Following Jesus is no simple task, but it is essential. Following Jesus means you are going against the world and doing what Jesus calls you to do not what man wants you to do. Following Jesus and persecution is easy to preach about and easy to listen to on Sunday morning but, when the rubber hits the road its not always east. It’s easy to say you’ll follow Jesus no matter what happens and you will wave off persecution because you’ve never really faced persecution before. But when the call comes to stand your ground, to stand up and be counted, it’s not so easy. Look at Peter, he denied Jesus even after he was warned that he would later that same day. We are warned in the Bible that following Jesus will lead to persecution. What does that mean to you? Have you ever pondered what persecution may look like. Well, in China, Christians are told not too worship
Jesus but to worship the the communist party instead. If they are caught worshipping Jesus they are penalized or subsidies are taken away. Are you ready to follow Jesus no matter what? Are you sure? Are you ready for real persecution? People all around the world have been persecuted for following Jesus. Many put their lives on the line every day to spread the gospel. It’s the kind of persecution we just haven’t faced in the United States until now. Take for instance the mask mandates of 2020 and beyond. People said, "It’s just a mask and it’s just for a little while". In March of 2020 we were told two weeks and it will be over. It would be over before Easter. Well here it is the middle of August 2024 and the oppression just keeps getting worse. Inflation is out of control, the housing market is unbelievably out of reach for many people, food prices have skyrocketed. Do you think all that is coincidental? We might not be being mandated to wear masks right now, but it’s very obvious to me, the bondage is very real and if you don’t know Jesus as your savior then you’re in real trouble.
Romans 13 tells us to follow our government leaders that they are ordained by God. But, the Bible is also full of historical examples that warn us that there are leaders that do not know or follow God and as Christians we always must follow God regardless of what man says or does.. There are plenty of examples in the Holy Bible of persecution of people who follows Jesus instead of man. Paul is a great example of being persecuted for following Jesus and not man. Following Jesus is easy until your life or livelihood is on the the line.
2 Timothy 3:12
In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.
Luke 6:22 says, "Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man. There are just a few examples found within the Holy Bible".
We have been blessed in the United States for a long time but the time has come that Christians are being oppressed. As a culture we kicked God out of our country as far back as the 1960s of even further back. It started simply by taking God out of schools and has steadily gotten worse the last 60+ years. We as Christians must stand up for our God given rights. We must stand up and make our voices heard now before it’s too late. Why, you might ask? Because time is short and there are people who need to hear the gospel, there are people that need to see Jesus in us, there are people who are floundering because they’ve been deceived there entire life. Thats why, and time is short! Also, if you know history at all the oppression will get to the point we cannot gather especially as Christians. Speaking of Jesus or sharing the gospel will be life threatening each time you do it. As you know, there is strength in numbers and the “silent majority” can no longer be silent. Not only can’t we be silent, we must “shout the truth from the mountain tops”. We must stand firm and continue to stand firm with the belt of righteousness buckled around our waste. We must not only act swiftly but also courageously with full faith in Jesus Christ our Lord and savior. You may think your faith will save you but remember, faith without works is dead and there's more to being a Christian than your personal salvation. Way more! It’s time, past time, to stand up, stand out and be counted and don’t be shy about it. Eternity for someone may depend on whether you’re courageous enough to not be swayed by the worldly crowds but to stand firm in Christ and profess the TRUTH.
If this article rings true to you, you will like my book too titled, "My Experiences With the Trinity" and can be found at VonDailey.Com.
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