Hebrews 10:32-34

Hebrews 10:32-34 Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you stood your ground in a great contest in the face of suffering. Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions.

Do Christians really know we have better and lasting possessions? Do we live with an eternal perspective or with a temporal view? Do we face persecution without losing faith? Can we allow the confiscation of our homes for the sake of the gospel? We might deceive ourselves when we answer these questions affirmatively, for we all probably have received a hefty dose of the American gospel of gain and comfort. We have been taught prosperity, not sacrifice; health, not pain. For years we have heard the king's kids' gospel of prosperity on radio and television, but is this the true gospel? Today's passage reveals another gospel, a message of hardship, suffering, and persecution. It is easier for us to fix our wagons to the opening of the Red Sea, the miracles of the wilderness, Goliath felled by a stone, the healing of leprosy and blindness, and the raising of the dead rather than this idea of complete sacrifice.

Miracles are part of our gospel, but thinking we will always receive a miracle distorts reality. The Red Sea led to the wilderness; wilderness miracles led to battles in the Promised Land; Goliath's death led to struggles with King Saul; Jesus' signs and wonders led to the cross. We often teach the high points of the Bible, but conveniently forget the low points: the daily struggles, even the defeats, such as John the Baptist, Stephen, and James losing their lives for the gospel. We also fail to acknowledge that sometimes hundreds of years went by between the high points taught in Sunday School. Rejoicing in God's direct intervention in lives is important, but we also must prepare believers for the many difficult points in life when we need faith to believe in God's reality and presence. If we know what the Bible says about trials, we can endure persecution, deprivation, and hardships, for God is in those experiences too, leading us to victory through Christ in us, the hope of glory.

Today, if you face troubles and trials, and you might ask, "If life is so hard, why pray? Why not just sit down and 'take it,' enduring patiently to the end?" No, Christians do not simply quit or give in to hardships. We do not allow the devil any safety from our prayers. We pray in faith believing, looking for miracles and successes in our lives. I have had many miracles and hundreds of successes because of God's intervention. But, my prayers are not always answered as I desire, and God has allowed hardships in my life. Yet, I see God in every part of my life. As believers, troubles and persecutions do come to us, but as we commit everything to God, we become stronger in our faith. Some Christians complain that believers with strong testimonies have had easier lives. In reality, every follower of Christ experiences problems, some of their own making, and others through the process of living. Problems COME TO ALL OF US; how we handle them is important. We should face trials IN FAITH, BELIEVING GOD IS ALIVE. If your property is confiscated for the gospel or you face persecution and suffering, GOD IS STILL ALIVE. The just, the righteous, the victorious, live by faith. Faith brings us through pain and struggles as it provides the knowledge of better and lasting possessions. Therefore, pray in faith, believing in miracles, but if your miracle does not appear, LIVE IN FAITH, rejoicing daily in God's goodness, his faithfulness; for He is perfecting the work He has started in you.

Now, my beloved American Christians, live your lives as aliens who do not make this world their home. No matter the cost, testify of God's goodness, mercy, and love. Do not run from troubles, but resist the devil and face your battles like men (soldiers of the cross). Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, QUIT you like men, be strong. (1 Corinthians 16:13) Live daily IN THE LORD, knowing God loves you and you are on an eternal journey that ends in his presence. This life is not your final destination. As aliens in a poison-patch world, we do experience suffering and hardship, but these problems are of little consequence compared to our eternal home. We know we have better and lasting possessions: God himself, our inheritance. Praise the One who loves you today and serve him with joy.