Message
All Christians will experience tribulations in the world (), and being persecuted is one of the tribulations that every true believer must face. It is true that persecution is naturally unpleasant; however, it is a thing of joy to know that Jesus promised in that those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake are blessed and will inherit the kingdom of heaven.
Today’s memory verse says that every believer who chooses to live a godly life must experience some form of persecution, whether it is severe or mild. In whatever form it comes, persecution is naturally unpleasant. Therefore, to escape it, some believers compromise their faith and begin to conform to the world. As a believer, your witness for Christ will not be effective if you compromise your faith at every hint of persecution. Christians who compromise their faith in the face of persecution miss the opportunity to become more effective witnesses for Christ.
Every time the apostles endured persecution, they were presented with a greater opportunity to witness Christ to others. In , the religious leaders in Jerusalem ordered Peter and John to be thrown in jail until the next day and threatened them severely not to preach in the name of Jesus anymore. After that incident, the apostles experienced God’s power in a greater dimension and received more boldness to speak God’s word (). When they were scattered abroad after Stephen’s death, they witnessed Christ everywhere they went, and the gospel spread mightily as a result ().
Child of God, whether you are persecuted for not compromising your Christian values or outrightly punished for preaching the gospel, God’s grace is sufficient to keep you from turning away from Him. His strength will carry you through every difficult moment when you keep your focus on Him. If you are experiencing persecution for being a Christian, know that you are not alone. When Jesus appeared to Saul on the road to Damascus, He referred to Himself as Jesus, the One whom Paul was persecuting (). This means that those who persecute you are also persecuting Jesus, and He is fully with you in your tribulations.
Beloved, don’t ever give up on your faith in the face of persecution; instead, draw strength from the One who promised that He will never leave you nor forsake you (). He is the ever-present help in times of trouble (), and He will be with you always, even to the end of the world ().