Suffering For His Sake.

Php 1:28  And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God. 

Php 1:29  For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake; 

Php 1:30  Having the same conflict which ye saw in me, and now hear to be in me

Terrified by our adversaries- they view our terror as evidence of our not holding fast to salvation in our Savior.  We know that we will be confronted by our adversaries, flesh and spiritual adversaries. And we know how terrifying it can be when we are under attack. As we fight the very real Christian fight, the spiritual fight, we feel the pain, the horror of the viciousness of Satan. We have to realize as we suffer that it is for our Savior, to believe on Him, suffering for Him.

Why do people tell others they won't suffer? 

Yes, we are to count it all Joy-

Jas_1:2  My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations

Jas 1:3  Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 

We are to count it joy when we suffer afflictions yet when we are in the throes of suffering it's so hard to do so. Joy in pain, joy in heartache, joy in sorrow, joy in loss, joy in abandonment, joy in sickness, joy in betrayal, and the list goes on and on. Joy- Jesus- salvation-eternity.  This is the joy we have to have. We can't place our joy in things of the here and now as if we can't lose everything.  Yes, we need to be JOYFUL, and our joy must be in CHRIST first and foremost!  We can joy in our family, joy in our blessings, but we have to do so because we've been given these joys by Christ, through Christ. If our family falls apart, our joy still must be in Christ that somehow, some way it will all work for good. We won't be able to comprehend how the awfulness of a torn apart family can work for good, but it's not for us to comprehend. We must trust in our Savior, we must have faith in Him and know that His ways are far above and beyond ours. As our health deteriorates and we feel pain beyond our ability to even think, we still need to find our hope, our joy in Jesus Christ our Lord. Our hope is in eternity with the love of our Lord, not in ANYTHING here and now. Please Lord, bless us with joy in YOU. Help us to find our joy IN YOU, now and always!

Paul- An Example of Suffering.

1Ti 1:12  And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; 

1Ti 1:13  Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. 

1Ti 1:14  And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. 

1Ti 1:15  This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. 

1Ti 1:16  Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting. 

1Ti 1:17  Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen. 

Paul's suffering is a pattern for all of us.

Paul who assented to killing Christ followers, Paul who once He was shown the Light of the Savior Jesus Christ and the truth was revealed to Him, followed Christ with His whole heart.

Paul suffered terribly. If you think for one second He didn't suffer horrifically you are deluding yourself.  We read things and sometimes we don't comprehend the full truth of what we're reading.  When we read that Paul was whipped do we feel the pain of each strike across his flesh? Do we feel the skin of his back being split open, blood spraying from the whip as it is yanked back coiling for yet another blow? Do we cry out in agony as the whip cuts through muscle all the way to the bone? Thirty nine vicious strikes with the whip, and what? We don't imagine the true horror of how it felt? What about having stones whipped at you? Can you imagine the pain of that? Paul was stoned, and that doesn't mean a single little pebble was thrown at him. Stones rained down upon him, cutting him, bruising him, making him bleed profusely. These physical assaults Paul endured over and over never stopped him from loving the LORD, it never turned him from his belief in the gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ.

Paul was an example to us all.

No, we all may not face physical abuse for our faith, but Satan will assault us viciously with the spiritual weapons he possesses.

Eph 6:12  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 

We suffered as Christ followers. Our lives are NOT meant to be easy, not when we stand for the truth.

1Ti 1:16  Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting. 

Don't fool yourself into believing your life should be easy, expect suffering in whatever form it may take and don't be discouraged. Hold fast to our Savior!

1Ti 1:17  Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen. 

Is Your Affliction Light?

2Co 4:17  For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory

Did someone who said these words, inspired by the Holy Spirit, say them haphazardly? Were they written without real knowledge of 'light affliction'?

Let's find out-

2Co 11:23  …I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. 

He was in prisons frequently. He faced death often.

2Co 11:24  Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. 

Five times he received thirty-nine whippings.

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; 

Three times he was beaten with rods. 

One time he was stoned.

Three times he was in shipwrecks.

One night and one day he was in the water.

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; 

He journeyed often.

He was in danger with water.

He was in danger with robbers.

He was in danger by his fellow countrymen.

He was in danger by the heathen.

He was in danger in the city, the wilderness, and in the sea.

He was in danger from false fellow followers.

2Co 11:27  In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. 

He was weary, in pain, watching often, hungry, thirsty, fasting, cold and naked.

And this man could say his afflictions were light.  LIGHT AFFLICTION- beaten, stoned, whipped, imprisoned… just to name a few of his afflictions.

I've never been beaten, I've never been whipped, I've never been stoned, I've never been imprisoned, I've never been confronted by robbers, I've never starved. I've never had those particular 'light' afflictions.

