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Bible Terms: Leadership

Scripture has many expectations for leaders

So you’re in leadership! Perhaps in a large corporation, your own business, or even going into ministry—serving God full-time in the church or a Christian organization. If any of these scenarios apply to you, it’s important to clarify the expectations Scripture lays out for you. Below are 10 terms the Bible applies to leadership and ministry.

HUMILITY

Our culture says, “Believe in yourself! Assert yourself!” But we should not be surprised to learn that the Bible tells us to do exactly the opposite of what the world advocates. We read over and over in the Bible that God pulls down those who exalt themselves and lifts up those who are humble (1 Peter 5:6 ). The Lord highlights humility throughout Scripture, but the culmination of true humility is the attitude of submission to God that Jesus himself displayed and that we are to imitate (Philippians 2:4).

Humility often carries the idea of hardship and low position, but it is the only way of life for a leader of God’s people, no matter what his or her title. When God puts us in humbling situations, either to test or discipline us, we should respond without defiance, and accept his will. God’s power and authority should inspire this spirit of submission whenever we approach him, but especially when we know we have sinned (2 Chronicles 7:14). Humility, however, does not mean fear. Proverbs 29:25 tells us that the “fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is kept safe.” Jesus Christ never cowered, nor did he apologize for doing what was right. When we are walking humbly with God, we will be looking for his approval, not other people’s affirmation.

SERVANT

“Serve people? You’ve got to be kidding!” We tend to associate servitude with oppressed people slaving for a cruel master. In the Bible, servants had a different job description—one more akin to our current-day employer-employee relationship. The servant’s job was to loyally carry out his or her master’s orders and act in the master’s interest at all times. In return, the master was responsible for feeding and clothing the servants and looking after their needs.

The Old Testament identified the nation of Israel as God’s servant; Israel’s job was to glorify God and reveal him to the surrounding nations (Isaiah 27:6). Jesus Christ, however, was the ultimate servant. He put aside his position in heaven to take on human form. He healed and fed people while he was on the earth, and in the greatest act of servanthood, he gave his life for us (Philippians 2:5-8). We’re called to serve God and others, just as Jesus did (1 Peter 4:10). As leaders, it is especially vital that we take the servant’s path to authority and greatness.

JUSTICE

We may think of “justice for all” as something that belongs only in the pledge of allegiance. But throughout the Old and New Testaments, God makes it clear that he expects both government leaders and individual believers to pursue moral rightness in the workplace, court system, and in all societal relationships (Micah 6:8). There may not be perfect equity now, but the Lord expects us to make justice a high priority in our lives—and that means justice for others, not ourselves.

Someday the Lord will take his seat as judge and bring about complete justice for all. Until then, we seek justice for others. We introduce people to the good news that, though we justly deserve God’s wrath, Jesus took our punishment. Now God’s justice means that we are restored to relationship with him when we trust Jesus Christ as our Savior (Romans3:2). In God’s eyes, justice is very much a part of the ministry of every believer.

WISDOM

How often do you find yourself in a quandary over what to do in a specific situation? What you need is wisdom—the ability to reach sound decisions through knowledge, insight, and discernment. The Hebrew word for wisdom means the skillful ability to live in harmony with reality. It is not just about what is best or right for us, but what is best and right in God’s eyes (Proverbs 2:6). In other words, wise choices are also moral ones.

Being wise is much more than just being smart. You can get straight A’s, but without wisdom, you will do foolish things. The wise leader makes choices rooted in the fear of God— the desire to please God and obey his commands. You cannot serve God or lead others without his wisdom guiding your life.

TEACH

“Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day,” the old saying goes, but “teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.” Teaching and learning are also crucial to our Christian faith. Jesus taught the people about God. He explained what the Scriptures meant, and he taught with an incredible authority the people had never seen before (Matthew 7:28-29). Then he lived his life before them as a real example that they could see and touch.

Jesus told us to carry on his work (Matthew 28:19-20). We are to instruct people not only in the facts about salvation but also in how to obey God and apply what they hear. Above all, we are to live according to the teaching of God that we are passing on to others.

Teaching is a God-given ability or spiritual gift; however, it doesn’t guarantee that a person with this ability is always right about everything. The Bible warns against listening to and teaching faulty information about God’s truth. Those who teach must study the Word carefully because they have a powerful influence on others (2 Timothy 3:16).

