Lately a lot of the bad news we see for Christians is no longer in a far and distant land. It is here and now!! I have read different books about persecution for Christians in China, Russia, Iran, and many other countries, but now I am seeing first hand persecution on those who live in the land of the free. Free to do what? Free to pay taxes, free to follow the government's standards for our lives, but not so free to express freedom when it comes to the Christian Faith. It seems to me like a page turned and here we are, feeling the persecution I guess I thought would never come for us, even though I knew we were drifting from the truth we preach every Sunday. That truth transformed from living truth to talking truth only somewhere along the line. It's like the man who was told by his doctor to change his lifestyle or he was going to have a heart attack. The man heard the warning from the doctor, but he continued on thinking it would never happen to him and then he had a heart attack. Guess what his first thoughts were? The doctor warned me. Why didn't I listen? The answer is, we want our cake and eat it too!! We want to be able to tell others what to do without having to live it ourselves. That way we can blame it on those who didn't listen, when in reality we were the ones who didn't heed the warnings! For too long we have relied on our American Heritage to keep us on track, when the only element of that American Heritage that has any creedence is the one where we turned to God for help at the outset of it all. The rest is fading worldliness and cannot be trusted....No duh!!!
Don't be surprised at the persecution that is here now and coming in the days ahead. In 1 John 3:13, the writer says, "Do not be surprised if the world hates you." But Jesus said in Matthew 5:10 "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdome of heaven." What we have here is two promises. We will be persecuted - Promise #1. He will be with us - Promise #2. Peter shared in his first letter chapter 4 verse 12, "Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which cmoes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you." All of these scriptures are prefaced with the need for us to love one another. Why? Because love strengthens our unity as believers and keeps us from feeling like we are all alone. Because we are not alone!!! God is with us and other believers who call the name of Jesus are with us. We are rooted in the one who has won the victory of victories by defeating death, hell, and the grave. Peter even goes on in his first letter in verse "if you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you." We can believe that what Peter is saying is true because he was there and we are there now. Do not lose heart, when we are persecuted for righteousness sake, but use that as a reminder that in the midst of these things believers should love each other even more and be united as one in our purpose and our calling. We have gone through much training as believers in how to live this life of faith, but what will we do In the Midst of the real battle? Time to fight and be more bold than ever before and see God uplift us to greater heights of faith and love that will defeat, yes defeat, the powers of this world. We cannot do it, but God can and He will. Call upon His name and BELIEVE!!! God does not disappoint.
14 to say,
The Pilgrimage continues....
David Warren
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