◄ Reign In Pain ►

For you have had the privilege granted you on behalf of Christ - not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer on His behalf" (Phil. 1:29, Wey.).

The Father prepares His sufferers, by means of their sufferings.

"I believe in perpetual favor with God, but I do not believe in unbroken sunshine here. On the contrary, we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus' sake.' I say this that you may not think it strange when the collar which you have rightly accepted becomes trying or difficult to you; for surely if it be service it must be so; the servant must be more or less a sufferer."

"The Lord grant you to be so assured in heart of His interest in you, that daily you may more and more answer to His pleasure; and not be in any way cast down because you apparently do so little. The fragrance of His name is a crown of glory to the greatest invalid."

Unto you is given on the behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake' (Phil. 1:29). Yea, if we suffer, we shall also reign with him' (2 Tim. 2:12). The gracious gift of suffering is as distinct and specific a gift as any other of God's gifts. But this gift transforms the blessed recipient more surely perhaps than all the others into resemblance to Himself, and is for this fellowship, the highest, greatest, noblest of them all."

"We naturally shrink from trials and sorrow, but when we find ourselves enjoying the resources that are in our Father, to which our trials have caused us to have recourse, we remember no more the path of affliction which led us thereto."

"The child of God is ever in the light, though not always in the sunshine."

"If we suffer, we shall also reign with him" (2 Tim. 2:12).