Peter Exhorts the Persecuted Beliervers Volume 49

 Suffering for Jesus Part 19 

1 Peter 4:17-18 For the time is come that judgement must begin at the House 🏠 of God: and if it is first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the Gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?" KJV Note: AMP=Amplified Bible; NKJV=New King James Version 

Our Lord and God renders judgement upon His own true Body of Beliervers because He is preparing a Bride for Himself that will be without spot or blemish, therefore, the Apostle Peter who has already warned us and commanded us to live lives that will render glory to God and not to live lives that will blaspheme His Holy Name, so Peter once again says this same concept with these sobering/serious words now approaching the end of his 1st letter ✉️, "For the time is come that judgement must begin at the House 🏠 of God: and if it is first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the Gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?" (1 Peter 4:17-18) (KJV). The Apostle Paul made this comparison of Christ and His Church to the way husbands are to love 💕 and care for their wives, as Paul wrote with these words, "Husbands, love 💕 your wives, just as Christ also loved 😍 the Church and gave Himself for Her, that He might sanctify and cleanse Her with the washing of water 💦 by the Word, that He might present Her to Himself a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that She should be holy and without blemish." (Ephesians 5:25-27) (NKJV). Just as the human body needs regular cleansing from dirt and filth, so does the Body of Christ need to be regularly washed and made clean by the Water 💦 of the Word of God. The Apostle Peter is reiterating something he has already said earlier on in this same letter ✉️ just using a different way of communicating it to us, for we have been saved not with any earthly things of great financial value, but we have been redeemed, regenerated, and resurrected from spiritual death by the most precious 💞 thing in all of God's Creation and that being His very own Blood (Acts 20:28). Therefore, we must be a 'spiritual house 🏡' that renders to our Father in Heaven a life that brings Him glory as Peter said with these words earlier in this 1st letter ✉️, "Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, 'Be holy, for I am holy.' And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one's work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear 😨; knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptable things, like silver or gold 🪙, from your aimless conduct received by the tradition from your fathers, but with the precious 💞 Blood of Christ, as of a lamb 🐑 without blemish and without spot." (1 Peter 1:13-19) (NKJV), and also these words from this same Apostle Peter in this 1st letter ✉️, "You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house 🏡, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." (1 Peter 2:5) (NKJV). All of this is why judgement will begin at God's own House 🏠. Now all of this being said, Peter ask the sobering question ⁉️ of what the judgement will be like for all the human sinners who do not obey the Gospel of God. For the men and women who continue in their loving to live in sin and rejecting, refusing, and resisting the convicting and convincing of God the Holy Spirit (John 16:8-11) they will suffer the eternal punishment of being excluded from the presence of God forever which is exactly 💯 what every unrepentant sinner actually wants. Well the Apostle Paul gives us an answer to this question ⁉️ with what he wrote to the Church @ Rome with these words, "But to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness; indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish 😦 😧, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek;" (Romans 2:8-9) (NKJV). So in the end we see that the trials, tribulations, and troubles of we who have obeyed the Gospel of God are of but for this period of time we live in now which means they all have a beginning and an end, however, for the unbelieving and unrepentant and unjustified sinner loving unrighteousness (2 Thessalonians 2:12) there will only be a beginning to eternal judgement with no relief and no end to the 2nd death, as it is written here, "Then Death and Hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book 📖 of Life was cast into the lake of fire 🔥." (Revelation 20:14-15) (NKJV). If you have been led to read these words, I pray 🙏 that you would listen to the Spirit of God convincing you of this truth and that you would regret, repent, and renounce your sinful life against a Holy God and turn to Jesus Christ and receive new life from Him and have all your sins covered forever by His Blood. Amen!!!

Here is what the JFB Commentary had to say of 1 Peter 4:17-18, "Another ground of consolation to Christians. All must pass under the judgement of God; God's own household first, their chastisement being here, for which they should glorify Him as a proof of their membership in His family, and a pledge of their escape from the end of those whom the last judgement shall find disobedient to the Gospel. Judgement is already begun, the Gospel word, as a 'two-edged sword 🗡️,' having the double effect of saving some and condemning others, and shall be consummated at the last judgement. 'When power is given to the destroyer, he observes no distinction between the righteous and the wicked; not only so, but he begins first at the righteous' [Wetstein from Rabbins]. But God limits the destroyer's power over His people. If even the godly have chastening judgements now, how much more shall the ungodly be doomed to damnatory judgements at last. Compare 'so as by 🔥' (1 Corinthians 3:15); having to pass through trying chastisements, as David did for his sin. 'The righteous' man has always more or less of trial, but the issue is certain, and the entrance into the Kingdom abundant at last. The 'scarcely' marks the severity of the ordeal, and the unlikelyhood (in a mere human point of view) of the righteous sustaining it; but the righteousness of Christ and God's everlasting Covenant make it all sure. The ungodly having no regard for God and loving sin, for the same man is at once God-forgetting and sin-loving appearing in the final judgement (The Great White Throne) (Revelation 20:11). 

