Suffering? ❤️

 Dear Dad’s (Randall Hartinger) Bible Study for Today. BLESSED!

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Suffer for The Kingdom rather than for being The King of Dumb‼️

03/17 Daily Exhortation (Heb.3:13;10:25;Matt.6:11;Luke 11:3)…

Let us glean this 3/17 from THIS 3:17…

1 Peter 3:17 (KJB)  For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.

Here’s what builds up to this verse: 

1 Peter 3:12-14 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.

1Pe 3:13 And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?

1Pe 3:14 But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled…

It is the will of God that at times we will suffer for doing right. 

I love the story of the dying thief who REPENTED on the cross. At first, the dying thief joined the other dying thief in reviling… 

Mark 15:32 Let Christ the King of Israel descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe. And they that were crucified with him reviled him.

But GOD GAVE HIM a change of heart…

Luke 23:40-42

40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?

41 And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.

42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.

Getting the “due reward of” your evil deeds is NOT persecution. Being put out of your church or exposed is NOT PERSECUTION. 

Exalting folly is not suffering for Christ’s sake. If one is a child of God, God will CHASTEN them (Heb. 12; Eph. 5) to make them CHASTE.

How do you KNOW the difference? BY THE FRUITS. If fruits of HOLINESS are present, then such an one is suffering for RIGHTEOUSNESS sake. If unholy, carnal, worldly living is present, then they are not suffering for righteousness. 

1 Peter 4:1 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin…

Romans 8:18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

Galatians 3:4 Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain.

1 Peter 5:10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.

Romans 8:17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

2 Timothy 2:12 If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us…

2 Timothy 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

How’s that DAILY CROSS? Are you suffering for righteousness’ sake? Are you earnestly contending for the faith (Jude) and set for the defense of the gospel (Philippians)? –r <3