Joint-heirs with Christ

"We must remember whoever may be the instrument of trouble to a saint, the sword is always in God's control. Because Christ saw the cup in His Father's hand He took it willingly."

A soul with God's peace is an heir of God. Kinship to Heaven carries this benefit: "If children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ" (Romans 8:17). Such a privilege lifts the Christian above any fear of suffering he might have had. For example, a few sweet meditations on this truth raised Paul's soul into a place where the troubles of this life could not discourage him:
"For I recon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us" (Romans 8:18). Paul refused to let himself or any other Christian undervalue the inheritance or the love of God that settled this glory on him by dwelling on the severity of suffering. It is as if he asked, "Has God made us His heirs, and given us Heaven, for us to sit down and moan about a few minor problems in our short lives?" How important can suffering be, compared to the vast circumference of Eternity that we will spend worshiping at the feet of Jesus? William Gurnall This really spoke to my heart. Glory to God!

Thanks for sharing this bit of encouragement.

I have been reading Gurnall's The Christian in Complete Armor and have been greatly encouraged through it. He plumbs the depths of gospel truths and brings insight into Scripture that really stirs my spirit.

In Christ,

Ron

Paul saw it as a privilege to partake
of the sufferings for Christs' sake.
Many of those of us in the Church
today understand very little of what
it means to suffer because you hunger
for the truth, because you desire the
will of GOD, because you love the
Savior!!

Amen again Sojourner7. I know by reading Reese Howells' book I feel I am walking on Holy Ground. I can hardly put the book down. I dont think I will ever use the word intersession the same again. It is so humbling and to see how little to nothing I have given up for my Savior and He has given all for me. And how I have complained and not even been tortured. I pray I will never be the same and that the Holy Spirit will convict me strongly when a thought of complaining comes to me. Only by God's grace.