The Great Benefit of Suffering for Christ by F.B. Meyer
F.B. Meyer, Joseph
The Great Benefit of Suffering for Christ
Of sufferings and as it related to the life of Joseph, son of Jacob, F.B. Meyer wrote:
“But besides all this, his religious notions added greatly to his distress. He had been taught by Jacob the theory which comes out so prominently in the speeches of Job’s three friends, and which was so generally held by all their teachers and associates in that olden, Eastern, philosophic, deeply-pondering world; that good would come to the good, and evil to the bad; that prosperity was the sign of the Divine favour, and adversity of the Divine anger. And Joseph had tried to be good. Had he not always kept his father’s commandments and acted righteously, though his brethren were men of evil report, and tried to make him as bad as themselves? But what had he gained by his integrity? Simply the murderous jealousy and hatred of his own flesh and blood. Had he not, in the full flush of youthful passion, resisted the blandishments of the beautiful Egyptian, because he would not sin against God? And what had he gained by that? Simply the stigma which threatened to cling to him of having committed the very wickedness it was so hard not to commit; and, in addition, an undeserved punishment. Had he not always been kind and gentle to his fellow-prisoners, listening to their stories, speaking comfort to their hearts? And what had he gained by that? To judge by what he saw, simply nothing; and he might as well have kept his kindness to himself.
Was it of any use, then, being good? Could there be any truth in what his father had taught him of good coming to the good, and evil to the bad? Was there a God who judgeth righteously in the earth? You who have been misunderstood, who have sown seeds of holiness and love to reap nothing but disappointment, loss, suffering, and hate – you know something of what Joseph felt in that wretched dungeon hole.
Then, too, disappointment poured her bitter drops into the bitter cup. What had become of those early dreams, those dreams of coming greatness, which had filled his young brain with splendid phantasmagoria? We these not from God? He had thought so – yes, and his venerable father had thought so too; and he should have known, for he had talked with God many a time. Were these imaginings the delusions of a fevered brain, or mocking lies? Was there no truth, no fidelity, in heaven or earth? Had God forsaken him? Was he to spend all his days in that dungeon, dragging on a weary life, never again enjoying the bliss of freedom: and all because he had dared to do right? Do you wonder at the young heart being weighed almost to breaking?
And yet Joseph’s experience is not alone. You may have never been confined in a dungeon; and yet you may have often sat in darkness, and felt around you the limitation which forbade your doing as you wished. You may have been doing right, and doing right may have brought you into some unforeseen difficulty; and you are disposed to say, “I have been too honest.” Or you may have been doing a noble act to someone, as Joseph did to Potiphar, and it has been taken in quite a wrong light. Who does not know what it is to be misunderstood, misrepresented, accused falsely, and punished wrongfully?
Each begins life so buoyantly and hopefully. Youth, attempting the solution of the strange problem of existence, fears nothing, forbodes no ill. The minstrel, Hope, keys her chords to the loftiest strains of exultation. The sun shines; the blue wavelets break in music around the boat; the sails swell gently; Love and Beauty hold the rudder-bands; and though stories of the wreckage of the treacherous sea are freely told, there is no kind of fear that such experiences should ever overtake that craft. But presently disappointment, sorrow, and disaster overcloud the sky and blot out the sunny prospect; and the young mariner wakes as from a dream, “Can this be I, who imagined that I should never see ill?” Then come several tremendous struggles of the soul to wrench itself free. The muscles are strained as whipcord; the beads of perspiration stand on the brow: but every effort only entangles the limbs more helplessly. And at last, exhausted and helpless, the young life ceases to struggle, and lies still, cowed and beaten, as the wild denizen (citizen) of the plains, when it has lain for hours in the hunter’s snare. Surely there was something of this sort in Joseph’s condition, as he lay in that wretched dungeon.
II. THESE SUFFERINGS WROUGHT VERY BENEFICIALLY. – Taken on the lowest ground, this imprisonment served Joseph’s temporal interests. That prison was the place where state prisoners were bound. Thither court magnates who had fallen under suspicion were sent. Chief butler and chief baker do not seem much to us, but they were titles for very august people. Such men would talk freely with Joseph; and in doing so would give him a great insight into political parties, and a knowledge of men and things generally, which in after-days must have been of great service to him.
But there is more than this. Psalm 105:18, referring to Joseph’s imprisonment, has a striking alternative rendering, “His soul entered into iron.” Turn that about, and render it in our language, and it reads thus, Iron entered into his soul. Is there not a truth in this? It may not be the truth intended in that verse, but it is a very profound truth, that sorrow and privation, the yoke borne in the youth, the soul’s enforced restraint, are all conducive to an iron tenacity and strength of purpose, and endurance, a fortitude, which are the indispensible foundation and framework of a noble character. Do not flinch from suffering. Bear it silently, patiently, resignedly; and be assured that it is God’s way of infusing iron into your spiritual make-up.
