Good Morning and welcome in everybody. Today we are going to take a look at a passage of scripture but before we do that, I wanted to tell you a little story.
Think about all of the tough situations that a soldier will need to endure if he’s going to join the military. In order to be a good soldier, he will need to learn to accept the difficulties that come with the job. It’s not all biscuits and gravy, and there are going to be some tough times ahead that he will need to go through. He will need to learn to work in extreme weather conditions, such as freezing cold or the burning desert heat. He will have to deal with a deprivation of sleep and food. He will need to accept his responsibilities even when he finds himself in waist deep mud, and surrounded by antagonistic reptiles and biting insects. Above and beyond all of this, he will need to get used to being shot at.
This reminds me of the Christian Life.
To become a soldier of Christ, one will need to accept that there will be personal suffering when you enlist. You will need to count the cost, and understand that the march to paradise will not always be an easy one. Timothy was being trained as a soldier of God, and one of the first things to learn is that you must be able to endure whatever sufferings come to pass in your life.
2 Timothy 2 ³ Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
Throughout this world, the devil is waging war against the true soldiers of God, trying to inflict them with pain and suffering. He will persecute and harass thej in an attempt to knock the man of God down, but greater is HE that is in you, then he that is in the world. He’s fighting a losing battle in a temporal theater that will eventually be completely consumed by the fires of God. We must be strong in our faith, and completely resist him, knowing that God is on our side and will come quickly to our aid.
1 Peter 5 ⁸ Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: ⁹ Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
“But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.” 2 Timothy 4:5
As a soldier of God, Paul had already undergone many battles in the name of Christ, and God had completely delivered Him.
2 Timothy 3 ¹⁰ But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, ¹¹ Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me. ¹² Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
2 Timothy 4. ¹⁴ Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works: ¹⁵ Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words. ¹⁶ At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge. ¹⁷ Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. ¹⁸ And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
The Thessalonian Church was praised by Paul for enduring the sufferings that were coming upon them because of their faith.
2 Thessalonians 1 ³ We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth; ⁴ So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure:
If you choose to begin the Christian Life, then you will need to accept the persecutions that come with it.
“Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;” 2 Timothy 1:8
Paul was born and raised a Jew, but was hated by many of his own kinsmen in the flesh, because they wouldn’t accept the truth about God’s only begotten Son Jesus Christ.
“But the Jews stirred up the devout and honourable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts. Acts 13:50
In the military, they train you to endure suffering and as a soldier of God, men must do the same.
“Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:10
When we think about sufferings, we must look at our precious Lord Jesus as our example.
Hebrews 12 ¹ Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, ² Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³ For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
Speaking about the Lord Jesus it says….
“And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” Philippians 2:8
Being persecuted for the sake of the Gospel is the evidence of a true prophet of God.
Matthew 5 ¹⁰ Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ¹¹ Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. ¹² Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
Some people will begin the Christian Life but they will only last for a period of time. Just like in the military, they aren’t ready for the things that they joined up for, and will complete abandon the faith.
Mark 4 ¹⁶ And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; ¹⁷ And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended.
We must patiently endure suffering as we obediently serve Christ
“And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” Mark 13:13
Are you ready to enlist in God’s army? If so,you will need to accept whatever comes with it, and endure hardness as a Good soldier of Christ. We must be strong. We must be diligent. We must adhere to…..
….The Call of Duty
Let’s think about these things for right now. We can be found on your web browser by searching, tlkjbc where you can find our diaries distributed through various platforms. We are not associated, nor affiliated with any other religious groups. You can get our entire podcast feeds directly, along with transcripts at tlkjbc.com or I suppose that you could find us somewhere up here, in the Great Northern Minnesota woods. Peace to you all, and Lord willing, we will talk with you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody.
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