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1 Peter 2:19-20

For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully. For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God.

Personal Challenge

The life that Jesus calls me to live is so much different than what the world calls me to live. The world calls me to live my life with me as the center of the universe with everything revolving around me. Living this way sets me up to expect that everyone else treat me nicely, especially when I do nice things. Therefore, I do nice things so that I get rewarded and honored. Jesus, however, showed me that God and others should be the center of my universe and that I should live my life loving them. From this love will flow acts of love and kindness expecting nothing in return. But what if I suffer for doing these good things? Then I should take the suffering patiently as Jesus did knowing that this too is an act of love. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.

2 Timothy 1:12-14

For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.

Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. That good thing which was committed to you, keep by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.

Encouraging Words

I have found that if I am truly trying to live my life for Christ, and hopefully live it the way that I believe He would want me to, then there will be suffering. It may be from others oppressing me for my belief, or it may be from sacrificing things that this world has to offer, and sometimes it is from other believers challenging me because my faith practice is different than theirs. But no matter what form the suffering comes in, Jesus, the One in whom I have put my faith, is always there to keep me strong in Him and filled with His joy. Glory be to God!

Romans 14:19

Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another.

Personal Challenge

Paul was such an amazing man and clearly an example to follow. He lived in a day when one of the most ruthless governments was in control of the known world of his day, the Roman empire. On top of that he was under the jurisdiction of the local government and religious governing intstitutions in Jerusalem and Israel. Corruption was rampant. Persecution was at its height. And yet Paul did not rebel against the institutions of the world for he knew that his citizenship was in heaven. To the contrary, he worked within the government institutions in order to share the gospel of Jesus Christ throughout his world. What a valuable lesson for me today, to know and trust that God has placed me right where I am in time, in geography, and in social structure, so that He can use me to glorify Him and not magnify me.

Romans 14:12-13

So then each of us shall give account of himself to God. Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way.

Personal Challenge

How can I become a stumbling block or a cause to fall in my brother’s life? One very easy way is to judge them for their beliefs or life practices. Another is to be so vocal about my beliefs or life practices so as to misrepresent my Lord. Whether it be my position on politics or the people in politics, the church or the people in the church, my opinions on our society or the people in our society, if my voice on these things is so loud and strong that it makes others believe that my personal opinion is what Jesus teaches, then I have professed a false gospel and caused my brother to stumble and to fall. The only message that both my words and my actions should be proclaiming is the love of God for His creation and the work of Christ to redeem us from our sin and death. Everything else should be kept silent and personal. No wonder so many early church fathers and saints of the desert encourage silence over speaking. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner!

Romans 14:7-10

For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living. But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

Personal Challenge

I am not alone in this world. I am connected to every other human being because we all carry the image of God within us. Because of this, no matter what I do, it is for the Lord, both the good and the bad. If I do good for my brother, or to him, then I am doing it for, or to Christ. If I treat my brother badly, then that too, I do to my Lord. Whether it be by my word or my deed then I must always see Christ in our midst.

2 Timothy 2:11-13

This is a faithful saying:
For if we died with Him,
We shall also live with Him.
If we endure,
We shall also reign with Him.
If we deny Him,
He also will deny us.
If we are faithless,
He remains faithful;
He cannot deny Himself.

Encouraging Words

How come Jesus has more responsibilities in this relationship than we do? If we die to self and endure the battles of life for Him, then we can live with Him and even reign with Him. But if we become faithless, He remains faithful to us. This is because when we chose to follow Him and were baptized and chrismated into Him, then He took up His dwelling place within us. This is why He cannot deny Himself. Thank You, Lord Jesus, for Your commitment to us, and me!

Isaiah 29:13

So the Lord said, “These people draw near to Me and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me, and they worship Me in vain, teaching the commandments and doctrines of men.”

Personal Challenge…

Oh, how easy it is to slip into the mode of preaching and teaching about Christ and what we should be doing as His followers and yet not practice what we are saying in our own hearts and lives. God judges my heart and He knows what the truth is within me. This is why it is so important for me to worry about my own life in Christ and not about everyone else’s. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner!

Isaiah 28:16

therefore, thus says the Lord: “Behold, I lay for the foundations of Zion a costly stone, a chosen and precious cornerstone for its foundations, and whoever believes in Him will not be put to shame.”

Encouraging Words

From the beginning of eternity, God had chosen His Son to be the cornerstone that humanity would be built upn in order for us to be in relationship with Himself. Man was created through Christ in His image and likeness. Then after man exercised his free will and fell from the presence of God. Christ was once again built upon through the law and the prohets to teach us of our need for a Redeemer. Finally after the law and the prophets were rejected, once again Christ became the cornerstone through His incarnation, death, burial, and resurection. He once and for all laid Himself down to be the cornerstone for our eternal relationship with God. Glory be to Him!