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray 🙏 this from your heart ❤️ to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart ❤️ and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen!!!

Peter Exhorts the Persecuted Believers Volume 48

 Suffering for Jesus Part 18

1 Peter 4:15-16 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters.

Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf. KJV Note: AMP=Amplified Bible; NKJV=New King James Version 

Just as the Apostle Peter exhorted and encouraged us to be exulted when we suffer for the cause of Christ Jesus our Lord, that is, for the witness of the Gospel of Grace and living a set apart holy life to Him, he now warns us against the sufferings we would endure for living a life that would bring reproach to the Name of Christ and regret to ourselves. Peter warns us with these words, "But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters." (1 Peter 4:15) (KJV). The fact and reality that 'born again' sons and daughters of our Beloved Lord Jesus can fall back 🔙 into our old man ♂️ or old woman ♀️ is something we are warned of by not only the Apostle Peter but all of the other writers of the New Testament. This is the ongoing war we have with our 'indwelling sin' (see LaCrae's old song 'Indwelling Sin') that must be mortified and put to death by our yielding our whole selves to the Spirit of God. Remember Matthew 5:29-30. When the old nature is fed more than the new nature then we can live in the same manner we did before we were 'born again' by the Power of the Holy Spirit. Here are just a few of the warnings/commands from the Apostle Paul; (1) "Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God." (Romans 6:12-13) (NKJV). (2) "For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live." (Romans 8:13) (NKJV). (3) "Therefore put to death your members on the earth 🌎: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry." (Colossians 3:5) (NKJV). The Apostle James even addresses these very sins to brothers and sisters 'in Christ' that Peter speaks of here in 1 Peter 4:15 with very direct, determined, and demanding speech 💬 as it is written declaring to us to destroy the filth that remains in us, that is our 'indwelling sin', so as to keep it from being expressed in our lives, "What leads to [the unending] quarrels and conflicts among you? Do they not come from your [hedonistic] desires that wage war in your [bodily] members [fighting for control over you]? You are jealous and covet [what others have] and your lust goes unfulfilled; so you murder. You are envious and cannot obtain [the object of your envy]; so you fight and battle. You do not have because you do not ask [it of God]. You ask [God for something] and do not receive it, because you ask with wrong motives [out of selfishness or with an unrighteous agenda], so that [when you get what you want] you may spend it on your [hedonistic] desires. You adulteresses [disloyal sinners - flirting with the world 🌍 and breaking your vow to God]! Do you not know that being the world's friend [that is, loving the things of the world 🌎] is being God's enemy? So whoever chooses to be a friend of the world 🌍 makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you think 💬 that the Scripture says to no purpose that the [human] spirit which He has made to dwell in us lusts with envy?" (James 4:1-5) (AMP). When we suffer for unrighteousness, we may not receive the grace we need from our Lord Jesus Christ to bring us through it triumphantly, for we have brought disgrace and a cause for those outside of Christ to slander His Holy Name. 😭😭😭😭 Here is what Matthew Henry said of 1 Peter 4:15, "That they should take care they did not suffer justly, as evildoers. One would think 💬 such a caution as this needless to such an excellent set of Christians as these were. But their enemies charged them with these and other foul crimes: therefore the Apostle, when he was settling the rules of the Christian religion, thought 🤔 these cautions necessary, forbidding every one of them to hurt the life or the estate and property of anyone, or to do any sort of evil, or, without cause and necessity, to play the bishop in another man's charge, or busy himself in other men's matters." Also let us remember the Christian brother in the Corinthian Church that was having sex with his earthly Father's wife (his step Mother) (1 Corinthians Chapter 5), but he repented and turned away from that sinful behavior and Paul's entire second letter ✉️ was written to that Church for that very purpose to have them restore him into their fellowship and to fully forgive him as Paul himself had done, even in his absence from their physical presence. Of course we know our Lord Jesus Christ had forgiven him and cleansed him from that unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). Amen!!!