As a boy, Joseph’s character tended to softness. He was a little spoilt by his father. He was too proud of his coat. He was rather given to tales. He was too full of his dreams and foreshadowed greatness. None of these great faults; but he lacked strength, grip, power to rule. But what a difference his imprisonment made in him! From that moment he carries himself with wisdom, modesty, courage, and manly resolution, that never fail him. He acts as a born ruler of men. He carries an alien country through the stress of a great famine, without a symptom of revolt. He holds his own with the proudest aristocracy of the time. He promotes the most radical changes. He had learned to hold his peace and wait. Surely the iron had entered his soul!
It is just this that suffering will do for you. The world wants iron dukes, iron battalions, iron sinews, and thews of steel. God wants iron saints; and since there is no way of imparting iron to the moral nature than by letting his people suffer, He lets them suffer. “No chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous; nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.” Are you in prison for doing right? Are the best years of your life slipping away in enforced monotony? Are you beset by opposition, misunderstanding, obloquy (contemptuous speech), and scorn, as the thick undergrowth besets the passage of the woodsman pioneer? Then take heart; the time is not wasted; God is only putting you through regimen. The iron crown of suffering precedes the golden crown of glory. And iron is entering into your soul to make it strong and brave.
Is some aged eyes perusing these words? If so, the question may be asked, Why does God sometimes fill a whole life with discipline, and give few opportunities for showing the iron quality of the soul? Why give iron to the soul, and then keep it from active service? Ah, that is which goes far to prove our glorious destiny. There must be another world somewhere, a world of glorious ministry, for which we are training. “There is service in the sky.” And it may be that God counts a human life of seventy years of suffering not too long an education for a soul which may serve Him through the eternities. It is in the prison that Joseph is fitted for the unknown life of Pharoah’s palace; and if he could have foreseen the future, he wold not have wondered at the severe discipline. If only we could see all that awaits us in the palace of the Great King, we should not be so surprised at certain experiences which befall us in the earth’s darker cells. You are being trained for service I God’s Home, and in the upper spaces of the universe.” F.B. Meyer, Joseph, p. 44-48
In His book Joseph, F.B. Meyer captures and conveys a treasure chest of truth concerning the blessed benefits of suffering.
“JOSEPH’S COMFORT IN THE MIDST OF THESE SOFFERINGS. – “He was there in the prison; but the Lord was with him.” The lord was with him in the palace of Potiphar; but when Joseph went to prison, the Lord went there too. The only thing which severs us from God is sin; so long as we walk with God, God will walk with us; and if our path dips down from the sunny upland lawns into the valley with its clinging mists, He will go at our side. The godly man is much more independent of men and things than others. It is God who makes him blessed. Like the golden city, he has no need of sun or moon, for the Lord God is his everlasting light. If he is in a palace he is glad, not so much because of its delights as because God is there. And if he is in a prison he can sing and give praises, because the God of love bears him company. To the soul which is absorbed with God, all places and experiences are much the same. “If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night (of sorrow and of confinement) shall be light about me; yea, the night shineth as the day.”
Moreover, the Lord showed him mercy. Oh, wondrous revelation! … God our Father has often to turn down the lights of our life because He wants to show us mercy. Whenever you get into a prison of circumstances, be on the watch. Prisons are rare places for seeing things. It was in prison that Bunyan saw his wondrous allegory, and Paul met the LORD, and John looked through heaven’s open door, and Joseph saw God’s mercy. God has no chance to show his mercy to some of us except when we are in some sore sorrow. The night is the time to see the stars.
God can also raise up friends for his servants in most unlikely places, and of most unlikely people. “The Lord gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison.” He was probably a rough, unkindly man, quite prepared to copy the dislikes of his master, the great Potiphar, and to embitter the daily existence of this Hebrew slave. But there was another Power at work, of which he knew nothing, inclining him towards his ward, and leading him to put him in a position of trust. All hearts are open to our King: at his girdle swing the keys by which the most unlikely door can be unlocked. “When a man’s ways please the Lord, He maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.” It is as easy for God to turn a man’s heart, as it is for the husbandman to turn the course of a brook to carry fertility to an arid plot.\
There is always alleviation for our troubles in ministry to others. Joseph found it so. It must have been a welcome relief to the monotony of his grief when he found himself entrusted with the care of the royal prisoners. A new interest came into his life, and he almost forgot the heavy pressure of his own troubles amid the interest of listening to the tales of those who were more unfortunate than himself. It is very interesting to notice what a deep human interest he took in the separate cases of his charges, noticing the expression of their faces, inquiring kindly after their welfare, sitting down to listen to their tale. Joseph is the patron of all prison philanthropists; but he took to this holy work not primarily because he had an enthusiasm for it, but because it gave a welcome opiate to his own griefs.
