EXHIBITING A POSITIVE ATTITUDE IN THE FACE OF PERSECUTION, REJOICE IN THE LORD WHEN BEING PERSECUTED FOR THE SAKE OF THE GOSPEL OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. 2Tim:3:12 Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. Matt:5:10-12: Blessed {and} happy {and} enviably fortunate {and} spiritually prosperous (in the state in which the born-again child of God enjoys and finds satisfaction in Gods favor and salvation, regardless of his outward conditions) are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake (for being and doing right), for theirs is the kingdom of heaven! Blessed (happy, to be envied, and spiritually prosperous--with life-joy and satisfaction in Gods favor and salvation, regardless of your outward conditions) are you when people revile you and persecute you and say all kinds of evil things against you falsely on My account. Be glad {and} supremely joyful, for your reward in heaven is great (strong and intense), for in this same way people persecuted the prophets who were before you. [II Chron. 36:16.] AS THE WORLD HATED OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, BECAUSE HE IS THE LIGHT, AND THE WORLD DID NOT LIKE LIGHT, FOR THEIR WORKS ARE FULL OF DARKNESS. SO, LIKEWISE THE WORLD WILL HATE EVERYONE THAT IS STANDING FOR THE TRUTH. John:15:18 If the world hates you, know that it hated Me before it hated you. John:16:1-4: I HAVE told you all these things, so that you should not be offended (taken unawares and falter, or be caused to stumble and fall away). [I told you to keep you from being scandalized and repelled.] They will put you out of (expel you from) the synagogues; but an hour is coming when whoever kills you will think {and} claim that he has offered service to God. And they will do this because they have not known the Father or Me. But I have told you these things now, so that when they occur you will remember that I told you of them. I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. LET US NOT FIND IT STRANGE WITH ALL WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO US FOR SPEAKING THE TRUTH AND THE GRACE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. FOR INSTANCE, THE RELIGIOUS PEOPLE WILL MISINTERPRET THE MESSAGE OF GRACE. THEY WILL LABEL AND CALLED THOSE STANDING FOR THE GRACE AND TRUTH THAT THEY ARE GIVING LICENCE TO PEOPLE TO SIN.1Pet:4:12-14: Beloved, do not be amazed {and} bewildered at the fiery ordeal which is taking place to test your quality, as though something strange (unusual and alien to you and your position) were befalling you. But insofar as you are sharing Christs sufferings, rejoice, so that when His glory [full of radiance and splendor] is revealed, you may also rejoice with triumph [exultantly]. If you are censured {and} suffer abuse [because you bear] the name of Christ, blessed [are you--happy, fortunate, to be envied, with life-joy, and satisfaction in Gods favor and salvation, regardless of your outward condition], because the Spirit of glory, the Spirit of God, is resting upon you. {On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified.} GOD IS FAITHFUL AND HE WILL NOT LET US GO THROUGH WHAT WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO BEAR.1Cor:10:13 For no temptation (no trial regarded as enticing to sin), [no matter how it comes or where it leads] has overtaken you {and} laid hold on you that is not common to man [that is, no temptation or trial has come to you that is beyond human resistance and that is not adjusted and adapted and belonging to human experience, and such as man can bear]. But God is faithful [to His Word and to His compassionate nature], and He [can be trusted] not to let you be tempted {and} tried {and} assayed beyond your ability {and} strength of resistance {and} power to endure, but with the temptation He will [always] also provide the way out (the means of escape to a landing place), that you may be capable {and} strong {and} powerful to bear up under it patiently. IN THE MIDST OF THE PERSECUTION, THE GRACE OF GOD IS SUFFICIENT ENOUGH FOR US.2Cor:12:9-10:But He said to me, My grace (My favor and loving-kindness and mercy) is enough for you [sufficient against any danger and enables you to bear the trouble manfully]; for {My} strength {and} power are made perfect (fulfilled and completed) {and show themselves most effective} in [your] weakness. Therefore, I will all the more gladly glory in my weaknesses {and} infirmities, that the strength {and} power of Christ (the Messiah) may rest (yes, may pitch a tent over and dwell) upon me! So for the sake of Christ, I am well pleased {and} take pleasure in infirmities, insults, hardships, persecutions, perplexities {and} distresses; for when I am weak [in human strength], then am I [truly] strong (able, powerful in divine strength). ALL THE PERSECUTION IS TO BUILD US UP, AND SO WE TOO CAN COMFORT THOSE PEOPLE THAT WILL BE GOING THROUGH WHAT GOD HAS DELIVERED US FROM. 2Cor:1:3-4:Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of sympathy (pity