Life’s Healing Life’s Healing ChoicesChoices

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Why me?Why me?Anger, AnxietyAnger, AnxietyInsistentInsistentReliefReliefCriticalCriticalPlease “Self”Please “Self”ConflictConflictProtect “Self”Protect “Self”

HumilityHumilityHopeHopeSurrenderSurrenderHungerHungerMercifulMercifulPurifyingPurifyingBuilding Building Story to tellStory to tell

Matthew 5:10 Blessed are Blessed are those who are persecuted those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of theirs is the kingdom of heaven. heaven. 11Blessed are you Blessed are you when people insult you, when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you all kinds of evil against you because of me. because of me.

12Rejoice and be glad, because Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets they persecuted the prophets who were before you.who were before you.

1. God’s story ______ You.1. God’s story ______ You.in

Galatians 4:19 My dear My dear children, for whom I am again children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you...Christ is formed in you...

Colossians 1:27 To them God To them God has chosen to make known has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.hope of glory.

Galatians 2:20 I have been I have been crucified with Christ and I no crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave God, who loved me and gave himself for me.himself for me.

2. God’s story ____________ You.2. God’s story ____________ You.through

Matthew 5:13 "You are the salt "You are the salt of the earth. of the earth. 14"You are the "You are the light of the world. A city on a light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. hill cannot be hidden. 15Neither do people light a Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.everyone in the house.

16In the same way, let your In the same way, let your light shine before men, that light shine before men, that they may see your good they may see your good deeds and praise your Father deeds and praise your Father in heaven. in heaven.

Acts 1:8 But you will receive But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."and to the ends of the earth."

Philippians 2:14-16 Do Do everything without everything without complaining or arguing, complaining or arguing, 15so so that you may become that you may become blameless and pure, children blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a of God without fault in a crooked and depraved crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe like stars in the universe 16as as you hold out the word of life....you hold out the word of life....

3. God’s story: a ________ to pay.3. God’s story: a ________ to pay.price

Matthew 5:11 “…persecuted “…persecuted … because of me…insult you, … because of me…insult you, persecute you and falsely say persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you all kinds of evil against you because of me.”because of me.”

The Joy(!) of PersecutionThe Joy(!) of Persecution

Matthew 5:10-12 Blessed… Blessed… rejoice and be glad …”rejoice and be glad …”

1. We ________ .1. We ________ .reign

“…“…for theirs is the kingdom of for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”heaven.”

2. We’re ____________ .2. We’re ____________ .honored

Acts 5:41 The apostles left the The apostles left the Sanhedrin rejoicing because Sanhedrin rejoicing because they had been counted worthy they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the of suffering disgrace for the Name.Name.

Philippians 3:10 I want to know I want to know Christ and the power of his Christ and the power of his resurrection and the resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him sufferings, becoming like him in his death,in his death,

3. We’re ____________ .3. We’re ____________ .purified

1 Peter 4:1-2 Therefore, since Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is who has suffered in his body is done with sin. done with sin. 2As a result, he As a result, he does not live the rest of his does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will desires, but rather for the will of God.of God.

Suffering hones our real ___________ Suffering hones our real ___________ ..

priorities

Suffering _________ us to God.Suffering _________ us to God.drives

Psalm 119:67 Before I was Before I was afflicted I went astray, but afflicted I went astray, but now I obey your word. now I obey your word. 71It was It was good for me to be afflicted so good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your that I might learn your decrees.decrees.

4. We rejoice. 4. We rejoice.

__________ __________ reward

Matthew 5:12 Rejoice and be Rejoice and be glad, because great is your glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted same way they persecuted the prophets who were before the prophets who were before you.you.

2 Corinthians 4:17 For our For our light and momentary troubles light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them glory that far outweighs them all.all.

______________ ______________ Anticipation

2 Corinthians 4:18 So we fix So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.what is unseen is eternal.

2 Timothy 4:7 I have fought I have fought the good fight, I have finished the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on Judge, will award to me on that day--and not only to me, that day--and not only to me, but also to all who have but also to all who have longed for his appearing.longed for his appearing.