There is no anodyne (medicine) for heart-sorrow like ministry to others. If your life is woven with the dark shades of sorrow, do not sit down to deplore in solitude your hapless lot, but arise to seek out those who are more miserable than you are, bearing them balm for their wounds and love for their heart-breaks. And if you are unable to give much more practical help, you need not abandon yourself to the gratification of lonely sorrow, for you may largely help the children of bitterness by imitating Joseph in listening to their tales of woe or to their dreams of foreboding. It is a great art to be a good listener. The burdened heart longs to pour out its tale in a sympathetic ear. There is immense relief in the telling out of pain. But it cannot be hurried; it needs plenty of time; it cannot clear itself of its silt and deposits unless it is allowed leisure to stand. and so the sorrowful turn away from men engages in the full rush of active life as too busy, and seek out those who, like themselves, have been “winged,” and are obliged to go softly, as Joseph was, when the servants of Pharoah found him in the Egyptian dungeon. If you can do nothing else, listen well, and comfort others with the comfort wherewith you yourself have been comforted by God.
And as you listen, and comfort, and wipe the falling tears, you will discover that your own load is lighter, and that a branch or twig of the true tree – the tree of the Cross – has fallen into the bitter waters of your own life, making the Marah, Naomi, and the marshes of salt tears will have been healed. Out of such intercourse you will get with what Joseph got – the key which will unlock the heavy doors by which you have been shut in.
And now some closing words to those who are suffering wrongfully. Do not be surprised. You are the followers of One who was misunderstood from the age of twelve to the day of his ascension; who did not sin, and yet was counted as a sinner; concerning whom the unanimous testimony was, “I find in Him no fault at all”; and yet they called Him Beelzebub! If they spoke thus of the Master of the house, how much more concerning the household! “Think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you.”
Do not get weary in well-doing. Joseph might have said, “I give all up; of what profit is my godliness? I may as well live as others do.” How much nobler was his course of patient continuance in well-doing! Do right, because it is right to do right; because God sees you; because it puts gladness into the heart. And then, when you are misunderstood and ill-treated, you will not swerve, or sit down to whine and despair.
Above all, do not avenge yourselves. When Joseph recounted his troubles, he did not recriminate harshly on his brethren, or Potiphar, or Potiphar’s wife. He simply said: “I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews, and here also have I done nothing that they should put me into the hole.” He might have read the words of the apostle, “Avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath.” “If when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.” We make a great mistake in trying always to clear ourselves; we should be much wiser to go straight on, humbly doing the next thing, and leaving God to vindicate us. “He will bring forth our righteousness as the light, and our judgment as the noonday.” In Psalm 105:19 there follow words which, rightly rendered, read thus: “The word of the Lord cleared him.” What a triumphant clearing did God give His faithful servant.
There will come hours in our lives, when we shall be misconstrued, misunderstood, slandered, falsely accused, wrongfully persecuted. At such times it is very difficult not to act on the policy of the men around us in the world. They at once appeal to law and force and public opinion. But the believer takes his case into a higher court, and lays it before his God. He is prepared to use any means that may appear divinely suggested. But he relies much more on the divine clearing than he does on his own most perfect arrangements. He is content to wait for months and years, till God arise to avenge his cause. It is a very little thing for him to be judged adversely at the bar of man: he cares only for the judgment of God, and awaits the moment when the righteous shall shine forth in the kingdom of their Father, as the sun when it breaks from all obscuring mists. “When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.” Ah! what a clearing-up of mysteries, what dissipating of misunderstandings, what vindication of character shall be there! Oh, slandered ones, you can afford to await the verdict of eternity; of God, who will bring out your righteousness as the light, and your judgment as the noon day.
In all the discipline of life it is of the utmost importance to see but one ordaining overruling will. If we view our imprisonments and misfortunes as the result of human malevolence, our live will be filled with fret and unrest. It is hard to suffer wrong at the hands of man, and to think that perhaps it might have never been. But there is a truer and more restful view, to consider all things as being under the law and rule of God; so that though they may originate in and come to us through the spite and malice of our fellows, yet, since before they reach us they have had to pass through the environing atmosphere of the Divine Presence, they have been transformed into his own sweet will for us.
It was Judas who plotted our Saviour’s death, and filled the garden with the capturing bands and flashing lights; and yet the Lord Jesus said that the Father was putting the cup to his lips. And though He was murdered by the chief priests and scribes, yet He so thoroughly acquiesced in the Father’s appointment, that He spoke of laying down his life, as if his death were entirely his own act. There is no evil to them that love God; and the believer loses sight of second causes, so absorbed is he in the contemplation of the unfolding of the mystery of his Father’s will. As the dying Kingsley said, “All is under law.” F.B. Meyer, Joseph, p. 48-53
The More I Suffer, the Freer I Become
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LIE OF THE AGES: From the Garden to Glory [podcast]
Excerpt from the book Lie of the Ages
The First Lie and the Fall of Man
“Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.” ~ Genesis 3:1-5
Have you ever wondered what the first lie ever told was? Who told it? Why was it told? What was the result of it? Can the fruit be seen and felt today? Can its effects be traced throughout history and even into the future?
