Suffering As A Christian? Rejoice!

Brothers and sisters, in 2001 every thing in my life was going well. I was thinking mostly about business and going on with life. I did not forget God, but I awoke one morning and realized I was too caught up in the cares of life. I wept before the Lord and begged him not to let me be like Lot or let me and my family lose our souls. In his great mercy the Father almost immediately started a series of trials in my life. I walk in the understanding trials will continue for the rest of my life. The God who is Love is judging the household of God. The Holy Spirit is preparing a remnant to meet the Lord Jesus, the Messiah.

While false teachers go about deceiving the world and telling them about "your best life now" and teaching "grace covers sins", we find that God tells us his children will suffer as he has a totally different plan for his children and says "it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God". Friends, we must die to our old nature.

• 19“Stop storing up treasures for yourselves on earth, where moths and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. 20But keep on storing up treasures for yourselves in heaven, where moths and rust do not destroy and where thieves do not break in and steal, 21because where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
  
  
  22“The eye is the lamp of the body. So if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light. 23But if your eye is evil, your whole body will be full of darkness. Therefore, if the light within you has turned into darkness, how great is that darkness!”
  
  
  24“No one can serve two masters, because either he will hate one and love the other, or be loyal to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and riches!”n

1 Peter 4 ISV

Suffering as a Christian

12Dear friends, do not be surprised by the fiery ordeal that is taking place among you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 

• 13Instead, because you are participating in the sufferings of the Messiah,g keep on rejoicing, so that you may be glad and shout for joy when his glory is revealed. 
• 14If you are insulted because of the name of the Messiah,h you are blessed, for the glorious Spirit of God is resting on you.i
• 15Of course, none of you should suffer for being a murderer, thief, criminal, or troublemaker. 
• 16But if you suffer for being a Christian, do not feel ashamed, but glorify God with that name. 
• 17For the time has come for judgment to begin with the household of God. 
• And if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who refuse to obey the gospel of God?

18“If it is hard for the righteous person to be saved,

what will happen to the ungodly and sinful person?”j

19So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should entrust their souls to their faithful Creator and continue to do what is good.

             When I Survey The Wondrous Cross