What is God's purpose in our persecution for the cause of Jesus Christ---First, persecution for Christ's sake identifies us with Christ. It declares loud and clear that Jesus is our Savior-and Lord. We are willing to suffer for Him out of love for Him because He was willing to suffer in our place-God's holy wrath as a sacrifice for our sin and condemnation. His suffering was meritorious-mine is not.-Second, persecution for Christ's sake humbles us, sanctifies us, and lays bare our pride that there is nothing-more important than ourselves. A willingness to suffer persecution declares that Jesus and His truth and-righteousness is more important than me, my life-more important than anything.-Third, persecution for Christ's sake builds our faith and strengthens our resolve to follow Jesus Christ no-matter what. Through persecution God actually makes us stronger -not weaker-, bolder -not more afraid-.-Fourth, persecution for Christ's sake reveals this world is not our true and lasting home. Through-persecution-tribulation for Christ's sake we declare that through much tribulation we enter into the kingdom-of God -Acts 14-22-. It reveals that we truly believe -and not simply profess- that the riches of heaven far-exceed the things that we cling to here on earth.

When you are going through severe trials you will likely be tempted to question God's love, wisdom, power, or-justice in what you suffer.--How could God allow this tragedy to happen if He is love, if He is almighty, and if He is fair-- How can God be-all-wise and think that this is good for me-- Where was God when this happened to my loved one----At such times, a very important and life-changing truth has been obscured- hope. We are only looking at our-present pain and heartache. We are only considering our present loss. And it hurts. Wow does it hurt--However, what if God took that pain you have endured and made it a comfort and blessing to you and many-others-- What if that which appeared ugly was made by God into something beautiful beyond imagination---What makes the pain and sorrow of this life so unbearable is a sense of hopelessness. However, add to the-equation that God will make everything beautiful in His own time, we have hope to press on. We can receive-comfort and peace in knowing that God will take that which is ugly and make it beautiful. How it will all come-together, we may not know. But the Lord WILL perfect that which concerns me -Psalm 138-8-.

How does hypocrisy manifest itself in your life and mine-- We can go through the mere motions of prayer, singing the psalms, listening to the reading and preaching of God's Word, and our hearts yet be lukewarm, and even cold toward the Lord. We can outwardly profess our love for the brethren, but in our hearts despise and disregard them. We can be a model of moral purity before others, but secretly feed on pornography and every lustful thought. We can receive the forgiveness of sin as a free gift through faith in Jesus Christ, and yet refuse to forgive those who have sinned against us. We can commend the preaching of God's Word, but then neglect to live out the truth of the Lord which pierced our hearts by the Word and the Spirit. When hypocrisy takes root in our hearts, it brings with it a blindness and self-delusion, so that one may think all is well when really all is not well. Hypocrisy deadens the pangs of the conscience and sends one whistling all the way to hell.