According to the Genesis account, the Garden of Eden was the sanctuary of the Most High, where He communed with the first man and woman He had made in His very own image. The Garden was a sinless, guiltless sanctuary of unimaginable relational bliss between the LORD Almighty and the man and woman. The Garden of Eden was the place of pure truth and love—a place where lies were not even suspected.
Enter Satan.
Enter the lie.
Enter the seduction.
Enter no fear of God.
Enter stolen restraint.
Enter sin.
Enter the fall of man.
Enter alienation from the Creator.
Garden Scene—The First Lie
Do you think this first lie may hold some insight into the work of Satan and his war against God and His treasured people today?
“And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die…(Now here’s what the woman said:) But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. (Now here’s what Satan said:) And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die.” ~ Genesis 2:16-17; 3:3-4
In the book of origins (Genesis) where every major biblical doctrine is rooted (has its beginning), there can be found the keys and answers to life. Mankind’s Maker, his beginning, his ultimate enemy, temptation, sin, the resulting fall, and the redemption of man are revealed in the first chapters of this all-important first book of the Holy Bible.
Perhaps there could be no greater occupation than for the student of Scripture to undertake, pour over, pray over, and dismantle the first three chapters of the book of Genesis. In this endeavor, he will gain insight into the origins and purpose of creation, pitfalls facing mankind, divine restoration, and the keys to living a victorious life in harmony with his Creator.
Sin entered the human experience through the temptation and fall of the first man (Rom. 5). By this the enemy gained a foothold and has warred with that sole creation made in the image of the Maker Himself. But it is sin that is man’s problem, not circumstance or self-esteem nor any other diagnosis. “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (See Jer. 17:9.)
Someone has wisely stated: “The heart of the human problem is the problem of the human heart.”
From the very beginning, Satan has tempted man to believe that breaking the commandment of His Maker was not to be feared or avoided and could not harm him. The temptation for man is if he is going to determine truth on his own terms and how it fits his own lifestyle, or repent and humbly accept and obey what God says.
Cain was a religionist. He refused relationship with the LORD because he chose to do things his own way instead of God’s (Gen. 4:1-7). In his pride, Cain wanted to make up his own rules – he was lawless. Religion is where men have created a god in their own image and follow those teachings which render obedience to that false god. The most deceptive and evil form of religion is that which is close to the truth and uses Bible Scriptures out of context to make up that doctrine which circumvents obedience to the plain truth of God. (See Jesus rebuke the Pharisees in Matt. 23.)
Who are we going to believe and trust? Whose report will you believe? Since the LORD and the devil stated something in direct opposition to each other, we know that one of them is a liar. As He gave the first man and woman the option, so the LORD gives us the choice to trust and obey Him or not to obey Him. Each of us will decide who it is that is going to be a liar in our hearts—the Almighty, or Satan.
God said (Gen. 2:17): “But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof THOU SHALT SURELY DIE.”
Satan said (Gen. 3:4): “And the serpent said unto the woman, YE SHALL NOT SURELY DIE.”
The lie of the ages began in the very cradle of creation. The aim of the enemy of all souls was the first man and woman who were uniquely created in the image of the One who made all things. Adam and Eve were the subjects of Satan’s deadly lie—the first lie ever told. Apparently, this cunning enemy understood that if he could cause the man and woman to take things into their own hands and violate the instruction of their Maker, they would be ushered out of His Garden (presence) and forfeit their place with Him.
Mankind’s enemy led him to believe that he could violate the instruction of his holy Maker and still remain within His approval. Like Adam and Eve, it is readily observed that men naturally internalize this philosophy as “I can sin with no fear of consequences.” Is it possible that this lie is still leading men and women to believe that they “shall not surely die” if they live in direct opposition to the LORD?
Concerning this most insidious and destructive lie of the serpent, the Life in the Spirit Study Bible states:
“‘YE SHALL NOT SURELY DIE’…The first lie proposed by Satan was a form of antinomianism (lawlessness), denying the judgment of death for sin and apostasy. One of the basic sins of humankind is unbelief in God’s word. It is believing that somehow God does not really mean what He says about salvation, righteousness, sin, judgment, and death. Satan’s most persistent lie is that unrepentant, deliberate sin and rebellion against God will not necessarily bring separation from God and eternal condemnation.”
As he did with the first man and woman, the adversary tells us “Ye shall not surely die” (Gen. 3:4).
Escaping the judgment of a holy God has long been the vain imagination of depraved men, fueled by the enemy of all righteousness who has come “to steal, and to kill, and to destroy” (Jn. 10:10).
“Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.” ~ Ecclesiastes 8:11
“Wherefore doth the wicked contemn God? he hath said in his heart, Thou wilt not require it.” ~ Psalms 10:13
Question: “Wherefore doth the wicked contemn God?
Answer: “He hath said in his heart, Thou wilt not require it.”
The hearts of those who are not in fellowship with the LORD say “The LORD will not ‘require it’ of me. He will not bring me into accountability for my life in this world. After all, He has not done anything to me for my wrongdoing thus far. I am okay in my sins; God will just overlook them.”
Lucifer’s lure capitalizes on the sinful nature of men, preying upon his desire to be his own god, controlling his own destiny. Somehow, according to this revelation and others, it is within man’s makeup to believe that because his Creator is not presently executing tangible judgment for his sin, he believes that God is not going to judge him at all. So, unregenerate man goes on sinning with reckless abandon, not realizing that that Great and Terrible Day of Judgment lies just ahead.
The first man and woman bought into the first lie that claims there is no consequence for violating the command of the one true God. Such self-deception is no new thing. Since the first man and woman, people have sought to define right and wrong on their own terms instead of simply acknowledging what the LORD says. As the first couple found out, it is a losing endeavor to determine truth by how it fits one’s lifestyle instead of by God’s non-negotiable counsel given us in His Word (Jn. 17:17; Rom. 3:3-4; 2 Tim. 3:16). Defining truth on one’s own terms is buying into the lie of the ages presented to every man by the evil one who “walketh about seeking whom he may devour” (1 Pet. 5:8).
When men seek to redefine truth on their own terms, they unwittingly create a god in their own image—one who accepts them in their sins with no judgment. They then migrate to pastors and teachers who will tickle their itching ears with smooth messages void of the full-counsel revelation of Holy Scripture (Jer. 5:30-31; 2 Tim. 4:2-4).
After Adam and Eve, it was their son Cain who sought to make up his own way to God on his own terms. He failed. To Cain and to all who seek through religion, whether self-styled or organized, the Almighty would ask: “If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door” (Gen. 4:7).
The LORD says to Cain “If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted?” This simply means “If you will do things the way I prescribed, will I not fully accept you as I did your brother Abel?” Cain hardened his heart and refused to do things God’s way by offering the type of sacrifice God requires. Due to his own choice to rebel against the Most High he became so filled with the enemy that he killed his own brother (Gen. 4).
This is a classic example of how the enemy led this man Cain to believe that he could make up his own rules, violating the holy Creator and still escape His just judgment. Like Cain, millions of faithful religionists today have a mere formula of godliness while denying the power of a truly surrendered life to the one true God who sent His only begotten Son as the only sacrifice for the sins of men (2 Timothy 3:5).
When he was able to successfully persuade the first man to violate the command of the LORD, Satan gained access to authority over the man by the sin of the man (Isaiah 59:1-2; Ephesians 4:27; James 4:7). Jesus re-gained that authority for His highest and prized creation and all those who come into relationship with Him experience the abundant blessings that come along with being saved by His precious blood (Jn. 10:10; Rom. 5:17; 1 Pet. 1:18-19).
“For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)” Romans 5:17
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” ~ John 3:16-17
PRAYER: Father in Heaven, please unite my heart to fear Thy name and keep it from falling prey to this same lie that led to Adam and Eve’s fall. Quicken my heart in the fear of the LORD. Please teach me that there are many harsh consequences for disobeying You, by not doing what You say, by sinning against You. Convict my heart of sin, and I beg You to make my conscience extremely sensitive to Your conviction and leading. Change my heart, O LORD. Grant me a heart of flesh that delights to live in Your presence and do Your perfect will. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Support | STORE | Podcasts | Eternal Security/OSAS | Accounted Worthy to Escape [podcast] | Eternal Security Exposed | Sealed? | The Return of Christ | Lie of the Ages [podcast] | 10 Questions about Eternal Security | Is Salvation Eternal? | The Damning Myth of Unconditional Eternal Security [podcast] | The Essential of Fearing God | The KING is Coming [podcast]
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“They that were Scattered Abroad went every where Preaching the Word” [podcast]
When persecution hit Jerusalem where the body of Christ was dwelling….
“Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.” Acts 8:4
“Persecution hit Jerusalem in a few significant periods: first, in the years following Jesus’s death, when the early Christian church was persecuted by Jewish authorities led by Saul (Acts 8:1-3).”
Remember, God allowed great persecution in Jerusalem in order to get His people to scatter to the ends of the earth.
“Jesus promised his disciples three things: that they would be completely fearless, absurdly happy, and in constant trouble.” – GK Chesterton
“And he said unto them, GO YE INTO ALL THE WORLD, and preach the gospel to every creature.” Mark 16:15
This was right after the beloved deacon, servant of the LORD Stephen was murdered. See Acts 7:51-8:4.
