The Cross and Suffering

PART I

Bible Verses :

"Now great multitudes went with Him. And He turned and said to them, "If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. ...So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple." (Luke 14:25-27, 33)

"For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal." (II Cor. 4:17-18)

"...if children, then heirs - heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." ( Rom. 8:17-18)

Let Us Pray:

Our Loving Heavenly Father, our God whom we adore and serve:

We thank you that, by the blood of your Son Jesus and His life, we can gather here to recount your gracious blessings. Our Father and our God, in this age of difficult, evil, lustful and corrupt times, how we need Your grace! We deeply feel that we need Your grace and mercy far more than we are aware of.

Oh Father, be gracious to us today! Before you, all creation is naked and exposed. You are the Lord who searches our hearts and minds, and You know what is deep down in our soul. You know the real condition of our life and service. Father, shine on us - enlighten us with Your intensive light. In this crooked and perverse age, we pray that You will make us as shining lights in the world that hold forth the word of life. May Your grace and Your presence be with us; take away our pride and grant us a humble and teachable heart.

Our God and Father, we commit this brief moment into Your hands. We know that men can do nothing - men are destitute and mere nothing. You alone are the Lord of life and the source of life. We therefore fix our eyes on You. Oh Lord, for Your own glory and Your own name"s sake, fill us with Your grace, that You may gain some dedicated followers who will do anything to please You. Our God, please listen to our prayers! Our days are numbered; in these remaining days, let us learn to "redeem our time because our days are evil."

Our Loving Father, we earnestly look up to You, and solely depend on You in our earthly days. Hear us pray, Father, in the holy name of Jesus Christ, Amen!

We Shall All Come Before the Judgment Seat of Christ

Dear brothers and sisters, one day we shall all come face to face with the Lord. What will we be like on that day when we stand before the Judgment Seat of Jesus Christ? This is an extremely important question; one that concerns not only the millennium but also our eternity. On the day we see the Lord, He will differentiate "good and faithful servants" from "wicked and slothful servants," as well as "wise virgins" from "foolish virgins." When the fire appears before the Judgment Seat, the works of some people will be revealed as wood, hay and straw and be burned. As for those who have followed the Lord faithfully and pure-heartedly in their life-span, their works will be revealed as gold, silver and precious stones in the fire before the Judgment Seat; not only will they be able to withstand the fire, they will even shine forth.

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