For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.(Rom.8:18nkj)

   And even though Jesus was God's Son, He had to learn from experience what it was like to obey, when obeying meant suffering. It was after He had proved Himself perfect in this experience that Jesus became the Giver of eternal salvation to all those who obey Him.

   My brothers! Consider yourselves fortunate when all kinds of trials come your way, because you know that when your faith succeeds in facing such trials, the result is the ability to endure. Be sure that your endurance carries you all the way, without failing, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

   Now Timothy has come back to us from you, and he has brought the welcome news about your faith and love. He has told us that you always think well of us, and that you want to see us just as much as we want to see you. So, in all our trouble and suffering we have been encouraged about you, brothers. It was your faith that encouraged us, because now we really live if you stand firm in your life in the Lord. Now we can give thanks to God for you. We thank Him for the joy we have before our God because of you. We boast about the way you continue to endure and believe, through all the persecutions and sufferings you are experiencing.

   Here is the proof of God's righteous judgment, because as a result of all this you will become worthy of His Kingdom, for which you are suffering.

   God will do what is right: He will bring suffering on those who make you suffer, and He will give relief to you who suffer, and to us as well. He will do this when the Lord Jesus appears from heaven with His mighty angels, with a flaming fire, to punish those who do not know God and those who do not obey the Good News about our Lord Jesus. They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, separated from the presence of the Lord and from His glorious might, when He comes on that Day to receive glory from all His people and honor from all who believe. You too will be among them, because you have believed the message that we told you.

Taken from Rom. 8, Heb. 5, Jas. 1, I Thes. 3, II Thes. 1, The New King James, The Living
Bible and Today's English Version. For free Lifescope book, write to Box 1575,
Carlsbad, NM 88221. Please send $1.00 for postage and handling.