Jesus Christ was true to His Father's will even during the most agonizing night of His life, drinking the cup He had been given.

If we are merely seeking a crown of glory, hoping to skirt by Christ's suffering, we must ask ourselves whether we really accept the Passover cup.

It offends our sense of justice to see the wicked prospering while the righteous suffer. We may need to adjust our expectations for leading an easy life.

Even suffering that may not be as a direct result of our faith is part of the trials of this age. It will bear positive fruit if it is approached in faith.

Jesus has already suffered the things we have, and now serves as our compassionate High Priest and Advocate. He provides the pattern we are to emulate.

Our lives must be totally wrapped up in Christ, exemplifying His character. As we overcome, taking the same steps as Christ did, we will receive His reward.

We can always expect new challenges, including persecution, and must never be content with standing still, but must press on to spiritual maturity.

As we follow the pattern set by Jesus Christ, we will suffer as God prepares us for roles of great glory as members of His Family.

We have all seen 'WWJD?' on bracelets, T-shirts, and the like. Perhaps a better question is, "What *did* Jesus do?" because He left us the perfect example.

We are never to be ashamed of God's truth no matter what the consequences. For those who keep this charge, God will reciprocate with honor.

Christ's sacrifice was not merely substitutionary, but representative, with Christ giving us a pattern for life - mortifying our flesh and putting out sin.

When we mortify the flesh, refusing to feed the hungry beast of our carnal nature, we suffer. Suffering for righteousness' sake helps us to know Christ.

Our goal is to know Christ on a personal basis, knowing the power of His resurrection. This knowledge should be a practical understanding of His power.

Four distinct Old Testament Messianic prophecies were fulfilled by Christ's death and cited by the Apostle John.

The epistle of Philippians contains some valuable advice to God's people today, having suffered some grievous trials which have bonded them together.

Sanctification is the longest, most difficult, and most grueling part of the conversion process—a time when suffering and sacrifice are demanded of us.

In taking undue attention off the self, sacrifice (as an act and as a way of life) creates peace, prosperity, cooperation, and most of all, character.

Our lives parallel what Christ experienced: crucifixion, burial, resurrection, and glorification. The death of self must precede resurrection and glory.

Salvation is not merely self-identifying oneself as a saint, but it involves rigorously working with God in an arduous process of transformation.

We must learn to seek God's will and purpose for us, avoiding the temptation of Hezekiah who feared death more than trusting God to decide his expiration date.

We should be thankful to God for His Holy Spirit, spiritual blessings, fellowship, as well as God's promise that He will finish what He has started.

Persecution and martyrdom are not popular topics among Christians, but they are facts. The fifth seal shows the cry of the martyrs and God's response.

As God has designed the physical healing process, God has also designed spiritual healing, requiring that faith, suffering, and healing be part of the same process.

Although many have gone through sore trials, virtually no one has gone through the nightmarish persecutions suffered by the early Christians in Imperial Rome.

Christians have been subject to psychological abuse as well as torture. Peter says that persecution is inevitable and is often triggered by good works

A good soldier must exemplify honesty and self-control, qualities God desires in us. Uriah demonstrated this high standard by refusing to violate his code of honor.

We share in Christ's suffering, realizing that glory follows suffering. It may involve enduring hardship, deprivation, duress, and outright boredom.

Christ's suffering was not confined to crucifixion, but also consisted of rejection, humiliation, and the duress of persecution. Glory follows suffering.

How do we, as modern Christians, bear our cross as Jesus commands? Christ meant far more than simply carrying a stake over our shoulders!

The book of Hebrews provides reasons to recapture flagging zeal, focusing on the reason for our hope and faith, establishing Christ's credentials.

Affliction is a necessary aspect of life, yielding strength of character, while ease and comfort weaken us. Christ was perfected as High Priest through suffering.

The sufferings we go through are minuscule compared to the glory which we will receive, completely eclipsing the glory of Adam and Eve before their fall.

Hebrews is addressed to a people living at the end of an era, who were drifting away, had lost their devotion, and were no longer motivated by zeal.

We can be assured that we are God's heirs and offspring if we are led by the spirit, remaining on the sanctified path of fellowship, growing continually.

Persecution is a fact of life for a Christian. Jesus Christ says we are blessed if we are persecuted for righteousness' sake — here's why.

In God's hands, trials and afflictions are tools to produce refined character and joy, and to move us away from worldly choices and back to His purpose.

What appeared to be a series of judicial set-backs for Paul was actually the outworking of God to place him before even higher levels of secular leadership.

We have been de-leavened, but we know we still have sin in us that has to be purified through a lengthy process of sanctification.

Eight of the psalms of Book Two were not written by David, but by Asaph, the sons of Korah, and Solomon. These psalms have more of a group emphasis.

Paul conveyed to the Philippians his optimism that his imprisonment was actually a blessing, enabling him to magnify his effectiveness and bear more fruit.

As we approach the coming self-examination prior to Passover, we can apply six significant lessons taught to ancient Israel through the book of Lamentations.

Persecution is already here, part and parcel in the lives of followers of Christ. If we are persecuted for following God's instructions, we will be blessed.

Under the best of times, God's people are not immune to persecution. Persecution for righteousness' sake is evidence that God's people have Christ's Spirit.

The Father and the Son are two distinct beings, not co-equal as the trinity doctrine proclaims, but with the Son deferring to the Father in all things.

Because we have been tempted and failed many times, and had to overcome, we will be able encourage those resurrected, proving that it is not impossible.

Jesus blazed a trail, giving a pattern for qualifying (through suffering and resisting sin) for our responsibility as priests, reconnecting man and God.

Jesus was subjected to the same experiences as the rest of us, having the appearance, experiences, the capability of receiving injury and suffering temptation.

Love for this world will inevitably bring disillusionment. Because the world is passing away, our priorities should be to fear God and keep his commandments.

Like the Ephesians, the weary veterans in Hebrews were becoming apathetic through outside pressures, losing their former zeal and devotion to Christ.

Persistence is impossible without a transcendent and ardent vision, which prevents us from casting off restraint and gives us the will to keep on.