2Co 4:17  For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory

The afflictions I have had are nothing like Paul's afflictions, not at all. Yet, not to diminish anyone's afflictions, we ALL experience our afflictions to our own degree. What I mean is I can't make light of your afflictions if I think they are nothing compared to mine, that's not truth, that's not acceptable at all. Your heart maybe so deeply hurt by something that wouldn't hurt mine much at all. I can't know another's heart. Our afflictions are ours to endure through the power of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  No MATTER the affliction though, the greatest to the least, they are ALL but for a moment when you compare them to eternity. Seventy, eighty, ninety years of affliction is still but a moment next to time eternal.  All the afflictions we are called to endure will work in us, drawing us ever closer to our Savior. The exceeding and eternal weight of glory this is our hope through our Savior! This is something we need to cling through during all our afflictions. It's not easy, it's horrible what we suffer, but it is temporary to eternity! Praise the LORD! Please, Lord, help us to keep our eyes on YOU through ALL life's many, many horrors! 

All through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, now and forever!!!!!!!

We Choose to Love Him.

Rom 1:28  And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient

God does NOT force us to love Him.  We must choose to love Him. God will allow people to go the way they choose. Salvation is offered, but not forced.

Rom 1:21  Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 

When a person doesn't choose to retain the knowledge of God, they still often recognize His reality yet choose not to glorify Him.  Knowing God yet willfully choosing to deny Him glory, is it any wonder that God allow their hearts to be darkened?  God isn't going to FORCE anyone to love Him! You say you need to be forced?! God says, no. God says, choose me.

Job 21:14  Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways. 

Job 21:15  What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what profit should we have, if we pray unto him? 

Psa 10:4  The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts. 

Joh 3:19  And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 

Joh 3:20  For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 

We need to love the Light. We need to shun evil. If our deeds are evil then we won't want the Light. If we aren't willing to shun the evil as the light reveals it to us, then we are asking for our deeds not to be reproved.  We need any evil deeds in us to be reproved. Please, Lord, please reprove any evil in us!

We need to choose.  We don't have to choose the Light, we can remain in the dark without any reproof. If we choose the Light we are choosing to lay ourselves bare before our God so He can see any darkness that may lurk in us and chastise us as we need to be chastised.  Choosing the Light, choosing God isn't asking for our lives to be easy, it's asking for our lives to be loved all through the ups and the downs.  We need to retain God in our knowledge, daily.  We don't want God to give us over to reprobate minds! We need God to watch over us always, to be in our whole lives, every part of our lives. Please, Lord!

All through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior now and forever!!!!!!!

True Light.

Joh 1:1  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 

Joh 1:2  The same was in the beginning with God. 

Joh 1:3  All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 

Joh 1:4  In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 

Joh 1:5  And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. 

Joh 1:6  There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 

Joh 1:7  The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. 

Joh 1:8  He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 

Joh 1:9  That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. 

Joh 1:10  He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. 

Joh 1:11  He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 

Joh 1:12  But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 

Joh 1:13  Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 

Joh 1:14  And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. 

Everyone that comes into this world will have the LIGHT of the Savior shine upon them. What happens after the LIGHT of our Savior shines upon a person is up to them. Some may protest and say the Light of Jesus has never touched them, not once. However it has, or it will in the time Jesus determines. No one will be able to say that they weren't given the light of truth from the Savior, the opportunity to know Him, to love Him.

'But as many as RECEIVED Him to them gave He the POWER to BECOME the sons of God- even to them that BELIEVE on HIS name.' 

The Light shines and we have to Receive that Light. Once we receive the light we are given the power to become the sons of GOD.

We have a Father in heaven, we have a Savior in heaven and they have sent the Holy Spirit to us to bring truth, to bring light to us. We have the hope of heaven that goes so far beyond ALL there is in this world, in this life. All the pain, all the horror, all the awfulness that exists IS NOT the only hope we have in our lives. This is NOT our world, this is NOT our true life, this is a temporary existence we live in until we are reunited with our Savior at His return. We can't forget these truths, we just can't. If we forget and begin to live with our hope in our lives now, expecting only good and glory now, without the hope of our Savior in eternity, we are going to suffer needlessly. Jesus came preaching the gospel of the kingdom, of hope in eternity, of hope in our heavenly home, this is what we need to focus on, our heavenly home.

May the Light of our Savior shine upon all of us and may we receive that Light!

All in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, now and forever!!!!!!!

Our Joy May Be Full.

1Jn 1:1  That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; 

1Jn 1:2  (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) 

1Jn 1:3  That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. 

1Jn 1:4  And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. 

Loved unconditionally- this is joy- this is Christ Jesus.

Fellowship with Jesus, fellowship with the Father- is there anything more joyful? 

We can have the knowledge of truth, and that knowledge brings understanding as the Holy Spirit enlightens us.

We are sinners. We are filthy sinners. Even the kindest person upon earth is a sinner. The only ones exempt from sin are those who are innocent through youth, and through mental impairment, these have no knowledge of sin or its consequences. Only those who comprehend can be held accountable.  We are sinners and as sinners we are separated from our Creator by our sins. Having a way to overcome that separation and be reunited with our Creator is miraculous. Through NO effort of our own are we able to redeem ourselves. We are presented with the truth of salvation and told we get to choose to accept it or not. Salvation will never be forced upon a single person.

We can choose salvation.

