Col 1:23 ...whereof I Paul am made a minister;
Col 1:24 Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church:
Col 1:25 Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God
REJOICE in SUFFERING.
AFFLICTIONS endured because of our belief in CHRIST and HIS TRUTH.
There is suffering in being a Christian and anyone who tries to tell you otherwise is sadly mistaken. When we think of suffering however we very seldom think of joy or rejoicing. The last thing a person truly feels like doing when they are suffering is be happy, yet time and time again people will put on that smile because they know to do otherwise is to perhaps upset another - a loved one, a child. People have been beaten black and blue and yet they'll still smile if they feel a sense of purpose behind the beating. You've seen it during boxing matches, haven't you? The winner - even though still suffering the pain of the fight- will grin, will laugh, will cheer despite their suffering. The survivor of something awful might feel a sense of victory because they did in fact survive despite the awful things they've suffered. We see this in life and while it's not something that will occur without fail all the time, it does happen. So we KNOW it happens, we know that joy in suffering is possible, if not common, and not something anyone wants- suffering.
Let's read more verses on what Paul is talking about here- this suffering, the afflictions- all because of our belief in Christ.
*
Mat 5:11 BLESSED are ye, when men shall REVILE you, and PERSECUTE you, and shall say all manner of EVIL against you FALSELY, for my sake.
Mat 5:12 REJOICE, and be EXCEEDING GLAD: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
Act 5:41 And they departed from the presence of the council, REJOICING that they were counted worthy to SUFFER SHAME for his name.
Rom 5:3 And not only so, but we GLORY in TRIBULATIONS also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience
Eph 3:13 Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my TRIBULATIONS for you, which is your GLORY.
Php 2:17 Yea, and if I be offered upon the SACRIFICE and service of your faith, I joy, and REJOICE with you all.
Php 2:18 For the same cause also do ye joy, and rejoice with me.
2Co 1:5 For as the SUFFERINGS of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.
2Co 1:6 And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.
2Co 1:7 And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the SUFFERINGS, so shall ye be also of the consolation.
2Co 1:8 For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we DESPAIRED EVEN OF LIFE
2Co 11:23 Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft.
2Co 11:24 Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.
2Co 11:25 Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;
2Co 11:26 In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;
2Co 11:27 In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
2Ti 1:8 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but BE THOU PARTAKER of the AFFLICTIONS of the gospel according to the power of God
2Ti 2:9 Wherein I SUFFER trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound.
2Ti 2:10 Therefore I ENDURE all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
Do all these verses make being a follower of Christ sound like something painless?
Yet we have church pews filled with people who believe they shouldn't have to suffer at all in any way. We are NOT all called to be ministers, or preachers, or prophets, or missionaries. We are NOT all called to suffer the same, but honestly living a life for Christ means NOT living for ourselves, not living selfishly. When we are called NOT to live selfishly and that usually involves giving up self. When we give up self we are sacrificing. When we sacrifice we might not feel a physical pain but there is a certain amount of emotional and mental suffering. We do NOT have to LIKE receiving pain, we do NOT have to LIKE sacrificing- however when we are called to suffer we are told we should REJOICE. WE CAN rejoice just like that painfully beaten boxing champ. He might hate the physical pain he has to endure, every single blow to his face a new blast of agony, he doesn't LIKE the pain, but he REJOICES because of the ultimate victory. We too must rejoice at our ULTIMATE victory- ETERNAL LIFE! We must rejoice at the PROMISE we are given for ETERNAL LIFE. We have to learn to recognize our suffering and our reaction to it because if we don't we can't learn to rejoice knowing the reward that will be ours.
Paul could endure all He did because HE believed in the reward, he believed in the PROMISE, he believed in Jesus Christ our LORD, OUR SAVIOR! Only because of that belief could He rejoice. He didn't have to like the pain of his trials and tribulation, but in spite of the pain He could be happy.
Do we have the knowledge we need? Do we have the faith we need? Do we have the hope we need? Do we have what we need to recognize in our strange modern lives, out of touch with the persecuted Christian's whose governments and societies allow, or turn a blind eye to their torture? If we are living in a world, in our own little existence, without that sort of suffering we have to know that the suffering will come in other ways, or perhaps we aren't sacrificing any part of our self at all for anything, in any way, let alone for our Savior.
By His grace and mercy may we be enlightened by the Holy Spirit to understand, to live selflessly, to rejoice in our afflictions knowing HE is our HOPE of eternal life!