Believer’s Bible Commentary
Acts 8:1
“A new era begins with the words, “At that time.” Stephen’s death seemed to trigger a widespread assault against the church. Believers were scattered throughout … Judea and Samaria.
The Lord had instructed His followers to begin their witness in Jerusalem, but then to branch out to Judea, Samaria, and the end of the earth. Up to this time their witness had been confined entirely to Jerusalem. Perhaps they had been timid about branching out. Now they are forced to do it by persecution.
From the human standpoint, it was a dark day for the believers. The life of a member of their fellowship had been laid down. They themselves were being chased like rabbits. But from the divine standpoint, it was not dark at all. A grain of wheat had been planted in the ground, and much fruit would inevitably result. The winds of affliction were scattering the seeds of the gospel to distant places, and who could estimate the extent of the harvest?”
In light of this biblical revelation, do we really think the LORD wouldn’t be allowing persecution to hit America in order to scatter His people across His earth in order to reach the billions who are unreached? The answer is obvious.
“Acts 8:4
They that were scattered – went every where preaching – Thus the very means devised by Satan to destroy the Church became the very instruments of its diffusion and establishment. What are counsel, or might, or cunning, or rage, or malice, against the Lord, whether they are excited by men or devils!” Adam Clarke
Of this passage, the Believer’s Bible Commentary notes the following:
“8:4-8 The dispersal of the Christians did not silence their testimony. Everywhere they went they carried the good news of salvation. Philip, the “deacon” of chapter six, headed north to the city of Samaria. He not only proclaimed Christ but performed many miracles. Unclean spirits were driven out and the paralyzed and lame were healed. The people gave heed to the gospel, and, as might be expected, great joy resulted.
The primitive church obeyed the explicit commands of Jesus Christ:
It went out as Christ had gone (Jhn_20:21; cf. Act_8:1-4).
It sold its goods and gave to the poor (Luk_12:33; Luk_18:22; cf. Act_2:45; Act_4:34).
It left father, mother, houses, and lands to go everywhere preaching the Word (Mat_10:37; cf. Act_8:1-4).
It made disciples and taught them to work and obey (Mat_28:18-19; cf. 1Th_1:6).
It took up its cross and followed Christ (Acts 4; 1 Thess. 2).
It rejoiced in tribulation and persecution (Mat_5:11-12; cf. Acts 16; 1Th_1:6-8).
It left the dead to bury their dead and went and preached the gospel (Luk_9:59-60).
It shook the dust from off its feet and moved on when men refused to hear (Luk_9:5; cf. Act_13:51).
It healed, exorcised, raised the dead, and bore lasting fruit (Mrk_16:18; Acts 3-16).”
“The Communication of thy faith”
“That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus. 7 For we have great joy and consolation in thy love, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother.” Philemon 6-7
We are merely passing through saints. This is not our home.
“Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;” 1 Peter 2:11
“New Creatures” …. given by God the “ministry of reconciliation” …. Christ’s “Ambassadors”
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.” 2 Corinthians 5:17-20
The body of Christ, each member, does our part in Christ’s Great Commission.
“WE are labourers TOGETHER with God.” 1 Corinthians 3:9
“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!” Romans 10:13-15
“Romans 10:14-15: ‘How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!’ The LORD saved me because someone preached the gospel to me! And I instantly knew that was what was missing in my life! How would I have known if I had not heard?” Karen Cochran
The body of Christ alone bears the Good News…. that in light of each of us being lost souls, sinners…. God sent His only begotten to die, be buried, and raised again from the dead for our justification! See Romans 4:25; 5:6-8, etc.
You are a bearer of this Good News beloved of God. No one else can be—except those who are HIS. With the love, joy, and peace of Jesus emanating from your heart, take off that lampshade and unleash that beautiful smile and let the world around you know of Christ’s love for them! He proved this love by dying on that cross for them! (John 15:13)
“The love of Christ constraineth (compels) us.” 2 Corinthians 5:14
The 3 Ways God’s People can Participate in Christ’s Great Commission
1. Praying (Matthew 9:35-38).
2. Witnessing, sowing and communicating the Word (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15; Luke 8:11).
3. Supporting, supplying those of God’s people who are doing His Great Commission, preaching the Word (2 Corinthians 9:6-11; Philippians 2:25; 4:16-20).
The writing is on the wall for the wicked false professors.
IF you aren’t participating in the Great Commission, you are a lost soul/counterfeit.
In light of the fact that Jesus gave us His Great Commission command, what did Jesus tell us in Matthew 7:21? What was His warning to us in light of judgment to come?
“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 7:21
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Articles
“THAT REPENTANCE AND REMISSION OF SINS SHOULD BE PREACHED” [podcast]
“God … commandeth ALL men every where to repent.”
