Tag: persecution

Scripture for Tuesday, September 13 (9/13)

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The scripture for today, September 13, is Psalm 9:13f as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

0-Mefiboset-KINDLE Medium“O Lord, see how my enemies persecute me! Have mercy and lift me up from the gates of death, that I may declare your praises…and there rejoice in your salvation.”

We all experience difficult things in our life ~ some minor, some major. Do we let them define our entire life? Some of us never get over them, and relive them over and over in our mind.

But look at it this way: We cannot be “more than conquerors” (Romans 8:37) unless we have something to conquer. We cannot have “victory in Jesus” unless we have something to be victorious over.

God said that he can make “all things work together for good” to those who love the Lord (Romans 8:28). Today, with the courage of God in your heart, stand up and thank God for your problems. It is only when we have problems that we can experience victories.

#suffering, #persecution, #victory

Scripture for Sunday, July 10 (7/10)

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The scripture for today, July 10, is Psalm 7:10 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

0-Luke-Slave&Physician KINDLE Cover“My shield is God Most High, who saves the upright in heart.”

We wouldn’t need a shield if everything on earth was good. But God gave us free will to love him or not, to follow him or not. He did not want robots to love and follow him, for that is not true love or true commitment.

And so each of us has an assignment in life: To bloom where we are planted. To be strong in the Lord when others want to tear us away from him. To be an example. And when sometimes things get too difficult for us (and they do from time to time), God stands ready to shield us while we rest.

He loves us so.

Scripture for Monday, June 27 (6/27)

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The scripture for today, June 27, is Daniel 6:27 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

00-COVER-KINDLE“He [God] rescues and he saves, he performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions.”

This was proclaimed by none other than Darius, Emperor of Persia and Babylon. He normally worshiped idols. What made him respect God? It was Daniel’s example of being true to God no matter what.

Everyone has problems. You can consider them opportunities. People of the world do not see any benefits to Christianity in their everyday life. You can show them the advantage by how you face your own difficulties. They will notice.

A friend of mine was a logger (lumber jack). This big guy got up at 4 AM every day and didn’t get home from work and finish eating dinner until about an hour before bed time. So he began reading his Bible out in the forests during his lunch break. The other men made fun of him.

They had to ride a small bus together to get deep into the forest, and the guys would harass him on the bus. One day they harassed and teased him so bad because of his Christianity (he wouldn’t cuss and swear with or at them) and Bible reading, that he asked the bus driver to stop. He got out and walked ten miles toward his home.

Some time later one of the men who had teased and harassed my friend went to him in private with a problem. He said, “I teased and harassed you with everyone else, but deep down I admired you.” Then he went on to explain his problem to my friend “because you are the only one I know to turn to.”

So today, if you are facing a problem, face it together with God. Face it with courage. Face it with the belief that it is for a reason and that reason may be so you can be an example of godly strength to others. Give it a try. You can do it!

Scripture for Thursday, June 23 (6/23)

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The scripture for today, June 23, is 2nd Chronicles 6:23 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

00-Heroes-Alone-COVER-KINDLE“Then hear from heaven and act. Judge between your servants, repaying the guilty by bringing down on his own head what he has done. Declare the innocent not guilty and so establish his innocence.’

Did you notice here that God brings down on our head what we do to others? It includes how we treat him too. If we don’t have time for God, God doesn’t have time for us. If we put God last, he puts us last. If we refuse to forgive others, he refuses to forgive us. This is the boomerang effect. Here are several scriptures that reflect God doing to people what they do.

“The nations have fallen into the pit they have dug; their feet are caught in the net they have hidden. The Lord is known by his justice; the wicked are ensnared by the work of their hands.” (Psalm 9:15-16)

“In his arrogance the wicked man hunts down the weak, who are caught in the schemes he devises.” (Psalm 10:2).

“The wicked draw the sword and bend the bow to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose ways are upright. But their swords will pierce their own hearts.” (Psalm 37:14-15)

“Let the heads of those who surround me be covered with the trouble their lips have caused.” (Psalm 140:9)

“He mocks proud mockers.” (Proverbs 3:34)

“Can a man scoop fire into his lap without his clothes being burned?” (Proverbs 6:27)

“If a man digs a pit, he will fall into it; if a man rolls a stone, it will roll back on him.” (Proverbs 26:27)

“Woe to you, O destroyer, you have not been destroyed! Woe to you, O traitor, you have not been betrayed. When you stop destroying, you will be destroyed; when you stop betraying, you will be betrayed.” (Isaiah 33:1)

“According to what they have done, so will he repay wrath to his enemies and retribution to his foes.” (Isaiah 59:18)

“I will judge you according to your conduct and repay you for all your detestable practices.” (Ezekiel 7:8)

“As you have done, it will be done to you; your deeds will return upon your own head.” (Obadiah 1:15)

In the meantime, we’re to leave punishment to God. And, if you are falsely accused of anything, God will declare you innocent. His is the important judgment.

Scripture for Wednesday, May 18 (5/18)

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The scripture for today, May 18, is 1st Thessalonians 5:18 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

0-BOOK 6-PROMISE KEEPER-Cover-Createspace“Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

This is one of the most difficult verses in the Bible to follow. How can we rejoice with the loss of a loved one, of health, of a job, of a home, of a position? The Christians at Thessalonica, in Greece, had been suffering a lot of persecution for being Christians.

Satan will do all he can to cause bad to happen in your life in order to get you to blame God and forsake him. But the real blame belongs on Satan. It may sometimes seem like the harder you try to follow God, the worse things get in our life. In that case, apparently Satan is afraid of your strength in the Lord and is trying to weaken you and get you back on his side.

