Today's promise: God comforts those who are persecuted
More persecution leads to more comfort
"You can be sure that the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ."
2 Corinthians 1:5 NLT
About this week's promise:
"The central message of Christianity, that all have sinned and are lost apart from Christ, is offensive to most people. After all, we humans are proud, and we don't like to consider that we are ever in the wrong.
Because Christianity is offensive, those who bear its message are perceived as offensive also. Stephen became the first Christian martyr because the Jewish leaders who sent Jesus to the cross were enraged by his ringing accusation of their sin (Acts 7:51-8:3).
As believers, we must ask God for the courage to speak the truth and the grace to endure any unjust treatment that may result. When we consider the impact of Stephen's death — the eventual conversion of the young man Saul (later called Paul) and the spread of the gospel (Acts 8:4) — we see that even terrible persecution, in God's hands, can lead to great glory."
From the TouchPoint Bible with commentary by Ron Beers and Gilbert Beers (Tyndale) p 952
For more on this week's topic, check these Tyndale resources:
The Life Recovery Bible NLT with commentary by Stephen Arterburn and David Stoop (1998)
Because Christianity is offensive, those who bear its message are perceived as offensive also. Stephen became the first Christian martyr because the Jewish leaders who sent Jesus to the cross were enraged by his ringing accusation of their sin (Acts 7:51-8:3).
As believers, we must ask God for the courage to speak the truth and the grace to endure any unjust treatment that may result. When we consider the impact of Stephen's death — the eventual conversion of the young man Saul (later called Paul) and the spread of the gospel (Acts 8:4) — we see that even terrible persecution, in God's hands, can lead to great glory."
From the TouchPoint Bible with commentary by Ron Beers and Gilbert Beers (Tyndale) p 952
For more on this week's topic, check these Tyndale resources:
The Life Recovery Bible NLT with commentary by Stephen Arterburn and David Stoop (1998)
Content is derived from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation and other publications of Tyndale Publishing House
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