“And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: 31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.” Acts 17:30-31
WHEN’s the last time your favorite preacher preached on the essential doctrine of REPENTANCE? Be sure of this – Christ’s true remnant is preaching repentance. Are you preaching that men must repent to be saved and ready for judgment? (Acts 17:30-31) If not, you are in need of repentance – before it’s too late. The lack preaching repentance is the fruit, the clear evidence that someone is not walking in the original Gospel of Christ but rather “another gospel” – a false gospel (Galatians 1:6-9)
With No Exception Christ’s True Body is Preaching that God Commands ALL Men Everywhere to Repent.
ALL who do not preach that men must repent to be saved are preaching “another gospel” and are “accursed.” (Galatians 1:6-9) Chamge my mind with Scripture!
Jesus commands His people to preach repentance. Did you know that? Oh and is there something else we are to preach? Yes. See if you catch it here in Jesus’ mandate to us:
“And that REPENTANCE AND REMISSION OF SINS SHOULD BE PREACHED in his name among all nations.” Luke 24:47
“Repentance and” what? – “repentance AND remission of sins” are to “be preached.”
Not just “repentance” but also “remission of sins.”
The whole message of repentance includes remission of sins (Luke 24:47). Are we preaching the whole or half the Gospel message Jesus commanded us to preach? See Acts 20:20, 27, 32.
Of necessity, the kingdom of Christ, “among all nations,” all peoples, must be preached and that Gospel begins with “repentance and remission of sins.”
“And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.” Matthew 24:14
WHAT Gospel is to be preached by Christ’s disciples? – “this gospel of the kingdom.” And what must be preached as a necessity to enter Christ’s kingdom? Let us ascertain such.
God is unchanging. He gave us His Great Commission command to accomplish. Many are distracted and wasting their lives and resources on that which is not the Great Commission command Christ gave us and expects us to be fulfilling.
“I have set thee for a tower and a fortress among my people, that thou mayest know (discern) and try (test) their way.” Jeremiah 6:27
Today we have a less than neutered version of Christ’s Great Commission command…. It’s not even a faint resemblance of what Christ mandated. This is clearly the fulfillment of the great falling away from the faith of the Gospel foretold in Scripture. Jude 3
PREACHING and TEACHING the Gospel of repentance is the ONLY way men can be free from sin, cleansed, washed, and refreshed (Acts 3:19). REPENTANCE always precedes REFRESHING.
“REPENT ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of REFFRESHING shall come from the presence of the Lord;” Acts 3:19
By definition the band aid preaching of today has never dealt with the root of the issue and that means the issue will never go away. Nothing less than repentance from God’s people and obedience to his Great Commission command is going to change this nation.
Self-righteously screaming at people is not what we see Christ or His apostles and earliest followers doing. Such is ungodly. Yet in conversation, in any communication about Christ’s kingdom, the law to convict of sin and the divine call to repent should be included, along with believing on the LORD Jesus Christ (Acts 2:38; 3:19; 16:30-31; 20:21; Galatians 3:24; 1 Timothy 1:7-10; Revelation 22:17, etc.).
God’s people are being called to be obedient to His Great Commission command. Jesus and His holy apostles never went around, set up clinics, and answered questions. They simply obeyed the Lord and preached His Gospel so that people could be saved into this Kingdom… His Father’s business.
BREAKING: THIS here is all that matters saints…… Jesus is coming and wants to be glorified in forgiving all sin and changing lives….
“This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.” 1 Timothy 1:15
“For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Luke 19:10
Kingdom news is the only Good News and everything else is going to hell. Are you behind the KING and His work He sent us to do – so that He can forgive all sin and change lives?
This dear brother has been asking us lift him in pray for a while now. Thank God and that you answered that call to lift our brother in prayer. We all know that only God Himself can break us and separate us to Himself, away from the sin that otherwise has a death grip on our lives. Here’s what our dear brother sent this morning:
“Praise report…The Holy Spirit broke me down…and for the 1st time in 42 years I’ve left nothing on the back burner, I’ve left nothing in reserve … it’s not Jesus and…it’s not Jesus but…. No, it’s just Jesus … that cross of my salvation. I’m free indeed!
Thank you brother! I’m truly being made free for the first time… I’ve wasted years holding on to temporary sin…. but no more! The Holy Spirit has been flowing, even today at work! Thanks again brother …. pray for my strength and endurance. I preached it yesterday and people gave up drugs and all sin afterwards (they came to real repentance). Jesus has been so good to me! I can never thank Him enough for his life…” Chris
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.” Luke 4:18-19
The Betrayal
This generation of “preachers” has betrayed God and their fellow man. They will set up gathering to answer questions but unlike Paul on Marrs Hill, refuse to preach repentance. And, the professing “Christian” church today loves it. Think about it…. for example, Turning Point USA has over 270,000 monthly supporters and aren’t even preaching the Word of God. That means no one is getting saved or even convicted of their sins. THAT is not the Great Commission Jesus mandated that His people fulfill. Teaching and preaching His Word and preaching repentance sums up our LORD’s Great Commission command to us – and for which He is holding us 100% fully accountable. See Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-20; Luke 24:47.
