JC Blog

“Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you stood your ground in a great contest in the face of suffering. Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions” ( Hebrews 10:32-34 )

Jesus said in Mark 4 that persecution will come after someone receives the Word of God ( Mark 4:17 ). The intent is to choke the seed from taking root and growing. If the seed can be snuffed out in the early stages then no crop will grow and flourish as result. However, Jesus also said in the Parable of the Sower of the Seed that when the Word is understood taking root, it will grow and the yield is thirty, sixty, one hundred times what was sown ( Matthew 13:23 , Mark 4:20, Luke 8:8 ).

Once the truth of God’s Word is rooted in your life then persecution has a reverse effect. We can see this from our example of the early church. They were publicly exposed to insults and abuse. They were mistreated, laughed at and even killed. They were stripped of their property, their jobs and their means of support and yet they stood their ground in the face of such hardship. Not only is this so, but others joined them, to stand side by side with those who were being so treated. Persecution merely served as a catalyst for their faith.

The reason these believers rejoiced was because they understood their reward and lasting possessions were vastly different than anything the world offers. The things they valued started changing as they saw the glory of God through suffering and hardship. James gives us this promise which we can cling to when trials come our way, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” ( James 1:2-4 ). We will always come through the fiery trails as pure gold.

The other reason these men and women could rejoice was that they bore the name of Christ. Peter tells us, “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name” ( I Peter 4:12-16 ). Persecution and suffering happens because of the Word and because of trusting in God, so when it comes, rejoice; because you know that it is not on your account, but on the account of God that you bear the glorious name of Jesus.

We are the recipients of such faith. We enjoy the benefits of the men and women who gave their lives to pass the Word of God to us. The centuries are riddled with stories of martyrdom and suffering. These great men and women now enjoy their very great rewards and lasting possessions in the heavenly places. Paul told the church at Corinth that they not only participated in his suffering but they also shared in the comfort he received as a result ( I Corinthians 1:3-7 ). True to this idea, we also have received immeasurable comfort and joy that has come as a result of the suffering and persecution that the early church faced and we are so very thankful for their sacrifice.

Recently at work we’ve undergone major changes, over the past year we have lost a lot of people due to babies, moves, new jobs or layoffs. Only empty chairs occupy the desks where people I worked with for years, used to sit. Each person leaving has caused extreme sadness and a little heartache. But as the old adage says, “life goes on”... so the question becomes how we continue through life without letting these things affect us long term? In other words, how do we survive the heartaches and trials of this life?

Did you know that we have a promise of peace? In a world that functions on drama, we have promises in God’s word assuring us peace, His peace. Paul said in Philippians, “The peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” ( Philippians 4:7 nasb ). This promise is unlocked in the previous verses. The key, is to rejoice in all and every circumstance of life. Although it seems to be an arduous task at first thought when going through trials, the payoff, by far, outweighs the effort.

The Amplified Bible explains this magnificently, “And God's peace [shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” ( Philippians 4:7 Amp ). God’s peace is what shields both mind and heart at all times. There is no turmoil in Him, only peace. And he has promised it to us simply because He loves us.

Our world operates in chaos, but through Christ, we are not of the world. If we do not experience this soul peace it is because we haven’t used the Biblical key to release it in our lives. In the previous verses, Paul starts out with instructions on how to experience the peace that transcends all understanding, His strategy is to Rejoice. “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” ( Philippians 4:4-7 nasb ). Rejoicing overcomes worry and anxiety and releases God’s peace into your life.

The Bible gives us a great outline for rejoicing. First we are to rejoice in the Lord. Rejoicing can be defined as being glad, being well, thriving and joyful. We’ve all experience rejoicing in life, but Paul is describing a state of mind that can be manifested in our lives. Something that continually happens, not just situationally.

