Read 1 Peter 4:17–19
Those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.
1 Peter 4:19
If we really have hope, and believe that Jesus is coming again, then we
will obey His Word and start laying up treasures and glory in heaven
(Matt. 6:19–20 KJV). Unsaved people have a present that is controlled
by the past, but Christians have a present that is controlled by the
future (Phil. 3:12–21). In our very serving, we are committing ourselves to God and making investments for the future.
There is a striking illustration of this truth in Jeremiah 32. The
prophet Jeremiah had been telling the people that one day their situation would change, and they would be restored to their land. But at
that time, the Babylonian army occupied the land and was about to
take Jerusalem. Jeremiah’s cousin, Hanamel, gave Jeremiah an option
to purchase the family land that was occupied at the time by enemy
soldiers. The prophet had to “put his money where his mouth was.”
And he did it! As an act of faith, he purchased the land and became,
no doubt, the laughingstock of the people of Jerusalem. But God
honored his faith because Jeremiah lived according to the Word that
he preached.
Something to Ponder
In what ways is your present controlled by your past? How is it controlled by your future?