Certain Persecution

 Most people want to stay as far away from being persecuted as possible. None of us like the idea of living with persecution, no matter what form it may take. However, there is no guarantee that we will not face persecution at some time in our lives. We all need to live with that possibility and be prepared for it.

The Bible tells us that, as Christians, we can be certain that we will be persecuted if one thing is true of our lives. (II Timothy 6:12) All who want to live in a godly way in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. This is a promise from the Lord. It is not the kind of promise we really like, but it is reality. All Christians need to be ready for this.

I know that not all Christians want to live in a godly way. They want to stay out of trouble with other people, so they compromise their beliefs and they conform their actions to the ways of this world. That is their way to stay away from persecution. However, it is a very bad way to live, because they are going against the Lord, in an effort to appease the world. Believe me, God's punishment will be worse than anything the world can dish out.

For the rest of us who are wanting to live in a godly way, we must be strong in the Lord and the power of His might. W need to be courageous in the face of opposition from this world and stay faithful to the Lord no matter how we are persecuted. Yes, we will be persecuted, but the reward we get from the Lord will more than make up for any harm done to us by this world.

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Tomorrow, I intend to read II Timothy 4 and Titus 1-2.