Couple of weeks ago, I got the message from one of my sisters about persecution in India. I was shock, I was sad, but I also tried to encourage myself. I said to myself, "Alvin, sooner or later, you will face it as well. Are you ready?" Because the Bible said so, 'In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted (2 Timothy 3:12).
John 15:20
'No servant is greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.
My friends, have you ever read in the Bible how the prophets of Old Testament lived? Elijah needed to hide himself in the cave and was fed by raven. Isaiah was a loner, nobody listened to him. Jeremiah was threatened to be put to death because he said what God wanted him to say, to speak about God's judgment on Israel, where many false prophets spoke about peace. Ezekiel was given forehead like the hardest stone by God because he dealt with rebellious house. Daniel was put into the den of lions because of his righteousness, Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego was put into fiery furnace because they refused to defile themselves with gods of Babylon, Joseph was sold by his own brothers to Egypt and there he was put into prison even though he was righteous. Nehemiah found many opposition from people around him when he tried to rebuild Jerusalem. Noah was mocked when he was building the ark, Job lost everything and even his friends ridiculed him because he chose to keep his faith on God.
Or in the New Testament, John the Baptist was beheaded, even Jesus, our Savior, He was mocked, spit, crucified. Peter was invertedly crucified, Paul was stoned, been in prison, flogged, beaten with rod, and finally died martyr. John was spent his oldtime on the island of Patmos as an outcast. James was put to death with sword, Stephen was stoned till death. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and many of Jesus' disciples died martyr. What kind of death do you expect as Christian, my friends?
Or even in our time, how many ex-moslem choose to die by their own families because of their faith in Jesus Christ. Or ex-Jesuit priests ready to exchange their life for the Truth, so that many people will get saved through their testimony, or ex-Buddhist, ex-Hindus, etc, they go against their own tradition, not to eat sacrifice food, not to bow down before statues, to pray for their ancestors, etc, and because of that, their families persecuted them. Do you think that easy for them? Not at all, but God is faithful, He is Almighty God, He gives them grace so that they can stand against anything that try to bring them back to their past life.
John 10:27-29
My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand.
Or do you know the story of Moses? He was adopted by Pharaoh's daughter as son, he had everything, but he chose to be with Israelites, instead of gold and glory that he could receive in Egypt. Do you know why Moses chose to disown his status and mocked by his own people? There are 2 questions need to be answered.
- Why many people choose to die for Christ?
- Why many people want to persecute us?
# Why many people choose to die for Christ?
1 Thessalonians 1:5 (NIV)
Because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake.
Every Christian who are born again will know this in their own heart, it is not deception, not hallucination, not imagination, not dream, but with deep conviction, with power, with Holy Spirit, with much assurance. Jesus become so real, God become so real, their heaven await them, Bible has no more contradiction, our prayers are always listened by God, fellowship with believers bring so much fire and joy. Yes, living Christian life become so sweet and fun, because God is our Father, sometimes He gives us a lot of surprises, a lot of joy, but also a lot of discipline.
If you still don't have this conviction, check your life before it is too late for you. Repentance toward God and faith toward Jesus Christ. Give your life to Christ, surrender all yourself onto Him, 100% of you, let Him guide your way and be according to His will.
"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.
Every born again Christian will find out that they are different from the world. Their nature has changed, they can't stop talking about Jesus, they can't stop testifying to others how great their God, Almighty God. They will always try to find a way to preach the Gospel to their friends, relatives, or even strangers in the street. Their love to God and love to others can be seen clearly.
People will think that there is something wrong with their brain, they become a mad man. Nobody can understand them, only God and other believers. And even though they are loners, stranger on the earth, like Elijah, Noah, Paul, etc. They can stand strong for God, not follow the multitude of people. And God Almighty is exalted because of their faith. He will give them anything they want, He will provide anything they want.
Philippians 1:21
For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
Please read this till the end, my friends.
My friends, have you ever experience being in the wrong place at the wrong time? Or have you ever mistaken recognizing people? You thought he was your friend, but in fact, he was totally stranger for you?
Do you see the picture of the church above? Imagine like this: On Sunday morning, as always, you go to church just to fulfill your ritual, your obligation to God. Every Sunday is the same. There is nothing different between the way you came and the way you went out from the church. And your life even worse than unbelievers. The different between you and them is just: you 'know' Jesus, they don't. But you still do: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language always come out from your lips, you always lie to others, etc.
But because you are in the wrong place at the wrong time, out from nowhere people came and locked the church's door from outside and started to burn all the church attendants inside and because you are trapped in, you also died. Will you be in heaven, my friends? Will God consider you as martyr and accept you in His Holy Place?
Hebrews 10:26-27
For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
Colossians 3:5-7
Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming on those who are disobidient.
Stop daydreaming and deceiving yourself, OK? Do not be deceived. God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction, the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life (Galatians 6:7-8).
Persecution will surely come to every born again Christians, to the true churches of God. I don't want to console you or please you. But it is a pity for those who are just wearing mask to the church and for their misfortune, the moment the persecution broke, they were in that church. They were in the wrong place and in the wrong time. They are also persecuted and stucked in the middle of mass killing. Judge it by yourself, where you will be?
Please don't be deceived by your preachers who always say 'Peace and Safe', or say 'Nobody will do harm on us, persecute us'. They even say more, they said, 'Those people who are persecuted must not be born again Christian, they are sinners, because of that, God allow persecution on them.'
Those preachers are super-apostles. Those preachers never read Bible, they just want your money, want you to keep give offering and tithes, flock into their church. They just care about the pride of church, about your wealth, but not your salvation. They try to satisfy your itching ears. And when persecution comes, your faith will just easily dead. You can easily disown your Christ, because you are never been told about this. You preachers are super apostles, and you are super duper lazy person. You will sow what you reap in hell. You want peace and life? Find Jesus.
Do you read your Bible, my friends? Bible said, 'If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you (John 15:18-19). Jesus prayed to the Father for His disciples, 'My prayer is not that You take them out of the world but that You protect them from the evil one (John 17:15).'
Jesus said, 'If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters -- yes, even his own life -- he cannot be my disciple. And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple (Luke 14:26-27).
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