For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps. He never sinned, nor ever deceived anyone. He did not retaliate when he was insulted, nor threaten revenge when he suffered. He left his case in the hands of God, who always judges fairly. He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed.” 1 Peter 2:21-24 NLT
The greatest example of suffering unjustly is Jesus!!! He never sinned!!! He was the perfect One who took upon Himself the sin of the whole world. “He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world.” 1 John 2:2 NLT Jesus bore the sins of every human being from time immemorial throughout time eternal. Jesus is the One and only Savior!!! He was fully God and fully man. He suffered, humanly, just like us, in flesh. He was mistreated. He was denied by Peter, betrayed by Judas, doubted by Thomas, hated by the Pharisees, rejected by his own countrymen, falsely accused, spit upon, beaten, and condemned to die by sinful, unjust men. He died in our stead!!! He knows what its like, more than anyone, to be mistreated. While being treated with cruelty, Jesus always displayed an attitude of righteousness. As it states in the scripture of the day, He "left His case in the hands of God". You and I would do well to follow our Lord's example! Stephen, the first chosen servant elder of the church (see Acts 6:1-7 - some call them "deacons"). When being stoned by his peers for preaching the blazing truth, Stephen mimicked our Master in Acts 7:60 - "He fell to his knees, shouting, “Lord, don’t charge them with this sin!” And with that, he died.” NLT I, personally, believe it was Stephen's sermon that brought Holy Spirit conviction on Saul of Tarsus (later to become Paul). Oh how I pray that God will give us more elders, deacons of the church who would preach like Stephen. Today, no matter what you are having to endure, place your case in God's hands.
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March 2020
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