Christians Suffering As Christ

 Christians Suffering as Christ

As Christians it is a blessing when we suffer, it is a time to rejoice. When we suffer for righteousness and yet we endure, we are doing the will of God. When we speak not giving insult for insult or evil for evil and we control our tongue, we are doing the will of God.

No one can harm you if you prove you are zealous for good.

1 Peter 2:19

For this finds favor, if for the sake of conscience toward God a person bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly.

20 For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God.
21 For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps,
22 WHO COMMITTED NO SIN, NOR WAS ANY DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH;
23 and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously;
24 and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.

1 Peter 3:14

But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed AND DO NOT FEAR THEIR INTIMIDATION, AND DO NOT BE TROUBLED,

15 but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;
16 and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame.
17 For it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong.
18 For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit.

1 Peter 4:12

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you;

13 but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation.
14 If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.
15 Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler;
16 but if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name.

James 1:2

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,

3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.

4 And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Love all of You!

Lord Jesus Saves †

Finding Unity Among Children of God!

Where is the One True Church?

We must remember the one true Church has no walls.  The written word is inspired by the Holy Spirit, yet we have many interpretations of the written word which causes many divisions among the Lord’s children. What happens is, many of us believe a certain way and we desire to show others the truth because we believe we know the truth and others are misinterpreting the word.  So what do we do? As children of God, we try to show others how their interpretation is false and what is correct, while they are trying to show us how we are wrong. Have you ever seen Children of God get ugly with one another over interpretations and not see the sin in how they are treating one another? I believe one of God’s hidden mysteries is here and we will only see this as we come closer to being transformed into the perfect. Many see these different interpretations as false doctrines. But if we could rise above and see things from the Lord’s eyes using his spiritual wisdom not the wisdom of man, many of these interpretations that divide Children of God have nothing to do with our salvation. 

The Lord is concerned with our hearts and motives. How are we are treating one another?  Are we fighting over what we believe is truth and hurting each other? The Lord warns us not to devour one another. Is our love genuine for HIM and others? I believe the Lord was well aware of the fact we would not agree on every interpretation of the written word, but in order to find perfect unity he knew we must rise above that. If our heart is truly filled with the attributes of the fruit of the Spirit and we are seeing through HIS eyes we will begin to come together through Love which brings about UNITY which is found only in HIM! That is why he said the whole Law can be summed up in one-word LOVE! He says in loving him and others we fulfill the Law.

The Lord teaches, what defiles man comes from the heart and when Jesus spoke on the sermon on the mount everything he spoke of had to do with man’s heart. So if our heart is filled with Love there is no room for the things that defile us, like immorality, impurity, sensuality,  idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these. The one true church is found in the hearts of the “called out”! Those walking in righteousness through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ!

Galatians 5

25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.

26 Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.

Colossians 3:12-17

So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.

Lord Jesus Saves †