And sometimes God stands back and tells Satan, “Do your best. This person will grow stronger, not weaker.” Along with the Christians in Thessalonica, you can “become a model….your faith in God can become known everywhere” (1st Thessalonians 1:7-8).

So rejoice that Satan is so afraid of you. And at the same time, keep your eyes on Jesus who never gave in when Satan caused bad to happen to him. Rejoice that you are counted worthy.

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The scripture for today, March 14, is Philippians 3:14, as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

0-BOOK 7-SHADOW OF DEATH-Cover“I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

Jesus knew that, out of jealousy, the religious leaders were trying to kill him. So for awhile he stayed out of Jerusalem where the religious headquarters was. But eventually the time came for him to put himself in their hands. Was it easy for him to do? Definitely not! For he knew his death would be by torture.

“They were on their way up to Jerusalem with Jesus leading the way, and the disciples were astonished while those who followed were afraid” (Mark 10:32).

Jesus pressed on. He did not want to go through the crucifixion. Hebrews 5:7 says that “during the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death.”

As difficult as it was for him, Jesus pressed on toward the goal to win the prize. But the prize was not for himself; it was for us ~ eternity in heaven instead of hell!

None of us has to go through what he did for our salvation and avoidance of hell. Our little bit of sacrifice is nothing by comparison. Shall we throw away the prize Jesus sacrificed so much for so we can have a little more fun, accumulate a few more things, be a little more important to our friends?

Are you throwing away your prize?

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The scripture for today, September 23, is Luke 9:23 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

CHANGES IN WORSHIP-COVER-KINDLE “Then he said to them all: ‘If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.’ ”

There is another verse similar to this: II Timothy 3:12 ~ “Everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”

Have you been playing it safe? Have you been associating only with other Christians and thereby sheltering yourself from persecution? Have you been withholding the gospel from people who might be persecuted if they believe, even if they will be saved by following it?

Jesus came to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10). To do that, we must seek out the lost and try to save them, even when they do not think they are lost. It will end in persecution sometimes ~ you, them, or both. That’s a fact.

Let us not play it safe all the time. Jesus didn’t.

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The scripture for today, August 17, is Romans 8:17 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

0-BOOK EIGHT-COME FLY WITH ME-Cover“Now if we are children, then we are heirs ~ heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.” (see also Galatians 3:16)

I Peter 4:12-14 says we should not be surprised when persecution happens, “as though something strange were happening to you.” If we are insulted because of Jesus, we are blessed.

Notice, we are co-heirs with Christ IF we share in his suffering. Have you shared in Jesus’ sufferings lately? Have you ever in your entire life shared in Jesus’ sufferings? If not, you haven’t told very many people about Jesus loving them, or stood up for Jesus when people around you were making fun of him or using his name as a swear word.

Are we sinning by omission? Do you huddle with your church friends all the time and brag that all the friends you have are Christians? Jesus didn’t. Jesus went out to “seek and save the lost.” Are you seeking?

Some time today, say something to someone about Jesus ~ someone in a store, at work, a neighbor, a fellow passenger on a bus. They probably won’t insult you. This may be exactly what they’ve been looking for. But if they do insult you, accept it graciously. Then go on your way feeling honored to be a “co-heir with Christ” by “sharing in his suffering.”

Try it. You will be glad you did.

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The scripture for today, April 17, is Mark 4:17 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

“But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the Word, they quickly fall away.“0-BOOK EIGHT-COME FLY WITH ME-Cover

We may be mentally prepared for persecution out in the world. But what about persecution among our friends who we attend worship with all the time? They can turn on us too. Perhaps we have discovered a new truth and we’re trying to get members of our congregation to believe it. If they get the feeling we are trying to prove them wrong and make them look bad, they will turn on us much like people do a “whistle blower” in the business world.

On whose side will you stand? Your friends so you can continue to be friends with them, or God’s? It’s easy to let things slide and pretend that new truth no longer exists so we can keep our friends. How deep are our roots? Who shall we worship? Our friends or God? What is more important? Our friends or our eternity?

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The scripture for today, February 20, is Galatians 2:20 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

CHANGES IN WORSHIP-COVER-KINDLE“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.”

The apostle Paul wrote this. He had been an angry, spiteful, and hateful, man in his younger days. He had been a terrorist and had even declared holy jihad against Christians. He had gone around the country rounding up Christians and sending them either to prison or to their death. He hated Christians.

But once Jesus got his attention and he realized he was persecuting those who could tell him the true way to heaven, he switched sides. Jesus had to do it himself because all the Christians were afraid of him. Then he, so to speak, crucified his old self, and let Jesus and his words live in him instead. All his tremendous energy that he used to use for hate was now used for love, and he turned his part of the world upside down for Christ.

Is there someone in your life or that you know of who is angry, spiteful, and hateful? Dare to talk to that person and tell them how much God loves him/her. S/he will argue with you and maybe even be meaner to you than ever. But when things calm down, try saying something else, perhaps about what Jesus did or said once in his life. It may take you months or years. S/he will be curious why you keep coming back when s/he is being so mean to you. And eventually, this same person who uses all his enormous energy in a negative way, just might turn that same enormous energy around and use it for Jesus in a great way.

Give it a try. If you are crucified with Christ, then nothing anyone says can hurt you because your ego is dead. Keep trying to reach this enemy of Jesus. Keep trying to help this person become a close friend of Jesus. You may be the only one in his or her world with the courage to do it. Keep trying, and keep trying, and keep trying. Who knows?