"Japan Rose" Festival

My hometown's official flower (since 1949) is the camellia (called "Japan Rose" by the German botanist, Engelbert Kaempfer).  Camellias are known as tsubaki (椿) in Japanese. Today, my family and I went to our annual Camellia Festival downtown. I took over 100 photos; I will share just some of my favorite ones here :). I didn't realize there are so many varieties of camellias and they all are very beautiful. The Oregon Camellia Society hosted its statewide contest. These camellias were judged by size, color, form, and condition.

I even took a picture with jumbo Hello Kitty (a famous fictional character produced by the Japanese company Sanrio).

If It's God's Will

If it's God's will for us to suffer, it is for our good & for God's glory. It is always better to suffer unjustly for doing good/doing what is right/ doing the will of God than for doing evil. If we are to suffer, let it be by the will of God and by following Christ faithfully, not by any of our own faults or follies. Suffering according to God's will is never in vain and is followed by blessings and rewards. Christ is our Example and we are to follow in His steps. 

Christ suffered and died in the flesh once for sins, in order to reconcile lost sinners to God. His one sacrifice/offering is sufficient to take away all sins. There's no need for any more sacrifices. "God made Him (Jesus) who had no sin to be a sin offering for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God." (2 Corinthians 5:21) "He sacrificed for their sins once for all when He offered Himself...We have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." (Hebrews 7:27b, 10:10) Although Christ was physically dead, His spirit was still alive. And He rose again in His glorified body. So we shall be. Peter uses the example of Christ's suffering, death, and resurrection to encourage the persecuted Christians to find hope & comfort in these truths and to endure suffering for the sake of Christ & His kingdom with faith, patience/perseverance, and submission. Christ the righteous/the just suffered and died for the unrighteous/the unjust; shall it be too much for us to suffer and die for the cause of Christ. "If Christ be God and died for me, there is nothing too great that I can do for Him." (C.T. Studd) 

Prayer: Lord, I am weak but You are strong! Thank You for dying on the cross for my sins so that I may live with you forever in Heaven! I love You and all that I am and have is Yours. But I know that I cannot endure trials and sufferings by my own strength. Please give me all the courage and strength that I need. Please fill me with Your Holy Spirit and empower me to always do Your will, whatever it may cost.

Hope, Jesus Is My Unchanging Hope!

- "Even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed."-- "Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven." (Matthew 5:10) Christians have suffered persecution since back then and even now for professing Christ & His Gospel and for living for God & obeying His Word. The persecuted are blessed because they suffer for what is right...for the cause of righteousness. Martyrdom is a real blessed honor! When we are on God's side, nothing can really harm us. "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in Hell." (Matthew 10:28) "If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord." (Romans 14:8)

- "Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened. But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord."-- Do not be troubled or terrified! How appropriate this verse is for us when terrorists/Islamic extremists are persecuting Christians left and right! Peter was quoting Isaiah 8:12b, "Do not fear what they fear, and do not dread it." Peter was encouraging the persecuted Christians not to be afraid. Why shouldn't they and you and I be afraid? Isaiah 8:13 says, "The Lord Almighty is the One you are to regard as holy, He is the One you are to fear, He is the One you are to dread." When you fear God, you fear nothing else. Fear God, not men. Here Peter was pointing people to "revere Christ as Lord" in their hearts. We are to honor Him as the King/Ruler/Master of our hearts. Give Him the supreme place in your hearts. He is our Priority. He is holy. We are to bow down to Him with devout awe, utmost reverence, humble submission, and wholehearted devotion. Some people just want Jesus to be their Savior but not their Lord. They want Jesus to save them from Hell but they still want to run their own lives & do whatever they want. It doesn't work that way. Christ's followers must die to self and live under the Lordship/authority of Jesus Christ. Interesting fact: "The New Testament calls Jesus 'Lord' 663 times and 'Savior' 16 times. Jesus expects to be Lord of your life." (Dr. Grant C. Richison) We show Him love and honor by unreservedly yielding every area of our lives to Him, believing His Word, and obeying Him. Proclaim Christ and praise His holiness. 

