The "foolishness" of the cross...perspective....

1 Corinthians 1:18 “The message of the cross is complete absurdity to those who are headed for ruin, but to use who are experiencing salvation it is the power of God.” (NAB) “The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing….” (NIV) “The preaching of the cross is…nonsense to those who are involved in the dying world.” (Phillips) “The message that points to Christ on the cross seems like sheer silliness to those hell-bent on destruction, but for those on the way of salvation it makes perfect sense.” (MSG) Heavenly Father, Perspective. Like all things in life the perspective that we view the cross from makes a difference. Paul knew that. Jesus knew that. The more we try to use human logic to explain God and his will, the less sense it makes. You, O LORD, are our God. It we understood you perfectly, you would not be much of a God and we would be your equals. Faith is a necessary element in having a relationship with you. We have to believe you exist. We have to believe you created us. We have to believe that you have laws or standards that we must obey. We have to believe that we have willfully chosen to sin against those laws and disobey you. We can’t even begin to look at the cross and its ‘absurdity” until we get that far! If we don’t consider you our supreme God and Lord, we can’t very well acknowledge sin or the necessity to deal with it. This is the blindness of the world. This is what stops up the ears of those Jesus spoke to. This is us, pitting our free will against your perfect and sovereign will. Paul describes that perspective as: “those who are headed for ruin”…”those who are perishing”…”those involved in this dying world.” Ruin and death are the rewards of sin and this worldly perspective. If we embrace these things we will see no purpose for the cross---absurdity, foolishness, silliness. However, when we acknowledge God and the problem of our sin our perspective changes radically. The need for an answer, a Savior, leads us to embrace and welcome the cross as our only answer! What we can’t do, Jesus did for us! We can be free from the clutches of this sin-filled dying world and the inevitable death that awaits. “It is the power of God” and makes all the sense we need, when we come in faith to the cross of Jesus. We hear the message with joy! We see salvation and walk into light from darkness. Thank you, Lord, amen.

Look up at the risen Lord and live......

John 3:14-15 “Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that all who believe may have eternal life in him.” (NAB) Heavenly Father, When the Israelites were wandering in the desert, they began to complain against you and lose faith. You sent snakes to bite and kill. When they repented you told Moses to make a bronze snake, which was lifted high on a pole. If they looked at this snake and believed, it was your “antidote” and they were healed. We too wander the world complaining and losing faith. We never seem satisfied and so we sin trying to re-make the world to suit ourselves. We are bitten by our own sin and death is inevitable. We can’t avoid it and are dying every day. When we turn to you in repentance and long to be restored as your children, you have an answer: “Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that all who believe may have eternal life in him.” We can be healed. We can be freed from death by snake bite (sin). All we have to do is look up at the One who is raised before us and believe. Jesus Christ must be lifted up. He knew it when he spoke these words and he fulfilled this in obedience to your will. Jesus was lifted up on the cross to die. Jesus was lifted up from the tomb to live. Jesus ascended to heaven to reign! We will not find our salvation while looking down at the world. We must look up to the risen Christ! He is our salvation! We receive “eternal life in him”----nowhere else. You gave a solution and we have to follow your instructions---not try to write our own. We too must lift the Son of Man up to everyone we meet! Verse 16 is the gospel in a nut shell: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Jesus Christ, the Son of Man, has been lifted up! Look up----look at him----believe----and live! Thank you, O LORD, for loving us. Amen.

Continuing the work of Christ....

Colossians 1:24 “In my own flesh I fill up what is lacking in the suffering of Christ for the sake of his body, the Church.” (NAB)

“I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body which is the church.” (NIV)

“I am pleased that in my own body I can continue (complete) the suffering of Christ for his church.” (CEV) Heavenly Father, We are now Christ’s body. His physical presence is no longer here. His Holy Spirit is now in us, ready to complete the work here on earth. Christ did his part---dying, rising, the sacrificial Lamb. But what good is it, if no one knows they are saved? We still live the life of a defeated slave of the world, if we have no knowledge of Christ’s sacrifice, his atoning blood. Grace is only amazing and applicable after it is known and embraced! We are now Christ’s body. Our job is to tell others. Good news!---salvation has come! Good news!---its for everyone who wants it! Good news!---we can live now and forever in God’s kingdom and be victors over sin and death! Good news!---God loves us! Jesus Christ was only one man while in human flesh. Now he is in heaven interceding for us, but his work here requires human bodies that can more around, tell his story, do good works in his name, heal, teach, preach, make disciples. The Church in action is what Paul is speaking about. Paul was willing to suffer, to take the message to as many people as possible. He saw himself as a continuation of Christ’s suffering and Christ’s work. We should rejoice at the opportunity to be Christ’s body! What a glorious work! We should rejoice whenever we suffer for him because it means we are living for him. Too often we only rejoice in our own salvation with a bit of superiority over those who are unsaved. Sort of a “I told you so” attitude---very Pharisee like! If we truly have salvation, we will be bursting to share it with everyone we know and love! We want everyone to have the same great feeling, the same assurance of victory, the same knowledge of your love for us in Jesus Christ! Thank you, amen.

God is our rescuer at all times.....

2 Timothy 3:12 “Anyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus can expect to be persecuted.” (NAB) “Persecution is inevitable for those who are determined to live really Christian lives.” (Phillips) (Vs. 16) “All scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, training in righteousness.” (NIV) (vs.11) “Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them.” (NIV) Heavenly Father, “Persecution is inevitable.” This is what we have been studying this whole month. But we must always remember: “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” We have a reward! We have a blessing to focus on and move towards. Following Christ, living a Christ-like life of righteousness may bring persecution now, but our reward of “the kingdom of heaven” is assured! Paul says in verse 11 that he has been persecuted in many places, “yet the Lord rescued me from all of them.” We have a rescuer always with us, always on our side, always bringing us through any trial or persecution. We are to remain faithful and focused. We are to “continue in what you have learned” and be confident that our source---the scriptures is accurate and will make us “wise for salvation in Jesus Christ” (vs. 15). “All scripture is God breathed and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (vs. 16) It’s all there----everything we need in scripture. These God-breathed scriptures do 4 things for us. The best explanation I ever saw listed them as follows: Teaching----what we should know, rebuking---what we should stop, correcting---what we should change, and training in righteousness---what we should do. If we allow scripture to be our teacher, rebuker, corrector, and trainer, we can’t go wrong in doing good and living in righteousness. With our focus on being Christ followers we will withstand any persecution, no matter how inevitable! Over and over Paul tells us to persevere! Hang in there! Don’t change courses! Stay the race and win! Jesus Christ makes this possible. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. The kingdom of heaven is ours! Now and forever! Thank you, Lord! Amen.

