Persecution Will Come

Psalms 11:1-2 In the Lord I put my trust; How can you say to my soul, “Flee as a bird to your mountain”? For look! The wicked bend their bow, They make ready their arrow on the string, That they may shoot secretly at the upright in heart.

May I ask a question today? Were we promised no persecution when we accepted Jesus as Savior & Lord? I know I was not. On the contrary, Jesus stated very clearly that if they hated Him, they will hate us. He not only warned that we would suffer persecution, for His sake, and for our faith, but He also told us that we are to love and pray for those who persecute us. That is a bit different than running and hiding when our persecutors show themselves. As God's church, we are called to stand our ground, preach the Word, and proclaim the Name of Jesus, even if it costs us our lives. That is a small price to pay compared to the price Jesus paid for us. It is true that God tells Israel to flee to the mountains when they see the "abomination of desolation" spoken of by the Prophet Daniel (Matthew 24:15-17). However, let us not mistake this as a command to the church. We have no reason to run, regardless of how bad things get here on earth. We have a duty, and responsibility, before God, to continue proclaiming the Good News of what Jesus did for us and the world. Yes, they will try to silence our voice, but we must not be silent. We must proclaim the Name of Jesus from the rooftops, mountain tops, and from wherever the Lord places us to proclaim it! We must proclaim it with humility; not only with our words, but also by our actions, attitudes, and deeds. King David wrote that God tests the righteous, and hates the wicked (v. 5). In verse 6 he wrote, "Upon the wicked He will rain coals; fire and brimstone and a burning wind shall be the portion of their cup." So stand strong my brothers and sisters. We must focus our attention on what God has called us to do, while we are here; for our time here is short, and God is still in control. Persecution is coming, but so is Jesus!

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).