In my suffering in trials how can I best proclaim the joy of JesusChrist?

Notes: In my suffering in trials how can I best proclaim the joy of Jesus Christ?
Valor Men's Study
Week 8
12-2-14
Pastor Carmen Rieg
Harvest OC

Pastor Carmen says a Christian is martyred every 10 hours,  2123 so far this year. Talking about persecution is all over the world everyday,

Susan from Uganda was locked in a room and left to die with her brother in March 2013. She was a Muslim that had converted to Christianity. After 6 months of being locked in a room her brother told her neighbors. She lost the use of both her legs after that.

Pastor Carmen is talking about how we as Christians are under attack. He says that Christ will build his Church and not even the gates of hell can lock him out.

Acts 8 is talking about persecution and how God will use even that to spread His church.

Acts 8:1 NLT
[1] Saul was one of the witnesses, and he agreed completely with the killing of Stephen. A great wave of persecution began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem; and all the believers except the apostles were scattered through the regions of Judea and Samaria.

The church will suffer to strengthen the Word of Jesus Christ. When everything is stripped away God will leave joyful boldness.

God's power and will has already decided to secure salvation for His church. How futile it is to go against His will.

An old church writer said that a Christians blood is the seed of the Church.

In 1985 a Bulgarian pastor was arrested with his only crime being that he was preaching the gospel in his church. He stated that his ministry in the jail was more prosperous and better used then the one out of jail. Jail was his opportunity to bare witness to God.

Acts 8:2 NLT
[2] (Some devout men came and buried Stephen with great mourning.)

These men would of needed courage just to bury Stephen because they would have been persecuted.

These believers could not be silenced, they could not deny what they had witnessed.

To walk in love when the world says hate. To pick up our cross when the world says to join it. Every morning there are 2 paths we can change. One is to choose Christ, the other looks remarkably like ourselves. Self denial changes our lives.

Acts 1:8 NLT
[8] But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere-in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

Jesus Christ was sharing with His followers what would happen. God uses adversity, trial and persecution to obtain His goals.

Acts 11:19-27 NLT
[19] Meanwhile, the believers who had been scattered during the persecution after Stephen's death traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch of Syria. They preached the word of God, but only to Jews. [20] However, some of the believers who went to Antioch from Cyprus and Cyrene began preaching to the Gentiles about the Lord Jesus. [21] The power of the Lord was with them, and a large number of these Gentiles believed and turned to the Lord. [22] When the church at Jerusalem heard what had happened, they sent Barnabas to Antioch. [23] When he arrived and saw this evidence of God's blessing, he was filled with joy, and he encouraged the believers to stay true to the Lord. [24] Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and strong in faith. And many people were brought to the Lord. [25] Then Barnabas went on to Tarsus to look for Saul. [26] When he found him, he brought him back to Antioch. Both of them stayed there with the church for a full year, teaching large crowds of people. (It was at Antioch that the believers were first called Christians.) [27] During this time some prophets traveled from Jerusalem to Antioch.

He scattered the church to obtain His Heavenly goals.

Acts 8:5-8 NLT
[5] Philip, for example, went to the city of Samaria and told the people there about the Messiah. [6] Crowds listened intently to Philip because they were eager to hear his message and see the miraculous signs he did. [7] Many evil spirits were cast out, screaming as they left their victims. And many who had been paralyzed or lame were healed. [8] So there was great joy in that city.

The orchestrator of Phillip's life was Jesus Christ. Phillip changed lives.

Jesus Christ is the only one ordained by God to save sinners.

Pastor Carmen says he loves the Gospel, he prays we all see the joy of it. He says the Gospel is our only hope. Jesus Christ extends forgiveness to all who believe. Carmen says he is so thankful that God saves sinners like he and I.

The gospel is the only thing that can produce hope and can not be taken from you.

The paradox of persecution of when their faith forces them from their home but it brings them even greater joy. Jesus Christ is better than life itself.

Hebrews 10:32-34 NLT
[32] Think back on those early days when you first learned about Christ. Remember how you remained faithful even though it meant terrible suffering. [33] Sometimes you were exposed to public ridicule and were beaten, and sometimes you helped others who were suffering the same things. [34] You suffered along with those who were thrown into jail, and when all you owned was taken from you, you accepted it with joy. You knew there were better things waiting for you that will last forever.

The early church responds to persecution with joy. They had the mentality that you could take anything from them but they would always have Jesus Christ.

Carmen says he realizes that not many if any of us in this room will face persecution like the early church or others around the world. He says he knows we will always face something.

8 Do I complain about my circumstances or do I see them as divine opportunities.

2 Corinthians 4:13 NKJV
[13] And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, "I believed and therefore I spoke," we also believe and therefore speak,

God promises that His grace will be sufficient.

Philippians 1:6 NKJV
[6] being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;

Spurgeon wrote; I have loved, I have learned to kiss the wave that has tossed me on the rock of ages.

Susan has recently said that she is joyful even after all her suffering. She says she only ask to get her ability to walk back so that she can tell more of the world about Jesus Christ and that she forgives her father and prays for his salvation.


Best regards,
Adam