The Apostle Peter once again declares to us that when/if we suffer for living the set apart holy life that honors our Lord Jesus Christ, then we are to not consider ourselves to be of misfortune, but instead fortunate to be counted worthy to suffer for Christ's sake, as Peter declares with these words, "Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf." (1 Peter 4:16) (KJV). Peter was no doubt recounting his own beginning sufferings for Christ when he and the other Apostles were beaten by the Jewish hierarchy as recorded for us with these words by Luke, "And they agreed 💯 with him, and when they had called for the Apostles and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the Name of Jesus, and let them go. So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His Name." (Acts 5:40-41) (NKJV). For us who have been resurrected from spiritual death there is no shame or disgrace in suffering for holiness and righteousness (that is, for Christ) on the contrary we are only full of shame and disgrace when we dishonor the Holy Name of our Lord Jesus Christ with any unclean living that springs forth from our lives. Here is what Adam Clarke said of 1 Peter 4:16, "If he be persecuted because he has embraced the Christian faith, let him not be ashamed, but let him rather glorify God on this very account. Christ suffered by the Jews because He was Holy; Christians suffer because they resemble Him." Here is something on our suffering from the Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary as we witnessed in the Book 📖 of Acts, "The Book 📚 of Acts is in a real sense a book 📖 of renewal, calling the Church 🔙 to its roots, setting a pattern for faithful discipleship, for witness in the footsteps of the Master, and a wholehearted commitment to sacrifice and suffering. It speaks to us even in times of deep discouragement, reminding us of the reality of the Sovereign Hand ✋ of God bringing His Will and purposes for our lives to pass, reassuring us of the reality of the presence of His Spirit in our lives. It challenges us to faithful witness, regardless of what may come our way."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray 🙏 this from your heart ❤️ to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart ❤️ and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen!

 

Peter Exhorts the Persecuted Believers Volume 47b

 Suffering for Jesus Part 17

1 Peter 4:14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy 😁 are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part He is evil spoken of, but on your part He is glorified. KJV Note: AMP=Amplified Bible; NKJV=New King James Version 

Christ came to the earth 🌎 and became a Man ♂️ to put Himself in the place of every sinful man ♂️ and woman ♀️taking God the Father's Eternal wrath against sin upon Himself so that everyone of us who would come to Him in repentance and faith would not have to do so eternally. How then can we shrink back from suffering His reproach as Peter declares with these words, "If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy 😁 are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part He is evil spoken of, but on your part He is glorified." (1 Peter 4:14) (KJV). We have just gone by the Christmas 🎄 🎁 season and the little baby 🐥 🍼 Jesus is not the Jesus that suffered 'reproach' and this English word is translated by Greek word oneidezo which means to defame, that is, rail at, chide, taunt. It is the full grown God/Man who walked out of obscurity and into the world 🌍, with His first Words this, "Now after John [the Baptist] was arrested and taken into custody, Jesus went to Galilee, preaching the good 👍 news 📰 of [the Kingdom of] God, and saying 'The [appointed period of] time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at hand; repent [change your inner self, your old way of thinking 🤔, regret past sins, live your life in a way that proves repentance; seek God's purpose for your life] and believe [with a deep, abiding trust] in the good 👍 news [regarding salvation].'" (Mark 1:14-15) (AMP). When the Apostle Peter here says in verse 14 that we are being defamed or railed upon or taunted (as was our Lord Jesus Christ) because the Spirit of Glory and of God 'resteth' upon us, we understand that this little English word is translated by the Greek word anapauo which means (reflexively) to repose (literally or figuratively) (remain); by implication to refresh: take ease, refresh, (give, take) rest. We have been refreshed by the Spirit of God with a 'new nature' completely contrary to our 'old nature' we were born with, for we have been 'born again' or 'born from above' and that is why we are persecuted by the devil 👿 and his demons who still have influence and control over unrepentant, unregenerate, and unsaved men and women. This reminds me of these lyrics in one of LaCrae's earlier songs when he wrote, "Everybody got a problem with God, but when you mention 'The Christ' they really get to turning the nod, but some rappers say they roll with Christ believing He was cool with all the sin in their life." We must remember who we were (before 

Christ gave us the gift 🎁 of salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9)) and continue in prayer 🙏 and supplications for all of those still on the outside of His marvelous grace. Paul the Apostle reminds us of this fact and reality with these words he wrote to Brother Titus, "Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good 👍 work, to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men. For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lust and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. But when the kindness and the love 💕of God our Savior toward man ♂️ appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done ✅, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life." (Titus 3:1-7) (NKJV). Can everyone of us who have received this spiritual washing say Amen!!! 

