Saturday 23 October 2010.
This Saturday's discussion topic was one which most of us do not like to hear of especially coming from the perspective of the redemptive gospel (which so many of us have been exposed to) where the prosperity message usually triumphs over the suggestion that we are to suffer for the kingdom's sake.
Suffer, who me, for what? you might ask. Yes. 1 Peter 1:6-7 states that trials will test whether our faith is genuine. Shouldn't we differentiate between kingdom and earthly suffering?
Isn't laying down what you want to do (i.e. laying down your life - for the sake of the kingdom and gospel) the "suffereing" the bible refers to? If our flesh is dead then we will not be able to suffer!
God is always asking "Do you trust Me?". The water always gets deeper. When you start swimming He gives you more responsibility because He trusts you more. God is more interested in the way you handle the trials. Someone in the group said "God is not interested in what you are doing but rather in what you are becoming!"
The new testament frequently refers to blessing - not as prosperity - but as suffering. The point is that we are so far from the Kingdom gospel. The world should not be as attractive as we perceive it to be, yet it is and this results in the selling of a false gospel. We must learn to become a physical representation of Christ who suffered dearly for the sake of the kingdom. When we experience what is worth living for, then we lay our lives down. As Isa 48:10 puts it "I have refined you but not in the way silver is refined. Rather, I have refined you in the furnace of suffering."
Once God shows you the end result, then the suffering will be worth it.
If you are not yet living a life of suffering, then you are not yet experiencing God's blessing!
PS. It was Rita's and Ansi's birthday. Rita had her cake that afternoon and evening and we skype'd Ansi to wish her "Lekker verjaar, lekker verjaar..." which were both very much appreciated - to the extent that tears (happy) flowed....
Well summarized Grant. Was great to have all of you there.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the blog entry. It gave me some valuable encouragement that I needed.
ReplyDeleteTHANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PHONE CALL!!!! I felt so loved and special even though I was far away from home. Ek het lekker verjaar, dankie! Thank you for being such good friends and a spiritual family. I treasure you in my heart