Prepare for Persecution

Dear beloved:  The body of Christ here in America has been for the most part spared of any major persecution that is experienced by many Christians in other parts of the world.  But that is beginning to change, and the rapid acceleration of the government and others coming against Christians is just a sign of the end times.  The battle is heating up, beloved, and I want to prepare you for what is yet to come.  Laws being enacted (primarily through court decree) will make it illegal for Christians to speak the word of the Lord in the public square.  Hate speech and other modes of attack will force Christians to have to make a decision whether they are going to stand for the kingdom of God, or the kingdom of the devil.

Jesus spoke in Matthew 5:10 "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  v11 Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. v12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you."

So none of this is a surprise to our Lord, He knew His word and His kingdom would bring division and persecution.  If you are silent about your Christian faith, you will not be persecuted much if any.  But that is not the Lord's will for your life.  He wants you to be a bold witness for the kingdom, a light shining on a hill.  You are the salt of the earth, and just as salt has an impact on the flavor of the food we eat, He wants you to make an impact through your life on the people and situations around you.  Matt. 5:13 "You are the salt of the earth: bit if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned: It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men."  How sad it will be for some, when they stand before the Lord and He says to them, "I had to throw you out because you had lost your flavor and had no impact."

Beloved, pray that God will strengthen your faith, and that you will be strong in the face of trials and tribulations.  Make up your mind now, before the persecution gets more intense, that you are going to stand strong for the Lord.  Great will be your reward in heaven and you will be thankful you did.  God bless you, in Christ, Jim