Suffering for doing right....

1 Peter 3:14 “Even if you should have to suffer for justice’s sake, happy will you be.” (NAB) “But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed.” (NIV) “Even if you suffer for it; you’re still better off.” (MSG)

“(vs. 11-13) “He must turn from evil and do good, for the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous.. Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good?” Heavenly Father, This verse needs some of the surrounding verses to give the meaning. “If you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed.” It isn’t the fact that we suffer that brings the blessing it is the doing “what is right”. The verses leading up to this one tell us to “turn from evil, and do good.” Why? Because “the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous”. When we strive for righteousness, a right relationship with you, we have your eyes on us, watching, encouraging, protecting. You are not going to encourage us if we continue in ways we know are wrong and that displease you. You want our obedience. You want us to follow your will and submit to it. You recognize our limitations and gave us an easy “out”, a Savior. Jesus died to remove our punishment and now rather than losing our battle with sin and death, we have a clear victory already in place that only requires us to love your Son, the one who died for us. How easy to love Jesus Christ! The more we know and understand the more we love him! Now we are “eager to do good” because of him. We want to follow the one who took our punishment, who lifted the weight of sin and guilt from our shoulders, the one who showed us grace and love. We are his----joyfully! So we desire to do good, to live righteously. Why would anyone want to harm us if we are showing love to others? Satan will try to see that we suffer in this world. But what does it matter? We are already blessed! We are already victorious in Jesus Christ! Satan can’t remove our grace! Satan can’t steal our relationship to you! Satan can’t evict the Holy Spirit from our lives! We are yours ----suffering or not----and no one can take that away. We must be careful to never give it away. We do have a choice---always! Thank you, LORD, for loving me, saving me, protecting me, for your righteousness. Amen.

The stone the builders rejected.....

Acts 4:11 “This Jesus is the stone rejected by you the builders which has become the cornerstone.” (NAB) “He is ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone.” (NIV) Acts 4:11-12 “Jesus is the stone you masons threw out, which is now the cornerstone. Salvation comes no other way; no other name has been or will be given to us by which we can be saved, only this one.” (MSG) Heavenly Father, “Only this one”….Jesus the capstone. Jesus the Rock the builders rejected. Jesus the One who has come to be, “the Way, the Truth, and the Life”. No other way. We don’t always like this. It’s strange that your command to love others, to love our enemies, to lay down our lives for all, is the very command that causes us to seek to include all in salvation, no matter what their beliefs. We can’t do that. Being “politically correct” and inclusive is not the same as loving everyone. We must love them enough to lead them to Jesus Christ, the only “Way” that can save them. Our love has to gently teach and encourage and embrace all, but it has to be the love of Jesus Christ, the same love that saved us. Only through the power of your Holy Spirit can we preach this message. Jesus is and always was “Rock”. His essence, his strength, his life as a firm foundation never changes. He claimed from the beginning to represent you, our Father, our God, our Rock, our Creator. Jesus is the Rock come to earth that we might see and know and experience and build with it. Jesus is the “capstone”, that perfect rock that fits in the right place to give strength to the whole. The capstone makes it all “fit together” and hold strong. This is the most important Rock of the whole structure! We must have the capstone! No other way! No other life! No other truth! Jesus Christ is our salvation. We follow him in faith allowing his Holy Spirit to fill us with the power of the capstone so that all we build will be strong and right! Thank you, Father, Son, Holy Spirit! Help me stand firm in the Way! Amen.

The glory to be revealed.....

Romans 8:18 “I consider the sufferings of the present to be as nothing compared with the glory to be revealed in us.” (NAB) “In my opinion whatever we may have to go through now is less than nothing compared with the magnificent future God has in store for us.” (Phillips) “I don’t think there is any comparison between the present hard times and the coming good times.” (MSG) Heavenly Father, “The glory to be revealed in us.” After reading all the translations I have for this passage a sense of it comes through. We wait in hope---joyful anticipation---for the completion of our glorious adoption as your children. We have seen the conclusion of part of our hope. Jesus Christ died and arose to save us and our sins are forgiven, our salvation assured. But more is to come! All creation waits for when Jesus comes again and your full glory is revealed and all creation is renewed and shines with this glory! A new hope! Hope is always for something yet to come. Even through we rejoice in what we already know, we also hope for what we know is yet to come. No amount of suffering we have now can outshine what will be revealed. We can bear any trial, any persecution, any disappointment, any challenge of the present time, because of our hope in the future. Our hope has a firm basis in our faith. It isn’t just wishful thinking or longing; it is a reality we know is promised and out there waiting. Just as Israel waited in hope for the Messiah, we now wait in faith and hope for his final reign. Will it be in our time? Will it be tomorrow? Patience sees us through this waiting time just like a pregnant woman awaits her child. The MSG gives a beautiful picture comparing the waiting that our “pregnant” world does as we grow in expectancy, coming closer at every moment to the final glorious end! Come, Lord Jesus! The Holy Spirit hears us groan and pray and guides us hopefully, expectantly towards “the glory to be revealed in us”! Come, Holy Spirit empower us! Come, O Father God, into our present and bring us home forever! Amen.

Persevering.....

James 1:12 “Happy the man who holds out to the end through trial! Once he has been proved, he will receive the crown of life the Lord has promised to those who love him.” (NAB) “…..because he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life…. (NIV) Heavenly Father, Persevering under trial, holding out to the end, enduring patiently the trials and tribulations that come---this is how Christians are to “stand”, equipped in the full armor of God. To stand firm, unmoving, never losing ground that Jesus Christ has won. This verse tells us we are “blessed” if we hold out through our trials. Psalm 1 gives a similar blessing that tells us what not to do: “Blessed is the man who does not dwell I the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.” When we “stand in the way of sinners”, we position ourselves comfortably with people who accept their sins and have no regrets. They are proud rather than repentant, apathetic rather than concerned about their spiritual health. When we “sit in the seat of mockers” we again choose to spend our time with those who scoff at God and at Christians who are trying to live righteously. They see no purpose in a God or a set of rules or a final judgment day. When we “mock” we make fun of something and discount its value. When we dwell in the counsel of the wicked, we have literally “moved in” with Satan and his followers. We get our “counsel” our advice from the wrong side, those who are opposed to God. We are only blessed when we don’t do these things. We are blessed when we make the hard choices, follow the narrow path, stand firm in our faith, seek counsel only from the Holy Spirit who came to be our guide. Our armor will protect us when we wear it and the Word will go forth and no ground will be lost. Help me stand firm in a world that constantly tries to trick me into believing that the “little things” are unimportant and that my desires should be more important than your holy will! I wish to wear the crown of Life! My God and my savior! Thank you, amen.