Here is what Albert Barnes had to say of 1 Peter 4:14, "It means that they were to regard their condition or lot as a blessed one; not that they would find personal and positive enjoyment on being reproached and vilified. It would be a blessed condition, because it would be like that of their Savior; would show that they were His friends; would be accompanied with rich spiritual influences in the present world 🌍; and would be followed by the rewards of Heaven. That they might expect that the Holy Spirit would rest upon them, or abide with them, if they were persecuted for the cause of Christ. There may be some illusion here, in language, to the fact that the Spirit of God descended and abode on the Savior at His baptism (John 1:33); and, in like manner, they might hope to have the same Spirit resting on them. The essential idea is, that, if they were called to suffer in the cause of the Redeemer, they would be left or forsaken. They might hope that God would impart His Spirit to them in proportion to their sufferings and that they would have augmented joy and peace. This is doubtless the case with those who suffer persecution, and this is the secret reason why they are so sustained in their trials. Their persecutions are made the reason of a much more copious effusion of the Spirit on their souls. The same principle applies, doubtless, to all the forms of trial which the children of God pass through; and in sickness, bereavement, loss of property, disappointment in their worldly plans, and death itself, they may hope that larger measures of the Spirit's influences will rest upon them. Hence, it is often gain for the believer to suffer. On their part- So far as they are concerned; or by them. He is evil spoken of -That is, the Holy Spirit. They only blaspheme Him, (Greek;) they reproach His sacred influences by their treatment of you and your faith. But on your part He is glorified - By your manner of speaking of Him, and by the honor done to Him in the patience evinced in your trials, and in your purity of life." 

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray 🙏 this from your heart ❤️ to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn 🛞 from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart ❤️ and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen!

Peter Exhorts the Persecuted Believers Volume 47a

 Suffering for Jesus Part 17

1 Peter 4:13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when His glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. KJV Note: AMP=Amplified Bible; NKJV=New King James Version 

Not only does the Apostle Peter want us to not think 💬 it is something strange happening to us when we suffer as followers of Christ Jesus our Lord, but he wants us to instead be full of cheer, that is, to express great 😃 joy as he writes with these words, "But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when His glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy 😹." (1 Peter 4:13) KJV. This is because we are sharing in Christ's sufferings and as we are being persecuted, He (Christ) is being persecuted because we are members of His Mystical Body. Before Paul the Apostle was converted by our Lord Jesus Christ, he was zealous for chasing after the followers of (at that time known as 'the Way') Christ as it is written Paul bearing testimony of his own violent behavior, "I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city 🌆 at the feet 🐾 of Gamaliel, taught according to the strictness of our father's law, and was zealous towards God as you all are today. I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women, as also the High Priest bears me witness, and all the council of the elders, from whom I also received letters to the brethren, and went to Damascus to bring in chains ⛓️even those who were there to Jerusalem to be punished. Now it happened, as I journeyed and came near Damascus at about noon, suddenly a great light 🕯️ from Heaven shone around me. And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?' So I answered, 'Who are You, Lord?' And He said to me, 'I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.'" (Acts 22:3-8) (NKJV). Notice that our Lord Jesus never said to Saul (at the time), 'Why are you persecuting My followers?' Our willing suffering for Christ sake comes when we adhere to His Word no matter what or where we are and who opposes us or disdains us for declaring and endeavoring to walk out or live out the truth of His Holy Word as Paul said when he wrote this, "Indeed, all who delight in pursuing righteousness and are determined to live godly lives in Christ Jesus will be hunted and persecuted [because of their/our faith]." (2 Timothy 3:12) (AMP). Here is what John Wesley had to say of 1 Peter 4:13, "For the measure of the glory answers the measure of suffering; and much more abundantly." Here is what the JFB Commentary had to say of 1 Peter 4:13, "By suffering are we partakers of Christ's sufferings, that is, by faith enter into realizing fellowship with them; willingly for His sake suffering as He suffered. If we will not bear suffering for Christ now, we must bear eternal sufferings hereafter." 

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray 🙏 this from your heart ❤️ to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn 🛞 from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart ❤️ and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen!

Peter Exhorts the Persecuted Believers Volume 46

 Suffering for Jesus Part 16

1 Peter 4:12 Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you!" KJV Note: AMP=Amplified Bible; NKJV=New King James Version 