In HIS love always!!!!!!!
Col 1:24 Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church:
Col 1:25 Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God
REJOICE in SUFFERING.
AFFLICTIONS endured because of our belief in CHRIST and HIS TRUTH.
There is suffering in being a Christian and anyone who tries to tell you otherwise is sadly mistaken. When we think of suffering however we very seldom think of joy or rejoicing. The last thing a person truly feels like doing when they are suffering is be happy, yet time and time again people will put on that smile because they know to do otherwise is to perhaps upset another - a loved one, a child. People have been beaten black and blue and yet they'll still smile if they feel a sense of purpose behind the beating. You've seen it during boxing matches, haven't you? The winner - even though still suffering the pain of the fight- will grin, will laugh, will cheer despite their suffering. The survivor of something awful might feel a sense of victory because they did in fact survive despite the awful things they've suffered. We see this in life and while it's not something that will occur without fail all the time, it does happen. So we KNOW it happens, we know that joy in suffering is possible, if not common, and not something anyone wants- suffering.
Let's read more verses on what Paul is talking about here- this suffering, the afflictions- all because of our belief in Christ.
*
Mat 5:11 BLESSED are ye, when men shall REVILE you, and PERSECUTE you, and shall say all manner of EVIL against you FALSELY, for my sake.
Mat 5:12 REJOICE, and be EXCEEDING GLAD: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
Act 5:41 And they departed from the presence of the council, REJOICING that they were counted worthy to SUFFER SHAME for his name.
Rom 5:3 And not only so, but we GLORY in TRIBULATIONS also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience
Eph 3:13 Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my TRIBULATIONS for you, which is your GLORY.
Php 2:17 Yea, and if I be offered upon the SACRIFICE and service of your faith, I joy, and REJOICE with you all.
Php 2:18 For the same cause also do ye joy, and rejoice with me.
2Co 1:5 For as the SUFFERINGS of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.
2Co 1:6 And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.
2Co 1:7 And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the SUFFERINGS, so shall ye be also of the consolation.
2Co 1:8 For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we DESPAIRED EVEN OF LIFE
2Co 11:23 Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft.
2Co 11:24 Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.
2Co 11:25 Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;
2Co 11:26 In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;
2Co 11:27 In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
2Ti 1:8 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but BE THOU PARTAKER of the AFFLICTIONS of the gospel according to the power of God
2Ti 2:9 Wherein I SUFFER trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound.
2Ti 2:10 Therefore I ENDURE all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
Do all these verses make being a follower of Christ sound like something painless?
Yet we have church pews filled with people who believe they shouldn't have to suffer at all in any way. We are NOT all called to be ministers, or preachers, or prophets, or missionaries. We are NOT all called to suffer the same, but honestly living a life for Christ means NOT living for ourselves, not living selfishly. When we are called NOT to live selfishly and that usually involves giving up self. When we give up self we are sacrificing. When we sacrifice we might not feel a physical pain but there is a certain amount of emotional and mental suffering. We do NOT have to LIKE receiving pain, we do NOT have to LIKE sacrificing- however when we are called to suffer we are told we should REJOICE. WE CAN rejoice just like that painfully beaten boxing champ. He might hate the physical pain he has to endure, every single blow to his face a new blast of agony, he doesn't LIKE the pain, but he REJOICES because of the ultimate victory. We too must rejoice at our ULTIMATE victory- ETERNAL LIFE! We must rejoice at the PROMISE we are given for ETERNAL LIFE. We have to learn to recognize our suffering and our reaction to it because if we don't we can't learn to rejoice knowing the reward that will be ours.
Paul could endure all He did because HE believed in the reward, he believed in the PROMISE, he believed in Jesus Christ our LORD, OUR SAVIOR! Only because of that belief could He rejoice. He didn't have to like the pain of his trials and tribulation, but in spite of the pain He could be happy.
Do we have the knowledge we need? Do we have the faith we need? Do we have the hope we need? Do we have what we need to recognize in our strange modern lives, out of touch with the persecuted Christian's whose governments and societies allow, or turn a blind eye to their torture? If we are living in a world, in our own little existence, without that sort of suffering we have to know that the suffering will come in other ways, or perhaps we aren't sacrificing any part of our self at all for anything, in any way, let alone for our Savior.
By His grace and mercy may we be enlightened by the Holy Spirit to understand, to live selflessly, to rejoice in our afflictions knowing HE is our HOPE of eternal life!
In HIS love always!!!!!!!
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