MINISTRY

Ministry is serving other people. There are countless ways to minister: teaching, praying, providing financial help, leading others in worship, preaching the Gospel, caring for the physical and emotional needs of others. Jesus’ ministry involved serving us through his teachings, his life and his death (2 Corinthians 5:18-21).

Ministry isn’t about chalking up points with God—we can’t earn God’s love. Ministry is an expression of our love for God displayed in the way we love others. We love others through our actions because God loves us. Our ministry—the greatest service we could ever be to someone else—is also to tell them about Jesus Christ’s love and saving power.

CALL

What is “the call”? Some people wonder if God is calling them to be missionaries or pastors. One thing is for sure: God calls each of us to follow Jesus Christ (Luke 9:23). Jesus once compared the kingdom of heaven to a man who invited many guests to a great banquet. the guests ignored the invitation; they had more important things to do. No matter what family you come from or what occupation you hold, God calls you to know, love, and follow his Son (John 10:27). It’s an invitation you don’t want to refuse!

In the book of Acts, the apostles and Paul received special instructions from God (Acts 1:7-8). We think of those as “calls” from God, but most believers don’t receive verbal, individualized instructions like that. Never fear—the whole Bible gives each believer a call to love God, obey him, and share his Good News with our whole lives. That’s call enough to keep us busy no matter where our talents, desires, and circumstances lead us.

ANOINT

If someone poured oil over your head (“anointed you with oil”), you probably wouldn’t consider it a blessing, but in the Old Testament, oil symbolized the Holy Spirit. Kings, priests, prophets, and even physical articles destined for holy purposes were anointed with oil. Anointing indicated that the individual or thing was set apart for God’s purposes and equipped by his Spirit. The Bible’s use of the term also represents God’s bestowal of favor on, or his selection of, an individual to perform a special task (1 Samuel 9:16). For example, David was anointed as king of Israel (1 Samuel 16:13). The Bible often refers to Jesus Christ “the Anointed One.” He is God’s chosen instrument, bringing salvation to people on earth (Psalm 2:2).

When we believe in Christ, we are also anointed with his Holy Spirit. The New Testament does not call on Christians to physically anoint their leaders—only those Christians who are sick and need healing are to be anointed (James 5:14). Why? Because we are all anointed spiritually. We are each chosen and empowered to serve God. We speak of “anointing” when we experience power from the Holy Spirit to accomplish special work for him. That, too, is not just for leaders and ministers, but for every believer.

DEDICATE

To dedicate or devote something is to give completely, without holding back. Christians give their lives—their very bodies—completely to God (Romans 12:1-2).

Sometimes, we make a special dedication of our time, energy, or possessions. God takes our promises and commitments seriously. He wants us to carefully consider what we dedicate to him. Don’t make specific promises you cannot carry out (Proverbs 20:25).

For example, Paul cautioned young widows to avoid committing themselves to serve God through a lifetime of singleness because God knew their sensual desires could cause them to break their commitment (1 Timothy 5:11-14).

God honors our commitments as our expressions of love and worship, and he will never be in our debt. When we give to God, he always gives back above and beyond what we could ever imagine (Romans 8:32).

ELDER

In Bible times, elders were older members of the community. They held positions as governors, administered justice, and were active in citizens’ concerns. Their respected offices were transferred to the next generation after their deaths. In Moses’ time, elders represented the people when they met before God.

When the early church began, elder positions (pastors, overseers, general leaders) existed, but other positions, such as deacons, were soon created due to new situations and special emergencies. Both the young and the old filled these new positions; so, yes, even the young can be church elders. However, God requires special qualifications of elders because they are called to be spiritual shepherds of God’s flock (1 Peter 5:2-4). Those qualities include the following: They must be blameless, self-controlled, and hospitable; not overbearing, quick-tempered, or given to drunkenness (1 Timothy 3:1-7). If our personal lives aren’t under control, how can we carry the heavier responsibilities of caring for the church?

What does the term "servant-leader" mean to you?

Alan Zibluk Markethive Founding Member

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How to Become a Great Leader

Four traits you can learn from Deborah, Israel’s leader.