Glory strength vs. grim teeth gritting strength.....

Colossians 1:11-12 “By the might of his glory you will be endowed with the strength needed to stand fast, even to endure joyfully whatever may come, giving thanks to the Father for having made you worthy to share the lot of the saints of light.” (NAB) “We pray that you will be strengthened from God’s glorious power, so that you may be able to pass through any experience and endure it with joy. You will be able to thank the Father because you are privileged to share the lot of the saints who are living in the light.” (Phillips) “…..not the grim strength of gritting your teeth but the glory strength God gives. It is strength that endures the unendurable and spills over into joy, thanking the Father…..” (MSG) Heavenly Father, “…the glory strength God gives”. This phrase from the Message translation seems to be perfect to me. We so often try to rely on the “grim strength of gritting your teeth”, which is not the strength you promise in your word! Your power through your Holy Spirit is where we must put our trust and reliance. As long as we think it is our power that does the work, we will be weak. Jesus Christ did not die to leave us relying on our own power! He died so the Counselor would come into our newly resurrected lives and empower us for all things. This verse says that your “glorious power” will enable us to “pass through any experience and endure it with joy”. Not only will we endure anything, but we will endure joyfully knowing that your power is leading the way, your strength is holding us up, and your Holy Spirit is totally in charge. We will thank you! We will be so overjoyed, we will give praise and thanks to our Father who gave us this glorious strength and who has made us worthy of being part of your Kingdom of Light through Jesus Christ. Wow---does this sound like the reality we see in the church today? If not, then we are using “teeth gritting power” rather than your “glorious power”. We are relying on our own will, our own decisions, our own ideas, our own solutions, our own abilities and talents. We are not praying for more of your Holy Spirit, which you love to give to those who ask. We are not becoming weak, so you can become strong in us. We are not accepting your great gift of the Counselor, the Holy Spirit that Jesus died to leave with us. “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth…he will bring glory to me.” (John 16:13-14) “Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.” (John 16:21) “In that day you will ask in my name.” (John 16:26) Thank you, Father, Son, Holy Spirit! Love in three persons! Amen.

Do people know that I'm a Christian?.....

1 Peter 4:14 “Happy are you when you are insulted for the sake of Christ, for then God’s spirit in its glory has come to rest on you.” (NAB) “….you can be sure that God’s spirit of glory is resting upon you.” (Phillips) Heavenly Father, I have heard the question asked: “If you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?” This is a question that every Christian needs to think about seriously. Can people tell I’m a Christian? Is my faith an obvious part of my life? Can people tell that I not only believe in the One True God, my Father, my Creator, but that I acknowledge Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior? Do I try to prove I’m a Christian by just living a “good life” rather than by confessing my belief that Jesus Christ died on a cross for my sin, and that he arose victorious from the grave and returned to his rightful place at the right hand of God, the Father? Do I hope that people will be “saved” by just knowing me, rather than by actively telling them about Jesus Christ? Do I spend my time with other Christians and little time with the unsaved? Am I ever “insulted for the sake of Christ”, or do I hide my faith so deeply it offends no one? Do I willingly accept my own salvation through Jesus Christ, but show apathy towards others who don’t know him, with an attitude of “what can I possibly say to them?” Do I find excuses to not share aloud my testimony with others? Do I know my scriptures well enough to defend them, or do I use that as yet another excuse for keeping quiet? My happiness, my blessing, must come from a close identification with Jesus Christ! Not a private relationship hidden only in my prayer closet, but a “walking in his footsteps”, following wherever he goes, doing his work with the Holy Spirit’s power sort of relationship. I want people to be sure that I am Christian by all I think, say and do! I want plenty of evidence to convict me as Christ’s follower. Thank you, Lord for every chance to witness. Give me the wisdom, love and courage to speak up. Amen.

Suffer for Christ's glory....

1 Peter 4:13 “Rejoice instead in the measure that you share in Christ’s suffering, when his glory is revealed, you will rejoice exultantly.” (NAB) “Rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.” (NIV) “Instead be glad that you are in the very thick of what Christ experienced. This is a spiritual refining process, with glory just around the corner.” (MSG) Heavenly Father, Why we “suffer”, determines why we rejoice. If our suffering is a direct result of doing your work, of following Christ than we can be overjoyed that we share this suffering. If we follow your commands and it causes some hardship for us, than we can be assured that it will also result in rejoicing as Christ’s glory is revealed in our work and our hardship. However, if our “suffering” is the result of doing wrong---murder, thievery, any criminal act, even just being a busy-body or meddler---than we will not rejoice or see your glory revealed. In this case any suffering we have is earned on our own. If Christian’s suffer in this life, it will be even worse for non-believers. Our suffering has a glorious end in sight. No matter what happens now, we will receive our salvation and eternal life with you in the end, so our suffering is not important---it’s a means to an end. Following Christ is the goal and he will sustain us through any suffering on his behalf. We rejoice and continue onward. Without the right reason for suffering---Christ’s glory through us---it is just work and going through the motions. But to do it all for Jesus Christ is our joy! Keeping Christ as the focus of our work can be hard. We began to make it about us instead of about him. It is Jesus Christ we serve and not our church building, our minister, our denomination, our own history or past usefulness. We are so easily sidetracked! We shift just slightly off course, little by little. We become settled and we don’t “suffer” at all. I don’t know how to fight this. I feel helpless in the face of organized religion. How do I increase the measure that I share the suffering for Jesus Christ? How do I reveal his glory? My understanding of this is small. Increase my wisdom for your glory. Thank you. Amen.

It's about hearts, not numbers.....

Galatians 6:14 “May I never boast of anything but the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ! Through it, the world has been crucified to me and I to the world.” (NAB) “For my part I am going to boast about nothing but the cross of our master, Jesus Christ. Because of that cross, I have been crucified in relation to the world, set free from the stifling atmosphere of pleasing others and fitting in to the little patterns that they dictate. “ (MSG) Heavenly Father, “Counting converts” seems to have been a game in the early church just as it is now. We worry about outward show. How many new members can we chalk up? How large is our church compared to someone else’s? Is everyone following our rules and denominational differences? Paul often wrote against these things. “Keep your focus on Jesus Christ and his cross” seems to be Paul’s rallying cry. Never lose the main issue. Don’t get caught up in numbers for the sake of numbers or in fancy buildings and church history. What counts is Jesus Christ crucified for our sins. What counts is the only way to eternal life, salvation through Jesus Christ! We don’t win our own salvation or anyone else’s. Jesus did it all! Jesus is our boast! The early Christians often tried to hang on to the Jewish roots of their faith----be circumcised, follow the law to the letter, follow the Pharisee’s leading. Paul keeps reminding them that none of that is important. Jesus Christ came for everyone---Jew and non-Jew. We all are included and start right where we are at. As the Message translation puts it, we are “set free from the stifling atmosphere of pleasing others and fitting in to the little patterns that they dictate.” We don’t have to become something else first. Jesus Christ is about saving us from sin and bringing us into a relationship, not a particular denomination or set of rules. Jesus Christ wants our faith, our repentance, our desire to know him, our desire to obey his Father, our desire to love others as ourselves. Rules aren’t that important when their only purpose is to “count converts”. Each one we count needs to be a changed life, not just a number on a spreadsheet. We must rejoice over the lost ones who are found, not try to drag them back into bondage of rules and regulations. Grace, freedom, renewed life, rebirth, love, eternal life---it’s all too wonderful and such “Good News” to laden it with unnecessary trappings. Jesus Christ saves! That is our boast! Thank you, amen.

