Proven character produces Hope!

“and hope doesn’t disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” Romans 5:5.

Paul had proven character.

After Paul turned to Messiah Jesus and began proclaiming The Gospel of The Kingdom, he was first persecuted by fellow Jews, both those who did not believe Jesus was the promised Messiah and some who were born again but held to the law.

Then the government persecuted him and ultimately killed him. Yet, he was always up in his spirit.

To the Romans, Paul wrote of peace with God, through our Lord Jesus the Messiah. In the midst of the troubles he lived through, he encourage the saints, rejoicing in hope of the glory of God eternally dwelling with us in the new heaven and new earth.

He concluded: “we also rejoice in our sufferings,” for they bring: perseverance, proven character, and hope that doesn’t disappoint us,

“Being therefore justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Yeshua the Messiah; through whom we also have our access by faith into this grace in which we stand. We rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only this, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope doesn’t disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” Romans 5:1-5

We have an obligation

Our obligation is not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh but to continually be led by the Spirit, put to death the activities of the body and live as heirs of God and co-heirs with Messiah. If, in fact, we share his sufferings.

“Consequently, brothers/and sisters, we have an obligation — but it is not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh, you are going to die, but if by the Spirit you continually put to death the activities of the body, you will live.] For all who are led by God’s Spirit are God’s children. For you have not received a spirit of slavery that leads you into fear again. Instead, you have received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.
Now if we are children, we are heirs — heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if, in fact, we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed to us.” Romans 8:12-18 ISV

God predestined us to be conformed to the image of His Son!

“²⁹ For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers/and sisters. And those whom he predestined, he also called; and those whom he called, he also justified; and those whom he justified he also glorified.”

If God is for us, who can be against us?

“³¹ What, then, can we say about all of this? If God is for us, who can be against us? The one who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for all of us — surely he will give us all things along with him, won’t he? Who can bring an accusation against God’s chosen people? It is God who justifies them! Who can condemn them? Christ Jesus, who died — and more importantly, who has been raised and is seated at the right hand of God — is the one who is also interceding for us! Who can separate us from Christ’s love? Can trouble, distress, persecution, hunger, nakedness, danger, or a sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all day long. We are thought of as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through the one who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor anything above, nor anything below, nor anything else in all creation can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:29-39

 

~ Bill Bremer

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Bill Bremer is Founder and Managing Director at Kingdom Relationships Colorado.

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