Sue J Love
Loyal
1 Peter 3:14-17,4:1-5 BSB (Berean Standard Bible)
14But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear what they fear; do not be shaken.” 15But in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give a defense to everyone who asks you the reason for the hope that is in you. But respond with gentleness and respect, 16keeping a clear conscience, so that those who slander you may be put to shame by your good behavior in Christ. 17For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.
1Therefore, since Christ suffered in His body, arm yourselves with the same resolve, because anyone who has suffered in his body is done with sin. 2Consequently, he does not live out his remaining time on earth for human passions, but for the will of God. 3For you have spent enough time in the past carrying out the same desires as the Gentiles: living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing, and detestable idolatry.
4Because of this, they consider it strange of you not to plunge with them into the same flood of reckless indiscretion, and they heap abuse on you. 5But they will have to give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.
Suffering for What is Right
All throughout the teachings of Christ and of His New Testament apostles we learn that suffering is a necessary component of faith which saves, as are also repentance (dying to sin) and obedience to God and to His commands. For faith in Jesus Christ is not just so we can have our sins forgiven and have heaven guaranteed us as our eternal home when we die. For Jesus gave His life up for us on that cross to buy us back for God (to redeem us) so we will now die to sin and obey God and His commands in life practice.
[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 1:18-32; Romans 2:5-10; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; 2 Corinthians 5:10,15,21; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13; Hebrews 10:19-39; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:1-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Revelation 2:1-29; Revelation 3:1-22]
Now this suffering is primarily related to us suffering for the sake of the gospel, and for the sake of righteousness. And it can come at us in many different ways. Much of it is related to us and our walks of faith in obedience to our Lord and our testimonies for God and for His gospel message. For many people, including others who profess Christ as Lord, will take issue with us if we teach the same gospel message that Jesus and His apostles taught, if taught in the correct biblical context and not out of context.
Opposing Forces
Some people may kindly disagree with us while others will attack us fiercely and accuse us falsely of teaching a false gospel. Some who are very good at manipulation will use all kinds of tricks and schemes to try to trip us up with our words so that they will have cause to accuse us of wrong, like Jesus’ opponents did to Him. But when we suffer for what is right, we are blessed. So, we are not to be shaken by the opposition. We are not to fear them. But we are to entrust our lives to the Lord and keep following His teachings.
So, when we come up against opposition, or when people question what we are teaching, or when people ask questions about our beliefs and why we believe what we do, we should be prepared to give them an answer. If we don’t have an answer we should, if the Lord leads us to do so, search out the answer in the Scriptures, as led by the Lord, provided we believe it will benefit the listener if we do. But be discerning, because some people are just looking to pick a fight. Don’t let them push you in that direction.
Done With Sin
Now, just because we suffer in our human bodies via any kind of pain, it does not automatically mean we are done with sin. Many people who profess faith in Jesus Christ are truly not done with sin. Many of them are still living in lust, drunkenness, sexual immorality, unfaithfulness, idolatry, cheating, lying and stealing, etc. And those who still make sin their practice might consider us strange if what we are passionate for is to do the will of God. So they may heap abuse on us because we are just too weird for them.
So this has to do with us sharing in the sufferings of Christ. If truly our lives are surrendered to Christ, to doing His will, and to following His example, and so we are living the life God has for us to live in doing what He has called us individually to do, and so we are taking the true gospel message to the people of the world, we should be prepared to suffer as Christ suffered, which is not always or even primarily physical suffering. A lot of the suffering might involve rejection, persecution, false accusations, and abandonment.
[Matthew 5:10-12; Matthew 10:16-25,34-39; Matthew 24:9-14; Luke 6:22-23; Luke 12:49-53; Luke 21:12-17; John 15:18-21; John 16:33; Acts 14:22; Romans 5:3-5; 2 Corinthians 1:3-11; Ephesians 6:10-20; Philippians 3:7-11; 1 Thessalonians 3:1-5; Hebrews 12:3-12; James 1:2-4; 1 Peter 1:6-7; 1 Peter 4:12-17; Revelation 6:9-11; Revelation 7:9-17; Revelation 11:1-3; Revelation 12:17; Revelation 13:1-18; Revelation 14:1-13]
Do Not Be Shaken
An Original Work / October 30, 2026
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love
Bow The Knee
By Chris Machen and Mike Harland
There are moments on our journey following the Lord
Where God illumines ev’ry step we take.
There are times when circumstances make perfect sense to us,
As we try to understand each move He makes.
When the path grows dim and our questions have no answers, turn to Him.
There are days when clouds surround us, and the rain begins to fall,
The cold and lonely winds won’t cease to blow.
And there seems to be no reason for the suffering we feel;
We are tempted to believe God does not know.
When the storms arise, don’t forget we live by faith and not by sight.
Bow the knee; Trust the heart of your Father when the answer goes beyond what you can see.
Bow the knee; Lift your eyes toward heaven and believe the One who holds eternity.
And when you don’t understand the purpose of His plan,
In the presence of the King, bow the knee.