Gaining the crown of life.......

Revelation 2:10 “Remain faithful until death and I will give you the crown of life.” (NAB) Heavenly Father, “I will give you the crown of life”. A crown goes to the victor, the one who overcomes, the one who is “faithful until death.” Jesus knew the Church would face persecution, testing, and trials. But he assures us that remaining faithful will win in the end. “He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death”. Standing firm in our faith will win the final victory. Death won’t hurt us…we are saved in Jesus Christ. He will carry us safely through. We have the “armor of God” to wear. We have a breastplate of righteousness, a belt of truth, shoes of readiness from the gospel of peace, a shield of faith that extinguishes the enemy’s arrows, a helmet of salvation, and a sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. We need nothing more! We are protected in the Spirit by these things and empowered to stand firm. We will remain standing when the battle is over…”he who overcomes”. We “will not be hurt at all”. Jesus has prepared us for battle against the world and the darkness of the Evil One. Faith is our shield of protection. The Word of God is our sword to cut down evil. The crown of life awaits and our home in heaven calls to us. The “helmet of salvation is already ours through our faith in Jesus Christ. The “crown on life” is ours at the end of the world. We will reign with Christ forever. Remaining faithful is the key for this present life----not giving up, not getting discouraged, not doubting or questioning, not giving in to weariness, not becoming apathetic, not getting too comfortable in the presence of the enemy. We are told to “stand” ready for battle, not sit and ignore the enemy. Trials will come and standing ready is necessary. Thank you, LORD, for your promise of the crown of life. Keep me on my feet, ready and prepared, faithful to the end. My Savior, my LORD, my King----forever! Amen.

The world may react in hatred when you love them....

John 15:18 “If you find that the world hates you, know it hated me before you.” (NAB) “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.” (NIV) (vs. 17) This is my command: Love each other.” (NIV) Heavenly Father, Jesus gives the command to “love each other.” Immediately afterward he tells us that if the world hates us, it hated him first. We go from love to hate. Our loving others shouldn’t result in hate, but that is how the world often reacts. Like a sulky child that can’t get its own way…a child that sees “love” as threatening! Why? When we love others we get close to them. We are nice to them. We do kind things for them. Those who don’t know God’s love find it suspicious and ask, “What do you want from me?” The world assigns bad motives to good actions. The world looks for the self-serving angle and questions love and kindness that have no self-serving motive behind them. The world doesn’t think it wants to be loved or deserves to be loved, or wants to be beholden to love or owe anything in return. The world has no time for love. What we don’t understand we strike out at, we resist, we even hate. The more we offer love, the more Satan will react with hatred. Jesus was gentle, wise, healed people, spoke words of hope, offered acceptance to outcasts, sought peace, lived among the people without putting on any airs or fanfare. And yet he was rejected for speaking of his Father and claiming to serve in his name. He was rejected for offering something new and better. He was rejected for speaking out against indifference, self-serving attitudes, lack of love for others, lack of worship and respect for his Father, false teachings, and hypocrisy. He was hated and rejected for identifying with You, his Father. Now we are hated for identifying with Jesus. The hatred of the world is a sign that we are living right and following Jesus. We won’t fit in. We will make “good people” feel uncomfortable. We will ruffle feathers of anyone not following Jesus Christ. Help me welcome persecution for your sake. Teach me to show love in the face of hatred and rejection. Thank you, amen.

God's children....

Romans 8:17 “But if we are children, we are heirs as well: heirs of God, heirs with Christ, if only we suffer with him so as to be glorified with him.” (NAB) (vs. 16) “the spirit himself endorses our inward conviction that we really are the children of God.” Heavenly Father, “If we are children”-----how do we know? “The Spirit himself endorses our inward conviction that we really are the children of God.” Your Holy Spirit allows us to know the Truth, that we are your children, through Jesus Christ. He opens our eyes and ears to understand and recognize that Jesus was speaking “truth”----“I am the way, the truth, and the life.” Without the Holy Spirit we cannot accept this Truth. But when we know in our hearts and confess with our mouths that Jesus is Lord and Savior and that you raised him from the dead, we are your children as well. Joint heirs with Christ. Sharing his inheritance. Glorified because he is glorified. But also suffering as he suffered. How did Christ suffer? Not just being beaten, spat upon, crucified, but by loving and identifying with all mankind. By taking our sins. By seeing separation from you first hand as we see it. By weeping over Jerusalem. By facing the hard-heartedness and rejection of the Jewish leaders. By sweating blood as he struggled with obedience to your will. Our lives are full of trials, temptations, suffering, both worldly and spiritual woes to be faced and conquered. Christ has been there. Christ goes with us. We take up our cross daily and face whatever the world and the Evil One choose to hit us with. Christ goes with us. Jesus tried to warn us of every temptation we would face and show us that he knows what we will struggle with. “If we are children….”----As your children we have all we need. Being a child, your child, is the answer to all trials and sufferings. Never forgetting our Father, our Brother Jesus, or our Holy Spirit guide! Christ goes with us. We will be glorified in all things if we remain with him! Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior and Coming King! We are co-heirs and your children. Thank you, Father God for Light in our darkness, hope in our suffering, salvation as your children! Amen.

Never lose heart!.....

