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The Word for Today

by Bob and Debby Gass

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‘If anyone suffers…’ 1 Peter 4:16 NKJV

The Bible says, ‘Let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter. For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God…’ (1 Peter 4:15-17 NKJV) When Satan attacks you for doing God’s will, it’s both a compliment and a sign of respect. Clearly, you’re a high-value target and you represent a threat to his kingdom. But when you suffer as a result of your own foolishness, there’s only one thing to do: acknowledge it and repent. Don’t say you’re being attacked for being a Christian when you’re really being attacked for being a ‘busybody’. Note the words ‘murderer’ and ‘busybody’, and make the connection! When you speak evil of someone and are persecuted for it, you’re not suffering for the Lord, you’re suffering the consequences of your own behaviour. So what should you do? Go back and deal with it; say, ‘I was wrong.’ Don’t try to act ‘spiritual’ and say, ‘Well, I just don’t understand why they don’t like me.’ Yes, you do! You can’t do what’s wrong, try to vindicate yourself and then claim God’s promises. It doesn’t work that way. ‘The time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God.’ It begins with you. Simply put, there are some things that God wants you to fix yourself. Don’t wait for consequences to bring you to your knees.

SoulFood: Num 30:1-32:24, Matt 18:1-9, Ps 40:9-17, Pr 6:6-8

The Word for Today is authored by Bob and Debby Gass and published under licence from UCB International Copyright 2012

The Word for Today

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