BROADCASTS.com

b'In his words to the church in Smyrna, Jesus does not promise to save them from physical death or even that things will get better. In fact, Jesus does nothing! He allows their suffering to continue and worsen. Why? \\n\\nHave we not been told all our lives that Jesus will rescue us and keep us from suffering? Are these not the conditions under which many agree to come into a relationship with Christ? Are there not many in the church today who think that if they do their part (attend church, read their Bible on occasion, give some amount to the church), then God will do his part (make our life better)? We must come to a place where we understand and accept a biblical understanding of suffering before such suffering arrives in our lives. It is important to know God\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffds heart before we face suffering, so that we may understand our suffering in light of God\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffds love for us and in light of Christ\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffds suffering on the cross instead of interpreting God\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffds heart towards us in light of our suffering. If we wait until the persecution comes to ponder God\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffd\\ufffds plan, we will most likely come to the wrong conclusions.The letter to Smyrna gives us insight we need should the Lord ever allow such suffering to come our way.'