The presence of Christ makes all the difference in the world. Knowing that He is always with us and for us makes us bold and keeps us calm. The remedy for fear is firm faith in Jesus Christ and confident rest in His presence, love, wisdom, power, goodness, sufficiency, and faithfulness. When we remember that this life is not our own but is His and this world is not our home but Heaven is, why worry, why fear,...He is in control, He's got our back, and He can do whatever He is pleased with our lives. "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in Me." ~Jesus (John 14:1)

- "Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have."-- The unsaved live without hope and need to hear about the hope of eternal life made possible by the Gospel of God's grace. We Christians must always be prepared/ready to explain why we believe what we believe...why we have this living hope. Our faith is not blind faith and our hope is not wishful hope. Compared to other religions, Christianity makes the most sense and has solid evidence to back it up. Truth, facts, and logic are all on our side. Diligently study God's Word and if you have a chance, study apologetics, too. Do not let the opportunity of sharing your faith slip away. Some people are truly curious to know/understand why you choose Jesus, why you believe the Bible, why you think God exists, why you can smile & be joyful in the midst of sufferings, why you can have peace when you're diagnosed with a terminal illness, why you forgive the person who killed your daughter (as in the case of my pastor), etc. Are you ready to answer these questions? Your answer doesn't have to be elaborate or complicated (most unbelievers would not understand the Christian terminology, anyway). Every Christian should be able to give personal testimony to Christ. Tell others what Christ has done for you and in you. 

"We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure." (Hebrews 6:19a) Christ is our Hope, not good works or governments. He is the Anchor for our soul! Because of Christ's immutability, we maintain stability even in the midst of adversity and uncertainty. What do we do with this marvelous hope? We should be artisans of hope, radiating hope everywhere we go. Many people in this world struggle with hopelessness (just look at the suicide and attempted suicide statistics). Tell them about Jesus!  "Hope in the Lord is not a wish but an absolute assurance that man can be snatched from the fire of destruction and be saved into new life--changed by the mercy of Jesus Christ and declared righteous before His throne of grace." (Billy Graham) 

-- "But do this with gentleness and respect."-- When you share the Gospel or tell others about your belief, do it with gentleness (meekness and grace) and respect, not with haughtiness and contempt. Don't get into a heated argument and become angry, mean, harsh, violent, or disrespectful. Show them respect even if they disagree with you and/or are disrespectful to you. Christians should never look down upon non-Christians. We should remember that we are also sinners and we are saved by God's grace alone. We cannot win people over to Christ with arrogance. Let's do our part of sharing our personal experience with Christ and leave the result in God's hand. We shouldn't get upset or discouraged if they don't receive our sharing the way we expect/wish. Only the Holy Spirit can open people's spiritual eyes and soften their hearts.

-- "Keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander."-- We are to keep our conscience clear. Aim to please, honor, and glorify God always in our attitudes, words, and deeds. Live the Gospel out in your daily life. Our good/godly behavior in Christ will prove wrong their slander/malicious talk about us/accusations against us. Meet criticism with a life beyond reproach. Living a godly life with consistency and integrity establishes credibility with unbelievers. "I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man." (Acts 24:16) We uphold our witness with our conscience, our commitment, our character, and our conduct that's congruent with our confession. "Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, with integrity and godly sincerity. We have done so, relying not on worldly wisdom but on God's grace." (2 Corinthians 1:12) The authenticity of our transformed life will silence slander and give the critics nothing to say against us.

