Summary: Believers are confronted with persecution and tribulation all around the world today. No matter where we live in the world, we see the constant evil communications, and subtle (and not so subtle) innuendo's about the authority and even the existence of God. Believers are confronting a Gospel of Darkness. The world doesn't attack its' own... we are like a virus to the darkness... we're an obstruction to their message that would enslave the hearts and minds of the children of men... Some in this audience right now may be facing persecution and tribulation is China, North Korea, Iran, Egypt, Sudan, and Saudi Arabia... In China & North Korea they don't want gatherings that can cause dissention... In Egypt, Iran, Sudan, & Saudi Arabia it's against the Islamic law to attempt to convert Muslims. Believers are harassed, arrested, imprisoned, and tortured by the religious police, known as the mutawa... (moo-too-ah) Right now, in Iran, Saeed Abedini, is charged with trying to convert Muslims to Christ... He recently wrote to his family saying, "My eyes get blurry, my body does not have the strength to walk, and my steps become very weak and shaky. They are only waiting for one thing…for me to deny Christ. But they will never get this from me.” How should we respond to the persecution and tribulation believers are facing? Romans 5:3-5; "We also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us." Exult; to stick out your neck. Hold our heads high... Why should we hold our heads high? Because our tribulation, produces perseverance in us; we learn to endure to the end like a woman delivering a child... What is delivered in us? Proven Character; others see our faith is genuine and the Gospel can be trusted... What is the result of a proven character? Hope; hope for something good, and God won't disappoint His children. Why won't we be disappointed? Because God's love is in us; His agape is in our hearts; It is "poured out" in us... How do we know this? Everyone who believes in Christ receives the Holy Spirit, and the Spirit of God is love... We shouldn't be threatened or intimated by the gospel of darkness... We're to hold our heads up and persevere. As we do this our character, as children of a God, which the world denies, is proven, in front of their eyes, to be genuine and trustworthy. Christ said we are the salt of the earth... but if the salt loses its saltiness, with what will it be salted? Matthew 5:11-16; Your Good Deeds = God's Beautiful Creation; which is what we become through His love in us. We are the light (because the love of God resides in us through the Spirit of Christ) that everyone in darkness can see our good (Kal-os - beautiful, what is ordered and sound), works (Ergon - something created)... God is glorified because the world sees the beautiful work God has done in us... not our "good works... God is glorified because those in darkness can see the light of God's Spirit of love within us. And as our character is proven through our perseverance against the lies leveled at the Gospel of Christ, our hope is made visible to all because we are a contrast to the hopelessness of the world. Believers are the salt of the earth. The love of God in us is a light to the world. We are a "Beautiful Creation" of our Father's love, that is visible to everyone in darkness. Saeed Abedini in that Iranian prison is a light to that Muslim country right now. Through his perseverance in tribulation, his character will be proven, and displayed. His witness is like salt, sounding an alarm to those in darkness, and they will have the opportunity to come the light of the hope that resides in Him. Jesus Christ,