During the time the Apostle Peter wrote these words to our brothers and sisters 'in Christ' in those early days of the beginning of the Church, the persecutions they were experiencing were very serious, even into death, that is, being murdered for being followers of Jesus Christ. Peter wanted to warn them, especially New believers to not be shocked 😳 at the treatment they would receive from Jews and Gentiles alike who were still 'dead in their trespasses and sins', for they were aliens to the life of God as Paul the Apostle wrote with these words to the Ephesian believers, "This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their minds,  having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart ❤️; who being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness." (Ephesians 4:17-19) (NKJV). The Apostle Peter wanted those early believers to be aware that the people outside of Christ would act in very hostile, heinous, and hateful ways towards them because they were still under the power and control of the prince of the power of the air Satan (Ephesians 2:2). This truth is still active for those of us today who truly belong to Christ and for all true born again sons and daughters of Christ Jesus our Lord of every era and generation since the Cross. We who are Christ' have been 'delivered from the power of darkness' (Colossians 1:13), therefore, us and them are like oil 🛢️ and water 💦 which do not mix, so we find Peter writing these words to them and to us to warn us of what to expect in our sojourn and pilgrimage on our way home 🏠 to Heaven and to Jesus, "Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you!" (1 Peter 4:12) (KJV). The little English phrase 'fiery trial' Peter uses in this verse is translated by the Greek word purosis meaning ignition, that is, (specifically) smelting (figuratively conflagration (a very intense and uncontrolled fire 🔥) , calamity as a test): - burning, trial. One of the reasons the Apostle Peter used this word is because at that time he penned this letter ✉️ Nero was Emperor of Rome and it is documented in the history of ancient Rome that he had many Christians captured bound and set on fire 🔥 to light 🕯️ up areas around his place of residence. Today the fiery trial 's for some believers are not less horrible, haunting, or horrifically carried out as we see hundreds of thousands of people/born again believers in our Lord Jesus Christ in northern Nigeria being murdered/martyred simply because Christ Jesus our Lord brought them out of the lie of Islam and into His marvelous light 🕯️ just as the Apostle Peter said earlier in this same first letter ✉️ with these exact words, "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness' into His marvelous light 🕯️; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy." (1 Peter 2:9-10) (NKJV). It was the mercy of God that brought those thousands of former Muslims out of that lie and into the truth (John 14:6), so then those remaining Muslims being energized by Satan acted in violence to take their physical lives (as I said earlier of oil 🛢️ and water 💦). Our Lord Jesus Himself warned us and affirmed to us that despite the things that will happen to us on our sojourn that we can rest in His peace, "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world 🌎 you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world 🌎." (John 16:33) (NKJV). We can rest in these words of our Lord Jesus Christ and these words that He wrote through our brother 'in Christ' the Apostle Paul, "For we know that if our earthly house 🏠, this tent ⛺, is destroyed, we have a building 🏢 from God, a house 🏠 not made with hands, eternal in the Heavens. For in this we groan 😮‍💨, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation,/dwelling which is from Heaven, if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked. For we who are in this tent ⛺ groan 😮‍💨, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life. Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee/down -payment. So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home 🏠 in the body we are absent from the Lord. For we walk by faith, and not by sight. We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord." (2 Corinthians 5:1-8) (NKJV). Therefore, when we keep these words in mind we can then not think 💬 it is strange or foreign that those who are darkened in their minds are doing these things to us as we follow Christ. Amen!!!

Here is what the Expositor's Bible Commentary had to say of 1 Peter 4:12, "After the benediction in 1 Peter 4:11, might have supposed that the exhortations of the Apostle were ended. But he now proceeds to make general application of the lessons which above (1 Peter 2:18-19) he had confined to a particular class: the Christians who were in great tribulation. St.Peter speaks here, more than in any other passage of the Epistle, as if persecution were afflicting the whole Christian body: 'Beloved'-the word embraces them all-'think it not strange concerning the fiery trial among you...as though a strange thing happened unto you.' His strong word implies extreme suffering. St. John uses it (Revelation 18:9; Revelation 18:18) of the burning up of the mystical Babylon, and it is found no where else in the New Testament. A trial meriting this description was harassing the Asian Christians; but spite of the intensity of suffering, which may be inferred from his language, he bids the converts not to wonder at it or deem it other than their proper lot: 'Think it not strange.' He does not enter upon reasons for his admonition, or he might have selected a goodly list of Old Testament saints who for their faith were called to suffer. For the Jewish brethren, Joseph and David, Elijah and Micaaiah, David and his companions in exile, Job and Nehemiah, would have been forcible examples of suffering for righteousness. The Apostle, however, selects only the loftiest instance. Christ, the Master whom they were pledged to serve, had suffered, and had said, besides, that all who would follow Him must take up the Cross. Need they wonder, then, if in their case they found the Lord's teaching come true?" 

If you don't know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart ❤️ to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart ❤️ and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen!!!

Peter Exhorts the Persecuted Believers Volume 45

 Suffering for Jesus Part 15

1 Peter 4:11 If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. KJV Note: AMP=Amplified Bible; ESV=English Standard Version

Here is the same verses of 1 Peter 4:11 as translated by the ESV=English Standard Version: "Whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To Him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen."

