We often blame someone or something else for the corruption that we see in the world. But Jesus declared that we are the salt of the earth and the light of the world! The purpose of salt is to preserve things, and the purpose of light is to illuminate darkness.
Have you ever wondered what would have happened to Paul and Silas if they had not chosen to rejoice during that dark night in prison? In view of their circumstances, they could have sat back and complained.
As we engage with God in the classroom of rejoicing, one of the first things He will do is change our perspective on suffering and persecution. From our human perspective, suffering and persecution threaten our happiness and comfort.
How do we prepare for suffering and persecution? Consider how you would train for lifting weights – you would start with small weights and increase from there. In the same way, God desires to train us in the small things.
Have you ever thought of joy as being a part of persecution and suffering? In this command, it is. As ironic as this sounds, the command to rejoice is an invitation to hope and courage during trials. Enduring persecution and suffering for the sake of Christ conforms us to His image...
While he's best known for his role in the movies Fireproof and Courageous, Ken Bevel's story goes far beyond these films. By age 17, he found his life heading toward disaster as he sought love & affirmation in all the wrong places.
Just as sheep will only follow one shepherd, believers in Christ can only follow one Lord. It's easy to think we are following Jesus when, in reality, many other things compete with following Him. These can include relationships, possessions, or even ministry.
Are we willing to follow Jesus wherever He leads? Or do we say that we trust Him while we reserve the right to make our own decisions? Following Jesus means trusting Christ to determine the direction of our lives, even when it doesn’t make sense.