LEARNING DAILY

 

John 16:33 “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace.  In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”  Jesus

 

Matthew 5: 11-12, “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.  Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for they persecuted the prophets, who were before you.”  Jesus

 

When was the last time you were persecuted for your faith in Jesus Christ?  Maybe the question should be about if you ever been persecuted for your faith.  Persecution in this country may have a strange meaning to it when compared to Christians endure in other countries.  I remember going back to a small community we had lived in; we saw a couple of guys on the street I had been close friends with.  All I remember is being called something like a church mouse and being laughed at.  Another time, the superintendent of the school I was in suggested to me that perhaps I would do better preaching than coaching basketball. Those things happened forty years ago and I don’t know of any other time my Christianity has been questioned.  Some persecution, huh?!

 

As we listen to the news, many Christians are being tortured and beheaded for their faith.  Reports are coming from Afghanistan about Christians being hunted down because of their faith.  Closer to home a pastor has been arrested -in Canada, I believe – for refusing to close the doors of the church due to government mandate.  I suspect this sort of thing is going to continue and grow worse.

 

Look back at the verses above.  It is important to see that Jesus did not say, “If you have tribulation.”  No, He said, “You will Have tribulation.”  Trials, conflicts, persecutions will come; they will come because Satan is in the world and he hates God and all who follow Him.  You might be wondering just how bad they will get in this country.  I don’t know the answer to that.  I think we can all relate to having something negative said about us.  Becoming a follower of Jesus Christ does not guarantee a life of comfort and ease.  It does not even guarantee happiness.  It does guarantee you and I can place our anxiety and trust in God to work out His will in our life. 

 

Throughout our trials in this life, we can be confident and be of be “of good cheer” because Jesus has “overcome the world’.  He has defeated the world system and the deceitfulness of Satan.  On the cross, He defeated death and hell.  In doing so, He poured out the God’s amazing grace and riches upon all who would believe in Him.  That is why Matthew 5:11-12 above are included today.  Trials and conflicts that come because of your relationship to the Lord Jesus Christ are blessings that show you are His.  No one wants trials or for people to say degrading things about their testimony for Christ.  But if you uphold God’s standard of righteousness, truth, purity, justice, and refuse to compromise with the world, you are going to be unpopular, rejected, and criticized.  I have found that this often comes from those within the church.

 

Our response is to rejoice!  “Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven!”  My encouragement for those today who are facing a trial or conflict because of your faith is to know that God sees what your situation is.  Always remember that He sits on His throne and has your situation is under His control.  “Those who suffer and endure persecution because of righteousness are promised the kingdom and heavenly rewards” (LSSB).  What a wonderful promise for each of to grab a hold of!

 

From now on DJSB will be used to note information or quotes from the David Jeremiah Study Bible and LSSB will refer to information and quotes from the Life in the Spirit Study Bible.  I have added Jimmy Swaggart’s Expositor’s Study Bible to be referred to from now on as JSESB