God's Principles to Live By

All of Christ's followers (no exception) are called to live by God's principles as follows:

• Be like-minded/be of one mind, the mind of Christ. "Make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind...In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus." (Philippians 2:2, 5) When we have Christlike mindset, we have the selfless, sacrificial, submissive, and serving mind. Christians should be in unity regarding essential doctrines, theology, God's truth & virtues, Gospel, and Jesus. "In essentials, Unity. In non-essentials, Liberty. In all things, Charity." (Archbishop of Split) Be united with the resolve to glorify and honor God!
• Be sympathetic. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn/weep with those who mourn/weep (Romans 12:15). "If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it." (1 Corinthians 12:26) Identify with others' pains and sorrows. Have a genuine concern for others. Carry one another's burdens.
• Love one another with brotherly love. Deeply. Sincerely. "Have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart." (1 Peter 1:22b) "Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves." (Romans 12:10) Love in action, not just in words. "Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters." (Hebrews 13:1)
• Be compassionate. Be kindhearted/tenderhearted. Show mercy. Deeply moved by others' afflictions/hardships and try to find ways to relieve them. Caring hearts that want to help and comfort the hurt, the sorrowful, and the distressed.
• Be humble. Be teachable. Don't be arrogant or prideful. Put others above selves. True humility is about self-denial. A truly humble person yields himself/herself to Christ to be a servant, to use what he/she is and has for the glory of God and the good of others. 
• Do not repay evil with evil. Do not take revenge. Overlook offenses. Forgive.
• Do not repay insult with insult. Imitate Christ who did not retaliate when insults were hurled at Him (1 Peter 3:23). Do you snap back at those who say unkind words about you or put you down? We are called to take the high road. Show patience and self-control. Forgive. 
• Repay evil with blessing. "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." (Romans 12:21) "Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse." (Romans 12:14) "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in Heaven." (Matthew 5:44-45a) "When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; when we are slandered, we answer kindly." (1 Corinthians 4:12b-13a) Shine your light when you meet darkness. Share God's love when you face hatred. Do good when evil is done to you. "You are to give blessing to others because you have inherited so much blessing from Christ; your whole tone, temper, spirit, language, action should be the means of blessing to others." (Charles Spurgeon) 

You and I are called to live by these principles, reflecting the character of Christ, so that we may inherit a blessing. When we do what God tells us to do, we are doing His will and He will be attentive to our prayer and bless us.

 Prayer: "Give me a heart sympathetic and tender;
Jesus, like Thine, Jesus, like Thine;
Touched by the needs that are surging around me,
And filled with compassion divine." (Stephen Olford)

For Husbands

- "Likewise"-- Christian husbands are called to be Christlike just as Christian wives are called to be Christlike. And submission is to be applied to husbands, too. Submit to God and submit to one another. "Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ." (Eph. 5:21) Same selflessness and holiness are expected from both Christian husbands and Christian wives.

This is an instruction for husbands.

• "Live with your wives in an understanding way"-- Be understanding, instead of demanding. Be considerate/thoughtful toward your wife. Seek to know and to meet your wife's needs, concerns, and desires. A husband should care about his wife's feelings. A wife feels loved when she feels understood by her husband. Make the intentional effort to know and understand her more and more on a deep level. Do you know her personality, her likes and dislikes, her strengths, her weaknesses, her fears, her joys, her hopes and dreams? Does she feel loved and accepted unconditionally by you? Practice at noticing your wife. Encourage and edify her. Be a faithful & faith-filled provider and protector. Take good care of your wife. Be patient with her. Avoid being domineering, discourteous, arrogant, and self-seeking. Be her best friend. Provide loving leadership in the home. Consideration, chivalry, and companionship are truly appreciated by wives. Be intentional/take initiative/be active in developing and maintaining togetherness/oneness in your marriage. Promote emotional, physical, and spiritual closeness.

