SERVICES: SATURDAY 6PM | SUNDAY 9AM & 10:45AM. 

We Livestream at www.FaithFellowshipWeb.com/livestream, through the FFC App, and YouTube.

The Gift of Suffering

Words of Faith Final

The Gift of Suffering
Words of Faith 9-16-2021
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2021
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL
www.faithfellowshipweb.com
<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><<><

Romans 8
    [18] I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. [19] The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed.

      One of the unusual gifts of God is to suffer for Him. Strange as it may seem, "it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him (Philippians 1:29)." This is contrary to the popular notion that the Christian will be delivered from any pain or suffering in this life. The teaching of Jesus may not be popular, but it is true.  In this world, you will have trouble (John 16:33). You can choose a religion that says otherwise, but be aware that it will be a false religion.
     So, what is the point of suffering? A complete answer may take a lifetime, but we can begin here. A good start is to realize that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us-- not just to us, but in us. For a Christian, suffering is never without meaning because the glory of God will be revealed in us.  
    The glory of God is revealed in us and through us and to us in times of suffering. Paul wrote that when Christ, who is your life, appears, you will also appear with him in glory (Col. 3:4). He also called believers to pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints (Ephes. 1:18).  
     Perhaps that is why Paul cried out from his heart: "I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead" (Phil. 3:10‑11).
     There is an audience to our suffering. All creation waits, longing in eager expectation for the moment when the sons of God will be revealed. Like a family with a member kidnapped, all of creation shuddered when the ransom was paid. Now all creation waits for the moment of glory that happens when that member is returned. You see, the sin of man alone caused all of creation to fall into the agony that required redemption. When the children of God are revealed, in times of suffering, all creation rejoices.  
     God may deliver the believer from suffering; we don't know. What is for sure is that there are no mistakes and God delivers the believer from meaningless suffering; for our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed.

     Lord, may Your glory be revealed in my life. May a child of God be revealed to the creation that waits. In Jesus' name. Amen.

<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><
© Jeffrey D. Hoy 2021
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy - Faith Fellowship Church (EFCA)        
2820 Business Center Blvd.
Melbourne, Florida 32940 (321)-259-7200
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
SUBSCRIPTIONS - To receive the Words of Faith devotion five days a week, send an e-mail message addressed to join-words-of-faith@hub.xc.org. To stop receiving Words of Faith, send an e-mail message addressed to unsubscribe-words-of-faith@hub.xc.org. The daily devotion and archive are posted at http://www.faithfellowshipweb.com/cgi-bin/devotions/displayMonths.cgi
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -      
The Words of Faith devotion is published five days a week by E-mail, excluding Federal holidays. Please feel free to forward this devotion to a friend who might be blessed by this devotion. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is quoted from the New International Version (R) of The Holy Bible. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Words of Faith (c) 1997, 2021 Jeffrey D. Hoy. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to forward this copyrighted material or use portions of it with appropriate notation of the source for non-profit purposes.