For this to happen we need to focus on the source of our joy, which is the Lord. The early church rejoiced in everything, if you search through scripture you will see they rejoiced in hearing the gospel, and witnessing it’s power ( Luke 10:20, Luke 19:6, Acts 13:48 ). They rejoiced when Jesus returned to the Father ( John 14:28 ). They rejoiced when they were beaten, publicly humiliated or killed ( Matthew 5:12, Luke 6:23, Acts 5:41, II Corinthians 6:10; 13:9, Philippians 2:17, Colossians 1:24, I Peter 4:13 ). They rejoiced in each other or when they heard good reports of other believers ( I Corinthians 16:17, Philippians 2:28; 4:10, Romans 12:15, II Corinthians 7:13; 16 ). The list goes on and on. So if the Greek word for rejoice is used for all of these circumstances, especially persecution, suffering, affliction, trials, there should be no excuse why we are not rejoicing in the Lord in any and every circumstance life throws our way! Paul even went so far as to say it again, so we would understand it’s importance...REJOICE!

Switching focus in the midst of situations gets our attention where it belongs, on the Lord and His kingdom. It allows His peace to operate in our lives and His voice to be heard in our hearts. The trials caused by living in this world have no hold on us when we experience the peace that God has promised us through rejoicing. Even though we still experience a little heartache now and again we are well equipped with the key to overcoming, so again I will say REJOICE!

It is easy to wrap temptation and suffering together into a nice little package because we experience both in this world, but they are very different. Temptation is the enticement to sin and suffering is a painful or distressing experience. Just as it is important to understand that God does not tempt us, God does not cause our suffering either. God is a good God; He loves us and sent Jesus to save us. So it is incompatible with His nature to imply that God allows or causes our suffering. But it still exists and as believers many times we suffer solely because we are Christians.

Believers are subjected to persecution and hatred because we bear the name of Christ. This should come as no surprise. Jesus told His disciples, "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you" ( John 15:18-19 ). We are different, set apart and not of this world. So it is no surprise that Jesus told us that we would have trouble in this lifetime.

The good news in all of this is that good things can result trouble and persecution. Peter told us to rejoice in these circumstances ( I Peter 1:6-7 ) and James told us to consider them pure joy ( James 1:2-4 ). This is because they knew that God was able to bring these things around for our benefit. This is not to say that He causes them to happen in our lives, but when trouble and persecution comes our way, we can cling to the promise he made to Paul in such a circumstance, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness" ( II Corinthians 12:9 ). We can trust in the goodness and grace of God to get us through these incidents just as we can rely on Him to bring good out of them.

"In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed" ( I Peter 1:6-7 ). The trials of this life work as a refining fire to burn away dross. Not only will we come out on the other side unscathed but we will come out with a genuine and proven faith. This is worth very much in the sight of God and results in His praise, glory and honor.

James tells us that God is able to perfect us through suffering. "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything" ( James 1:2-4 ). The King James Bible says that we will be 'perfect and entire'. I cannot stress enough that God does not cause our suffering, but He is able to bring good from it. Our faith is developed, the character of perseverance is perfected and we are mature and not easily taken off course by the struggles and hardships of this life.

Through both temptation and testing in life we learn to learn to trust and rely on Jesus "Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted" ( Hebrews 2:18 ). He had the full human experience so He can sympathize with us in every circumstance. What a marvelous attribute in the High Priest who lives to make intercession for us. "Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need" ( Hebrews 4:14-16 ).

Tomorrow we look at Hebrews 3:1: Fixing Our Eyes on Jesus

God does not tempt us but God does test us, or a better way to put it is that He entrusts us. What's the difference? Temptation is being enticed or allured to sin. God will not tempt us with sin because He is good and no evil is found in Him ( James 1:13 ). Testing, on the other hand, is God trusting us to make the right choice. Look at Deuteronomy 30 for example, God gave the Israelites a choice, "This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live" ( Deuteronomy 30-19 ). He presented them with a choice, He wanted their buy-in, but He also gave them the answer, "now choose life, so that you and your children may live" then He gave them the reasons, "that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob" ( Deuteronomy 30:20 ). This is an incredible promise from him. He gave the Israelites full disclosure. He gave them a choice, gave them the answer and gave them the reasons for it. He wanted them to choose correctly and entrusted them to make the right choice.

