DAILY-E-VOTIONAL  

BLESSINGS FROM THE HEART

Pastor Cecil A. Thompson

May 6, 2015

“WHY SAINTS SUFFER!”

Philippians 1:12-14

“But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel, so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ;  and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.”

                                                              

Have you ever wondered why God allows His saints to endure suffering, torture, and even death? Couldn’t He simply step in and bring about a great deliverance for those who are going through persecution? The answer is a resounding YES! So why does God allow persecution and suffering? OTHERS!

Frequently we forget that this world is not our home. It is terrible that many believers have been, are being, or will be subjected to torture and even death. But by the way they suffer and die they give a testimony to the Lordship of Christ in their lives.

I recall reading of the terrible persecution of Christians during the Cold War years. Richard Wurmbrand was a youth during a time of anti-Semitic activity in Romania. Prison or death was the price a person paid for trusting in Jesus as their Savior. The remarkable thing is that the suffering saints became such an example to some of the guards that they became Christians who were thus imprisoned and influenced other guards…and so on.

The prayer of Jesus concerning His disciples is found in John 17:15: “I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one.” My prayer for suffering saints is that they hold to the faith!

May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions! 

- - - Pastor Cecil