Good morning,
God blesses those who -
Last week we were thinking about all the promises that God has made to his children. Then we were also thinking that by this time we would know for sure who the next president would be here in America. By now we have an answer, but there are still a lot of problems that have yet to be solved for everyone to agree. It may be some time before everything will be settled because of the problems. What we do know now for sure is that our whole world is living in fear and anger and fighting for control of life and peace. Last week finished our talk with, God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation.(Jam.1:12) For those of us in God’s family we need to remember that we are not just living in the world that we can see. We are actually living in a war zone for the eternal souls of those people that are living all around us. The rules for living in our world without loving God requires fear, lies, anger, hate and control. For those of us in God’s family we have a whole different set of rules that have been laid out by our Savior and our God. When Jesus was praying for us to our Father he said, I have given them your word. And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I'm not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. (Jn.17:14,15) Those of God’s family who are now living here are here for the death and life of peoples eternal life. Jesus prayed, Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth. Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world. (vs.17,18)
Paul understood this very clearly when he wrote, In everything we do, we show that we are true ministers of God. We patiently endure troubles and hardships and calamities of every kind. (2Co.6:4) If we are hated, that is a normal event for God’s genuine child. And for those of us who are not living in America we can expect, We have been beaten, been put in prison, faced angry mobs, worked to exhaustion, endured sleepless nights, and gone without food.(v.5) The only way anything like these challenges can be carried out is, We prove ourselves by our purity, our understanding, our patience, our kindness, by the Holy Spirit within us, and by our sincere love.(v.6) We as American Christians have been tricked into thinking that if we are good Christians we should be living lives of success and health and wealth and honor and approval. What God wants from anywhere we live is that, We serve God whether people honor us or despise us, whether they slander us or praise us. We are honest, but they call us impostors.(v.8) What the real battle is often like in the world at large is, We are ignored, even though we are well known. We live close to death, but we are still alive. We have been beaten, but we have not been killed.(v.9) The really good news to all this is, Our hearts ache, but we always have joy. We are poor, but we give spiritual riches to others. We own nothing, and yet we have everything.(v.10)
What we must know and not forget is that what we have just been told from God’s Word has been true for thousands of God’s family over thousands of years and that when we arrive home in heaven we will hear the love and the joy and the wonderful benefits that the Lord has given them because they were willing stay true to their part of God’s goodness. If we endured, we will have wonderful stories to tell as well.
James 1:12 God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
Roy Wisner
