August 12, 2013 EASY TO SAY, DIFFICULT TO DO! 2 PART SERIES PART 1 Matthew 5:10-12 God’s commands sometimes defy human logic. Take, for example, the command to rejoice in persecution, which doesn’t make sense until w realize the effect of praise it keeps us focused upon the Lord and the good things He can bring out of hardship. The apostle Paul faced greater abuse and suffering than most of us ever will. He was beaten, put a trial, and imprisoned, yet he looked beyond these difficulties to what the Lord was accomplishing through his life. For instance, he didn’t rejoice that he was a captive, but he did celebrate the great ministry he had among his prison guards. If we believe that the Lord is in control and that He keeps His promises, then we must trust in the principle of Romans 5:3-5. This passage assures us that our hardships have purpose. Specifically, they develop our endurance, strengthen, our character, and solidify our hope. Two immediate rewards of suffering are: the deepening of our faith and the preparation for greater service to the kingdom. We’re able to rejoice because we are maturing believers whom God can use for His purposes. The Lord will bring good from our persecution, just as He did for Paul. But if we allow doubt to cloud our faith, we won’t be able to rejoice in what He is doing in and though our life. And if we can’t rejoice, we are in danger of giving up before God’s good work can be completed. Rejoicing keeps us focused upon the Lord and His purposes so that we may see our trial through to the end and receive our reward. Blessing n Persecution Although we certainly do not feel blessed when we are being insulted and persecuted, Jesus said that we, in fact, are blessed Matt 5:1-2 “Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him.” The Lord’s perspective on persecution differs from ours He considers it a positive thing I we suffer in His name. Persecution is good because… • It proves our faith. The only way we can know the capacity of our faith is by means of testing. When we persevere through a trial, we begin to understand that we can remain steadfast and obedient in the midst of a challenge. We also learn the magnitude of God’s strength to support us through persecution. • It purifies our life. Persecution snaps our attention away from meaningless things and onto the Lord. We are driven into His, He’ll bring to our awareness wrong attitudes and actions some related to our trial and some not for which related we must repent. Persecution is a powerful cleansing tool. • It prepares us for greater service. Suffering breaks our pride and self-reliance- attitudes that hinder our usefulness for the Lord. Pride crumbles when we realize we’re incapable of living the Christian life on our own, especially when we’ve been insulted and hurt. A life of ease and pleasure isn’t always a sign of blessings. So let’s not “be surprised at the fiery ordeal…as though some strange thing were happening” (1 Peter 4:12). If persecution strengthens our faith, purifies our hearts, and equip us for greater service, then we should thank the Lord for the way He will use it in our life. Have a nice day.!
Posted on: Wed, 14 Aug 2013 00:23:52 +0000