Suffering: Heroic Lives, Your Destiny!

Arise, shine; for your light has come,
And the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.
For behold, darkness will cover the earth,
And deep darkness the peoples;
But the Lord will rise upon you,
And His glory will appear upon you.
Nations will come to your light,
And kings to the brightness of your rising.

Isaiah 60:1-3 (NASB)

A great number of the Lord's performers live in the capital of media: America, the land of promises, the top exporter of celebrity, and the world's most idolatrous nation. We are unapologetically proud of our overt materialism.

Therein, our celebrities are worshipped by Earth's lost, empty, and aimless people: those hoping to be found, filled, and happy. So they follow stars who SEEM like they are.

I'd like to say our churches are immune to the red carpets of entertainment: that we refuse to parade our assets like sexy ladies flaunting their assets; that we follow just one Celebrity and He has different priorities... but proud churches and pastors like to strut.

Actors, models, and talent for Christ:

Regarding the subject of suffering, I conclude with 3 statements to ponder:

  1. Jesus suffered, and said…we’ll suffer, too. OUCH! Following His example is hard. Even so, we're told to count it all joy, because God’s purpose is born in pain’s wake, AND because mourning turns into dancing… AND because Light ALWAYS conquers darkness. This is YOUR story, if you continue.

  2. The web we surf can pull the weak under, and millions are barely treading water. Even so, God allowed its creation, and He’s now reaping where He did not sow. You now enter the labor of others as His field workers in Entertainment. You WILL be stars, if you continue.

  3. Your destiny is to shine in darkness! Nobody, except Satan’s evil team (furthered by (un)reality TV and stars who reflect the father of lies), says this destiny will come easily. Your Captain promises the opposite. Every sacrificing hero suffers. But… glorious endings lie beyond it.

This is the role you were born to perform.

Suffering: Heroic Lives, Your Destiny! (Part 50, Conclusion)

NOTE: God is my Ghostwriter. If what I write is good, it’s from God! We’re ALL called to be actors (action stars) for Jesus. We’re ALL called to models of Jesus, and we ALL have gifts, talents, and callings from God–  to multiply them in the world for His glory.

P.S. NO DEVOTION, PREACHER, or SERMON… can begin to replace personal time in the Bible. I wholeheartedly and clear-headedly recommend READING THE BIBLE DAILY.

WARNING: Don’t focus on favorite verses, because out of context, they’re often misinterpreted. I plead with you to READ AT LEAST 1 BIBLE CHAPTER DAILY. How long does it take? An average of 5 to 10 minutes!

Carey Arban