In the same way, the Lord provides us with choices as believers wanting us to make the right decisions as well. This is not to say that if we don't choose wisely He will punish us. But He entrusts us with kingdom principals watching how we respond and act. Faithfulness in these tests are the road to promotion in His kingdom because He knows He can trust us to do what He has instructed. Money is a good example of this type of testing. Everything is from Him and He wants to trust us with it. So He watches how we use what we have to see if we are trustworthy. If we prove faithful in this area then He is more likely to give us more seed to sow ( II Corinthians 9:10 ). The reason is not to become rich, instead it is to have the means to be generous in every occasion, the result is bring glory and thanksgiving to God ( II Corinthians 9:11 ).

Peter told us, "His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires: ( II Peter 1:3-4 ). God has given us instruction on everything so that we can live set apart lives in the midst of this world. He has been very clear in how we should live and entrusts us to choose wisely. The key to all of this is knowing God and walking after the Spirit because we will know who we are in Christ and we will be strong in the power of His might. It is the perfect solution.

So, when temptation comes, we can know we can resist and be free of it ( James 4:7 ). In the same way, when we are entrusted with the things of God we can find answers in His word ( II Peter 1:3-4, II Timothy 3:16-17 ). He has shown us His desires and gave us full instructions for life. Thankfully by knowing these wonderful truths, God has made this easy for us.

Tomorrow we look at Part 6: Suffering as a Believer for the Cause of Christ

A good thing to know is that God does not tempt us. This may come as a shock to many people but God does not trick, tempt or give us opportunities to sin. This is contrary to His nature. Jesus underwent this type of temptation and testing so we would not have to. After all, the Bible records that Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tested by the devil ( Matthew 4:1, Mark 1:12-13, Luke 4:1-2 ). In this testing Jesus proved his faithfulness both to God, mankind and the truth. Since this was a victory, we will never be tempted by God. James makes this very clear, "When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone" ( James 1:13 ). Just as Jesus' temptation had no power and pull with Him, God cannot be tempted by evil and in the same manner would never tempt us with evil.

With this in mind it is important for us to understand where temptations come from. First, like with Jesus, it can come from the devil. But more likely it comes from our own desires that battle inside us. James went on to say immediately after declaring that God would never tempt us, "each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death" ( James 1:14-15 ). He made it very clear that our own desires, when focused on and allowed to grow inside us, give birth to sin. Temptation starts in the heart before it is evident in our lives. This is why it is so important to focus on the Spirit and the things of God. Then these things will be evident in our lives instead of the desires of the flesh. Paul made this very point in Romans 8. "Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace" ( Romans 8:5-6 ). Do you want to experience life and peace? Walk, dwell and live by the Spirit of God.

It is also important to understand that when temptation comes, God provides the way of escape. "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it" ( I Corinthians 10:13 ). This is an amazing truth, no matter how we are tempted, it all falls under the normal human experience. This is not to say that God gives his stamp of approval on every temptation that passes before us allowing them to happen. But when they do, God does not allow trials or situations to be beyond human resistance. Nothing will be more than you and I can bear. Plus, God is faithful to His Word and compassionate in nature so He can be trusted to not allow any temptation to exceed our ability to stand against it. If that were not enough, He will always provide a way of escape for us so that we can be removed from temptation, even in the midst of it.

God has given us sure-fire ways of escaping the things that can tempt us. First, if we are being tempted by Satan, James tells us in chapter 4, "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" ( James 4:7 ). The truth is that Satan only has power over you if you give it to him. He is a defeated foe ( Colossian 2:15 ). He is afraid of you because, as a believer, you are a co-heir with Christ and seated with Him in the heavenly realm holding a true position of authority ( Romans 8:17, Ephesians 2:6 ). He has to flee. So in the midst of temptation, if we stop and recognize what is happening, then we will have victory. James gives us the key, submit yourselves to God and resist. What a wonderful combination and sure fire way of overcoming this type of temptation.

Secondly, if our temptation comes from our own desires then escaping these is done by the Spirit. "So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature" ( Galatians 5:16 ). Living by the Spirit is being consumed with the things of God. Planting His word in your heart, letting His truth and guidance overtake and consume you. We are to live like strangers in this world. When you walk after the Spirit this world and all its allure has no hold over you. It pales in comparison to the goodness and glory of God.

