Ashamed By Hope In Despair

What this episode covers

As believers, we may not want to be delivered from the suffering in this life, which is hard for believers living in comfort to grasp. We are to set God apart in our heart as our Lord and that we are dependent on Him as our provider for daily needs. To sanctify God in our hearts is to say all that I have and all that I am is God's. Put down your fishing nets (your livelihood) and come follow Me. Why in a season of despair do you have hope and joy while praising God? How can they ask you that if you never lived in a time/reason that calls for dispair? Daniel and his friends were in a state that apeared that God had forsaken them. They did not know the language. They lost all their possessions. Yet they chose not to eat the king's food and trusted God to sustain them on vegetables and water. If you are rich, healthy, and have a good family, the world expects you to be happy. Believers who had all their possessions stripped from them and were tortured still praised God. The world is in awe at hope in despair. You are responsible to God for how you defend your faith in these circumstances. You are suffering for the opportunity/priviledge to share the Gospel around you. When you are tortured/wronged, you are called to kindly/patiently share your faith. You are called to be a blessing to those who persecute you. You need to prepare. Prepare your heart. Prepare what to say. In your defense is the message that my Lord suffered for me. The offer is there for you too. Do not share if with a proud "bring it on" attitude, but with "I can only do this with Jesus in me". The first affect we want to see is that they are ashamed of their faith. They don't have that level of trust/faith in their god. We can articulate that hope in a meek friendly manner because we have settled it in our hearts by preparing for it. The genuine worry of is my faith sufficient, should never cross your mind. Prepare not only to endure, but to have a MESSAGE during the suffering. Whatever happens, I just want the Gospel to go out more and more! Historically, the strongest message is the Christians, with the Lord sanctified in their hearts, enduring suffering with great hope.