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====Suffering and Glory.====
Perhaps because of the rise of humanism, the idea has been advanced that God’s people are not to suffer. The principal manifestation of this persuasion is the unscriptural "pre-tribulation rapture," the stated purpose of which is to prevent God’s people from suffering under Antichrist or during the great tribulation.

The pre-tribulation-rapture doctrine is an evidence of the love of pleasure that runs deep in modern Americans. It is no surprise that the "rapture" doctrine is so popular in America. It is no surprise either that the "Jesus did it all," lawless-grace teaching, although wildly unscriptural, is so readily received.

The last days, according to the New Testament, will be characterized by a great deal of deception. There is only one action that we can take that will guard against deception: denying ourselves, taking up our cross, and following the Lord Jesus each day.

We can read the Bible constantly, pray a great deal, and still be deceived if we are seeking to make this present world a pleasant place to live. It is because of the love of pleasure that we have received the "rapture" deception and the lawless-grace deception. There is widespread doctrinal error in the Christian churches because we love pleasure and tend to reject the iron discipline required in the Kingdom of God.

The fourth chapter of the Book of First Peter has as its theme salvation by means of the fiery trials of the judgment of God on our personality. The chapter begins by exhorting us to arm ourselves with a mind to suffer, because suffering in the flesh purges sin from us.

"The righteous are saved with difficulty," Peter maintains. This is referring to the fact that we have to endure fiery trials if we are to escape the bondages of sin and self-will.

We know that suffering produces perseverance in us, and persevering during the trials of the Christian discipleship results in our being made perfect, lacking nothing that pertains to salvation.

The Apostle Paul claims that we must suffer if we are to rule. It is through suffering that God conquers the rebellion that is in us. The original sin, the mother of all other sins, came into existence when Satan rebelled against the Father. God will never accept rebellion against His will on the part of any creature, angelic or human.

Therefore those who would rule under God must suffer every kind of trial, pain, prison, frustration, irritation, until there is no flaw in their stern obedience to the Father.

We must live in the power of Christ’s resurrection, and through this power share in the sufferings of Christ, being conformed to His death on the cross.

The Lord Jesus Christ has been with God from eternity. Yet, Christ learned obedience in the earth through the things He suffered here. The level of obedience required of those who would govern in God’s Kingdom can be attained to only through suffering.

Therefore let us profit from our suffering, as Jesus did, patiently committing ourselves to God as we are denied the things, circumstances, and relationships we desire intensely. God is faithful. When we have suffered according to His will He shall give us the desires of our heart and add no sorrow with them. He is a faithful Creator and we can safely commit to Him every aspect of our life


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