Lastly, a key to overcoming temptation is understanding God loves you, He died for you and He will never leave or forsake you ( Hebrews 13:5-6 ). This is so important to know and understand with every fiber of your being. So many times in life we try to replace our desire to be loved and accepted with material things, alcohol, drugs or relationships. But this insatiable desire grows from your inherent longing for God. Everyone is born with it and unless you know the only One who can fill this void, you will try to fill it in many other ways. Many of which are destructive because this need is so great. But once you get a revelation of God's love for you then contentment and peace will overtake you. They fill you to overflowing. You will dwell in a state of acceptance, love, forgiveness and grace, and those things will pour out of you as well. The things of this world become insignificant in contrast to God's love. Abundant Life fills the void until it overflows and you will no longer look for things to fill that space. You will experience firsthand the goodness of God.

Tomorrow we look at Part 5: Temptation vs. Testing, What’s the Difference?

"Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted" ( Hebrews 2:18 )

Jesus helps us in our time of need because He too suffered and experienced the full knowledge of being human. He knows and has a working comprehension of our weaknesses and struggles. Jesus shared in our humanity so He would be equipped to faithfully serve God, as our High Priest being both empathetic and merciful to us in every way. We do not have to bear the struggles of life alone. This is a promise that He will run to our rescue and help us when we are in need. What an amazing truth from God's word.

As believers we will undergo different types of temptation and suffering in this world. But understanding Jesus' role concerning this will equip us to come out on the other side unscathed. First we will look at temptation, or the things of this world that hold us. Next we will look at where temptation comes from so that we can understand our position of authority over it. Lastly we will look at being tested as a believer and how it is different than temptation. We will look at the cause of suffering and how it can prove our faith to be genuine, refined and, in the end, worth more than gold.

The Temptation of the Flesh

Just as Christ was not tempted by sin, as believers we too have been freed from the sin nature ( Romans 6:6-7 ). He has provided the means for us to escape the desires of the flesh so that it does not hold us captive. This is a key principal for the Christian life, "So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want" ( Galatians 5:16-17 ). We have been set free from the sin nature ( Romans 6:6-7 ) and have been given a born again spirit that does not sin ( I John 3:6, I John 3:9 ). But one third of our makeup is still flesh ( I Thessalonians 5:23 ). Spirit, soul and body war against each other and the winner in this three-way tussle is the one where we place our focus and attention. So by focusing on the things of the Spirit, the things of the flesh will have no appeal or hold on us. By this principal, Jesus provided the means for effortless change.

Take the example of Jesus' temptation in the desert by Satan. When the devil told him to turn stones into bread to prove that he was the Son of God, Jesus responded with what God said about it. He was hungry as He hadn't eaten in forty days however He was more focused on the Spirit and the things of God so He could not be tempted even to satisfy His hunger. He was so consumed with the thoughts and words of God not even His physical need could redirect Him.

Tomorrow we look at Part 4 : Temptation Does Not Come From God

Jesus was tested while on earth. The most memorable example is when He was tempted in the desert by Satan. Matthew records, "then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread" ( Matthew 4:1-3 ). In this case Jesus was hungry, or a better way to put it is that He would have been starving. If there was ever a time when He would be weak in His humanity or tempted by the flesh this would be it. But look at His reply, "Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God' “( Matthew 4:4 ). Even in His hunger, He was not tempted to the point of sin and responded with scripture.

In the next instance the Bible records, "Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple.”If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down. For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.' “( Matthew 4:5-7 ). Satan became aware that he could not tempt Jesus with fleshly desires so he raised the ante and used scripture to tempt Jesus into proving His lordship. "Jesus answered him, "It is also written: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.' “( Matthew 4:7 ). In other words, Jesus' understanding of the things of God trumped Satan's misuse of scripture. By having an eternal perspective He could not be tempted in this way either.

