The Christian is Given the Gift of "Suffering." Philippians 1:29 says, "For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake."

A Devotional for December 6

From the Pen of John Bunyan and

From the Newly Released Devotional Book

Daily Readings of John Bunyan

"Of Suffering"

“When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne”

Revelation 6: 9.

• It is not every suffering that makes a martyr but suffering for the word of God after a right manner. That is, not only for righteousness but for righteousness' sake. Not only for truth, but out of love to truth; not only for God's word but according to it. To wit, in that holy, humble, meek manner, as the word of God requires.

• It is a rare thing to suffer aright and to have my spirit in suffering bent only against God's enemy, sin: sin in doctrine, sin in worship, sin in life, and sin in conversation.

• The devil nor men of the world can kill thy righteousness or love to it. But by your own hand; or separate that and you asunder without your own act. Nor will he that does indeed suffer for the sake of it or out of love he bears . . . [to it], be tempted to exchange it for the goodwill of all the world.

• I have often thought that the best of Christians are found in the worst of times. And I have thought again that one reason why we are no better is because God purges us no more. Noah and Lot—who [were] so holy as they [were] in the time of their afflictions? And yet who so idle as they in the time of their prosperity?

  

  More Daily Readings from John Bunyan can be see at https://www.amazon.com/Daily-Readings-Bunyan-Roger-Duke/dp/1527111725/?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_w=Rv5kc&content-id=amzn1.sym.f76d456a-cb0d-44de-b7b0-670c26ce80ba&pf_rd_p=f76d456a-cb0d-44de-b7b0-670c26ce80ba&pf_rd_r=142-9160462-8164713&pd_rd_wg=mfwPq&pd_rd_r=9082f6b6-c4fa-4c08-81bf-f2fbecd5e564&ref_=aufs_ap_sc_dsk