“Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown.”  (Rev. 2:10)

Secret Christian meeting

Many years ago, while a young youth director, I wanted to illustrate to our group of teenagers what persecution is like in many places in the world. So, one evening, I took them to a small unlighted barn out in the countryside for a “secret Christian meeting”. We pretended to be persecuted Christians in a communist country meeting secretly to avoid those who would arrest us. To add realism, I had the kids sneak into the building a few at a time, in the dark, and very quietly, without talking. Once inside, we quietly read the Bible in the dark, with only a tiny reading light.Towards the end of our meeting, some “police” burst in and arrested us (of course, I had arranged this). After being interrogated and released, we returned to our normal meeting place to discuss the experience. Many said they were very glad we actually lived in a free country where we could openly meet and share our faith without being arrested. 

Persecution continues

It’s been about 50 years since we had that mock meeting. Those teenagers are now grandparents. The world is older, but people are still being persecuted around the world. And it has gotten worse here in America.

Jesus warned us

“And everyone will hate you because you are my followers. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.” (Mark 13:13)

“In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” (2 Tim. 3:12)

“Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also.” (John 15:20)

Therefore, rejoice and be glad

“Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Matt. 5:10-12)

Nothing will separate us!

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?” (Rom. 8:35)

“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” (Rom. 8:37)

“I and the Father are one” (John 10:30)

In interviews and debates I’ve heard atheists proclaim, “Jesus never said he was God!” It always amazes me to hear people who don’t study the Bible say this confidently and passionately, especially since what they say is biblically not true. Jesus did say He is God many times and in many ways! In the above verse, for instance, he clearly said, “I and the Father are one.”

To His disciples He declared…

“Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9).

Jesus proved it in many ways

Jesus applied the names and attributes of God to Himself. Jesus made it clear that He was God incarnate, proving it by His words, by His miracles, and finally by His resurrection from the dead.

Jesus also claimed to be God when He said, “Very truly I tell you, . . . before Abraham was born, I am!” (John 8.58).

The Bible says Jesus is God!

The Gospel of John begins with a statement of Jesus’ deity: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1)

In John 1:14, John identifies the Word: “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John is affirming that the Word (Jesus) is God, and He left heaven to come to earth in the form of a man to live with men and display the glory of God the Father.

Jesus is both God and Savior

In Titus 2:13, the Apostle Paul said he eagerly awaited “the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ” and he encouraged others to do the same.

Therefore

“The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word.” (Heb. 1:3)

“Since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse.” (Romans 1:20)

Look and observe all around you!

All things are made by someone… the clothes and shoes you are wearing, everything within your home, the building itself, your cell phone, your vehicle and even the road it drives on, virtually everything everywhere in the world around you had a maker, an intelligent design and a creator made it happen!

Everything has a creator

Logically, why wouldn’t there be a creator behind everything else that exists, including the heavens and the earth, which all show intelligent design? The Bible passage at top proclaims that “God’s invisible attributes are clearly seen and understood by what God has made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse.” God says these things are clearly seen, understood, and declare, His hands at work!

The heavens and skies declare it!

“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands.” (Psalm 18:1)

“The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, And night unto night reveals knowledge. (Psalm 19:1- 2; Job 12:7-10)

The earth declares it!

“The LORD made the earth by His power; He established the world by His wisdom and stretched out the heavens by His understanding.” (Jer. 51:15)

Not made from things you can see

“By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.” (Heb. 11:3)

The things you see are temporary and the things you cannot see are permanent (eternal).

“while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” (2 Cor. 4:18)

Therefore

“And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” (2 Cor. 3:18)

“He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him.” (John 1:10 ESV)

Many people easily think of Jesus as God’s Son, but they don’t think of Him as the Creator, but that’s what He is! When you understand that God is one God but represented in three parts, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, you clearly see that all three are the Creator. It’s kind of hard for some to wrap their head around this three-in-one concept but that’s what the Bible teaches. It’s why God referred to himself in plural when He said in Gen. 1:26, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.”