John 16:33 “You will suffer in the world. But take courage! I have overcome the world.” (NAB) “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (NIV) “I have told you all this so that you may find your peace in me. You will find trouble in the world---but never lose heart, I have conquered the world!” (Phillips) Heavenly Father, There are three connected elements in this passage. 1. We will find peace “in Christ”. 2. In this world we, by ourselves will find troubles. 3. Jesus has conquered the world. These all work together to produce hope and reason to praise you! By ourselves in this world we will find suffering and trials that we can’t possibly handle on our own. We can’t win. We can’t make them go way. Sin and death are permanent parts of this world. But all is not lost or hopeless! Jesus Christ has gone before us and conquered this world! He has won the victory for us! He has taken away our sins, vanished death, and brought light into our darkness! We don’t have to focus on our suffering or worry about our trials and tribulations when we are “in him”. His victory becomes ours. His peace becomes ours----“So that in me you may have peace”. Jesus did all of this for us, for our peace, for our salvation. We are clearly told here: “Take courage!”----“Take heart!”-----“Never lose heart!” Keep your eyes and heart in Jesus Christ! Our hope is steady, strong, assured as long as it is “in Christ”. Right now our world is deeply troubled and our worldly peace is shaken by financial woes, confusing election choices, and terrorists around the world. We have never felt less secure in this world! But our faith, our hope, our peace come from a higher source. You are a God of endless love and endless bounty waiting for us to turn to you. You are our Father! Jesus has paved the way for our homecoming that we may have a peace stronger than anything this world can do to us! Thank you, O LORD, my Father God, my blessed Savior, my comforting and empowering Holy Spirit. I take heart in you, and you alone! I will face this world with courage and at peace in Jesus Christ! Amen.

This life vs. real life in Christ.....

Matthew 16:25 “Whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” (NAB) “The man who wants to save his life will lose it, but the man who loses his life for my sake will find it.” (Phillips) (vs. 24) “…..he must give up all right to himself”. Heavenly Father, When we desire to “save our life”, we step in and interfere with your plans. Peter immediately tried to step in and convince Jesus that his worth as a man, a leader, a friend was more important than obedience to your plan for “the Son of Man” (vs. 22). Peter didn’t stop to listen, to ask questions, to try to understand----he just leaped in feet first with his own plan, his own desires. We all do this! We see “our side” of everything, and it is a very worldly self-serving side. It is the natural human thing to do to want to save our human life. Survival is built into us as a self-preservation instinct. Life before all else! Christ had that mind set also, but his instinct was to preserve our true lives, our spiritual eternal lives rather than our human ones. He knew the difference between your plan and your will for us, and the worldly plan we normally follow. If we keep trying to save this life----the world----we will lose our real life---eternity in your kingdom. This life has to be crucified. This life has to follow Jesus all the way---death to sin and resurrection as your sons and daughters. Salvation is losing this life, but gaining a better one! We only can lose this life “for my sake”---for Jesus Christ. Any other reason won’t gain the prize. We have to give it to Jesus to crucify, cleanse, redeem, breathe new life into. “Seek and you shall find”. We will find new life in our willingness to crucify the old one. Clinging to this life, this worldly view, this moment of pleasure, will only cause us death. Sin death is separation from you. We remain lost and outcast. Life is in Jesus Christ. We “find” life when we follow him and lose our worldly life. Our focus must look upward towards you and your will and plan. This is a “shell” we inhabit now. You will trade it for new bodies in heaven when we let loose of the world. Thank you, O Father, for Jesus Christ. I want to follow and lose this life for him that I might find home and my real life with you. Amen.

The foolishness of the cross....

1 Corinthians 1:18 “The message of the cross is complete absurdity to those who are headed for ruin, but to us who are experiencing salvation it is the power of God.” (NAB) For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God.” (NIV) “The preaching of the cross is, I know, nonsense to those who are involved in the dying world, but to us who are being saved from that death, it is nothing less than the power of God.” (Phillips) Heavenly Father, This verse points to the different perspective seen by “those who are involved in this dying world” and “us who are being saved from that death.” Until we see the world as “death” and all of its ways as “sin” we can’t begin to appreciate the cross or see any sense in it. It just seems foolish, pointless, unnecessary. But when we acknowledge the existence of a holy God who created us, and who can’t abide with sin, than we begin to appreciate the beauty of the cross and what Jesus Christ did for us there. Suddenly we go from despair to hope! We have a way out! We have a Savior! The cross becomes our salvation and Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord. Grace is victory over death! Mercy cancels out sin! We may never fully understand it but we grasp at the simplicity and the ease of the salvation. Jesus did what I can’t do on my own! Jesus cleansed me with the love born in his blood as the Son of God and willingly shed for me. Love, sacrifice, service….Jesus has turned “the world” upside down. No more “self-empowered” struggling to do right, but now a Holy Spirit empowered new life as sons and daughters of the King. Trying to explain this “foolishness”, this absurdity, this nonsense to a world that doesn’t recognize its need for the message will result in persecution. The world will laugh at us, resist our message, reject and hate us. But when each individual finally knows his need for a Savior, this message of “foolishness” will become clear and beautiful and welcome. We can only tell others what we ourselves have experienced. Grace will only make sense to those who want to live free in your presence. This message is “the power of God”…no less! Rejoice in this message of salvation and take delight in its foolishness! Thank you! Amen

We should rejoice in suffering for God's kingdom....

Matthew 5:12 “Be glad and rejoice, for your reward is great in heaven; they persecuted the prophets before you in the very same way.” (NAB) “You can be glad when that happens---give a cheer even! For though they don’t like it, I do! And all heaven applauds. And know you are in good company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble.” (MSG) Heavenly Father, We’re in good company when we suffer for your kingdom. The world may hate us, but you, our Father are pleased “and all heaven applauds”. We find our joy and gladness in knowing we have pleased you and will see you in heaven. Your kingdom and its rule are what are important. Our comfort, our ease, our needs are secondary. You will care for us, like the birds of the air and the lilies of the field. What we deem as “necessary” are just worldly wants and desires. You have called us to greater things. Your Son came to save us. Jesus Christ came to establish your kingdom here and now. Every time we suffer to further that work, to spread that “good news”, we can rejoice and be glad knowing that your kingdom has come and rules forever! Our reward is sure. Our salvation has been given through Jesus Christ. Nothing can now separate us from You! We rejoice in your grace. We rejoice in knowing our sins are forgiven. We rejoice in the knowledge that Jesus Christ died and arose for us. He suffered, and we too will suffer. We die daily to self and take up our cross of obedience to your will. This will bring a reaction from the world. Some will embrace us and rejoice with us. Others will reject us and make our lives miserable. All of the “great cloud of witnesses” that have gone before us have suffered this type of separation from the world. We cannot belong to both the world and you! We must stand firm in our belief in Jesus Christ and continue to spread your kingdom wherever we go. Show me where I must suffer for you. Teach me to welcome your Holy Spirit as my guide and my inspiration. Forgive me when I back away from persecution in doubt or fear. I need your strength always. Amen.

Choosing and being chosen....