Being a son or daughter of the Most High God means that we speak for Him while we remain as pilgrims and sojourners on the earth 🌎. When we speak for God in public, we are serving as His ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20) and we are commanded to speak only His truth no matter who hears spiritually and receives the truth or not. The Truth is who our God Jesus Christ is (John 14:6) and He demands that His sons and daughters speak His truth everywhere. All our abilities come from God our Father and are to be used for His Glory as the Apostle Peter declares to us with these words, "If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen." (1 Peter 4:11) (KJV). The little English word 'oracles' is translated by the Greek word logion which means an utterance (of God). In the Old Testament, the Lord God spoke to men and women directly with a loud audible voice or to them in their inner man 👨or inner woman 👩, however, by the words of the writer of Hebrews God now only speaks to us through Jesus Christ, as it is written, "Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the Prophets, but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son (Jesus Christ), whom He appointed the heir of all things, through whom also He created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature, and He upholds the Universe by the Word of His Power. After making purification for sins, He sat down at the Right Hand of the Majesty on High, having become as much superior to angels as the name He has inherited is more excellent than theirs." (Hebrews 1:1-4) (ESV). What is written now and documented for all the remainder of time ⌚is our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ speaking to us and these words are what we declare as the oracles of God. The English word 'minister' (as we declared in the last study/commentary) is translated by the Greek word diakoneō meaning to be an attendant, that is, [figuratively] teacher); technically to act as a Christian deacon. We are to teach the truth of the Word of God by way of or virtue of the 'ability' God has given us when He birthed us into His Family 👪and into His Kingdom. The little English word 'ability' the Apostle Peter uses in this verse is translated by the Greek word ischus meaning forcefulness (literally or figuratively): - ability, might, power, strength. In other words, without the might and power and strength 💪we receive from God the Holy Spirit we would be useless in teaching sound doctrine, as we are reminded and warned by Paul the Apostle when he wrote these words to young Brother Timothy, as it is written, "Teach and urge these things. If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain. But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world." (1 Timothy 6:2-7) (ESV). The importance of using the ability/ischus that comes to us from God is without measure, for as we see with the words of Paul to Timothy, people without this ability from God can take the Words of God and run faster than an Olympic sprinter into declarations that lead men 🚹and women 🚺into perdition. Paul also warned us of this with his words to Timothy once again, however in his second (2) letter ✉, as it is written, "Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived." (2 Timothy 3:12-13) (ESV). As Dr. Adrian Rogers said, "Deception is the devil's chief tool." Therefore, since we know this, we must be on our guard always and in all places being in the Word of God so that we may be able to recognize when the deception of the enemy is being proclaimed or lived out. The end result for us as we declare the truth of the Word of God and desire to walk out or live out that truth is the 'Glory of God' in us by the power and strength 💪we receive from our Mediator between us and God the Father that is, Jesus Christ our Lord, as it is declared by the JFB Commentary with these words, "Through Christ alone can God be glorified in us and our sayings and doings."

Here is what John Wesley said of 1 Peter 4:11, "If any man speak, let him - In his whole conversation, public and private. Speak as the oracles of God - Let all his words be according to this pattern, both as to matter and manner, more especially in public. By this mark we may always know who are, so far, the true or false prophets. The oracles of God teach that men should repent, believe, obey. He that treats of faith and leaves out repentance, or does not enjoin practical holiness to believers, does not speak as the oracles of God: he does not preach Christ, let him think as highly of himself as he will. If any man minister - Serve his brother in love, whether in spirituals or temporals. Let him minister as of the ability which God giveth - That is, humbly and diligently, ascribing all his power to God, and using it with His might. Whose is the glory - of His wisdom, which teaches us to speak. And the might - Which enables us to act."