The following verses explain

“For in Him all things were created, things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities. All things were created through Him and for Him.” (Col. 1:16)

“Through Him all things were made, and without Him nothing was made that has been made.” (John 1:3)

 “yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we exist. And there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we exist.” (1 Cor. 8:6)

“Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form,” (Phil 2:6-7 NLT)

Therefore…

“But in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom He made the universe.” (Heb. 1:2)

“Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” (Heb. 13:2)

Maybe not what you think

Most people picture angels as beautiful women with long flowing robes, halos, harps, and wings. But the Bible has a very different description of them. There isn’t a single example of them being a winged female. Angels are beings that God made to serve Him in many different capacities.

According to the passage at top it’s possible to see an Angel and not know it because they can blend in.

I don’t know if I ever saw an Angel, but maybe

Let me explain. A few months ago I started a brand new ministry to represent Christ within the automotive recycling industry. I wasn’t sure if this new venture was what I should be doing and was there to test the waters, so to speak. It involved traveling to the same industry conventions I had previously gone to in a business capacity for many years. I was at a large industry trade show in Dallas Texas and felt a bit nervous and uncertain as I stood there greeting people and handing out gospel tracts. I recognized many familiar faces as industry friends, past clients, and colleagues, walked by. I looked up to see a man standing a few feet away smiling at me. I smiled back and said hello and he said, “You are doing a good thing here.” I said, “Thank you, that’s very nice of you to say!” He stood there for a few moments then turned to leave. I don’t know why I was compelled to do this, but I said, “Excuse me, but are you an Angel?”And he turned and smiled broadly at me once again and said, “Yes, I am.” And then he disappeared into the crowd. I never saw him again. I don’t know if he actually was an Angel, but what he had said to me about doing a good thing was very encouraging and confirming. And it was exactly what I needed to hear!

Angels are often God’s messengers

The word “angel" comes from the Greek word "Angelos," which means "messenger." In the Bible, angels showed up to people many times as a messenger from God.

What the Bible says about Angels

Angels are created beings and are an entirely separate type of creature from humans.They are intelligent beings. (1 Peter 1:12).They rejoice in God's works and serve Him. (Psalm 103:20; Rev. 22:9). They are mobilized by God to come to the aid of believers. (Hebrews 1:14). They minister to humans and sometimes bring answers to prayers. (Acts 12:5-10, 8:26, 10:3). They proclaim God's judgments (Rev. 7:1, 8:2).

Therefore

“Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?” (Heb. 1:14)

“For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.” (Psalm 91:11)

“The angel of the LORD encamps round about them that fear him, and delivers them.” (Psalm 34:7)

“For he shall give his angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways…” (Psalm 91:11-12)

“Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs it down,

But a good word makes it glad.” (Prov. 12:25)

Emotions are a part of human nature

Emotions are usually a good thing for most. But for many people their emotions get out of control and are expressed in the form of anger, extreme sadness, emotional outbursts, or as anxiety attacks (fear on steroids).This causes much trouble and sorrow and is at the root of many personal struggles.

The Bible says

 “A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back” (Proverbs 29:11).

 “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control” (2 Timothy 1:7).

There is hope in Christ

“These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

Therefore

“Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me.” (John 14:1)

“Casting all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7)

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

Famous radio personality…

Paul Harvey used to tell amazing backstories of famous people, things, and places. And after he finished he’d say, “And now, you know the rest of the story!” In the same fashion, the most famous verse in the New Testament, John 3:16, also has a back story that most don’t know. You see John 3:16 shown everywhere, even on hand-held signs at Super Bowl games. If you could quote only one verse, this would probably be it. But few can tell you what the verses are before and after it are in the Bible that tell “the rest of the story”. Let’s take a look.

Verses BEFORE John 3:16

The Bible verses preceding John 3:16 tell about a religious ruler who visited Jesus at night and Jesus explained to him how to be transformed into a brand new person by the Holy Spirit.

