I've been reading about how we share in God's blessings but we also share in His sufferings too. What does it mean to you to suffer biblically?
To me it means staying put being a Christian no matter what relatives think about it.
Of course that is part of it, not denying Christ in the face of opposition.
We suffer rejection and ridicule for the Christ's sake because
we believe in someone that they cannot see, touch or prove
through physical proofs and yet we have faith and to them that is foolishness.
Those that do not believe do believe in something even if that something
is that what we believe is foolishness.
We all believe in something but when Christians believe in all that has been
revealed in Christ as God's own truth, it puts them at odds with all others
because that belief challenges the beliefs of others.
As long as your beliefs are not in conflict with others and you show compromise
in those belief, you will be received and embraced by the world.
As long as Jesus healed the sick and fed the poor He was loved and followed
but when He told the people that unless you eat of His flesh and partake of
His blood you will have no part in Him.
By the way Jesus was not speaking literally of cannibalism, He was talking
about receiving Him as the passover lamb of God sent to take away the sins
of all who would partake of Him receive Him believe in His sacrifice as
the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of all who trust in Him.
So we suffer at the hands of those who reject us, despise us, abuse us
and in some nations, We as Christians are put to death for the gospel and the truth
we hold on to as our unshakable and undeniable truth from God our Father.
We suffer as Christ suffered the humiliation and rejection as people lie against us and
denounce us and exclude us and as I said before in some nations we are imprisoned,
tortured and put to death.
God loves us and He has stored up blessings for those who will hold
on to Christ till this life is over.
Those that suffer greatly in this world for Christ's sake will be rewarded
greatly in the kingdom to come.
Thank God that your suffering is light and easy to bear.
Thank God that you are not dragged out in the middle of the night
and imprisoned, tortured and executed for your faith in Christ.
Your sufferings are easy compared to those who suffer physically as Christ suffered.
So use your time wisely and ask God to make you bold and to fill you with His
Holy Spirit and give you souls to win through your testimony and your sharing of the gospel
so that you will be useful to to God in promoting His kingdom to the lost.
Pray for those who persecute you and who denounce you and
call your faith in Christ foolishness and thank God for the opportunity
to witness to others without fear of being dragged off to prison and
pray for those around the world who suffer far worse than we do in this
land of religious freedom.
one of a million different ones.