Written by GodLife on 21/05/2019
Series: Weekly Devotional
Tags: Bible, Leadership, Women
Villagers in Israel would not fight; they held back until I, Deborah, arose, until I arose, a mother in Israel.

Judges 5:7
Leadership comes from some of the strangest places. Over and over in the Bible, God tells us He sees what others do not in terms of capability and leadership. The story of Deborah in Judges 4 and 5 provides great insight into how God shapes leaders, from humble beginnings to wise judgement and even to defending their country. While there are many leadership lessons we can learn from Deborah, four stand out:

Great Christian leaders have confidence in their decisions because they depend on a close, personal relationship with God
Great Christian leaders trust their team to accomplish the task
Great Christian leaders are servants who don’t take credit for winning
Great Christian leaders rise to challenges through God’s strength
How did this all start?  
The book of Judges talks about many cycles of sin, slavery and salvation. Israel was oppressed because they had turned away from God, but when they turned back to Him, God raised up judges like Deborah to lead them. Judges were spiritual, political, judicial and often military leaders.

Why a close, personal relationship with God helps you in your decisions
As a wife, spiritual leader for the people, judge and prophetess, Deborah had to learn balance in all of those roles. Deborah had a special relationship with God. She was called by Him to lead, and she trusted God to show her His will. Her decisions were based on her relationship with God. Israel recognized that relationship and accepted her leadership. We should remember to seek God’s guidance to serve Him in whatever roles to which He calls us.

Great leaders trust the team
“My heart goes out to the commanders of Israel who offered themselves willingly among the people.” (Judges 5:9)  Unlike most of the judges, Deborah was not a military leader. God told her to commission a man named Barak to lead the army into battle. She knew there were others who had the skills to fight and trusted in them. Yet Barak refused to go into battle without her there. Even though Barak should have trusted God’s word, his condition for battle showed how much respect Deborah had as a leader. We learn that respect ran throughout the people.
Judges 5:15 tells us “the princes of Issachar came with Deborah, and Issachar faithful to Barak; into the valley they rushed at his heels."

Leaders should be servants
Deborah’s faith in God gave her confidence in the decisions she made. She had confidence in the military to carry out God’s plan. Deborah did not want any credit for the victory. She was modest yet assertive, taking on the mantle of leadership with strength and knowing when to step back. Great leaders follow Jesus’ example. “whoever would be great among you must be your servant . . . even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:26, 28)

God gives you the strength to lead
While it was not typical for women to be judges in that time, Deborah heard God’s call and did not hesitate to give God’s words to the people. When the time came for action, she went with Barak to Kedesh. “Up!  For this is the day in which the Lord has given Sisera into your hand.  Does not the Lord go out before you?” (Judges 4:14)
God also granted her the gift of prophecy, proclaiming that Sisera (the commander of the enemy) would be delivered into the hand of a woman. When that prophecy came true, Deborah gave credit to God. Most of us try to depend on our own strength, only turning to God when we think we need it most. Deborah knew all of her strength came from God, and she walked with Him daily. Her actions provided a wonderful example to the people of Israel (and to us) of how God can use anyone, woman or man, to be a strong leader.

Pray this week:
“Lord, show me how to be a leader for You, no matter what role I am in. Give me opportunities to grow as a servant leader, following your example. Amen.” 

Which of the four traits of a good Christian leader do you struggle with? 

Alan Zibluk Markethive Founding Member

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Hard Sayings of Jesus

Don’t let anything — however shocking — keep you from Jesus

Written by Dan Lee on 12/06/2018
Series: Weekly Devotional
Tags: Confusion, Identity, Jesus, Discipleship, Lord
And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.

Matthew 7:28–29
God’s Word, the Bible, is full of promises and comforting words. But in both the Old and New Testaments we find words that challenge rather than comfort us, or even cause us to be troubled or confused. 

Some of Jesus’ words are hard because His goal was not our happiness in this life, but our sanctification. That is, that we live holy lives that bring glory to Him. 

Let’s allow the difficulty of some of God’s words cause us to praise Him in faith, knowing that His wisdom and knowledge are infinite and perfect. And let us rejoice, knowing that though we see Him only dimly now through a clouded glass, we will soon see Him face to face (1 Corinthians 13:12). 

