[nazerene] *It Will Be Worth It All, When We See Jesus

Tue, 25 Apr 2006 12:39:53 -0700

 

It Will Be Worth It All, When We See Jesus

Oft times the day seems long, our trials hard to bear,
We're tempted to complain, to murmur and despair;
But Christ will soon appear to catch His Bride away,
All tears forever over in God's eternal day.
       Refrain
      It will be worth it all, when we see Jesus,
      Life's trials will seem so small, when we see Christ;
      One glimpse of His dear face, all sorrow will erase,
      So bravely run the race, till we see Christ.
When We See Christ,  (It will be worth it all), Words and music by Esther Kerr Rusthoi
 

SUFFERING = Enduring undesirable pains and experiences.

Old Testament:
Clearly an understanding of suffering introduces the problem of evil. Suffering follows the entrance of evil into the universe. The Bible does not attempt to explain the origin of evil. It accepts evil and suffering as givens in a fallen and sinful world.

The Hebrews regarded suffering as punishment for sin against the divine moral order. The wicked would surely suffer for their evil ways even though they might prosper for a time. Some Bible writers expressed consternation though, that God stayed His hand of judgment against the offenders of His will. They often interpreted their own suffering as a sign of God’s wrath and punishment for sin in their lives.

The suffering of the righteous poses a problem. It was explained variously as a way for God to gain peoples’ attention , to correct sin into obedience , and to develop or refine character. Ultimately, the writers consigned themselves to trust in God’s sometimes hidden wisdom. The righteous look forward to the Day of the Lord when they would be vindicated and ultimate justice would be brought about on the wicked by Jesus Christ.

Turning to the New Testament:
Into an evil world God sent His only Son. God is Himself touched by the suffering of Christ on the cross. Christian writers in the New Testament incorporated the trials of Christ into their existing Old Testament understanding of suffering. The purposefulness and necessity of suffering in the life of the Son of God aided them in coping with their own.

The early Christians recognized the inevitability of their suffering. As Christ suffered, so would they. As they carried out His mission, they would incur tribulation,  because the world hates the followers of Christ as much as it did their Lord. Suffering for His sake was counted a privilege.  

Sufferings are to be endured patiently rather than rebelliously  because God is working His purpose out in His children’s lives. Satan will tempt believers to be defeated in their suffering. Instead, Christians can grow stronger spiritually through trials and share Christ’s ultimate triumph even now as they experience daily victories. Therefore, sufferings give rise to hope, for no present suffering compares with the rewards that await the faithful follower of Christ.
-(Exerpted from the Holmann Bible Dictionary.)
 
 
1 John 3:1-3 (KJV)
 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us,
that we should be called the sons of God:
therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
{2} Beloved, now are we the sons of God,
and it doth not yet appear what we shall be:
 but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him;
 for we shall see him as he is.
 {3} And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself,
even as he is pure.
 
Job 19:25-27 (KJV)
For I know that my redeemer liveth,
and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:
{26} And though after my skin worms destroy this body,
yet in my flesh shall I see God:
{27} Whom I shall see for myself,
and mine eyes shall behold, and not another;
though my reins{Heb=insides} be consumed within me.
 
Psa 16:8-11 (KJV)
 I have set the LORD always before me:
because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
{9} Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth:
 my flesh also shall rest in hope.
{10} For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell{Heb=sheol, the grave, temporary resting place of the saved dead};
neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
{11} Thou wilt show me the path of life:
 in thy presence is fulness of joy;
at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
 
Mat 5:8-12 (KJV)
Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
{9} Blessed are the peacemakers:
for they shall be called the children of God.
{10} Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake:
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
 {11} Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you,
and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
{12} Rejoice, and be exceeding glad:
for great is your reward in heaven:
for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
 
John 17:14-26 (KJV)
  Father, I have given them thy word;
and the world hath hated them,
because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
{15} I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world,
but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil (which is in the world).
{16} They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
{17} Sanctify them through thy truth:
thy word is truth.
{18} As thou hast sent me into the world,
even so have I also sent them into the world.
{19} And for their sakes I sanctify myself,
that they also might be sanctified through the truth.
{20} Neither pray I for these alone,
 but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;
{21} That they all may be one;
as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee,
that they also may be one in us:
that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
 {22} And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them;
that they may be one, even as we are one:
{23} I in them, and thou in me,
that they may be made perfect in one;
 and that the world may know that thou hast sent me,
 and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
 {24} Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me,
be with me where I am;
that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me:
for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.
{25} O righteous Father,
 the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee,
and these have known that thou hast sent me.
{26} And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it:
that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them,
and I in them.
 
1 Cor 13:12 (KJV)
 For now we see through a glass, darkly{ancient mirrors gave a distorted image};
but then face to face:
now I know in part;
 but then shall I know even as also I am known.
 
2 Cor 3:17-18 (KJV)
Now the Lord is that Spirit:
and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
 {18} But we all, with open(Grk=unveiled) face
 beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord,
are changed into the same image
from glory to glory,
even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
 
2 Cor 5:6-11a (KJV)
Therefore we are always confident,
knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body,
we are absent from the Lord:
{7} (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)
{8} We are confident, I say,
and willing rather to be absent from the body,
and to be present with the Lord.
 {9} Wherefore we labour,
that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.
{10} For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ;
 that every one may receive the things done in his body,
according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
 {11} Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord,
we persuade men;
but we are made manifest (Grk=openly known) unto God;
 
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God Bless You
In Christ.....brother bob.......<><


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