Mathew 5:11 “Blest are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of slander against you because of me.” (NAB) John 15:19 “If you belonged to the world it would love you as its own; the reason it hates you is that you do not belong to the world. But I chose you out of the world.” Heavenly Father, Why are we blest if people insult us, persecute us, and slander us? That doesn’t seem like an atmosphere of blessing! John 15:19 gives a very good answer: “If you belonged to the world it would love you as its own.” Do we want to be blest and loved by the world, or by you, our Father? We must choose where we want to belong. Jesus tells his disciples, his followers, that they don’t belong to the world. He has chosen them out of the world. It is always confusing to me when the subject of choosing comes up….do we choose you or did you choose us? Jesus clearly tells the disciples that he chose them. Yet we all have to choose whether to believe in Jesus and follow him. The disciples had to make that choice, too, despite Jesus choosing them. Our choice is our response to Jesus’ calling of us. Do we go? Do we choose to not belong to the world? De we choose insults, persecution, and slander? The verse from Matthew is followed by: “Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Mat. 5:12) Jesus wants us to understand that choosing him and choosing persecution will bring rejoicing in the end. We have an opportunity to share heaven with our Lord and King! We have the joy of being “sons of God”. We inherit the kingdom of heaven! We have Jesus’ choice of us to give us the strength and hope and confidence and courage we need. Even Peter, the strongest of the disciples had his moments of fear and doubt and denial, but he preserved and remained with his Lord, and received the blessing of grace to move beyond his fears and failures into victorious service and joyous acceptance of the role Jesus chose him for. The Holy Spirit will bring blessing from any situation that our love of Jesus Christ leads us into. We are chosen to follow and obey. Thank you! Amen.

Undergoing hardships in Christ's name.....

Acts 14:22 “We must undergo many trials if we are to enter into the reign of God.” (NAB)

“We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.” (NIV)

Heavenly Father, Jesus told his disciples that “if they have persecuted me, they will persecute you as well”, and “all will hate you because of me”. Persecution is received while teaching in Jesus’ name. It is a “must” in that persecution and trials will automatically follow anyone trying to do your work. If Jesus Christ was rejected, how can we expect to fare better? If Jesus Christ was scorned and mocked, so will we be. A Christ-like life will clash with a worldly life. A Christ-like life and character will lead to You, our Father, and require submitting our will to yours in obedience. The world rejects this. The more we preach a way of love and obedience, the harder the world will try to show the folly of such an idea and present it as a threatening life style. The world does not want Christians to be “comfortable” in their faith. If we are perfectly at home in this world than we are failing to show a true Christ-like character that seeks out the enemies of Christ and offers them the love of grace. We are not meeting the enemy and blessing him or praying for him, but are merely befriending others like ourselves. Confronting the “enemy” in Christ’s name will bring persecution and trial. Our weakness is necessary to show God’s strength. We have to allow supernatural power to fill our weakened shell, so that your power is glorified and not our own. In the verses before this one, Paul and Barnabas are struggling to convince the people that their “powers” come from you and that they are not gods. Paul is stoned because of all of this. His persecution stemmed from trying to show your power to others in Christ’s name. The world chooses to misunderstand and feels threatened by any show of your power. But your power also lifts Paul up after being stoned to preach again. Thank you for giving us your strength in our weakness. Amen.

Forgiving as Jesus forgives us.....

Acts 7:59 “Lord Jesus receive my spirit.” (NAB) (vs. 60) “…..Lord do not hold this sin against them.” (NIV) Heavenly Father, Stephen’s words in these two verses closely echo Jesus’ own words: “Father forgive them for they know not what they do” and “Father into your hands I commit my spirit”, both spoken on the cross. Stephen has reached a close relationship with Jesus and is able to accept his persecution and pray for his enemies. He has found the blessedness of persecution and proves he is a true “son of God.” Stephen’s stoning and these words take place at the very feet of Saul, who later becomes Paul! What an impact these words must have had on Saul, even though at that time he was persecuting believers. Still, he was there to see and hear Stephen’s witness of the Holy Spirit at work. Stephen followed your command to “bless those that curse you and pray for those who mistreat you”. How could anyone not remember such a moment? Stephen was a witness of Jesus Christ’s love. Stephen followed his Master into death at the hands of his enemies. You tell us the world will hate us. Those who hated you will hate us. Stephen accepted this and preached your name anyway. He died for his love of Jesus Christ. He died delivering the message of what Christ did for us. He willingly gave his spirit to you in death. He publicly prayed for those who were killing him. He forgave others just as he had been forgiven by you. He granted his grace to those who had not earned it. He lived and died for his belief in Jesus Christ. How can I give my spirit to you? By a willingness to obey your commands to love others, even my enemies. Praying for my enemies. Praying for those who hate you and also me. Following Jesus Christ through the power of your Holy Spirit is my goal. Help me. Amen.

Holy Spirit power is needed to do right......

Romans 7:18-19 “The desire to do right is there but not the power. What happens is that I do not the good I will to do, but the evil I do not intend.” (NAB) “I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do----this I keep on doing.” (NIV) “I often find that I have the will to do good, but not the power. That is, I don’t accomplish the good I set out to do, and the evil I don’t really want to do I find I am always doing.” (Phillips) Heavenly Father, I don’t think there are any other verses in scripture that I can identify with as much as these statements by Paul. Every day when I examine my life closely I can echo Paul’s words and the frustration they induce. I desire to do right---I “will to do good”, but “I don’t have the power” on my own. I know in my heart and mind the things that I should do and I even intend to do them. I resolve to make that sick call, visit that lonely person, send that card, write that check for charity, give away possessions to others, spend more time praying, volunteer for some needed job, apologize for a wrong, help someone who is in need of my time and talents----but do I actually do these things? I’m ashamed to say that too often my intentions never bear fruit. I know what not to do---I plan to break a bad habit, hold my tongue, don’t get angry, stop whining and complaining, give up that questionable TV show, skip that movie or book, don’t yell or raise my voice to my family, stop getting upset at others over trivial things, stop showing hatred or indifference to others----but do I succeed in these plans? No, once again I fail in my goals despite knowing what is right. This is sin at work. These are sins of omission and sins of commission. Knowing the law and trying to obey it doesn’t work. Verse 25 says, “I thank God there is a way out through Jesus Christ.” Through faith in Jesus Christ we receive the Holy Spirit. Only by Jesus Christ’s death are we rid of the condemnation for sin. Christ living in us kills our sinful nature. His Holy Spirit sets us free and we have new life. What was desire or will without power becomes an empowered will and obedience through the Holy Spirit whom Jesus Christ left for those who believe in him. Thank you, Holy Spirit! Show me how to live an empowered way of life in Jesus Christ. Amen.

Love your enemies....