• "Showing honor to the woman"-- Treat your wife with respect. Honor your wife who is the weaker vessel (referring to physical strength, not mental, intellectual, or spiritual strength), instead of taking advantage of her because she is weaker. Cherish her, your precious treasure. Speak well of her (including behind her back) and speak respectfully, kindly, and lovingly to her. Your wife is not to be treated with neglect, harshness, and contempt. True manliness is being tender toward women. Do you (husband) criticize everything your wife does or drive your wife like a slave or use/abuse your wife as an object of pleasure? Do you always have to get your own way? Do you put your career, hobbies, friends, entertainment, etc. above your wife? Do you take your wife for granted? Show your wife that she is precious to you by spending time with her, talking with her and listening attentively to her, praying with her and for her, protecting her, and loving her as Christ loves His Church. "If you have children, it is your job as head of the household to make sure that they honor their mother. You model it by treating her with honor, but you enforce it by disciplining them for disrespect toward her." (Steven Cole)

- Christian women/wives, just the same as Christian men/ husbands, receive and experience God's grace. "There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male or female, for you are all one in Christ." (Galatians 3:28) They equally share in eternal life, inheritance, and blessings of grace. God does not show favoritism.

- Disobedience/disregard to God's instruction concerning husband-wife relationship hinders one's spiritual fellowship with God and prayer life. "I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing." (1 Timothy 2:8) A Christian husband ought to honor God in the way he treats his wife. Simply put, you can’t ignore your wife, be angry with your wife, have an unresolved dispute with your wife, or mistreat your wife and expect God to be on your side and answer your prayers. The communication line between you and God is broken down when you fail to treat your wife as God intends. You cannot enjoy close communion with God.

Note: To read my post written for wives, click here.

Effective Ways to Win Your Husband Over to Christ

"Wives, in the same way submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the Word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives." (1 Peter 3:1-2 NIV)

Peter was saying that in the same way believers are to submit to governing authorities and slaves are to submit to their masters, and as Christ gave us the perfect example of humble submission, wives are to submit to their own husbands. 

A wife chooses willingly to place herself in a position under the headship of her husband so that there can be order and function in the family. This submission does not allow dictatorship by the husband and in no way implies superiority of the husband over the wife. Submission is necessary for oneness in marriage. Wives submit out of love for God and selfless love for their husbands, even the difficult, unsaved ones.

Effective Ways to Win Your Husband over to Christ:
1. Be cheerfully and lovingly submissive to your husband. Have a humble attitude that honors your husband as the leader of your home.
2. Be morally pure. Be prudent and self-controlled. Live in obedience to God. Your husband should see Christlikeness in you. Purity not just in conduct but also in thoughts/motives and desires. Examine your heart if you're being manipulative. Manipulation is not a pure motive.
3. Be reverent to God and be respectful to your husband. Honor, esteem, appreciate, adore, admire your husband. A wife is to speak respectfully to and about her husband (including when he is not present). A wife is to listen attentively to her husband when he talks. A wife is to respect her husband's opinions, decisions, and actions. Even when she disagrees, she must treat him with respect. No sarcasm. No belittling. No condescending tones. No contempt. No eye-rolling. Quit criticizing his decisions or the way he does things. When a husband keeps hearing critical comments from his wife, he feels disrespected. We wives can have a powerful influence on our husbands and marriage by simply choosing words that encourage and edify, words that build our husbands up, not tearing them down. Our husbands need us to be their greatest supporters/cheerleaders. 
4. Do not nag or be preachy or argumentative. "A quarrelsome wife is like the constant dripping of a leaky roof." (Proverbs 19:13b) "Better to live on a corner of the roof than share a house with a quarrelsome wife." (Proverbs 21:9) Living with a nagging or quarrelsome wife will drive any husband crazy and likely drive him further away from the Lord. Peter was saying that the unbelieving husbands may be won over without words as they observe the pure, reverent, submissive behavior of their wives.
5. Have a gentle and quiet spirit (verse 4). This kind of inner beauty is precious/highly valued in God's sight. Inner beauty is highly valued by and attractive to your husband, too. Outer beauty fades but inner beauty is unfading. Gentleness/ meekness is strength under control. Being considerate, pleasant, and peace-loving in disposition. Not harsh or violent. A wife can show her husband gentleness in many ways: a soft embrace, a sweet smile, a kind deed, a caring tone of voice, and a patient understanding. Does your husband think of you as a gentle, refreshing, soothing breeze or a brute, destructive, ruthless sledge hammer? "Quiet" doesn't mean mute. A quiet woman is calm and not combative. She is confident in her role and secure in who she is in Christ. Her soul is at rest.