Lastly the scriptures record that "Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor.”All this I will give you," he said, "if you will bow down and worship me" ( Matthew 4:8-9 ). The interesting thing about this is that Satan had the power to offer this to Jesus because the world was his; he obtained it in the garden from Adam. In the same way, by offering it to Jesus in exchange for His worship, Satan was attempting to seize control of Jesus' heavenly kingdom. Of all the things that might peak Jesus' interest, this would be it because this was the very reason He came to earth as a man, to regain control of what was lost in the garden. But Jesus could not be fooled. "Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.' “Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him" ( Matthew 4:10-11 ). Jesus knew the Father and knew His plan so He could not be tempted in this way either. Jesus proved His faithfulness in being tempted in this way. Satan got nowhere with Him and left at Jesus' command. Angels attended to Him afterwards as this trial was hard on Him, but He proved that sin, evil and the things of the flesh had no hold on him. He could not be tempted with them.

However, this is not the only way that Jesus was tempted and tried while on earth, He was tested in many ways. At every turn the Pharisees were also there to test him. In reading through the gospels you will see it everywhere, "The Pharisees and Sadducees came to Jesus and tested him by asking him to show them a sign from heaven…" ( Matthew 16:1 ); "Some Pharisees came to him to test him…" ( Matthew 19:3 ); "But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, "You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me...?" ( Matthew 22; 18 ). The list goes on and on. In every case they were demanding answers from Him. They were looking for ways to entrap Him. They wanted to catch Him in their snare so they could accuse and kill Him.

He did this for us. He underwent these trials so He would be a faithful High Priest in all things related to God. Isaiah records the reason, "after the suffering of his soul, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities" ( Isaiah 53:11 ). He knew the result was bringing reconciliation and peace to us on God's behalf. He underwent testing, trials and temptation so that we would not have to. The result is He empathizes with us when we struggle and go through trials. Because of this he is able to run to us and help us in our time of need.

Tomorrow we look at Part 3: Jesus Helps Us When Tempted

"Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted" ( Hebrews 2:18 )

There are many differences between Christianity and every other religion in the world. But the main difference and the thing that makes Christianity far superior to anything else is Jesus. Christianity is the only faith that has a Savior, everything else relies on the good works of the follower. There is no security in this. But because Jesus is the Savior of the World He has offered us grace, mercy and assurance to the things promised in the Bible. One of these wonderful truths is found in this passage of scripture in Hebrews 2. "Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted" ( Hebrews 2:18 ).

No other religion offers a helping hand such as this. But Jesus stepped out of His home in heaven and into humanity to redeem mankind from the power of sin that held us captive. He underwent suffering and temptation in this world so that He was well equipped for His role as our High Priest. He offers us grace in every circumstance and is able to empathize (or, feel what we feel) when we suffer in this world. This is because He too suffered.

Jesus Didn't Suffer as a Sinner

Jesus wasn't tempted with evil, in other words He didn't suffer as a sinner because the lure of the world held something over Him. He suffered in humanity because He was sinless born into a world consumed and overpowered by transgressions. Jesus was tested and tried by each experience and interaction with people proving His faithfulness and steadfastness. This was where He proved He was able to be our faithful High Priest in service to God on our behalf.

Since Jesus suffered He is able to empathize with us when we undergo suffering and temptation in this world. This passage of scripture, as written in the Amplified Bible, magnifies the intent of meaning to what the author wrote so that we can gain full revelation into this wonderful truth. "For because He Himself [in His humanity] has suffered in being tempted (tested and tried), He is able [immediately] to run to the cry of (assist, relieve) those who are being tempted and tested and tried [and who therefore are being exposed to suffering]" ( Hebrews 2:18 Amp ). Jesus suffered on our behalf. He experiences everything that we are subjected to so that He is able to intercede for us. More than that, he will run to, relieve and assist us when we are suffering because this is His role as our High Priest.

With this in mind, it is important to look at Jesus in humanity. We will look at His suffering, His testing and how He overcame them. Then we will look at how He helps us when we suffer and are tried. Next we will look at the causes of suffering in this world, by looking at temptation, testing and suffering as a believer for the name of Christ. When comprehending these things together in relation to Jesus' role as our High Priest, we will appreciate and understand His intercession for us. The result is knowing that we can run to Him in every circumstance and time of need.