Here are a few of Jesus’ hard sayings, with a short explanation of each. I trust they will help you know and follow Him better.

No. 1: Eat His flesh and drink His blood
“So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.  Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” (John 6:53-54)

This is one of Jesus’ most famous hard sayings. Many of his followers left him after hearing it, and the disciples even said, “This is a hard saying” (John 6:60). 

We also know that some critics, taking the words literally, accused Christians of being cannibals. So what did Jesus mean when he said these words?

Jesus was not instructing people to literally eat his flesh and drink his blood, but that his body and blood, broken and shed for us on the cross, were going to be life-giving and nourishing for all who believed in him. Later, during the Last Supper, He explained further:

“Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said,  ‘Take, eat; this is my body.’  And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.’” (Matthew 26:26-28)

So in saying that His followers were to “eat his flesh” and “drink His blood,” Jesus was telling us that we must take Him — His very life — into ourselves to receive His forgiveness. And to this day, we celebrate Holy Communion as a remembrance of His sacrifice.

No. 2: Hate your family and yourself
“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:26)

Is Jesus, the God of Love, really telling us to hate? No! Jesus here is using hyperbole, or exaggeration, to make His point. We know that He never endorsed breaking any of the Ten Commandments, including “Honor your father and mother.” 

Jesus is saying that, in comparison to the love and devotion He deserves, any other love, including for ourselves, should look like hatred. He calls us to learn to love Him so deeply and to obey Him so completely, that any human allegiance, even the desire to preserve one’s life, looks like hate in comparison. 

Jesus told us in John 15:13, “Greater love has no one this, than that someone lay down his life for his friends.” And of course, He demonstrated this when He went to the cross, laying down His own life for the forgiveness of mankind.

No. 3: Tear out your eye
“If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell.” (Matthew 5:29)

Here’s another use of hyperbole. Jesus is telling us here that if anything keeps us from following him, it requires drastic action. Our very eternal destiny may be at stake. 

In practical terms, it means that I may need to end that dating relationship that keeps drawing me into sin. Or, I may need to quit my job if my boss demands that I cheat. To avoid sin, God might ask me to enroll in a different school or even move to another city. That’s how important that is to Him. We should be desperate to live holy lives, in the power of His Holy Spirit. 

Were Jesus' teachings hard, radical, even shocking? Yes! They still have great power to give us reason to worry about indifference toward Him. As Missionary Hudson Taylor reportedly said: "Christ is either Lord of all, or is not Lord at all." As you encounter other difficult sayings in God’s Word, always trust that He, and His words, are faithful and true. And as you dig a little deeper and ask for His wisdom, He will teach and guide you, enabling you to live a life that glorifies Him. 

Pray this week:
Lord Jesus, as your disciples said, who else would I turn to? You have the words of eternal life. However challenging your call is to me, I will love and follow you, because you are my only hope.

For you, what is the hardest thing about following Jesus? Write for prayer and help.

Alan Zibluk Markethive Founding Member

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Being a Follower of Jesus

Whom Will You Follow?

Written by Susan on 19/04/2016
Series: Weekly Devotional
Tags: Disciple, Jesus, Life, Love, Purpose
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

Proverbs 3:5-6
Why Would You Want to Follow Someone?
“A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master.” Matthew 10:24

Our almighty God, in the form of a human servant, came to reach out to you, me, and all people. We can be followers of Jesus. Remember, there has never been another person like Jesus. He leads us straight into the presence of our heavenly Father.

Jesus is perfect in His love for others, His power over evil, His compassion for people and His hatred of sin. His understanding is endless, and His joy is deep. He drew all kinds of people to Himself when He lived on earth. His presence was like a magnet to those who needed hope. He is everything good, and people really wanted to be around Him. He is truly one of a kind, full of hope, love, trust and forgiveness.

We Become Like the One We Think About, Care For, and Trust
“But he who practices the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.” John 3:21

Silly little ducks. Have you watched them before? They all follow the mother without even thinking about where she is going. They make a line behind her — keeping her pace as best they can. For some reason I keep thinking of them as the perfect example of a disciple.