Jesus died for our sins, for the sins of the world so that repentance could be preached and souls be saved into His eternal kingdom family. He commanded that repentance be preached. No one can or will do this except His own people. And, He gave “the promise of the Father” to His people to empower them in this mission – the baptism with the Holy Ghost (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:8). Read this closely:
“And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: 47 And THAT REPENTANCE AND REMISSION OF SINS SHOULD BE PREACHED in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 And ye are witnesses of these things. 49 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.” Luke 24:46-49
The professing “church” in America wants to restore America – so they can go back to living their lukewarm hell bound lives in peace (Revelation 2:4-5; 3:15-16). They don’t want to repent and do things God’s way. Beware of the prevalent false gospel which is any varation from the original Gospel given us by our LORD on the pages of His Holy Word (Galatians 1:10). We are to earnestly contend against this grace-perverting false gospel and the “ungodly men” who peddle it.
“Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. 4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.” Jude 3-4
NOTHING good happens until we get honest and repent. “Times of refreshing from the presence of the LORD” come only to those who repent (Acts 3:19). They are the only happy people on this earth and will forever enjoy the splendor of eternal glory with their soon coming KING (Revelation 21). Boom Jesus!
Though nearly never heard in today’s apostate modern church world, according to Christ’s unchanging original Gospel, repentance is an absolute necessity.
Karen Cochran observes:
“It doesn’t seem the word repent is part of Christians vocabulary!! In th emodern church, it’s all about God accepting you the way you are without any requirements to repent and die to self.”
LOTS of miserable people in this fallen world. Why? Read the paragraph above again (Proverbs 13:15; Revelation 3:15-16). Remember what Jesus says to the lukewarm?
“Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and MISERABLE, and poor, and blind, and naked:” Revelation 3:17
Letting the truth be known.
People cannot be forgiven of their sins, set free, refreshed, blessed, etc., until they repent and so “how shall they hear without a preacher?” See Romans 10:14. How shall those living in sin hear the message of Gospel, to repent, unless the true body of Christ communicates this message?
Anyone not preaching sin and repentance is not preaching the original Gospel but rather is walking in “another gospel” (Galatians 1:6-9).
Preaching the essential of repentance eliminates easy believism. Anyone preaching a “salvation” without the necessity of real repentance that brings forth fruit, clear proof of that repentance, is preaching a false gospel (Matthew 3:7-10).
WE’VE helped no one till we have delivered God’s Word to them and they repent.
“I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.” Luke 13:3
No true disciple of Jesus should ever lay his head down to rest after a day wherein he hasn’t plundered the gates of hell by the declaration of the original Gospel of Jesus which begins with the non-negotiable divine command to “repent” (Matthew 3:2; 4:17; Acts 2:38; 3:19; 20:21, etc.).
WHAT to preach?
— Repent (Matthew 3:2; 4:17; Acts 2:38; 3:19; 20:21, etc.).
— Receive Christ (John 1:12).
“Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, REPENTANCE TOWARD GOD, AND FAITH TOWARD OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.” Acts 20:21
Were we saved by our own merit or good works? No.
“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; 6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; 7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” Titus 3:5-7
“How beautiful that He canceled our debt. How merciful and Holy!” Susan Harrison
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9
“We were the guilty ones! And God’s justice says we deserve punishment! But in God’s infinite love for us Jesus died and paid the price for us! Jesus Christ was our only hope for us to be reconciled back to the Father! The plan for our salvation was established! Alleluia!” Karen Cochran
Fresh Repentance
May God bless each of us to come to fresh repentance and remission of our sins:
“Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.” Hosea 10:12
“O Israel, return unto the LORD thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity. 2 Take with you words, and turn to the LORD: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips.” Hosea 14:1-2
“Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord GOD. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin.” Ezekiel 18:30
“But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. 9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.” James 4:6-10
PRAYER: Father in Heaven, I come to You in the name of Jesus Christ, admitting I have been living for my own evil glory. I am a sinner. I’ve committed the sin of idolatry, having myself first instead of You. I admit here and now before You that I have been committing the damning sin of spiritual adultery. I have claimed to know You and yet refused to uncompromisingly adhere to Your Word. Here and now, right now if never before, I repent and ask You to forgive my sins and to wash me afresh from my sins in the precious blood of Jesus Christ my LORD. Into Your hands I commend, I submit my spirit, my life, right this moment and ask You dear LORD to fill me with Your Holy Ghost and use me to preach Your glorious message of repentance to those around me so that they can receive the forgiveness of all their sins and walk in the times of refreshing from Your holy presence dear LORD. I love You Jesus. I am all Yours and I know You are all mine. In Jesus’ Name amen.
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