Here is what the Expositors' Bible Commentary had to say of 1 Peter 4:11, "The first Christian preachers must have gained their knowledge of the life and teaching of Jesus by listening to the narratives of the Twelve, and must have gone forth to give their teaching orally. The training of those who were appointed to minister in the various places whither the Apostolic missions penetrated must have been of the same kind. In those first years there was work to be done which would seem more important than the writing of a Gospel history. When such preachers published to the congregations what they had learnt of the Master's lessons, their sermons would be orally given, and though conveying the same instruction, would be liable to constant modifications of words. It was from such oral teaching that the variations found in the Gospel narratives probably had their origin. The preachers gave the spirit, and as nearly as possible the text, of what they had been taught. Perhaps by memoranda or otherwise, they would refresh their knowledge of the Apostolic words, so as to adhere as much a(Acts 7:38) words by which spiritual life was conveyed, to deliver to the Church. Those of them who were Jews would call to mind how God's Prophets had constantly prefaced their message with 'Thus saith the Lord' or concluded it with the Divine accrediting, 'I am the Lord'; and that the Christian Prophet must bear in mind that he is only an ambassador, and must abide by his commission, if he would speak with authority, that as a steward he must ever think of the account to be some day given of 'the oracles of God' (Romans 3:2) with which he was entrusted, and must 'handle aright the Word of Truth' (2 Timothy 2:15). For all such is St. Peter's admonition, 'If any man speaketh, speaking as it were oracles of God.' And next he turns to those gifts which are to be exercised in deeds, and not in words: 'If any man ministereth, ministering as of the strength which God supplieth.' Under 'ministry' St. Paul classes (Romans 12:7-8) giving, ruling, showing mercy. These are duties which secure the temporal condition of the Church and her members. The New Testament story suggests many offices which could be discharged by those who had not devoted themselves in a special manner to the ministry of the Word. How much service would be called for by those collections for the saints which St. Paul urges so frequently upon the Churches! How many houses would find employment in such labors as were exhibited in the home of Dorcas! How many a traveler, bent on his secular work, would carry Apostolic messages or letters to the flocks of the dispersion! To these may be added those offices of mercy which St. James describes as outward acts of religion, to visit the widows and fatherless in their affliction. The strength which God supplieth embraces every faculty or possession, be it wealth, administrative skill, or special knowledge. The physician and the craftsman alike may spend their powers for Christ. All may be consecrated, ministered, as supplied of God. And it is a gain to the Church when, following the Apostolic pattern, these duties of external religion are severed from the prophecy, the spiritual work of the Teacher. 'That in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, whose is the glory and the dominion for ever and ever. Amen.' This is to be the thought which animates all who minister: that each man's service may be so rendered to his brethren that it will work for the glory of God. And Christ has led the way. He testifies in His final prayer, 'I glorified Thee on the earth, having accomplished the work which Thou hast given Me to do.' (John 17:4) Of our work we can use no such words. We are but unprofitable servants. In many things we offend all. But all may labor in the Christlike Spirit; and thus through Him through service rendered in His name and for His sake, will God be glorified. The thought of Jesus humbling Himself, taking the form of a servant, testifying of Himself, 'The Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many,' can give a dignity to lowliest labor, and at the same time can impart consolation to the true laborers, for whom this mighty ransom has been paid, their inheritance won, their salvation achieved; while the Conqueror of sin and death, their Redeemer, has taken His seat at God's Right Hand, where worshipping spirits ever praise Him, saying, 'Worthy art Thou, our Lord and our God, to receive the glory, and the honor, and the power.'"

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...

Sincerely in Christ,

Clifford D. Tate, Sr.

Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…

Peter Exhorts the Persecuted Believers Volume 44

 Suffering for Jesus Part 14

1 Peter 4:9-10 Use hospitality one to another without grudging. As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. KJV Note: AMP=Amplified Bible; ESV=English Standard Version

Here are these same verses of 1 Peter 4:9-10 as translated by the ESV=English Standard Version: "Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace:"

Here are these same verses of 1 Peter 4:9-10 as translated by the AMP=Amplified Bible: "Be hospitable to one another without complaint. Just as each one of you has received a special gift [a spiritual talent, an ability graciously given by God], employ it in serving one another as [is appropriate for] good stewards of God's multi-faceted grace [faithfully using the diverse, varied gifts and abilities granted to Christians by God's unmerited favor]."

Motives we find throughout the Word of God are of most importance to our Father in Heaven. Therefore, it is not surprising that we find the Apostle Peter declaring these words to those early brothers and sisters 'in Christ', "Use hospitality one to another without grudging." (1 Peter 4:9) (KJV) and they apply to we true born again sons and daughters of Christ Jesus our Lord today and of every era and generation of those born again by our Lord Jesus Christ. To be well certain that someone is a true brother or sister 'in Christ' and to not be hospitable to them would be to dishonor our Lord Jesus Himself, however, we must be discerning, discreet, and distinguishing showing good judgement because their are many deceivers (Titus 1:10) & (2 John 1:7) walking about claiming to be minister's of Christ or children of God, but they are actually the very opposite (witches, warlocks, practicing the satanic magic arts inside of Churches) as Paul the Apostle warned us with these words, "And what I am doing I will continue to do, in order to undermine the claim of those who would like to claim that in their boasted mission they work on the same terms as we do. For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds. (2 Corinthians 11:12-15) (ESV). We must be able to see the fruit of the lives of those we declare to be our brothers and sisters 'in Christ', for no one wanting to have sex with you is your fellow believer, but they are an unbeliever/infidel and should have no fellowship with us at all (2 Corinthians 6:15). But those who bear the marks of Christ Jesus our Lord in their lives, we should not be unwilling or unwelcoming or unresponsive to their needs of every kind when it is in our ability to meet them. Amen!! Here is what Albert Barnes had to say of 1 Peter 4:9, "Without grudging - Greek, 'without murmurs;' that is, without complaining of the hardship of doing it; of the time, and expense, and trouble required in doing it. The idea of grudging, in the common sense of that word - that is, of doing it unwillingly, or regretting the expense, and considering it as ill-bestowed, or as not producing an equivalent of any kind - is not exactly the idea here. It is that we are to do it without murmuring or complaining. It greatly enhances the value of hospitality, that it be done on our part with entire cheerfulness. One of the duties involved in it is to make a guest happy; and this can be done in no other way than by showing him that he is welcome." Here also is what Matthew Henry had to say of 1 Peter 4:9, "The proper objects of Christian hospitality are one another. The nearness of their relation, and the necessity of their condition in those times of persecution and distress, obliged Christians to be hospitable one to another. Sometimes Christians were spoiled of all they had, and were driven away to distant countries for safety. In this case they must starve if their fellow-Christians would not receive them. Therefore it was a wise and necessary rule which the Apostle here laid down. The manner of performing this duty is this: it must be done in an easy, kind, handsome manner, without grudging or grumbling at the expense or trouble. Learn, (1.) Christians ought not only to be charitable, but hospitable, one to another. (2.) Whatever a Christian does by way of charity or of hospitality, he ought to do it cheerfully, and without grudging. Freely you have received, freely give."