Matthew 5:44-45 “My command to you is love your enemies, pray for your persecutors. This will prove that you are sons of your Heavenly Father. “ (NAB) Heavenly Father, This is a command…something we must do in order to be “sons of your Heavenly Father.” You want us to be loving just as your Son was loving. You want us to forgive others and to focus our lives on the well-being of everyone we meet. We aren’t to just tolerate our enemies, we are to love them. We aren’t to just avoid our enemies; we are to pray for them. Praying for someone helps us to focus our love on someone else. Praying helps us draw someone into your presence who doesn’t understand or want to come. My only “enemies” are those who hate you. I must love those people and want to show that love to them in a way that they recognize. I must pray for their souls, for their circumstances, for their hatred to turn to love, and for a desire to change. Sometimes it is more indifference than actual hatred. The enemy is very subtle in how he separates others from you. I have to love and pray, so that the enemy’s bonds are broken. Whatever strongholds keep someone from your presence must come down. I cannot “save” anyone…only Jesus Christ saves…but my love and prayers can be a force working towards someone’s discovery of Jesus Christ. My love and prayers can show your grace to those who most need it. I must live a life that shows them the desirability of knowing you. I will be hated and envied for that. I will be rejected and ridiculed. I will be shunned and persecuted. But your grace will win through. My love and prayers are necessary to help insure victory over my enemies that they may be won over as friends and sons of the heavenly Father. Thank you, LORD, show me how to love my enemies and give me strength and courage to do so. Amen.

"My grace is suffcient for you".....

2 Corinthians 12:10 “Therefore I am content with weakness, with mistreatment, with distress, with persecution and difficulties for the sake of Christ; for when I am powerless, it is then that I am strong.” (NAB) “That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties, for when I am weak, then I am strong.” (NIV) Heavenly Father, This verse seems incomplete without verse 9: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” When Paul asked that his “thorn” be taken away, this is the answer you gave him. What can’t be taken away will be bearable through your grace. If we are strong on our own we don’t need you. Until we can rid ourselves of the “I can do this myself” attitude….the belief in our own strengths, talents….we won’t totally rely on your Holy Spirit. Only in the face of “weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and difficulties” do we recognize fully our dependence on you. To spread your Word, the Good News, to others requires super-human power and strength. Until we stop trying to struggle on our own to accomplish this we can’t allow the Hoy Spirit to move in and use us as a channel for his power. Grace is sufficient for all things and grace only comes in Jesus Christ. Grace is the power of love from the cross and the empty tomb. Grace is your riches given through Christ. Grace is our assurance that no matter what happens “nothing can separate us from the love of Jesus Christ.” Grace is the very Word we want to speak to others, so it must flow freely in our own life. We need a constant awareness of Jesus Christ and his grace for us. When we are persecuted his grace is the answer. When we are weary and feel helpless, grace in Christ is the answer. When we are confused or lost, grace is the answer. Grace is “sufficient”…all that is necessary, all that is complete, all that is enough, the full answer to all things at all times. Thank you for your grace in Jesus Christ! Thank you for saving me, strengthening me, protecting me, filling me with your Holy Spirit. Amen.

Loving our enemies....

Luke 6:27-28 “To you who hear me, I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you; bless those who curse you and pray for those who mistreat you.” Heavenly Father, These are hard words to live up to, but they show the way Jesus lived and as his followers we must live the same way. We are told four words of action that we are to do: love, do good, bless, pray. Who for? Our enemies, those who hate us, those who curse us, those who mistreat us. How did Jesus show these actions in his life? Christ’s enemies were everyone opposed to You, his Father, and everyone who didn’t believe he was the Christ. He was rejected by the religious leaders even though he had come to fulfill the very prophesies they believed in . He was a threat to the Pharisees and the Herodians and the Romans. All had their own agendas of power and leadership, which made them fear Jesus’ influence on the people. Who are our enemies? Right now we have no “big” enemies….a country who wishes to make war or conquer us. There are terrorists who form a more subtle hidden threat who represent their own interests. Who are our personal enemies?….anyone who is jealous of us, feels threatened by us, is mad at us, dislikes us for any reason, has a “chip on their shoulder”, or is just mean and threatening in general. Christians always have enemies among non-Christians. Our command from Jesus is to love these people, do good things to them even though they reject us, bless them and pray for them. I pray for my family and friends and church. How often do I pray for an enemy? I do kind things for those I love…how often do I do a kindness for someone outside my circle? Jesus challenges us to look beyond our families and friends and our church walls. We are to act in love and prayer for the people we would rather avoid, people we don’t even acknowledge or think of, and people we even actively dislike because they cause trouble or hardship for us. This is not an easy thing to do…ever. We must make a real effort until it becomes a part of our character to love others. Help me, Lord, to love my enemies! Amen.

Stay with it until the end.....

Luke 21:17-19 “All will hate you because of me, yet not a hair of your head will be harmed. By patient endurance you will save your lives.” (NAB) “All will hate you because of me. But not a hair of your head will perish. By standing firm you will gain life.” (NIV) “….stay with it until the end. You won’t be sorry, you’ll be saved.” (MSG) Heavenly Father, “By patient endurance you will save your lives”…”by standing firm you will gain life”…”stay with it, you won’t be sorry, you’ll be saved.” Standing firm…what does that mean? Jesus Christ is our Savior. Only he truly “saves” us. By standing firm in this belief we are saved. It won’t matter if the world hates us or persecutes us. It won’t matter if we are scorned or rejected or made outcasts. So was Jesus Christ. When we patiently endure all of this for his name, we secure our own life. “Not a hair of your head will perish”. Many have indeed lost everything here or earth including their lives, but they are not truly harmed because their eternal life is secure and certain. You hold them safely in your hands. We are to have no regrets, not second thoughts, no hesitation, no turning back! Once we have found “the Way” through Jesus Christ, we must persevere! Paul talks about this often. It is like a race, and we must continue on to the end and our prize. In previous verses, Jesus assures his disciples that when they are persecuted that this will be the very time that they will witness for him. We aren’t to plan for this, but just move forward in our faith path. When it happens: “I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict” (vs. 15). We don’t do any of this alone when we follow Christ. He wants us to end up in the right place at the right time in the very presence of our enemies, so that he may speak through us and do his work. Speaking to those who are already saved isn’t his plan…we have to meet the enemy. But he assures us that: “You won’t be sorry, you’ll be saved!” Salvation is always found in the presence of Jesus Christ. If we follow him, we have all we need. Thank you! Amen.

Shaking off our complacency....

