BEFORE YOU COMPLAIN (a reminder)

-

 Hebrews 13:3

Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; [and] them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body.


Jesus talked of those who follow Him being prone to suffer persecution. The apostles testified of facing persecution, so does everyone who truly follow Christ.


Romans 8:35

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? [shall] tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?


The degree of persecution vary from place to place. What is the nature of our environment? Are we free to worship, are we free to gather?


If yes, let us have in mind that there are other believers in other places who do not enjoy such luxury. Some are restricted to worship to the extent of the law of the land.


Some are restricted to worship because there are enemies waiting to attack, even to the extent of killing them.


Some are restricted to worship because they can't even afford a place to worship. It could even be because of natural disasters.


The level of persecution differ from place to place.


Do you know that some are persecuted by their own family because they serve the Lord.


1 Peter 1:6-7

Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:

 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:


Have you really faced persecution as a believer. selah!


[Some have foolishly taken their liberty to extort from people using different forms of manipulations: this ones are already cursed]


Our difficulties should provoke worship.


Do not complain if you suffer from your own errors, but when you suffer for Christ's sake, rejoice.


1 Peter 4:14-16 (NLT)

If you are insulted because you bear the name of Christ, you will be blessed, for the glorious Spirit of God rests upon you.

If you suffer, however, it must not be for murder, stealing, making trouble, or prying into other people’s affairs.

But it is no shame to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of being called by his name!


Are you really facing difficulties? Or do you have liberty to serve your God. Have you made good use of it?


Before you complain, check what fellow believers in other places go through. You would be humbled.


Take advantage of your present liberty. Of the sound health, provisions, brotherhood, resources and other things available to you.


Instead of complaining, Rejoice!


1 Peter 4:3 (NLT)

Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world.


We may be inclined to only look out for the supposed negatives. No His mercy and blessings abound. Rejoice.


So before complaining today, meditate on what you have.


He calls us blessed.


Love

@the watcher

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

DO YOU STILL SEE?

-
Habakkuk 2:3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time; but at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; Because it will surely come, it will not tarry. It may have been easy when we first believed, to visualize the promises. We reach out with zeal, loving God, seeking to do exploits. That was when we first believed, just as Jesus said: John 3:3 Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." When we become born again we see God's kingdom, our spirit man is reborn and we count the flesh as nothing. Then time passes by, we are in the world, all its distractions, temptations, responsibilities, challenges and so on begin to reveal themselves. The question then is: * Can we still see heaven? John 3:3 * Are we still zealous? John 2:17 * Are we continuing in those things? Acts 2:42 * Are we walking in love? 1John 4:7 or Has the cares and worries of life and service ta
Read more

DO UNTO OTHERS . . .

-
Matthew 7:12 "Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. It is hypocritical of us to expect people to stand with us when we are experiencing challenges yet when we see others face their own challenges, we begin to imagine what they must have done wrong or maybe they annoyed God or did one evil or the other instead of reaching out to help as we would desire others to do for us. The same thing goes for prosperity, when the Lord opens a door for us and we have abundance of wealth or a breakthrough we expect others to rejoice with us, more so, some would even find it hard to give to others. What is our reaction when someone else gets this breakthrough, do we get suddenly suspicious without reason. Do we expect the person to reach out to us? It is better to stay on the side of encouragement than to sit as a judge or prosecutor. Jesus said, Matthew 7:2 "For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the same
Read more

MY YEAR OF FULFILMENT

-
Psalms 57:2 I cry out to God Most High, to God who will fulfill his purpose for me. We just finished the book of 1Samuel, in this book we see the cry of Israel for a king and how God raised Saul to rule them. We also saw how Saul disobeyed God and lost kingship for himself and his generation. He did not stop there, he went on to seek for the death of David, whom he saw as the next heir of the throne. In chapter 31, the last chapter, we see how Saul and all his sons and men were killed, it was tragic, however it was as a sign of relief for David. We could go on counting all the struggles and difficulties we faced in the past year. No, we should not, we should begin to look at all the positives, remembering all the good things God has done for us. If He promised it, He will do it and that is what we hold onto as we go through this year. Hebrews 10:23 Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. This is the year of fulfilment, and
Read more