January 6, 2025 BUT TAKE COURAGE
1 Peter 4:12-13 “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; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing; so that at the revelation of His glory, you may rejoice with exultation.”
John 16:33 “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulations, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”
I do not think that those in the western world very often share in the ‘sufferings of Christ.’ For sure there is some ‘suffering’ that comes with being a professing Christian no matter where you live. Christians are often portrayed as being narrow-minded, uneducated, and ones who believe a book that is long outdated. With that being said, we certainly find that what Jesus said in John 16:13 is very relevant in our day; that is that ‘In the world you have tribulations.’
It is a given that ‘fiery ordeals’ and tribulations will come our way in this life; so we should not be surprised when they come. The truth we must not miss is that Jesus tells us to ‘take courage’ in the trials. That’s amazing; instead of being stressed and discouraged by the difficulties we face, we can take courage! In the natural, trials take life out of us and we live with discouragement. Not so for believers; the key is that Jesus lived in this world and He experienced trials like you and I will never face, yet He overcame the world. You might say that you are glad He overcame the world, but you are not Jesus. That gets us to the point we must embrace. A basic cornerstone of the Christian faith is that Jesus lives in us and that is what makes us different from the world and what makes us overcomers in the midst of trials. However, there is one caveat; to experience the overcoming life of Jesus in us, we must be walking according to the Spirit and not according to the flesh. (That’s another whole subject.) It is about us knowing our true identity as those belonging to God. A great transformation occurs when we die to ourselves and experience Christ living in us. To die to ourselves is to acknowledge Christ as Lord and then yield every ounce of our being to Him, desiring above everything else to know Him more fully and to do the things that are pleasing to Him. So, the good news for us is we do not have to be defeated by our trials; because He is in us, we can miraculously take courage. We can take courage because He is working things for good for those who are walking in His ways. Sure-trials are no fun; but they serve a purpose and Jesus is with us as we go through the trials and He comforts and strengthens us. It is indeed a work of God that enables us to overcome the difficulties of life. Let us rejoice in the plans that God has for us as we await His return.
James 1:12 “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test of he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love Him.”
Blessings, Buddy
1 Peter 4:12-13 “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; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing; so that at the revelation of His glory, you may rejoice with exultation.”
John 16:33 “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulations, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”
I do not think that those in the western world very often share in the ‘sufferings of Christ.’ For sure there is some ‘suffering’ that comes with being a professing Christian no matter where you live. Christians are often portrayed as being narrow-minded, uneducated, and ones who believe a book that is long outdated. With that being said, we certainly find that what Jesus said in John 16:13 is very relevant in our day; that is that ‘In the world you have tribulations.’
It is a given that ‘fiery ordeals’ and tribulations will come our way in this life; so we should not be surprised when they come. The truth we must not miss is that Jesus tells us to ‘take courage’ in the trials. That’s amazing; instead of being stressed and discouraged by the difficulties we face, we can take courage! In the natural, trials take life out of us and we live with discouragement. Not so for believers; the key is that Jesus lived in this world and He experienced trials like you and I will never face, yet He overcame the world. You might say that you are glad He overcame the world, but you are not Jesus. That gets us to the point we must embrace. A basic cornerstone of the Christian faith is that Jesus lives in us and that is what makes us different from the world and what makes us overcomers in the midst of trials. However, there is one caveat; to experience the overcoming life of Jesus in us, we must be walking according to the Spirit and not according to the flesh. (That’s another whole subject.) It is about us knowing our true identity as those belonging to God. A great transformation occurs when we die to ourselves and experience Christ living in us. To die to ourselves is to acknowledge Christ as Lord and then yield every ounce of our being to Him, desiring above everything else to know Him more fully and to do the things that are pleasing to Him. So, the good news for us is we do not have to be defeated by our trials; because He is in us, we can miraculously take courage. We can take courage because He is working things for good for those who are walking in His ways. Sure-trials are no fun; but they serve a purpose and Jesus is with us as we go through the trials and He comforts and strengthens us. It is indeed a work of God that enables us to overcome the difficulties of life. Let us rejoice in the plans that God has for us as we await His return.
James 1:12 “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test of he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love Him.”
Blessings, Buddy
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