BE HAPPY WHEN YOU SUFFER FOR DOING GOOD

Newsletter 116 November 28 2008

As far as I know, Peter was the only one of the apostles to be crucified as Jesus had been. Tradition tells us that he asked to be crucified hanging upside down so that he would not be just like Christ. All the apostles, with the one exception of John, are said to have given their lives in one way or another for their faith.

Peter begins his discussion of good and evil and suffering for your faith by asking a question, �Who is he that will harm you if you be followers of that which is good?� Taken from it�s context, the surrounding scripture, this would seem to say that no one will harm you. No one good would, but this world is not all good. A recent presentation, I attended, called our attention to many different nations and places where, to be different in faith is to be persecuted. In the Bible, we read of the persecution of the apostles from both the Jewish and Gentile nations where they were preaching the truth. Paul was stoned and left for dead on at least one occasion. Stephen was killed for his faith. Today this could be almost any source that is different, it is so universal.

I am reminded of the fact that as a child my mother used to purchase 500 baby chicks to raise, but in error, there was sometimes one little black chick among all the sweet downy yellow ones. It was different, and if it was left among the others, it would probably be pecked to death.

Let us look at what Peter actually says, leaving it in it�s context.

1 Peter 3:13-22 (King James Version)

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

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

15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear

16 Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.

17 For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.

18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;

20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.

21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:

22 Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.

HOW SHOULD WE REACT?

Peter tells us, �Be happy,� �Don�t be afraid,� �Don�t be troubled.� �Be ready always to give an answer� with meekness and fear.� He reminds us that Christ also suffered for our sins, that he might bring us to God.

Just as Christ wants to bring us all to his Father, we too, have a like work to do.

His last command in four words, was �go,� �teach,� �baptize,� �teach.�

Christ has gone ahead of us to present us to the Father, and we in turn are expected to do the same.

Dare to be different, fulfill your task.

Bob.
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Ode To A Turkey... author unknown

Tis the night before Thanksgiving and all through our house
No turkey is baking; I feel like a louse,
For I am all nestled, so snug in my bed;
I�m not gettin� up and I�m not bakin� bread.

No pies in my oven, no cranberry sauce
Cuz I give the orders, and I am the boss.
When out in the kitchen, there arose such a clatter
I almost got up to see what was the matter.

As I drew in my head and was tossing around
To the bed came my husband, he grimaced, he frowned.
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
He scared me to death and I thought, �Here he goes!�

He spoke not a word as he threw back my quilt
And the look that he gave was intended to wilt.
So up to the ceiling my pillows he threw
I knew I had had it, his face had turned blue.

�You prancer, you dodger, you�re lazy, you vixen
Out yonder in kitchen, Thanksgiving you�re fixin.�
But he heard me explain, with my face in a pout:
"I'm just plain too tired and we're eating out!"
I PLEDGE TO READ MY BIBLE THROUGH IN 2008
NOVEMBER
30th. Sunday - Obadiah 1, 2 Peter 3, Psalm 136:1-12
DECEMBER
1st. Monday - Daniel 1,2, Revelation 1, Psalm 136:13-28
2nd. Tuesday - Daniel 3,4, Revelation 2:1-17, Proverbs 29:10-18
3rd. Wednesday - Daniel 5,6, Revelation 2:18-29, Psalm 137
4th. Thursday - Daniel 7.8. Revelation 3:1-10, Psalm 138
5th. Friday - Daniel 9,10, Revelation 3:11-22, Psalm 139:1-8
6th. Saturday - Daniel 11,12, Revelation 4, Proverbs 29:19-27
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THIS WEEK'S SCRIPTURE

"For the time is come that judgement must begin at the house of God: and it it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God ? 1 Peter 4:17

KJV
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