Revelation 3:19-20 “Whoever is dear to me I reprove and chastise. Be earnest about it, therefore. Repent! Here I stand, knocking at the door. If anyone hears me calling and opens the door, I will enter his house and have super with him and he with me.” (NAB) “Those whom I love, I rebuke and discipline…..I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.” (NIV) “Correct and discipline…..shake off your complacency and repent….I will go into his house and dine with him and he with me.” (Phillips) Heavenly Father, I don’t see what this verse has to do with persecution. Even through you “reprove and chastise”….”rebuke and discipline”….”correct and discipline”…..this isn’t persecution. This is a loving Father teaching his children. This is Jesus Christ showing us how to follow him. We are told to “shake off our complacency and repent.” It is easy to be lulled into a false sense of rest once we have accepted your salvation in Jesus Christ and settled into a comfortable church with friends. Our urgency to grow and become more Christ-like seems to go away. We feel like we are “home” already, but it is a false home here on earth that merely reflects a tiny bit of your real kingdom and our real home. Repenting is in some senses a daily thing. Even though we are forgiven in Jesus Christ for all of our sins, we still need an awareness of them and an urgent sense of needing to follow at all times. We can’t let Jesus in the door and then push him back out when his presence is inconvenient to our life on earth. Once he comes in to our house to eat, he is here to stay. We must be prepared to share fellowship with him at all times. He will dine with us and we will dine with him. This ceases to be a “guest” relationship but becomes a permanent 2-way friendship. We abide together. Eating together continually is a very close and intimate relationship. We are at our ease in each other’s presence. Jesus lives here in us. The chastising and rebuking and correcting are the ways you let us know that our worldly life is not one where Jesus Christ will feel “at home”. Something needs to change. Christ is the “head“ of the household and we must follow his lead at all times. The result is an intimate relationship with you, our Father. Thank you for loving me! Forgive my sinful lapses of complacency. Come in and teach me, stay and dine with me. Thank you, amen.

Not of this world........

John 17:14 “I gave them your word, and the world has hated them for it; they do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world.” (NAB) (vs.15) “I’m not praying that you will take them out of the world, but that you will keep them from the evil one.” (Phillips) Heavenly Father, Those who follow Jesus have “your word” and are hated because of it. Your word is Jesus Christ, died and risen in victory over sin and death. Your word is our salvation through Jesus Christ. This word is hated by many. We may not feel the outward signs of hatred or persecution, but those who don’t accept this “word” also don’t accept us or our belief. We are expected to “tone it down”, hide it, keep it to ourselves, and not let it encroach on the rest of the world. We are not to pray in school or anywhere else publicly or we offend those in “the world”. We are not to claim that our belief in Jesus Christ is the only way to heaven. We are suppose to include all faiths, all beliefs, all life-styles regardless of whether they go against our own beliefs. The world’s “hatred” is subtle and that much more dangerous. The evil one attacks through our own sense of fairness, kindness, love, and peaceful spirit. The more fruit of the Spirit we have, the more we show our love and compassion for our enemies. This leads to being quiet so we don’t offend others, to trying to care for those who live lives we consider wrong, to being nice to people who flaunt the world’s sinful ways in hopes of changing them by our own lives. But this is often too subtle and appears as acceptance of things we disagree with. We blend into the rest of the world or spend our time only with others who believe. We avoid confrontation with the world on the things where we clash. Is this right? I don’t know! We are to be peaceful, but never compromise our integrity as your children. Can the world see the difference? Are we merely hiding our beliefs and letting the world win? How do we fight the world’s hatred as it is shown in our society? How do we stand out from the world and show our true faith? Help me understand this. Amen.

We will be treated like our Master.....

John 15:20 “Remember what I told you: no slave is greater than his master. They will harry you as they harried me. They will respect your words, as much as they respected mine.” (NAB) “Do you remember what I said to you, “The servant is not greater than the master?” If they have persecuted me, they will persecute you as well, but if they have followed my teaching, they will also follow yours.” (NIV) Heavenly Father, Jesus made it clear to his disciples that following him would have a cost. His life was so opposed to the “world” that anyone who embraced the world would end up opposed to him. “No servant is greater than the Master.” If we serve Jesus Christ we can expect to be treated like Jesus Christ. People will disagree with us, get mad at us, accuse us of prejudice and closed minds, mock us, even get violent or abusive to us. In less civilized countries we will be persecuted, tortured and killed! Not a pretty pictures or a desirable life. But just as we will be persecuted as Jesus was persecuted, so will those who follow Jesus, follow us. There will always be those who listen and hear the message. There will be rewards seen as saved souls. We must endure the persecution and remain true for the sake of those who will listen and become followers. If we “lay down our life” for others, our reward will be great in heaven . Jesus found victory through death. We too will arise victorious and bring glory to you if we serve in Jesus‘ name, unafraid to speak and live for him. Jesus is our Savior. He is our Lord and Master. “Master” indicates that he is in charge and the One whom we follow or serve. When we make that commitment to him we accept all that is to come with it. We trust in his Lordship and willingly do all that he asks of us. We have his warning and know what to expect. We need to focus n his words of encouragement…”if they have followed my teaching, they will also follow yours”……rather than on the persecution we might suffer. Thank you, Lord Jesus for showing us the Way! Give me strength and courage to follow you! Amen.

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness.....

Matthew 5:10 “Blest are those persecuted for holiness’ sake; the reign of God is theirs.” (NAB)

 “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (NIV)

 “…those who have suffered persecution for the cause of goodness…” (Phillips)

 “God blesses those people who are treated badly for doing right. They belong to the kingdom of heaven.” (CEV)

Heavenly Father,
“Persecuted for holiness (or righteousness)”….”persecuted for the cause of goodness”….”treated badly for doing right.” Have I ever been persecuted? I don’t think so. I consider myself lucky to not have been persecuted, but yet Jesus tells us we are blessed when we are persecuted and that the kingdom of heaven is ours! Persecution follows God’s people. If we are doing right and standing up for holiness, goodness, righteousness, than persecution should follow. The world doesn’t like these things. The world wants us to “fit in”, to be a clone of everyone else, to desire worldly wealth and power, to compromise our integrity and our morals.

 So, why do I fit in, if I’m not doing these things? Why is no one persecuting me? I live in a very “civilized” country that values “freedom” so I can get away with almost any behavior and belief and not be persecuted. As long as I don’t openly criticize anyone else, they won’t criticize me. That is avoiding persecution. That is tacit approval of things I don’t agree with. That is “minding my own business” rather than being vocal about what I believe. I’m not denying Jesus Christ, but I’m not promoting him either.

 Do most people know I’m a Christian? If they don’t, than I’m doing something wrong! My life style should scream the fact that I am a follower of Jesus Christ. How do I become a “light unto the world” and “salt for the earth”? How do I live for Jesus even welcome persecution and rejection? I don’t know. Help me, O LORD, to show your Son to the world in all I say and do. Teach me to lead others to you. Show me where I am failing to bring your kingdom to others. Forgive me. “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” Amen.