Baroda Bible Club
 
The Problems Of The Servants Of God
 

 

Dear Brothers and Sisters of our “Baroda Bible Club”

Loving Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Now many of our Bible club members are fasting and praying in this season.  So, I felt it would be good and appropriate, if all of us can understand the problems of the savants of God and accordingly pray for them with concern.  Through our united prayers the servants of God will be definitely strengthened and encouraged. So with a determination and good will to promote prayer support we are giving these 18 points. Let us understand all these 18 points of the sufferings of the servants of God through this message from the writings of the great apostle Paul.  And let us do some spiritual warfare for the kingdom of the Lord by praying regularly for all the servants of God with the help of these 18 points.

Apostle Paul says in 1 Cor 4:9 to 13, “for it seems to me that …

  1. In 1 Cor 4:9  “God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, – [apostles - the one who was called by God with a definite purpose and message to start a new work for the glory of God.  Procession, (demonstration) for others to know, by seeing and learning in public,]
  2. “Like men condemned to die in the arena. – [Like Jesus has to fulfill the will of God for the salvation of us; his death on the cross before every one in the public.  To Paul death is a gain since Jesus also told in Mat 10:39 whoever finds (try to save) his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.  In Gal 3:13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree."]
  3. We have been made a spectacle to the whole universe, - [we have to go through this path before all]
  4. We have been made a spectacle to angels – [before the heavenly beings]
  5. We have been made a spectacle as well as to men. – [Before all human beings also]
  6. 1 Cor 4:10 we are fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ! – [The message of the gospel; the message of the cross is to many foolish as in 1 Cor 1:18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.]
  7. We are weak, but you are strong! – [In 1 Cor 1:27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. But even in our weakness we can do all things through Christ Phil.4: 13]
  8. You are honored, we are dishonored! – [In Acts 5:41 The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.]
  9. 1 Cor 4:11 To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, - [Paul says in 2 Cor 11:27 I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked.  In Rom 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?  In Phil 4:12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.]
  10. We are in rags, - [In Phil 3:8 What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ
  11. We are brutally treated, - [John 15:18  "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.  Jesus our master also gone through such treatment in this world.  Also Paul says in Col 2:1 I want you to know how much I am struggling for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me personally.]
  12. We are homeless. – [Jesus had no place to rest as in Mat 8:20 And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.  Also in Heb 11:38 the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.] 
  13. 1 Cor 4:12 We work hard with our own hands. – [Paul did it as a model to others to follow him also in 1 Th 4:11 & 12, Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.]
  14. When we are cursed, we bless; - [Jesus said in Luke 6:28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.  Paul said in Rom 12:14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.]
  15. When we are persecuted, we endure it; - [Jesus said in Mat 5:44 But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,]
  16. 1 Cor 4:13 when we are slandered, we answer kindly. – [In Phil 4:5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.  Also in Titus 3:2 to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men.]
  17. Up to this moment we have become the scum of the earth, - [as the filth of the world,]
  18. The refuse of the world. – [The offscouring of all things until now.]

Those who suffered also suffered because of their true faith on the Lord Jesus Christ only as we see in the bible in

Heb 11:35 to 39, “Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection.

  1. Some faced jeers and flogging,
  2. While still others were chained and put in prison.

3.       They were stoned;

4.       They were sawed in two;

5.       They were put to death by the sword.

6.       They went about in sheepskins and goatskins,

7.       They were destitute,

8.       They were persecuted and

9.       They were mistreated--

  1. The world was not worthy of them.
  2. They were wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.  These were all commended for their faith,

Apostle Paul says In 1 Cor 4:14 “I am not writing this to shame you, but to warn you, as my dear children”.  Warning means some thing really very serious only, so let us pay more attention to these as we study them.  May the Lord help us to understand the bible says in Rev 7:13 to 17,  “Then one of the elders asked me, "These in white robes--who are they, and where did they come from?" I answered, "Sir, you know." And he said, "These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.   Therefore,

  1. "They are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple;
  2. God who sits on the throne will spread his tent over them.
  3. Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst.
  4. The sun will not beat upon them, nor any scorching heat.
  5. For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd;
  6. He will lead them to springs of living water.
  7. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."

In 1 Cor 4:15 Even though you have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel.  We have to calculate the ratio of these guardians who serve to take care of all the believers and the Fathers who beget the spiritual children here that is 10,000 guardians for every single spiritual father.

1 Cor 4:16 Therefore I urge you to imitate me.  Apostle Paul expects us to follow the same hard life style because we will be ruling with the Lord later as he says in Rom 8:18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.  In 2 Tim 2:12 If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:  Also in 2 Tim 3:12 In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,

It is my desire and prayer that we may all understand all the sufferings of the servants of God and prays for them regularly and upholds them in our prayers with a real concern.  So that the few workers who are working now for the Lord may be sustained by the grace of the Lord; since the bible says the harvest is more but the workers are few; so we cannot afford to loose even the few workers, whom the kingdom of God has now. Surely when we pray for them we will be more blessed as in Job 42:10  “And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before”.

With love and prayers

Yours in His Service,
Rev. T. Marcus Devasahayam