John 3:1 Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.”

3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”

4 “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”

5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

9 “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.

10 “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? 11 Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12 I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 13 No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. 14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”

Verses AFTER John 3:16

After John 3:16 we learn WHY God gave His only Son, “the rest of the story”.

John 3:17  “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.”

And now you know the rest of the story!

This is the gospel story! The good news! So don’t keep it to yourself, go and tell someone!

“Do everything in Love.” (1 Cor. 16.14)

How can you do everything in love if you don’t like your job?

Do everything in love? Really? If you dig ditches all day long in inclement weather? If you work in a small cubical staring at a computer screen for hours on end? If you work at a big non-personal factory doing repetitive work hour after hour? Or, if you’re forced to work with disagreeable, dishonest, even vile, people, who bring you down all day? Can you do thatin love?

The answer is “yes” if you change your motivation  

Many people work at their nine-to-five jobs for selfish reasons.Their motivation is to get money, to eat, and to pay their bills.That is their basic motivation for getting up and going to work everyday, and they hate their jobs! They think of it as “the daily grind”. If that describes you, you’re probably unhappy at what you do.

However

If you change the reason you go to work, no matter what or where that is, to being there as God’s representative. And there to be His eyes, ears, hands, and mouth, within your working world. And that you’re there to please Him, as His ambassador, that will change everything for you!

Love is the ultimate motivation, especially at work!

The highest motivation for any kind of work is love. When you do anything in love, that pleases God. When you change your motivation for going to work, to please God, that changes your motivation. Because God is love! (1 John 4:8). And when you are working for Him, you are actually doing what you do in love.

“Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men,” (Col. 3:23)

 How do you do that?

“Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone” (Rom. 12:16-18 NIV).

“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.” (1 John 4:7-12 ESV)

 Love keeps you going when you feel like giving up

“We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thess. 1:3 NIV)

Therefore

Work for God and you’re then working in love because God is love.

“Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.” (Col. 3:17)

“But whoever listens to me will dwell safely, And will be secure, without fear of evil.” (Prov. 1:33 NKJV)

The above verse contains three wonderful promises! 1) you will dwell safely. 2) you will be secure. And, 3) you will be without fear of evil.

Like many promises in the Bible, this passage tells you exactly what to do to acquire what is promised, listen to God. This instruction to listen to God doesn’t seem like a difficult thing to do, but if that’s true, why aren’t we listening to Him? Let’s look at three reasons.

·      Some people CANNOT hear God

 There’s a Christmas carol that starts with the line, “Do you hear what I hear?” And that isn’t a bad question for someone to ask, because many cannot hear what God is saying to them because they don’t know Him and therefore are not of Him. They are not one of His sheep and not His followers.

“Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.” (John 8:47 ESV)

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” (John 10:27 ESV)

·      Some people DO NOT want to hear God

“For this people's heart has grown callous; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them.” (Matt. 13:15)

·      Some people are DULL of hearing

“you have become dull of hearing. (Heb. 5:11)

If you live next to a freeway, you will learn to ignore and not even hear the traffic noise.You can learn to tune it out mentally. It works the same way with people. Children tune out their parents, parents tune out their children, husbands and wives tune out each other, and they also tune out God!

“For this people's heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.” (Matt. 13:15 ESV)

What you MUST do

• You MUST work at listening

You can hear sounds but not actually listen and responding to them. Hearing and listening are two different things. Hearing is about the ability to perceive the presence of sound. Listening is responding to it. 

“Making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding;” (Prov. 2:2 ESV)

“My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen…" (James 1:19).

• You MUST hear God’s Word to gain faith

“So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” (Rom. 10:17 ESV)

“Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance,” (Prov. 1:5 ESV)

• You MUST open the door!

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.” (Rev. 3:20 ESV)

“Oh, that you had listened to my commands! Then you would have had peace flowing like a gentle river and righteousness rolling over you like waves in the sea. (Isa 48:18 NLT)