6. Do what is right (verse 6). If your husband yells at you in anger, do you yell back? "A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger." (Proverbs 15:1) Do what is right by responding in gentleness, kindness, patience, grace, and love.

Christian wives' exemplary conduct and character will be more influential than their words/arguments to their unregenerate husbands who are disobedient to the Word. The husbands will see the difference (transformation) that the Gospel of Jesus Christ has made in the lives of their wives. Live the Gospel before your husband (and children). Your husband may not care much about what you say regarding Christianity, Bible, or God but he cannot deny seeing Christ in you. As you abide in Christ, the fruit of the Spirit will be evident in your life. Your husband will take notice and be drawn to the source of your Godly character and behavior--your relationship with Jesus Christ. "I ask each wife, even if your husband is a believer, to take a look at your behavior in this spiritual mirror and ask, 'Is it attractive? Does it make my husband want to follow my Lord Jesus Christ?'” (Steven J. Cole)

"In our daily life and service
Let us true disciples be;
Being meek when others hurt us,
Lord, in us may they see Thee!" (Bosch)

"Sometimes our witness will be spurned

And nothing's left to say;
But if our lives are true to Christ,
His love we will convey." (DJD)

Note: To read my post written for husbands, click here.

Christ Is Risen!

"He is not here; He has risen, just as He said!" (Matthew 28:6a) Rejoice! He is risen! Happy Resurrection Day, everyone! The empty tomb gives hope to empty lives. Jesus gave His life to give us eternal life and abundant life. God is not dead; He is alive! "I AM the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive forever and ever!" ~Jesus (Revelation 1:18) 
Jesus Christ, the Messiah, is the Living God, I AM, not "I was". 
"God will credit righteousness--for us who believe in Him Who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification." (Romans 4:24b-25)

Resurrection Day (Easter) is not about a new dress; it's about new birth!
"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." (1 Peter 1:3)

"Outside of the cross of Jesus Christ, there is no hope in this world. That cross and resurrection at the core of the Gospel is the only hope for humanity. Wherever you go, ask God for wisdom on how to get that Gospel in, even in the toughest situations of life." (Ravi Zacharias)

"Believing the right things about Jesus isn't enough. You're not adopted as God's child until you confess and turn away from your wrongdoing and receive the freely offered gift of forgiveness and eternal life that Jesus purchased with his death on the cross. Until you do that, you'll always be on the outside looking in." (Lee Strobel)

"Because I live, you also will live!" ~Jesus (John 14:19b)

The resurrection of Jesus assures us of God's tomorrow. The glorious hope of living eternally with Him in Heaven enables us to live joyfully now regardless of life's sorrow. Because Christ is risen, we can have assurance of eternal life and resurrected bodies. We can have confidence that He is actively involved in our lives. He is interceding on our behalf. He is preparing a place for us in Heaven and He will return one day to bring us to our everlasting home. He always keeps His promises. He promises that those who abide in Him and do His will would bear much fruit for God's kingdom, enjoy spiritual blessings, and receive guidance from the indwelling Holy Spirit, Who is ever-present.

Death Defeated

Death was not in God's original plan when He made Adam and Eve; He wanted them to walk and talk and live with Him forever. But because of their disobedience/sin, death became certain for everyone. "The Lord God commanded the man, 'You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.'" (Genesis 2:16-17) We cannot avoid physical death but we can avoid spiritual death (being separate from God for eternity in Hell). God offers the gift of eternal life in Heaven to all who trust in Jesus and His finished work of redemption at the cross.
"Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Corinthians 15:54b-57)

Jesus has defeated death by dying for our sins in our place. He paid the debt we could never pay. He died the death we deserve. 

