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On the Present sufferings of God’s servants Every saint on earth will suffer, it has always been this way. If you have no suffering in your life then maybe you are not a saint. The righteous are afflicted. 2 Thess. 1:8 Christians should expect trials to have us grow spiritually. We are pilgrims on earth because our citizenship is in heaven. No one gets out of here uninjured or scarred. Are you a registered believer? Is your name registered in heaven? God will not allow illegals in. Only citizens of heaven (whose names are written in the Lambs book of life) who walked with God on earth will be there. There will be no voting. no debating or name calling. It will be a perfect governing, harmonious, peaceful, with equality from the Lord Jesus Chrust. Do we live like pilgrims on earth or are we so wrapped in everything as if this is our permanent home? Some can’t make sense of the world, those who understand the trials and any opposition that come makes them stronger in faith. Only when one has an eternal perspective can it makes sense of what is taking place to them and their fellow believers. The world is in a fallen state, so the atmosphere that we live in is not conducive to peace and harmony, you must work at it to maintain it. It’s been this way since the fall in the garden. If you are looking for justice, fairness on a large or consistent scale, it is no longer seen, and will not happen until the Messiah returns. Just as we are told in Scripture (no matter whom is president). 2 Tim. 3:13-14 “evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them” As Jesus taught if you love me, (not the world) you will continue in my word. His word keeps us. The gospel does not just have you believe in Jesus, it changes your life as you follow the one that saved you. You serve Him and no other, He is given preeminence. Throughout history God’s people collectively and individually have suffered from their fellow man. Beginning with Cain and Abel, through nimrod and nations. We find Noah was not well received as he built what he did not understand for something he never saw before; both rain and a flood. But he was obedient as he trusted God more than the mockery of the people. Jacob who encountered the Lord personally in a special way paid the price by having to limp the rest of his life because he wrestled with the angel of the Lord until he was willing to submit. He then received a blessing. David said I will not sacrifice what costs me nothing, David understood that it is not our surplus God wants, we want to keep that which is valuable. But God asks for the best. Abraham was tested in this way by giving his only son at Mount Moriah. He was stopped in the sacrifice so that the chosen one that would come nearly 2,000 years after would accomplish it. Paul was affected physically and was not healed, he suffered through his ministry by a emissary of Satan that was under God’s jurisdiction to keep him humble because of the great revelations he received. He asked three times for healing and was not granted his request. What if one thinks they are having a bad experience at the time but it is not? What if their bad experience had a good ending? That it taught you something that will be as an eternal reward. I find it offensive to our sensibilities when people claim to have a cure all and make it scientifically approved when it can be harmful spiritually. Nearly everything Jesus had chosen and loved was what we might call average, not opulent. Jesus’ humble spirit shows us God’s nature. He looked like an ordinary man and lived as one, not as royalty. But there are those today who teach a very different Jesus, they give you the worlds Jesus. One that fits in the way most people like to live. Word faith prosperity teachers are focused on the outward and the results. We are more than what meets the eye, what’s inside us is what counts. God looks at our heart. That is why he strengthens our faith through trials.
Are you being an
overcomer?" I Jn. 2:13 I write to you, fathers, because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the wicked one. I write to you, little children, because you have known the Father.” I Jn. 4:4 “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world." It is repeatedly mentioned in the book of Revelation from Jesus for the saints to remain steadfast, Rev. 2:7 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God."' (2:17, 26, 3:5, 12, 21) John ends the Revelation of Jesus Christ with the promise Rev 21:7 "He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son." How do we overcome the world? Our faith, and it is based on our relationship to the Son of God. 1 Jn. 5:4-5 "For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world-our faith. Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?" These are those who resist the temptations of the world. An overcomer is not sinless, but holds fast to faith in Christ until the end. He does not turn away when times get difficult. Overcoming requires complete dependence upon God for direction, purpose, fulfillment, and strength to follow His plan for our lives (Proverbs 3:5-6; 2 Corinthians 12:9). The Greek word most often translated "overcomer" stems from the word nike which, according to Strong's Concordance, means "to carry off the victory. The verb implies a battle." The Bible teaches Christians to recognize that the world is a battleground, not a playground. And our God does not leave us defenseless in it. Ephesians 6:11-17 describes the armor of the Lord available to all believers. Scattered throughout this narrative is the admonition to "stand firm." Sometimes all it takes to overcome temptation is to stand firm and refuse be dragged into it. James 4:7says, "Resist the devil and he will flee from you." An overcomer is one who resists sin no matter what shiny lures Satan uses. He can be a new believer or an older one, the same way out is given to both. The apostle Paul wrote eloquently of overcoming in Romans 8:35-39. He summarizes the power believers have through the Holy Spirit to overcome any attacks of the enemy. Verse 37 says, "In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us." Both James and Peter address this. James 1:2-5 “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. James 5:10-12 “My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience. Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord--that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful. “Of all the people in the Bible Job exhibited patience with what he went through and did not understand. 1 Peter 1:6-7 “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith , being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ” 1 Peter 2:20-21 “when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps.” Rev. 3:5 "He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.” Overcoming is equated with enduring through trials and suffering. Jesus encouraged those who followed Him to “endure to the end,” even in the worst time of mankind’s history (Mt. 24:13), this is done by keeping the faith. An overcomer stays with Christ, will not deny him nor leave him. Jesus promised great reward to those to overcome. Overcomers are promised that they will eat from the Tree of Life (2:7), be unharmed by the second death (2:11), eat from hidden manna and be given a new name (2:17), have authority over the nations (2:26), be clothed in white garments (3:5), be made a permanent pillar in the house of God (3:12), and sit with Jesus on His throne (3:21). Jesus did not say holding fast to Him would be easy, but it would be well worth it. We have the guarantee of Jesus.
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