more ardent our desire, so much the more shall we receive.
℣. In this matter of prayer, more is obtained by sighs than by speech, more by tears than by words.* The more loyal our faith, the stronger our hope and the more ardent our desire, so much the more shall we receive.

The greatest joy in the kingdom of heaven (the greatest among many) seems to me to be that we will no longer be tied up with earthly concerns but will have rest and glory within us – rejoicing that gives joy to everyone, peace that lasts for ever – satisfaction in ourselves, a satisfaction that comes from seeing how everyone is praising the Lord and blessing and hallowing his name, while no-one offends him. Everyone loves him. Each soul has no wish other than to love him: it cannot stop loving him because it knows him truly.
    If only we knew him like that even here on earth, we would love him in the same way – not with that degree of perfection, of course, but in a very different way from the way we love him now.


Free your minds, then, of encumbrances; control them, and put your trust in nothing but the grace that will be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. Do not behave in the way that you liked to before you learnt the truth, but make a habit of obedience.

℣. Lord, make me know your ways. Teach me Your paths.


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When you are going through any type of healing process, whether from an injury, surgery, or sickness, you can’t avoid the healing process to get better.

But for some odd reason, as humans, we don’t respond well when it comes to emotional healing. The truth is, the world offers too many quick fixes to help us feel better temporarily. 

If your emotions are sick and we don’t treat them or let them heal, then the truth is, you are walking around sick. It’s just that we are good at hiding it through stuffing our emotions and putting on different types of masks.

Some of the things we hide behind so we don’t have to deal with our emotions include addictions—not only drug abuse and alcohol but also sex, shopping, overspending, overeating…the list can go on. We can even hide behind perfectionism, our college degrees, and our accomplishments.

My wounds manifested in many self-destructive behaviors, and I tried to combat them in my strength, which led to many years of suffering. I thought if I put rigid rules or restrictions on myself, I would be able to stop the behaviors, but what I needed was self-forgiveness and to show myself more compassion.

It wasn’t until I got sick and tired of being sick and tired.

Finally, I cried out to God, “Please help me. I am scared and I don’t want to live like this anymore. I am tired of pretending everything is okay.”

The key here is that I got to a point in my life where I was ready to heal. I was ready to go to any measure to start feeling better about myself. I truly believe that when we are ready, solutions appear.

The area of my life where I needed the most healing was from my childhood trauma and growing up in addiction.

Everyone’s journey will look different, but I encourage you to take the first step you need to be the best version of yourself. If you do, that hard work will affect everyone around you in a positive way, and you will have no regrets with the end results.

Reflection

Know you are not alone and you don’t have to figure it all out in one day. You just need to say, God, I am ready.

In what areas of your life do you feel anxious or fear failure because you have tried so many times in the past to get healed or delivered from your pain or addiction?