"When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; He has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross." Colossians 2:13-15

No powers or authorities can come against Jesus. He conquered death and Satan. Ironically, Satan thought he defeated Jesus by crucifying Him but in reality, it was God's plan for redemption and triumphant Christ defeated His enemies through His death and resurrection. The powers holding mankind captive were defeated; therefore, in Christ, we have victory over sin and death. "By His death He might break the power of him who holds the power of death--that is, the devil--and free those who all their lives were held  in slavery by their fear of death." (Hebrews 2:14b-15) The redeemed need not dread death. Death has no power over us who are alive in Christ. Because we are one with Christ, we have risen above its misery and finality. "I am the Resurrection and the Life. He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?" ~Jesus (John 11:25-26) 
Christ's resurrection changes everything! It proves that Jesus is truly Who He said He is, that His words are always true, that we have been completely forgiven and justified (His death for the payment of our sins was accepted), that our God is not dead (He is indeed omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient), and that there is certainly life after death. What you believe about Jesus matters! In fact, it's a matter of life and death!

"Very truly I tell you, whoever hears My Word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life." ~Jesus (John 5:24)

For Christians:
"Life is your business--not death! 
Your only concerns are . . .
  living on Christ; 
  living for Christ; 
  living like Christ; and then, 
  living forever with Christ!" (James Smith)
 
"And so we will be with the Lord forever!" (1 Thessalonians 4:17)

"For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain!" (Philippians 1:21) 

"For the Christian, death is but the messenger of Christ to fetch us home to Himself!" (William Nicholson)
"My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better!" (Philippians 1:23) 

"Death for the Christian is the doorway to Heaven's glory." (Billy Graham)

"To me, as a believer in Jesus . . .

  death has no sting,
  the grave has no terrors,
  eternity awakens no alarms!

My sins are pardoned, for His name's sake,
my soul is justified, by His blood, and
my person is in eternal union with His.

To die is gain!

To die is to be perfectly holy and happy!

To die, is simply to go home to my Father's house--to inherit and inhabit the place that Jesus has prepared for me!

"I am dying." Shall I regret it? Shall I dread it? Oh, no! May the Lord give me grace, to hail my dying day with pleasure, and to rejoice in the thought of being absent from the body, and present with the Lord!" (James Smith)

Confidently Entrust Yourselves to the Just Judge

- Though Christ was insulted/ reviled/verbally attacked, He did not retaliate. Though He suffered, He never threatened to get even. Though He was sinned against, He never sinned in response. Instead, He entrusted Himself to His Heavenly Father who judges justly. He left the vindication in His Father's hand. We are to do likewise. He is our Example to imitate. Instead of retaliating or threatening, He prayed to the Father to forgive them. When we humbly submit to God's will and entrust ourselves to His care, we are less concerned with what others say about us or say to us. We can be still/silent and know that God will take care of us and the situations. It is best to look over offenses and look to the One who loves us with infinite love and watches over us with perfect wisdom. "He (Christ the Messiah) was oppressed and afflicted, yet He did not open his mouth; He was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He did not open His mouth." (Isaiah 53:7) His silence in the midst of suffering shows tremendous forbearance and self-control. May we confidently entrust ourselves to our Father who is the Just Judge to the point that we become unshakable and unoffendable! "That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet this is no cause for shame, because I know Whom I have believed, and am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day." (2 Timothy 1:12)

- It is natural for flesh to insult back when insulted. We demand fairness & the right to defend ourselves and insist on having the last word. Do you care more about being right or doing what's right (in God's eyes)? It takes supernatural strength, love, humility, gentleness, and self-control, empowered by the Holy Spirit for us to not just hold our tongue but also have the right attitude of the heart. We may be silent but still be fuming inside. We need God's help in fixing our heart/attitude. To return good for good is commendable and even natural. To return good for evil (to love our enemies) is Christlike and supernatural. "If you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live." (Romans 8:13)