Now the Apostle Peter jumps into the spiritual gifts that our Lord Jesus Christ blessed us with, that is, gave to each one of us when we were born again into His Heavenly Eternal family 👪. Peter (just as Paul did) declares to us that we must us or employ our birthday gift from Christ Jesus our Lord for the edification or building up of other 'born ones', as Peter writes with these words, "As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God." (KJV). The little English phrase in this verse 'the gift' is translated by the Greek word charisma meaning a (Divine) gratuity, that is, (specifically) a (spiritual) endowment, that is, (subjectively) religious qualification, or (objectively) miraculous faculty: - (free) gift. The English word 'minister' is translated by the Greek word diakoneō meaning to be an attendant, that is, [figuratively] teacher); technically to act as a Christian deacon. In other words, Peter is saying that we are to use our birthday spiritual gift from our Lord Jesus to build up His Body of which we are a part of His Body and just as we use our gift to build up other parts of the Body of Christ, we too are being built up 👆by those others with differing gifts than ours. The Apostle Paul describes it in this manner, "And [His gifts to the Church were varied and] He Himself appointed some as Apostles [special messengers, representatives], some as Prophets [who speak a new message from God to the people], some as Evangelists [who spread the good news of salvation], and some as Pastors and Teachers [to shepherd and guide and instruct], [and He did this] to fully equip and perfect the saints (God's people) for works of service, to build up the Body of Christ [the Church]; until we all reach oneness in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, [growing spiritually] to become a mature believer, reaching to the measure of the fullness of Christ [manifesting His spiritual completeness and exercising our spiritual gifts in unity]. So that we are no longer children [spiritually immature], tossed back and forth [like ships on a stormy sea] and carried about by every wind of [shifting] doctrine, by the cunning and trickery of [unscrupulous] men, by the deceitful scheming of people ready to do anything [for personal profit].. Here is what Dr. John Gill had to say of 1 Peter 4:10, "As every man hath received the gift,.... That is, from God, as the Syriac and Ethiopic versions add. This is a general rule laid down by the Apostle, according to which, distribution of every kind, whether in things temporal or spiritual, is to be made, even according to the nature, quality, and quantity of the gift received: the greatest gift God bestows on men, next to Himself, Son, and Spirit, and received by them in this life, is special grace; which God gives of His Sovereign will and pleasure, liberally, abundantly, without the deserts of men, or conditions to be performed by them; of this kind are faith, repentance, hope, and love: the next to this is the ministerial gift, or what qualifies men for the work of the ministry; which is not anything in nature, or what is acquired by art and industry, but is a gift of grace, which is bestowed on some in a higher, on others in a lower degree: and besides these, there are the gifts of nature and providence, as human wisdom, and the knowledge of things natneighbours or companions, as the Syriac, version renders it; if the gift be special grace though that itself cannot be imparted from one to another, yet the knowledge of it may; and it becomes such who have an experience of the grace of God upon their hearts to make it known, both to particular friends in private conversation, and to the Church of God in public, for the use and edification of others, and the glory of God's grace: if the gift be a ministerial one, whether it be greater or less, for it is not in all alike, it is not to be wrapped up in a napkin, and hid in the earth, or to lie neglected, but to be stirred up, and used for the benefit of the souls of men: and if it is a temporal one, the good things of this life, according to the measure of them, that a man has, he is to minister to the supply of the poor; and as God has prospered him, he is to distribute to the necessities of others; as men freely receive, be it what it will, they should freely minister it, according to the nature and measure of it: as

 

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...

Sincerely in Christ,

Clifford D. Tate, Sr.

Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…