and mercy) and the God [Who is the Source] of every comfort (consolation and encouragement), Who comforts (consoles and encourages) us in every trouble (calamity and affliction), so that we may also be able to comfort (console and encourage) those who are in any kind of trouble {or} distress, with the comfort (consolation and encouragement) with which we ourselves are comforted (consoled and encouraged) by God. AS WE ARE REIGNING WITH CHRIST, WE ARE TO SHARE IN HIS SUFFERING THROUGH PERSECUTION FOR THE SAKE OF THE GOSPEL OF GRACE AND TRUTH. PHIL:1:28-29:And do not [for a moment] be frightened {or} intimidated in anything by your opponents {and} adversaries, for such [constancy and fearlessness] will be a clear sign (proof and seal) to them of [their impending] destruction, but [a sure token and evidence] of your deliverance {and} salvation, and that from God. For you have been granted [the privilege] for Christs sake not only to believe in (adhere to, rely on, and trust in) Him, but also to suffer in His behalf. THE PERSECUTION IS BUILDING OUR SPIRITUAL MUSCLE, WHICH PRODUCES THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT. James:1:2-4: Consider it wholly joyful, my brethren, whenever you are enveloped in {or} encounter trials of any sort {or} fall into various temptations.Be assured {and} understand that the trial {and} proving of your faith bring out endurance {and} steadfastness {and} patience. But let endurance {and} steadfastness {and} patience have full play {and} do a thorough work, so that you may be [people] perfectly and fully developed [with no defects], lacking in nothing. WE MUST NOT ALLOW PERSECUTION TO STAND IN THE WAY OF THE GREAT COMMISSION WE HAVE BEING CALLED INTO. ROM: 1:16-17:For I am not ashamed of the Gospel (good news) {of Christ,} for it is Gods power working unto salvation [for deliverance from eternal death] to everyone who believes {with} a personal trust {and} a confident surrender {and} firm reliance, to the Jew first and also to the Greek,For in the Gospel a righteousness which God ascribes is revealed, both springing from faith and leading to faith [disclosed through the way of faith that arouses to more faith]. As it is written, The man who through faith is just {and} upright shall live {and} shall live by faith. THE GREATEST PERSECUTION THE TRUE FOLLOWER OF CHRIST (WHICH IS GRACE AND TRUTH) WILL FACE IS NOT FROM THE UNBELIEVERS, BUT FROM THE RELIGIOUS SELF RIGHTEOUS FALSE TEACHERS THAT ARE ANTI GRACE. THE SCRIPTURE MADE IT KNOWN TO US THAT ITS IN THE GOSPEL (THE GOOD NEWS) THAT WE CAN FIND THE POWER OF SALVATION. THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT WE GET WHAT WE DONT DESERVE BY GRACE. BUT THE RELIGIOUS PEOPLE WHO WERE MOTIVATED BY THEIR WORKS SELF RIGHTEOUSNESS, CANT STAND WHERE THE GRACE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST IS IN OPERATION.WE ARE SAVED BY GRACE AND NOT BY WORKSEPH:2:8-9:For it is by free grace (Gods unmerited favor) that you are saved (delivered from judgment {and} made partakers of Christs salvation) through [your] faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [of your own doing, it came not through your own striving], but it is the gift of God; Not because of works [not the fulfillment of the Laws demands], lest any man should boast. [It is not the result of what anyone can possibly do, so no one can pride himself in it or take glory to himself.] AS IT WAS IN THE DAYS OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST EARTHLY MINISTRY, WHERE ALL THE PHARISEE, SADUCEES, AND THE SCRIBE WERE AGAINST HIM FOR SPEAKING THE TRUTH, THEY STILL HAVE THEIR DESCENDANT HERE IN THE BODY OF CHRIST. John:7:12 And there was among the mass of the people much whispered discussion {and} hot disputing about Him. Some were saying, He is good! [He is a good Man!] Others said, No, He misleads {and} deceives the people [gives them false ideas]! IF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST WAS LABELLED AS LEADING PEOPLE ASTRAY IN HIS DAYS BY THE RELIGIOUS PEOPLE AND SUFFERED PERSECUTION IN HIS EARTHLY MINISTRY FOR SPEAKING THE TRUTH AND GRACE, SO WE SHOULD NOT FIND IT STRANGE HAPPENING TO US, FOR A SERVANT IS NOT GREATER THAN THEIR MASTER. Matt:10:24-28: A disciple is not above his teacher, nor is a servant {or} slave above his master. It is sufficient for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant {or} slave like his master. If they have called the Master of the house Beelzebub [master of the dwelling], how much more will they speak evil of those of His household. [II Kings 1:2.] So have no fear of them; for nothing is concealed that will not be revealed, or kept secret that will not become known. What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered in the ear, proclaim upon the housetops. And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; but rather be afraid of Him who can destroy both soul and body in hell (Gehenna).
Posted on: Thu, 16 Jan 2014 05:45:33 +0000
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