Preacher's Pulpit Series #5

            I cannot begin to tell you of all the wonderful things he has done in my life since I last wrote to you.  If I were to do so the internet could not contain all the things I would have to write!  Suffice it to say that I will be happy to share with those that are interested on an individual basis if someone so desires to hear about the graciousness of God towards a sinner such as I. 

                In case you should tire of reading these words before you get to the end of the message let me start out by encouraging all of you to not forget those that are sick among us, those that have fallen into misfortune and those that have family and friends that may not have accepted Jesus as their personal Savior yet.  Pray, pray, pray for them!  Paul says in Eph. 6 to pray always in the Spirit and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.  I looked up in the Greek the words perseverance, supplication, and saints.  Perseverance means to never give up, supplication means to make a request and saint means holy, set apart, or pure.  So, you see we are to never give up making requests for those that are set apart.  What?  You don’t think that you are set apart or holy?  When the Bible talks about saints it is talking about those that are washed in the blood of the Lamb!  You are a saint!  I am a saint!  True, we don’t always act like it or feel like it but the kingdom of God is full of blood bought sinners just like you and me.  When God looks at us he sees the blood of his Son and that, my comrades, makes us that are washed in the blood saints! 

                   Now then, let us look at Rom. 8:16-17  It says that  “(16)  the Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: (17) And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.”  We naturally like to hear about the being a heir along with Christ meaning that if we are saved we are then saints and if we are saints then we are children of God and if we are children of God then Jesus is our brother, ect., ect.,  but what about the part that says we must suffer with him?  Why do we think that we can get a reward if we don’t suffer willingly?  If we look at the next verse we can see Paul’s reasoning.  It says, “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.”  Comrades, if we suffer for the sake of our brother and fellow heir, Jesus, what glorious blessings will we receive in heaven when we see him face to face!  However, I cannot think of any greater blessing than seeing him in person and thanking him for all he has done for all eternity.  Can you?