“If we suffer, we shall also reign with Him.” — 2 Timothy 2:12
We must not imagine that we are suffering for Christ, and with Christ, if we are not in Christ. Beloved friend, are you trusting to Jesus only? If not, whatever you may have to mourn over on earth, you are not “suffering with Christ,” land have no hope of reigning with Him in heaven. Neither are we to conclude that all a Christian’s sufferings are sufferings with Christ, for it is essential that he be called by God to suffer. If we are rash and imprudent, and run into positions for which neither providence nor grace has fitted us, we ought to question whether we are not rather sinning than communing with Jesus. If we let passion take the place of judgment, and self-will reign instead of Scriptural authority, we shall…
fight the Lord’sbattles with the devil’s weapons, and if we cut our own fingers we mustnot be surprised. Again, in troubles which come upon us as the result ofsin, we must not dream that we are suffering with Christ. When Miriamspoke evil of Moses, and the leprosy polluted her, she was not sufferingfor God. Moreover, suffering which God accepts must have God’s gloryas its end. If I suffer that I may earn a name, or win applause, I shall get noother reward than that of the Pharisee. It is requisite also that love to Jesus,and love to His elect, be ever the mainspring of all our patience. We mustmanifest the Spirit of Christ in meekness, gentleness, and forgiveness. Letus search and see if we truly suffer with Jesus. And if we do thus suffer,what is our “light affliction” compared with reigning with Him? Oh it is soblessed to be in the furnace with Christ, and such an honour to stand in thepillory with Him, that if there were no future reward, we might countourselves happy in present honour; but when the recompense is so eternal,so infinitely more than we had any right to expect, shall we not take up thecross with alacrity, and go on our way rejoicing?
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Producer: Todd Adkins
Voice Artist: Ian Cullen