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We are not Exempted
They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail. Acts 5:18, NIV When Peter and John continued to preach the gospel after Jesus’ resurrection, the early church received the anointing of the Holy Spirit. They witnessed a lot of miracles. Their numbers increased, and they were given the chance to tangibly feel God’s presence. The glory of God was so evident. Even the apostles received supernatural boldness and strength to preach the gospel. But despite God’s presence, the apostles were still arrested and put in public jail. There were people who found their message disturbing. They were jealous, maybe because of the respect that the apostle had received…
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Romans 5:3-4, NIV
Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. Romans 5: 3-4, NIV You can glorify God even in the midst of suffering. If you will just remain faithful to Him, the difficulties that you experience will produce perseverance, and that perseverance will develop your character, and that character will lead you to greater hope. So if God allowed you to go through some struggles, then don’t take it as something that is against Him. He is just giving you the opportunity to grow and prosper. You may not appreciate what He allowed you to experience for…
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Acts 21: 35-36, NIV
When Paul reached the steps, the violence of the mob was so great he had to be carried by the soldiers. The crowd that followed kept shouting, “Get rid of him!” Acts 21: 35-36, NIV This is what happened to Paul when He reached Jerusalem. The people persecuted Him and treated Him as if He was a sinner who did things against God’s will. He received harsh words. The crowd followed and kept shouting at him. Soldiers are carrying Him, and He has already experienced violence. Paul’s suffering is not easy. And the amazing thing about this is He knew all about these things. The Holy Spirit already informed Him…
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Acts 7:59-60, NIV
When they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep. Acts 7:59-60, NIV Stephen was full of the Holy Spirit when He shared Jesus. People don’t want to hear Him. That’s why they accused and put false charges against Him. But despite what Stephen experienced, He continued to glorify Jesus. People were stoning Him, and He was in so much pain. But he chose to surrender his Spirit to our Savior. Not only that, He also asked the Lord not to hold this…
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Acts 5:41, NIV
The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. Acts 5:41, NIV The apostles chose to rejoice in the presence of God despite of the suffering that they experienced. For them, sacrificing their lives for the sake of the gospel is already a great victory. Not everyone is given the chance to experience these kinds of moments. Instead of focusing on the difficulties that they were facing, the apostles chose to be happy because they felt grateful that God gave them the privilege to serve Jesus. They were beaten, and they went through pain. But this doesn’t stop them from serving…
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Acts 5:9, NIV
Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than human beings! Acts 5:29, NIV Peter and the apostles said these words while they were being questioned by the high priest. They are commanded not to preach in Jesus’ Name, but then the apostles don’t stop sharing the gospel. Because of this, they were persecuted. But even though Jesus’ disciples experienced this difficult moment, still, they kept their faith. They are determined to obey God and not mere humans. You see, just like these apostles, there are moments when we experience persecution because of our faith. And this is a great reminder for us not to obey mere…
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Acts 1:3, NIV
After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. Acts 1:3, NIV Jesus is alive. He won the victory. His disciples witnessed the physical evidence of the biggest miracle that this world had ever experienced. Jesus rose again. It means that He already conquered death. He didn’t even stay with His disciples for only a few hours. Instead, He appeared to them over a period of forty days. Jesus didn’t leave them without preparing their hearts. He continued to speak about the Kingdom of God.…
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John 19:30, NIV
When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. John 19:30, NIV It is finished. Jesus died on the cross to save us from eternal suffering. He already gave up everything just to give us a chance to experience life with Him. He already went through so much pain just to set us free from bondage. It is finished. Jesus already won the victory. He defeated death. He conquered the enemy. This means that if you believe in Him with all your heart, then you will also experience His victory. You will also be given a chance…
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John 17:11, NI
I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one. John 17:11, nIV This is the cry of Jesus for His disciples. He humbly lifted them up to God. He knows that any time soon, God the Father will take Him to heaven. That’s why He was praying for those that God entrusted to Him. He asked for their protection because He knew the things that they would experience. They will go through persecution…
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Just because you are in Pain doesn’t mean you are Defeated.
Those who choose to love will somehow experience pain in life. Every relationship that involves human beings will go through tests or hardships. It’s because we are all imperfect. We live in a broken world that longs for healing and grace. And as long as you are still breathing and still surrounded by people, then expect certain days when you will feel frustrated and in pain because of the mistakes that your loved ones committed. And this doesn’t mean that you should stop loving others. You can never live a fulfilled life without love. It’s one of the most essential ingredients that will help you stay motivated. All you need…