They never stop to consider anything except how important it is to keep their mother in their sight. They feel lost without her, they become so worried if they cannot find her. Yet, they are also very content when their eyes are set on her. They are ‘practicing the truth’ by watching her walk, swim, eat, and then doing the same. We have so very much to learn. We are like these ducklings. Yet, we have a perfectly caring leader.

We Are Like Him?
“Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness….” Genesis 1:26

Try to realize that we ARE made in God’s image. We long for Him. We can know Him better and better; We were created to follow after Him. It is where we flourish, grow, live and find our true pleasure. When we follow Jesus, we become His disciples.

Pray this week:
Jesus, Give us the eyes to follow You. Make our hearts yearn for Your presence. Assure us as we attempt to follow You in our imperfect ways. May our pleasures be found ONLY in YOU!! Amen

What are the deepest desires of your heart?

Alan Zibluk Markethive Founding Member

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Becoming a Disciple Who Makes Disciples

Three ways you can share Jesus

Written by Curtis Sergeant on 07/05/2019

Series: Weekly Devotional

Tags: Disciple, Discipleship, Leadership, Great Commission

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations…

Matthew 28:19a

Final instructions are important. In the military, soldiers are supposed to act based on the last orders they receive.  People speaking from their deathbed speak of matters that are truly important. Jesus also emphasized some of His teachings by putting them last. After God raised him from the dead, He spent forty days with his disciples.  As that period drew to a close, He gave final instructions.

Who are these instructions for?

William Carey is considered by many to be the father of the modern missionary movement.  He said of this passage (Matthew 28:19-20) that “the promise is coextensive with the command.”  By that he meant that if we believe Jesus’ promise “I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20b) is applicable to every follower of Christ, that Jesus’ command to “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19a) was also applicable to every follower of Christ.

What does it mean to make disciples?

The main command in this passage is to make disciples.  There are many ways to describe how this is to be done: 

First, we are to go do this under and by Jesus’ authority.  “And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Go therefore…”(Matthew 28:18-19a)  He also told them how to do it: “baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:19b-20a)

The baptism can happen immediately, but note that “teaching them to observe” (or obey) all that Jesus commanded requires an ongoing process.  It does not merely require head knowledge, but heart-obedience to Jesus.  That means there needs to be an ongoing pattern of accountability for living out what we are learning and for passing it on to others.  If we do not establish such patterns for ourselves and those we are discipling then we are failing to follow this central instruction of Jesus.

Note too, that collectively, we are to make sure that this happens in every “nation” (or people group) in the world.  That means we have a responsibility not only among our own acquaintances where we live, but in every place and people group on earth.  In other words, Jesus is calling us to be engaged with His Kingdom around the world. 

How can I grow in my ability to make disciples?

When we think of this global enterprise, many people think of the Apostle Paul, considered by many to be the first Christian missionary. We can see his approach described in his first letter to Timothy, one of the disciples Paul made: “What you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.” (2 Timothy 2:2)  In other words, we need to be concerned with growth in knowing and living out God’s instructions for ourselves, for disciples we are making, for the disciples they are making, and even for the generations that will follow. 

This may seem to be a difficult challenge, which is why Jesus’ authority (Matthew 28:18) and presence with us (Matthew 28:20) are so important.  Besides having the Holy Spirit, it is also God’s design for us to be learning from others and instructing others.  We are all meant to be followers and leaders as we relate to one another in the body of Christ.  Two great ways to get input for growing in this area to connect with us via the button below or to go through the free online training at zumeproject.com.

Pray this week:

Lord, let me learn to follow You more closely day by day, and bring others with me on this spiritual journey.  I want to demonstrate my love and gratitude for the amazing gift of salvation which You have given me, and to help others know and love you in the same way.

Who can you learn from and who can be learning from you as you grow in living out your faith and passing it on to others?

Alan Zibluk Markethive Founding Member

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What is God’s Favor?

God is with us—for our good and His glory.

Written by GodLife on 01/03/2016

Series: Weekly Devotional

Tags: Blessings, Difficulty, Favor, Life, Love, Suffering, Trials

The Lord was with Joseph so that he prospered…When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did, Joseph found favor in his eyes…

Genesis 39:2-4

If your life includes some trouble and suffering, you are not alone. Think of Joseph’s story. (Genesis 37, 39-50) He was the favorite of his father's twelve sons. He became second-in-command to the Pharaoh of Egypt. He even saved the ancient world from famine. Surely this was a man in God's favor!

