Living as a Witness for Christ

Luke 21:8-19 >>

8He replied: “Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not follow them.
9When you hear of wars and revolutions, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away.”
10Then he said to them: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.
12“But before all this, they will lay hands on you and persecute you. They will deliver you to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name.
13This will result in your being witnesses to them.
14But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves.
15For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.
16You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death.
17All men will hate you because of me.
18But not a hair of your head will perish.
19By standing firm you will gain life.

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1. Some problems and/or sufferings I’ve been experiencing recently are conflicts with relationships with other people. The causes of this is I guess the way people deal with stress in times of change, as well as misunderstanding or mistakes and needing to forgive. These problems/sufferings occured sometimes due to negligence, sin, and sometimes out of my control.
2. Meditating on verse 13, I am able to witness through the problems that I am facing by the way I respond to them. Do I still have peace, joy, patience, and love in going through them? Do I still trust in God and give Him glory? I should respond with a steadfast heart, with humility, with perseverance and patience and trusting and depending on God, having faith that He will get me through it all. To His witnesses, the Lord promises to give us words and wisdom that adversaries will not be able to contradict. He also said not even a hair on my head will perish and I will gain life!

How to Endure Suffering (3): No Retreat

Hebrews 10:32-39
32Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you stood your ground in a great contest in the face of suffering. 33Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. 34You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions.

35So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. 36You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. 37For in just a very little while,
“He who is coming will come and will not delay.
38But my righteous one[a] will live by faith.
And if he shrinks back,
I will not be pleased with him.”[b] 39But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved.

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1. Some sufferings that I’m currently facing are because of my own past mistakes, as well as because of righteousness. I think my reaction could actually be better and I want to improve!
2. The kind of attitude I need to have in reacting to suffering that’s caused by truth is to endure. Hebrews 10:38-38 says that “But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him. But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved.” So basically we need to ENDURE (not shrink back) and JUST BELIEVE. We need to persevere in having the character of Christ and I believe we will make it through, just like His Word says, “believe and are saved.” Amen!
3. I think I’ve experienced all three positions of following Christ: progression, regression and stagnation. Yet the other two are both bad, and recently I believe I’ve been growing spiritually so praise the Lord! I want to continue this by continuing to meet in fellowship with other believers for prayer and sharing of His Word and goodness in our lives, as well as confronting issues and practicing living out His love.

How to Walk Through Times of Suffering (1): Patience, Faithfulness and Perseverance

2 Timothy 2:3-13
3Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs—he wants to please his commanding officer. 5Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor’s crown unless he competes according to the rules. 6The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. 7Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this.

8Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel, 9for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God’s word is not chained. 10Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.

11Here is a trustworthy saying:
If we died with him,
we will also live with him;
12if we endure,
we will also reign with him.
If we disown him,
he will also disown us;
13if we are faithless,
he will remain faithful,
for he cannot disown himself.

1. Some characteristics of a soldier, athlete and farmer:
-endure hardship like a good soldier of Christ, not getting involved in civilian affairs but wanting to please commanding officer
- compete as an athlete, not receiving victor’s crown unless competes according to rules
- hardworking farmer- first to receive share of crops

To better myself, I need to be more like a soldier and not care about what others say or think but focus on what my commanding officer wants me to do, and also obeying the rules like an athlete, because disregarding them disqualifies me from the prize. X__X

2. As a Christian, I face challenges like pressure to break the rules, or following the herd which could e misleading. But I want to live out the wisdom from these verses today.

3. 3 secrets that made the opostle Paul remain firm are knowing that if we die with Him, we’ll live with Him, if we endure, we’ll also reign with Him, and if we disown Him, He will disown us. But He will remain faithful no matter what.