SIGNS OF THE END TIMES: PERSECUTION
“Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time, many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other.” – Matthew 24: 9-10
The book of Acts gives a very apt description of the early church and the difficulties they faced as Christians taking the Gospel to others in a hostile world.
They were beaten, arrested, martyred, left for dead, and despised. But they were not deterred! And they were not stopped!
Jesus' living and last word was that he had authority over all things. Upon his authority, they were to take the Message of his saving power to every culture. They were not to just be faithful, but they were to teach new disciples to be obedient and faithful. No matter what they faced, no matter what happened, they were to remember that he was with them.
In the days when Christians are being persecuted simply for being Christians and so many in the Christian movement are sidetracked by sin, worldliness, and fear of offending someone else's sensibilities… Jesus' words are a sobering reminder that Satan will do anything he can to shut God's people up so the world will remain in darkness.
But our heritage is a heritage of Good News, for all peoples, against all odds, and overcoming all costs!
In today’s scripture verse Jesus is talking about the signs of the times and the end of the age… What will the End Times look like and when will it happen?
Jesus answered these questions by highlighting certain signs which will point to the His second coming. One such sign is an increase in persecution towards believers.
And we know that Jesus’ disciples would go on to face severe persecution for preaching the Gospel. And all but one would be martyred for their faith.
But persecution didn’t end in the first century. Christians have been persecuted to the point of death around the world.
In fact, scholars believe that more Christians were martyred in the 20th century than all previous centuries combined!
So how does the Christian, whose life isn’t often on the line for their beliefs, respond when ridiculed or rejected for their faith?
First, don’t take it personally. It’s not you they hate, but Jesus.
Second, remember that it’s a sign of the times. Persecution is only going to increase as we move closer towards Jesus’ second coming.
And Third, pray for the Church to remain strong in their faith. To be a faithful witness.
Persecution is the number one prayer request from the global persecuted Church to us [Western] Christians here in the U.S. Increased persecution is another sign that we are living in the End Times.
Here in the United States, we see persecution beginning to mount. And notice that it’s a pattern that is reminiscent of Jewish persecution in pre-war Germany.
First the people were mocked and ridiculed, and then there was discrimination against a certain group of people—the Jews in that day—and the discrimination was socially acceptable! And then the prejudice turns to hatred, the propaganda machine gets cranked up more and more, and finally it results in outright persecution.
Virtually anything today that is rooted in basic Christian beliefs is now considered ridiculous at best and a hate crime at worst. We see this especially in the relentless attack on Christianity
Historically, persecution and suffering have always been God’s method of purification. The writer of Hebrews warned in 3:12, “Take care, brethren, lest there should be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart, in falling away from the living God.”
I realize that a lot of people will say, “That’s not me, I would never fall away.”
Well, I want to ask you a question: to what extent are you willing … today, to take a stand for Christ?
And although what I’m about to say may seem harsh to some – but I ask it in the love of Christ:
How easy is it for you to start clearing your throat and backing away and changing the subject when it’s time to stand up for Christ around the water cooler, or when you’re at the hairdresser, or when you’re sitting across from some friends at a restaurant.
The unfortunate truth is - if you’re a coward in those simple, easy scenarios, think what a coward you would be when your very life is at stake.
God bless and may the Holy Spirit open our eyes to see!💗✝️🕊️
This devotion was based in part by: Right from the Heart Ministries.
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