What does it mean to choose salvation? It means we choose to be reunited with our Creator, and then in turn be the creatures He created us to be. Salvation doesn't mean a trouble free life on earth. As long as sin exists we will be at war with it. Salvation assures us of victory over all sin, because our Savior already gained that victory and promises us His victory. So while we live here and now, we can have that promised hope and that promised hope gives us fellowship with our Savior, with the Father God, with the Holy Spirit and this is our JOY, that knowledge is our JOY, that HOPE is our JOY. 

We Are Warned.

Be Warned.

1Co 4:14  I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you.

Warned.  When we warn someone, what are we doing? If I warn you about something I'm essentially telling you to be cautious, that you are going to encounter something possibly unpleasant.  We don't warn people of good things coming their way, we happily tell them something nice is on its way. When we warn we are instantly putting things in a certain light that reveals a bit of dread. If I say, "I'm warning you, you might not like that." I'm giving you advanced notice so I can put you on alert. Warnings serve to ward a person off doing something that might have negative consequences. Warnings also are used to brace a person for something that is inevitable it they are not able to avoid the thing warned about. I might warn a person that it's not pleasant inside an MRI machine, but that doesn't mean I don't want them to get their MRI. I want them to know that they may experience discomfort and to prepare themselves for what's going to happen.

We are warned that being a follower of Christ will be difficult. 

For some in our world today, being a Christian means being tortured, and even killed. There are numerous people imprisoned around the world just for being a Christ follower and nothing more. Here in the United States we are sealed off from that sort of abuse for the most part. I don't fear someone knocking down my door and dragging me off in the night to throw me in prison after beating me within an inch of my life. Most Christians here in the U.S.A. are not tormented in any way at all, they are allowed to go about their business of Christ following unimpeded. We are blessed in this, truly blessed.

Do we still need to be warned that being a follower of Christ will be difficult? I think we do. I think every single Christian no matter where they reside needs to comprehend the difficulty of following Christ Jesus.  There are many different sorts of difficulties and we have to comprehend that if our lives are filled with one upset after another, things that are God allowed, that we can scarcely comprehend being afflicted with- that these difficulties could very well be heaped upon us because as we are warned- it is difficult being a follower of Christ. We might not have to worry about others torturing us for Christ, but we do have to know that we will be tortured and tormented emotionally, mentally and sometimes even physically through our health- because Satan is our great tormentor and he will stop at nothing to make any Christ follower he can, very unhappy with their life.

We have to comprehend the 'trial of our faith' can take many forms.  We are WARNED, and being warned we shouldn't be surprised when things happen the try our faith to the uttermost! While I say- we shouldn't be surprised, that doesn't mean we won't be dismayed when things happen. We can't help but initially react in possibly fear, upset, anger, anxiety and the like. It's after that initial reaction we have to take stock of our situations and place our faith in our GOD. If our faith is to be tried, we must allow it to be refined and tried and strengthened by the process. Knowing that we believe even as our world is being ripped apart in and all around us, that eternal life through the forgiveness of our sins, through the salvation of our Savior who was sacrificed for us, is a REALITY, a future set in stone, the Rock of Jesus Christ our Lord! We have to drill it in our minds, in our hearts that this world and all its awfulness - every single horror- is temporary to eternity in Christ!

1Pe 1:3  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 

1Pe 1:4  To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, 

1Pe 1:5  Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 

1Pe 1:6  Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: 

1Pe 1:7  That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: 

1Pe 1:8  Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: 

1Pe 1:9  Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. 

1Pe 5:10  But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. 

1Pe 5:11  To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. 

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

2Co 4:17  For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; 

2Co 4:18  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. 

Psa 119:75  I know, O LORD, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me. 

Lam 3:32  But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies. 

Lam 3:33  For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men. 

Heb 12:7  If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? 

Heb 12:8  But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. 

Heb 12:9  Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? 

Heb 12:10  For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. 

Heb 12:11  Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. 

Job 9:27  If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my heaviness, and comfort myself: 

Job 9:28  I am afraid of all my sorrows, I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent. 

Psa 119:28  My soul melteth for heaviness: strengthen thou me according unto thy word. 

Mat 11:28  Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 

Rom 9:2  That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. 

Php 2:25  Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labour, and fellowsoldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants. 

Php 2:26  For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick. 

Php 2:27  For indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. 

Php 2:28  I sent him therefore the more carefully, that, when ye see him again, ye may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful. 

Php 2:29  Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness; and hold such in reputation: 

Php 2:30  Because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life, to supply your lack of service toward me. 

Heb 12:11  Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. 

Jas 4:8  Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. 

Jas 4:9  Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. 

Jas 4:10  Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. 

Psa 34:19  Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all. 

Joh 16:33  These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

Act 14:22  Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. 

1Co 4:9  For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men. 

1Co 4:10  We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised. 

1Co 4:11  Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace; 

1Co 4:12  And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it: 

1Co 4:13  Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day. 

1Co 4:14  I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you. 

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.

Heb 11:35  Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: 

Heb 11:36  And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: 

Heb 11:37  They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; 

Heb 11:38  (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. 

Heb 11:39  And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: 

Heb 11:40  God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect. 

Jas 1:2  My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 

Jas 1:3  Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.