saltandlight

As I have mentioned before, I was not raised in church.  But, I was taught a little about the Bible at home.  One of the things that I most remember my parent’s teaching me was about the rapture.  I remember my Dad telling me that if I were here during the rapture I would be persecuted for my belief in God.  That I might be actually killed if I admitted that I loved God.

There are people in other countries today that are persecuted terribly for their beliefs in God.  And my heart breaks for those people.  But, what is on my heart today is the persecution that we feel every day from those around us.  If you are a truly born again believer and live to serve Jesus Christ, you will face persecution.  From your friends, your family, your co workers and even other Christians depending on their level of spirituality.  You may not ever have to be tortured or beheaded for your faith.  I pray that you don’t.  But I guarantee, that if you live to serve God, you will feel persecution.

Paul writes in 1 Timothy 3:12 “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.”   I would go as far as to say that if you are not feeling some type of persecution you aren’t living Godly in Christ Jesus.  I know that’s hard to hear.  Don’t shoot the messenger, I’m just relaying what God’s word tells us.

I was saved at the age of 15 and I remember immediately feeling persecution from my friends at school.  It’s very hard for a young person serving God in our schools, it was hard then and it is even harder now.  Over time as I grew closer to God, I felt more and more persecuted, even by my own family.

Jesus tells us in John 15:17-20: “These things I command you, that ye love one another. If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.  Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.“

Those words from Jesus himself are a great comfort to me!

So, why do we follow Christ then?  If it is going to cause us to be shunned by our family and friends?  Is it worth it?  Yes, yes it is.

There is no greater love than the love of God.  And there is not greater joy than doing His will.  There is no greater satisfaction than knowing that you are doing what He is calling you to do.

Friends and family will let you down.  Your husband and your children are going to let you down.  They aren’t perfect and you aren’t perfect, therefore you can’t have a perfect relationship.  But, God is a perfect and Holy God.  He and He alone is who I put my trust in.  When the world tears me down, He is the one that lifts me up!

When someone says, ‘that is just what I needed to hear’ or when someone comes to Christ after you’ve been praying for them for a long time it’s worth it.  And (one of my favorites) when I do or say something that is insignificant to me but it means the world to someone else, it’s worth it.

And one day when I gaze upon my Father’s face and he says to me, “Well done my good and faithful servant”, it most definitely will be worth it!

A special note to you:  I write this today because I’ve been feeling a little discouraged myself.  I have family members that don’t want anything to do with me or my family.  They wouldn’t admit it, but it is because we live differently than they do. I think they feel uncomfortable around us.  So, I’ve been praying about it and studying the Word and I thought that someone else might need to hear this as well.  Don’t be discouraged if you are living for God but feeling persecuted by your family or friends.  Be ENCOURAGED that Jesus and many others have been through the same thing.  And what if one day someone that once wanted nothing to do with you because of your faith comes to know Jesus because you didn’t give up!?  Hallelujah!  I pray for you today that you are encouraged by this message and that you also will hear Jesus say “Well done, my good and faithful servant!”