Will you Suffer with Jesus? July 10, 2016
Two weeks ago we heard how Peter saw the great grace of Jesus, and how He took all our guilt and shame. Last week it was about the broken heart response when you see how much He loves you, and wants you to live alive unto Him. Today is the result, evidence, and proof of His great love working effectually in our lives. A testimony of His love.
Psalms 66:8-12 O bless our God, ye people, and make the voice of his praise to be heard: 9 Which holdeth our soul in life, and suffereth not our feet to be moved. 10 For thou, O God, hast proved us: thou hast tried us, as silver is tried. 11 Thou broughtest us into the net; thou laidst affliction upon our loins. 12 Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water: but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place.
This “wealthy place” is found only one other place, in the 23rd Psalm, “my cup runneth over”. He brought you through all of that so you’d have your cup running over. To us it is salvation with eternal glory!
2 Timothy 2:10-13 Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal (kingly majesty) glory. 11 It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: 12 If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: 13 If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.
More than salvation, it is a better thing. Sun glory! If we suffer with Him, we will rule and reign with Him. But if we turn away from it, or think it’s too much (deny it); He will deny us the right to reign with Him. If we fall in bridal love with Him we will suffer with Him. Not a grin and bear it suffering, but strengthened to do all things by His love. His mature sons take the chastening of His love and endure hardness with gladness. In temptations – count it all joy.
James 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations
Why does He want you so weak? So the power of Christ can rest upon you. It’s all grace. We can be a light to this world – the light is Jesus. When you grow up there is responsibility, especially when you grow up in the truth, hearing that Christ will have a bride, the proposal that is for you. Our lives never have peace until we yield to it. He doesn’t force us, but His love is a force. He pursues us. Going out from the camp can be a sting. There is a suffering when you leave family and loved ones behind; you want them to come too. It’s not easy – there is a fight. There are sufferings when we go on. It may be fleshly lusts like drugs, alcohol, sex, greed. God made you perfect to need Him. He made you exactly how you are with every tendency. Not to yield to the flesh but to know He gave that to you to draw nigh to Him. Then there are the trials of life. A lot of tragedies happen. You would think them strange if you didn’t know Paul’s gospel. God is not wrong. We all have things, but oh He loves us! Have you ever praised God for your infirmities? Take more time to thank Him for them instead of just asking that He take them away. To be glorified with Him we must be tried and proven over and over. Even when the trials and temptations are so great, Paul reminds us they are not worthy to be uttered or thought about with the glory that awaits you. The exalted ranking crown of righteousness – eternal glory!
Romans 8:18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
It’s all to the praise of the glory of His grace. The reason why is verse 17.
Romans 8:17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
In the midst of the throne glory. As thou hast believed, so be it done unto you. Do you want this? All life’s sufferings are perfectly tailored, not random acts. God’s perfection in my imperfection. His faithfulness in my unbelief. Because of these things we grow into His image (just like Jesus). He suffered and it will be the same for us. As we grow up into Him the furnace may get hotter, but you are the apple of His eye. The glorious proof is in thanking Him for the infirmities. He has given you a cup that runneth over!
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