Bible Reading: Jeremiah 18 & 19; 2 Timothy 3
“Yes, and all who will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution -2 Tim. 3:12 (KJV)
Rejection, opposition and harsh treatment in various forms are certain to come to those who are loyal to Christ and live according to the standards and principles of his Word. Loyalty to Christ involves a constant determination not to compromise true faith or give in to the deceptive influences that try to conform people to worldly patterns of belief and behavior. Because of their devotion to Christ and His standards of truth, God’s faithful people will be ridiculed and deprived of basic privileges. They will be grieved by the reality that so many people reject and defy God.
We should all ask ourselves: What has following Christ cost me? Have I suffered persecutions because of my commitment to live for Christ? Or is my lack of opposition and suffering a sign that I have not fully identified with Jesus or stood firmly for the truth for which Christ lived and died?
Pastor Lawrence Chiazor