Caution: This link may contain ads
14But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear what they fear; do not be shaken.” 15But in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give a defense to everyone who asks you the reason for the hope that is in you. But respond with gentleness and respect, 16keeping a clear conscience, so that those who slander you may be put to shame by your good behavior in Christ. 17For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.
1Therefore, since Christ suffered in His body, arm yourselves with the same resolve, because anyone who has suffered in his body is done with sin. 2Consequently, he does not live out his remaining time on earth for human passions, but for the will of God. 3For you have spent enough time in the past carrying out the same desires as the Gentiles: living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing, and detestable idolatry.
4Because of this, they consider it strange of you not to plunge with them into the same flood of reckless indiscretion, and they heap abuse on you. 5But they will have to give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.
Suffering for What is Right
All throughout the teachings of Christ and of His New Testament apostles we learn that suffering is a necessary component of faith which saves, as are also repentance (dying to sin) and obedience to God and to His commands. For faith in Jesus Christ is not just so we can have our sins forgiven and have heaven guaranteed us as our eternal home when we die. For Jesus gave His life up for us on that cross to buy us back for God (to redeem us) so we will now die to sin and obey God and His commands in life practice.
[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 1:18-32; Romans 2:5-10; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; 2 Corinthians 5:10,15,21; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13; Hebrews 10:19-39; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:1-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Revelation 2:1-29; Revelation 3:1-22]
Now this suffering is primarily related to us suffering for the sake of the gospel, and for the sake of righteousness. And it can come at us in many different ways. Much of it is related to us and our walks of faith in obedience to our Lord and our testimonies for God and for His gospel message. For many people, including others who profess Christ as Lord, will take issue with us if we teach the same gospel message that Jesus and His apostles taught, if taught in the correct biblical context and not out of context.
Opposing Forces
Some people may kindly disagree with us while others will attack us fiercely and accuse us falsely of teaching a false gospel. Some who are very good at manipulation will use all kinds of tricks and schemes to try to trip us up with our words so that they will have cause to accuse us of wrong, like Jesus’ opponents did to Him. But when we suffer for what is right, we are blessed. So, we are not to be shaken by the opposition. We are not to fear them. But we are to entrust our lives to the Lord and keep following His teachings.
So, when we come up against opposition, or when people question what we are teaching, or when people ask questions about our beliefs and why we believe what we do, we should be prepared to give them an answer. If we don’t have an answer we should, if the Lord leads us to do so, search out the answer in the Scriptures, as led by the Lord, provided we believe it will benefit the listener if we do. But be discerning, because some people are just looking to pick a fight. Don’t let them push you in that direction.
Done With Sin
Now, just because we suffer in our human bodies via any kind of pain, it does not automatically mean we are done with sin. Many people who profess faith in Jesus Christ are truly not done with sin. Many of them are still living in lust, drunkenness, sexual immorality, unfaithfulness, idolatry, cheating, lying and stealing, etc. And those who still make sin their practice might consider us strange if what we are passionate for is to do the will of God. So they may heap abuse on us because we are just too weird for them.
So this has to do with us sharing in the sufferings of Christ. If truly our lives are surrendered to Christ, to doing His will, and to following His example, and so we are living the life God has for us to live in doing what He has called us individually to do, and so we are taking the true gospel message to the people of the world, we should be prepared to suffer as Christ suffered, which is not always or even primarily physical suffering. A lot of the suffering might involve rejection, persecution, false accusations, and abandonment.
[Matthew 5:10-12; Matthew 10:16-25,34-39; Matthew 24:9-14; Luke 6:22-23; Luke 12:49-53; Luke 21:12-17; John 15:18-21; John 16:33; Acts 14:22; Romans 5:3-5; 2 Corinthians 1:3-11; Ephesians 6:10-20; Philippians 3:7-11; 1 Thessalonians 3:1-5; Hebrews 12:3-12; James 1:2-4; 1 Peter 1:6-7; 1 Peter 4:12-17; Revelation 6:9-11; Revelation 7:9-17; Revelation 11:1-3; Revelation 12:17; Revelation 13:1-18; Revelation 14:1-13]
Do Not Be Shaken
An Original Work / October 30, 2026
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love
Bow The Knee
By Chris Machen and Mike Harland
There are moments on our journey following the Lord
Where God illumines ev’ry step we take.
There are times when circumstances make perfect sense to us,
As we try to understand each move He makes.
When the path grows dim and our questions have no answers, turn to Him.
There are days when clouds surround us, and the rain begins to fall,
The cold and lonely winds won’t cease to blow.
And there seems to be no reason for the suffering we feel;
We are tempted to believe God does not know.
When the storms arise, don’t forget we live by faith and not by sight.
Bow the knee; Trust the heart of your Father when the answer goes beyond what you can see.
Bow the knee; Lift your eyes toward heaven and believe the One who holds eternity.
And when you don’t understand the purpose of His plan,
In the presence of the King, bow the knee.
Caution: This link may contain ads