Thoughts for another day


December 6, 2010

Today's verse: 2 Tim. 3:12. Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. (KJV)
(Pls. read the above before you read further. Thanks)

If you are a disciple of Christ, there's one thing you need to know which actually few do, that is – persecution in your life is guaranteed. No matter who you are and what you do, being His disciple, you can rest assured that people will be out to get you. A genuine disciple of Christ is always persecuted and I am talking about persecution that's a direct result of your proclamation or your work on His behalf.

Unfortunately many haven't understood this and are 'shocked' when it happens; shocked that their persecution can be so severe. Some even are killed like it happened in Orissa in India and the odd thing is their relatives mourn and weep saying how it was so undeserved but the Word is clear that persecution is a direct consequence of your working for the Kingdom of God as Jesus Himself says it in Mark 10:29, 30 - “I tell you the truth, no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for Me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life."

There're also some who equate the troubles they get because of their wrong-doing with persecution because they also preach the Gospel. Which by itself is foolishness for the persecution they face is for the wrong they do and it would happen even if they didn't preach the Gospel but were just ordinary people. Be that as it may, it's pertinent for me to add that if you're inclined to being a servant of God and go to the vineyard to do His work, be aware that your days are numbered for someday you will be asked to stand up for His Name and take a bullet and woe be to you if you aren't prepared to do that having called yourself the servant of God. If you genuinely are His servant, you may be scared but your footsteps as you move toward death will be sure and not vacillating.