Did you notice what was left out of that story? Stay in only certain parts of Joseph's story and it is easy to see his favor with God. But who could forget his brothers’ betrayal? How he was sold into slavery? How his purity was tested in his master's house? How he was thrown into prison for something he did not do? There's no denying it. Joseph suffered. And his great suffering was a key part of God's plan.

Notice that:

  1. God's plan was bigger than Joseph. How could he have predicted the way God saved Egypt and Israel?
  2. Joseph's suffering was not the end of the story. Thirteen years of hardship is terrible. But Joseph himself said he forgot all about the trouble (Gen. 41:51) during the next 80 great years.
  3. Joseph’s hard experiences brought him great peace and insight about God's nature. (Gen. 45:7-8, Gen. 50:20)
  4. Readers of his story are reminded, "the Lord was with him." (Genesis 39:3, 23)

When I am going through hardship, I can’t read my own story and see the note, "the Lord was with him." In fact, it often feels like he is not. Was it different for Joseph? Did he feel out of God's favor when his brothers sold him into slavery? When he went to prison for something he didn't do? Whether or not he felt that way, he came to understand that his trouble did not reflect God’s displeasure with him. He said it himself — what others intended for his harm, God intended for good, to accomplish the saving of many lives. (Gen. 50:20) And not only saving those ancient lives.

His story reminds us that hard times don’t necessarily mean God is displeased with us. He has bigger plans for us to embrace! He’s still writing the story. Some comfort can only come through hardship — and for the sake of the larger story, we have to go through it and pass it on. Remember Joseph. And just think how much poorer we would be if we only knew the easy, comfortable parts of his story!

Pray this week:

Dear God, thank you for always being with me. Please help me to remember that hard times don’t always mean you are displeased with me. Help me to feel your love even when I’m in bad situations. I trust your plans for my life, even if I can’t see the bigger picture.

Do hard times mean God does not favor you? Talk with a caring Christian about it.

Alan Zibluk Markethive Founding Member

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How can We Have Joy in Trials?

The Bible says our faith is like gold that needs to be purified and refined in fire. The joy comes when we realize the fire makes the end product more valuable and beautiful.

Written by Hope on 13/04/2014

Series: Weekly Devotional

Tags: Challenges, Difficulty, Joys, Trials

 

“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.” James 1:2

 

Why does God allow trials in our life? They help build our faith and dependence on God. The Bible says our faith is like gold that needs to be purified and refined in fire. The joy comes when we realize the fire makes the end product more valuable and beautiful.

Expect Suffering

Our hope cannot be based on a comfortable, trouble-free life here on earth. Jesus said, “In this world you will have troubles, but have courage! I have overcome the world” John 16:33. Jesus tell us to expect it; He says you will have troubles, not if you have troubles. Jesus’ promise is victory over the things of this world, not happiness in them. The Bible warns against us loving this world and its comforts (1 John 2:15-17). This world is fading away, and so are the pleasures it holds.

Suffering Builds Faith

Jesus died to make us holy and righteous. Our strength of character and faith is more important to him than our temporary happiness. “We confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory. We can also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that trials develop endurance; and endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.” Romans 5:3-4.

When trials come, we are forced to trust in God. We realize we cannot depend on our own strength and knowledge. Jesus wants us to believe in his promises no matter what our current situation is.

Focus On the Joy

When we focus on Jesus and the things in heaven, we see that our troubles here on earth are only temporary. They cannot compare to the wonderful things God has ready for us in heaven.

“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9. We can endure suffering when we have faith in God’s promises for eternity. Jesus himself was able to endure the cross “because of the joy awaiting him.” (Hebrews 12:2)

Let our prayer be this: “For I want to understand what really matters, so that I may live a pure and blameless life until the day of Christ’s return. May I always be filled with fruit of my salvation–the righteous character produced in my life by Jesus Christ–for this will bring much glory and praise to God.” Philippians 1:9-11

Pray this week:

For help in bringing glory and praise to God in the midst of suffering.

What have you learned from your trials or circumstances in your life, or the life of others? Do you have questions sabout why hard things happen?

Alan Zibluk Markethive Founding Member