Thursday October 18, 2012

Spend some time praying this morning for those Christians around the world who are suffering for their faith.

Read 1 Peter 3:13-17;  Philippians 1:12-14

“I have learned to kiss the wave that throws me against the rock of ages.”

Charles Spurgeon

 

Pause for a moment and ponder that quote from Charles Spurgeon. Have you ever had waves in your life that have thrown you against the rock of ages? Have you encountered suffering in your life and have grown closer to God as a result? It is truly amazing and a blessing that God can use our suffering for good, to draw us closer to Him and to change us to be more like Jesus.

 

God can also use our suffering to be a great witness to those around us. Paul describes in Philippians the way that his imprisonment in chains served to advance the Gospel rather than hinder it. As a result of Paul’s suffering and persecution it had become known to all around him that he was imprisoned and suffering for Christ

 

See this also in 1 Peter 3:13-17. Peter tells the early church that even if they should suffer for righteousness sake that they should not fear, honour Christ as holy and be prepared to make a defence to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that they have in the midst of their suffering. Even in suffering and persecution God uses the way that we suffer, in this case with hope and honouring Christ, to show Christ to those around us and to advance the gospel.

 

When you suffer for your faith, when you are passed over for that promotion, when you are mocked and judged for your faith at work, when you are excluded from friendships because of your faith, how do you respond? Do you suffer with hope and in such a way as to honour Christ? Are you a witness in the way that you suffer?

 

Spend some time today thinking about how you can approach suffering differently so that you can bring Glory to God and be a witness for Him.

 

Prayer:

Use today’s reading and notes to write down ideas for your prayers.

 

Adoration:

 

Confession:

 

Thanks:

 

Supplication:

¥ Pray for all those around the world who are suffering under severe persecution for their faith. Pray that God would help them to suffer well by His Holy Spirit. Pray that the Gospel would be preached boldly and that people would come to know Jesus through the suffering of Christians.

¥ Pray for the youth group as they gather together tomorrow night. Pray that God would guide the leaders as they prepare and that God would prepare the hearts of the youth to hear His word and to grow in their relationship with Him.