"After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, Who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you. To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen." (1 Peter 5:10, 11--NASB)
I think so many people today get discouraged and give up because much of modern Christendom does not proclaim the Bible Theology from Genesis 1 to Revelation 22. They pick out what will keep people coming back. "After you have suffered..," will not do that. Of course, most of the talk of "suffering" in the Bible is not what most Westerners think of or experience. It is talk of severe persecution.
Yet, we can take from Bible Theology that our Lord Jesus Christ is He Who, "will Himself perfect...you," (literally, 'compact together, perfect for his full destination or use, bring into its proper condition, whether for the first time, or after a lapse)'." Can this be any more clear?!? Just study this from the Interlinear for a moment and we will see the purpose of Jesus in His "workings" in our lives. This is sort of another way of saying that Jesus, "causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose."
Then there is the, "confirm ('fix firmly'), strengthen and establish ('lay the foundation [in]) you", from the moment we open our heart's door to Him until the very moment of our departure from this life. "To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen." Whatever our "sufferings" may be does not diminish suffering for the individual. But what, or rather, Who sees us through is our, "Great Shepherd of the sheep," our Lord Jesus Christ, and His promise is sure, "the God of all grace, Who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you."
Father, in Jesus' Name, Thank You so much for this glorious promise of Your working in my life. Amen.
I think so many people today get discouraged and give up because much of modern Christendom does not proclaim the Bible Theology from Genesis 1 to Revelation 22. They pick out what will keep people coming back. "After you have suffered..," will not do that. Of course, most of the talk of "suffering" in the Bible is not what most Westerners think of or experience. It is talk of severe persecution.
Yet, we can take from Bible Theology that our Lord Jesus Christ is He Who, "will Himself perfect...you," (literally, 'compact together, perfect for his full destination or use, bring into its proper condition, whether for the first time, or after a lapse)'." Can this be any more clear?!? Just study this from the Interlinear for a moment and we will see the purpose of Jesus in His "workings" in our lives. This is sort of another way of saying that Jesus, "causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose."
Then there is the, "confirm ('fix firmly'), strengthen and establish ('lay the foundation [in]) you", from the moment we open our heart's door to Him until the very moment of our departure from this life. "To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen." Whatever our "sufferings" may be does not diminish suffering for the individual. But what, or rather, Who sees us through is our, "Great Shepherd of the sheep," our Lord Jesus Christ, and His promise is sure, "the God of all grace, Who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you."
Father, in Jesus' Name, Thank You so much for this glorious promise of Your working in my life. Amen.
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
Hebrews 12:2
Hebrews 12:2
