He Did Suffer

  When people think of suffering and the Bible they doubtless think most of Christ. But Paul was told he would suffer many things for the cause of Christ (Acts 9: 16) and suffer he did (2 Cor. 11: 22- 28). The Holy Spirit had him to write, "Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution" (2 Tim. 3: 12). There is so much written in the New Testament to encourage Christians because of suffering for righteous' sake.

  Why is there persecution? It is because the sinful world is so full of hatred for the things of the Lord that sinful people cannot refrain from doing harm to those who respect and obey Him. Christians stand as rebukes of their sinful conduct and this they resent. There are those who are determined to go their own way and they do not want anybody else to follow Christ. So they do what they can to discourage and intimidate Christians to abandon their faith. If you follow faithfully the way of the Lord, you can expect it.