Thoughts for another day

June 17, 2014.

Today's verse:  Luke 21:15. For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist. (KJV)

(Pls. read the above before you read further.  Thanks)

When you go about doing the Lord’s work, moving about preaching the Gospel in sincerity, you’ll face persecution.  See, Jesus faced tremendous resistance and He laid down His life for us; so any of His followers, who choose to do His work will also face opposition.  It’s simply because the devil can’t bear anyone preaching the Gospel of Christ in seriousness and brings about every kind of barrier to disillusion them who preach, discouraging them with threats or even physical assaults.  Everyone who takes up this task must understand the implications of a life in ministry and the dangers of, may I say, the profession.  Though there’re the inherent risks we must never forget that the Holy Spirit will be there with us and keep us from all harm and destruction.

One thing we can be sure of is, we’ll get into arguments with people at all levels, from the simplest man on the road to some of the most learned persons in authority.  It’s then that we’ll be asked why we’re doing what we’re doing and here our answers will probably help us wriggle out of tough situations.  Our sincerity and our persistence to serve the Lord will ensure the above promise of our Lord is fulfilled in the discussions we have with our foes.  We may not lose much in terms of prestige nor suffer any hurt, but then the people may not want to believe in our Lord.  Here’s a real life example why they won’t:  I heard of an incident a few years ago, a chat between a scholar of Islam and a pastor on television. 

The discussion dwelt on various aspects of Christianity, chiefly, the primacy of the Bible. The Muslim scholar asked the pastor whether the Bible was the complete truth and the Pastor said yes.  Then, the scholar pointed to Mark 16:18, asking whether this was true ‘and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all’ to which too, the Pastor said yes.  Then the man said, ‘here’s a glass with a little poison in it, drink it and prove your Bible true!’  The Pastor was aghast at the suggestion, not knowing what to say and meekly puffed out that, that’s not how the Bible means it, blah, blah…  Do you think such a Pastor could convince anyone about Christ?  What would you do if you were in his place?  As for me I’d rely on the Lord for an answer.  Once when I dwelt on it, I believe the Lord told me to tell such an adversary, ‘I will drink the poison and when I don’t drop dead, then you must follow Christ!’  In this answer the Lord gave, though I wasn’t in any way facing any danger, I realise the Lord transferred the risk of drinking the poison to the man by making him agree to become a Christian.  Particularly because he was a muslim, that too a scholar and on television, for he could never agree neither know what to say when asked such a question.  My friend, the wisdom Jesus will give us can blunt any attack we face; we see how Jesus countered many of His enemies by His sheer wisdom.  The same is available to all who bear the Good News and that is God’s guarantee.  Try Him.