"Our profession of faith in a just, sovereign God meets the acid test when we are opposed for taking a stand for the truth. If we strike back, we stand in our own strength. If we follow Jesus' example, we stand in the power of God. When the heat is on and we put our confidence in the Lord, we will be able to do what's right even when we're wronged." (from Our Daily Bread)

"We can endure life's wrongs because we know that God will make all things right." (Unknown)

- Christ's submission led to His crucifixion which brought salvation to the world. He who knew no sin bore our sins in His body on the cross to make atonement for our sins. "Surely He took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered Him punished by God, stricken by Him, and afflicted. But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on Him, and by His wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all." (Isaiah 53:4-6) Our sins were imputed to Him and His righteousness is imputed to us (to all who trust in Him as Lord and Savior and trust in His finished work of redemption at the cross). The greatest exchange of all time! He endured great pains, sufferings, and sorrows for sin so that we will be saved from sin and spiritual death. By His wounds, we have been healed from soul sickness caused by sin. He suffered and died so that we might die to sin and live for righteousness. "Count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to Him as an instrument of righteousness." (Romans 6:11-13)

Be Like Christ

There is no credit or commendation to believers for enduring a justly deserved punishment for wrongdoing/sin, but God is pleased when we endure and persevere through suffering for doing good...doing His will.

Christians are called to patiently endure suffering, persecution, and injustice. Christ is our Example as the suffering Servant-Savior. He's sinless yet He willingly suffered (unjust punishment) for us/for our sins. We, Christ's followers, should be willing to suffer for the sake of Christ and His Gospel. We are called to endure so that others may see Christ in us. "For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for Him." (Philippians 1:29) "Join with me in suffering for the Gospel, by the power of God." (2 Timothy 1:8b) Our loving endurance and Christlike responses to mistreatment from others can be used by God to draw them to Christ. "Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in Heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you." (Matthew 5:10-11)

Jesus has no sin in His nature, nor does He commit any in His life. There's no deceit/falsehood in Him. He is perfect in every way. He is our Ultimate Role Model. Be like Christ! We are to imitate/copy Him in grace, love, humility, servanthood, submission, gentleness, forgiveness, kindness, holiness, long-suffering/patience, courage, and obedience. "Whoever claims to live in Him must walk as Jesus did." (1 John 2:6)

Prayer: Father, I am so grateful that Jesus suffered and died for my sins so that I may live with You for eternity! Please be glorified in my life, even in my sufferings. Please empower me with Your Holy Spirit to react and respond to injustice and ill treatment in love and Christlikeness. Please mold me to be more and more like Christ in every way. Please enable me to patiently endure and persevere, come what may. In Jesus' Name, I pray. Amen.

"If Christ be God and died for me, there is nothing too great that I can do for Him." (C.T. Studd)

As Servants of God

- It is God's will for us to do good to others (which includes submitting to authority)...to do what is right in His eyes. We are to live according to God's Word and obey the human laws so far as they are consistent with and not contrary to the commands/laws of God. Christians should certainly be law-abiding citizens.

- It is God's will that we should live so honorably and above reproach that the unbelievers will have no basis/reason for accusation. Live in such a way that those who don't know God (foolish people) shall have nothing to say against you. Ignorance is to be silenced by good deeds. Let our actions speak louder than our words and their words! "Live such good lives among the pagans that though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits us." (1 Peter 2:12) "The world will not care about my testimony with the lip--unless there is also a testimony in my daily life for God, for truth, for holiness, for everything that is honest, lovely, pure and of good report." (Charles Spurgeon)

"There is no argument like a holy life!" (Robert Murray M'Cheyne)

"Men may refuse to see the truth of our arguments--but they cannot evade the evidence of a holy life. Live a holy life, brethren!" (J.C. Ryle)

"One of the best ways of meeting the accusations of our enemies is to lead a life of strict integrity. It is not easy for the wicked to reply to this argument." (Barnes)