Tomorrow we look at Part 2: The Testing of Jesus

Paul had such an amazing perspective on things. He warned us that throughout this life we would face hardship and persecution at the hands of the world, but throughout all of it, he encourages us that this suffering does not even compare with the glory that has been revealed in us as God's children. He makes light of the afflictions endured at the hands of the world because he knew that what is inside us is so much greater in every way imaginable

In II Corinthians 4, he wrote about this very thing, "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal" ( II Corinthians 4:17-18 ). Oh to have an eternal perspective on the things of this earth. When we get a glimpse of eternity with our Lord and Savior in comparison to our earthly dwelling then the things that seem really important in this life lose their grip on us. We enter into a new reality, a true and lasting reality.

This reality starts with understanding that we are children of God. This is Paul's whole point! Nothing compares to being a son or daughter of the Lord. He loves us so much. Nothing can quite match up to the glory we have in abundance living inside of us. Not persecution, not trouble and not hardship. They shouldn't even be a comparison to knowing Jesus. As God's children we have the Holy Spirit living inside of us to confirm this truth to us over and over.

Today, it is my prayer that you gain an eternal perspective in life. May you understand that your present situation is temporary. Whatever comes your way, I pray that you weigh it against the amazing gift of knowing God and being called a son or daughter of the most high king. Amen.

Through faith we were born into God's family. He has given us a new name, a new spirit and a new future to testify to this very fact. We are heirs of God and co-heir with Christ Jesus. God has withheld nothing from us. Ephesians says, "For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will" ( Ephesians 1:4-5 ). All of this eternal blessing grew out of His love for us. Before Christ we were helpless and hopeless without God, but through the blood of Christ we have been brought near and included in the covenant of promise ( Ephesians 2:12-13 ).

This is an amazing thing. Understanding this truth will change your entire perspective in life. But with revelation and heart change comes resistance on behalf of the world. Paul said in today's passage that "...we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory" ( Romans 8:17 ). He is talking about persecution. Paul knew from experience that sharing the gospel and seeing lives changed ignited opposition to it. He bore marks on his body over and over giving evidence to this very fact. He is saying that sometimes we will suffer ridicule, slander and pain on the account of Christ from unbelievers but this can't deter us from walking in the glory reveled to us through Christ Jesus.

Jesus said something similar, "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you." ( John 15:18-19 ). Jesus suffered persecution at the hands of mankind as well. This happened not only because he was different but because it was evident that he spoke on behalf of God. He was the light of the world and the darkness could not comprehend it so they tried to destroy it.

Throughout the scriptures we are warned about this. John said, "Do not be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you" ( I John 3:13 ). James said, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds..." ( James 1:2 ). Peter said, "...do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you..." ( I Peter 4:13 ). And lastly Paul said, "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered" ( Romans 8:36 ). These men knew suffering at the hands of the world and yet each one of them said and demonstrated that knowing Jesus and His power outweighed anything that the world threw their way.

That is an encouraging word for today. Even if the world hates you on the account of Christ, who cares. The glory that we are apart of overshadows persecution and trials in every way. Paul was so convinced of this fact that He went on to say, "...in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us" ( Romans 8:37 ). He was beat, publicly humiliated, flogged and stoned near death and yet none of these thing deterred him. He gave up everything for the pursuit of Christ Jesus and the gospel. That was his driving force, nothing else mattered. His mission statement clear and focused..."I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith" ( Romans 1:16-17 ).

Sharing in Christ's suffering at the hands of unbelievers means that you are counted among his dear children. Peter said, "if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name" ( I Peter 4: 16 ). And that is exactly what Paul is saying in today's passage, we will share in suffering at the hands of the world because we are God's children and co-heirs with Christ. Now rejoice because this is temporary compared to the surpassing glory that will be revealed in us. Paul was a great example of faith in action. He knew God and he understood the coming glory that will be revealed in us the further we walk with Christ. Paul said, "But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ-the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith" ( Philippians 3:7-9 ). This is our goal. Not caring what the world says, not caring what the world does, but considering their foolishness completely lost to us that we may know Christ and understand the righteousness we have as his children.

Today, I am blessed to be called a daughter, a sister, a friend and wife of my beloved Lord. He has used all of these descriptive relationships to state that I am everything to him. He says the same about you! He loves you so much. May his love permeate your entire spirit, soul and body today. May renewing your mind to this amazing truth change your future. Amen.