Good morning,
This 4th of July holiday will always be a part of history that I will not forget until I can’t remember things any more. The country that I live in has made a public stand against a rule that has stood for thousands of years that marriage is defined by a man marrying a woman. This decision is now being viewed by the legal community as a legal foundation to openly declare that the rules of the Bible are no longer valid when making rules about right and wrong on the part of it’s citizens. This approach to decision making has also made me deeply grateful that I am a citizen of God’s heaven and it’s capitol, the New Jerusalem. I am so thankful that the eternal life that God has given us who have put our trust in the love of Jesus and the rule of Jesus will always be guided by the rules he has given us in his word, The Bible. While this sudden change of rules (actually we have been working up to this for the last 50 years or so) in our country, the guidelines for right and wrong are sweeping our world in many different, and legal ways. World magazine just sent a writer to Nigeria to talk to Christians who have been facing violent attacks because they are not obeying the right set of religious laws of a powerful world wide religious group. In an interview of a wounded survivor she asked him how she could pray for him. His answer was, “Pray that I will stand fast.” These Christians weren’t asking for the removal of their trial, but for perseverance in it.
Peter made the same declaration when he wrote in 1 Peter 4:13, Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering . . . Our enemy has done his very best to get believers to think that following Jesus leads to freedom from pain and suffering. We have learned to value comfort over willing and obedient living. We have forgotten that suffering for Jesus will mean that we will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world. We have been trained to trade eternity for the pleasures that our world offers us. We have lost the value of “standing fast” and have replaced it with a “love” that allows the world to keep us under their control. We live in fear of insults instead of seeing truth through God’s filter. We completely miss being happy and glad when we are being treated just like Jesus. We have been fooled into thinking that when trouble comes we are on our own in dealing with the problems and pain that comes for his and our benefit. Our flesh and our Enemy do their best to make us feel that we are on our own, when the truth is that, then the glorious Spirit of God rests upon you. God’s Spirit is never overpowered by the presence of evil people or evil angels. Dear Lord, please open our eyes to the real truth of our present situation.
1 Peter 4:13 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. 14 So be happy when you are insulted for being a Christian, for then the glorious Spirit of God rests upon you.
Roy Wisner