- We are free because Christ paid the price for you and me with His precious blood. He frees us from sin, its power & punishment and from the curse & condemnation of the law. This liberty is not a license to sin or to do whatever we want. Do not use your freedom as a cover-up or an excuse for evil/a cloak of maliciousness. Do not abuse grace and freedom. We have been set free to live as God's slaves/bondservants. True freedom is found in freely submitting to God and living by His Word. We only want to do our Master's will. Living under God's authority gives us the greatest freedom of all. It gives us protection, direction, and security. "But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness...Now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness and the result is eternal life." (Romans 6:17-18, 22) "You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love." (Galatians 5:13) "A Christian is a perfectly free lord of all, subject to none. A Christian is a perfectly dutiful servant of all, subject to all.  The key to that paradox is God. Freed by God from slavery to all human institutions; and sent by God freely and submissively into those institutions -- for His sake!" (Martin Luther)

- Show everyone the proper respect that is due to them according to their worth as those made in the image of God. Honor others above selves.

- Love (with agape love) all brothers and sisters in Christ around the world. We are one Body, belonging to the same family/household of faith.

- Fear (Revere) God. Make sure that God is the Center of our lives and is honored above all else. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction." (Proverbs 1:7) "Fear the Lord and shun evil." (Proverbs 3:7b) "To fear the Lord is to hate evil." (Proverbs 8:13a) "Through the fear of the Lord evil is avoided." (Proverbs 16:6b)

- Honor the emperor/king/ruler. Most likely, the emperor at that time was Nero who was evil, cruel, and hostile to Christians. Yet, Christians were to honor him. By doing so, they ultimately honored God.

Called Out

 

- We are a chosen people. "For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight." (Ephesians 1:4) We are God's choice. 

- We are a royal priesthood. "The offices of royalty and priesthood were jealously separated in Israel, but Jesus, who is our King and Priest, has brought them together for His people." (Guzik) Because of Christ, we have full access to the Father. "Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." (Hebrews 4:16)

- We are a holy nation. "'You will be for Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.'" (Exodus 19:6a) God sets apart His children from the world to serve Him in wholehearted devotion. We're reborn to stand up and stand out for Christ. 

- We are God's special possession. We are the people belonging to God. "For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be His people, His treasured possession." (Deuteronomy 7:6)

- We are saved to proclaim the praises/excellencies of Him Who called us out of darkness into His marvelous light. "Giving joyful thanks to the Father, Who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of His holy people in the kingdom of light." (Colossians 1:12) "I will praise You, O Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all Your wonders." (Psalm 9:1) We, the redeemed, are no longer under the dominion of darkness but under the rule of Jesus Christ. We are now children of light living in the kingdom of light. In the Bible, light represents truth, holiness, love, and life. We've been rescued to reflect our Redeemer, the Light of the World! Show and tell the world about God! The Greek work for church is "ekklesia" which means "called out". The Church/the Body of Christ are made up of those who have been called out of the world and darkness (sin) to love and serve Jesus Christ.
"You are called with a holy calling
The light of the world to be;
To lift up the lamp of the gospel
That others the light may see." (Unknown)

- Do you see yourself as God sees you? You are loved by God, chosen by God, treasured by God, called out by God, royal, priestly, and holy in God's eyes!

- What a contrast it is between life without Christ and life with Christ/in Christ! "You were redeemed from the empty way of life" (1 Peter 1:18b) Without Christ, life is empty with no hope, meaning, or purpose. "How the apostle delights to set forth these contrasts between the past and the present of the Lord’s chosen people! By remembering what we were, we are made to appreciate and enjoy more what we now are. We may well praise Him who has wrought this wondrous change in us. We were not His people, we were sinners of the Gentiles, not the chosen Hebrew race. In times past, we were not worthy to be called a people, but we are now the people of God. We had not obtained mercy, we had not even asked for it; some of us were so blinded by our self-righteousness that we did not know what we needed God’s mercy, or did not want it; but now we have obtained mercy." (Charles Spurgeon) Though we once deserved condemnation because of our unbelief, we are no longer under the sentence of judgment. "Because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved." (Ephesians 2:4-5)