Matthew 5:10


Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven ~ Matthew 5:10

Because we believe and love Jesus, and because we obey Him above mankind, oppression may come our way. It may be physical, or it may be of the mind, but there will be some who will say evil things about you. The truth is, the world does not willingly give up what it hates or its self-centered living, and a true believer can and will get in the way of both. When we follow the peace of Christ, we can be hard pressed upon. Jesus warned us about this though. He told us we would suffer for His sake. So, we cannot at times wonder why suffering has come our way when we have done nothing wrong. Jesus died to take the curse of death from us, but we do carry His cross. And Jesus head was crowned with thorns – do we expect better? If you suffer for Jesus’ sake, rejoice and be glad. If you live your life so much like Jesus that Satan takes notice, you are indeed blessed, for you are making the evil one angry. But here too is a warning: do not go about trying to bring persecution upon yourself. Jesus called us to love. If we act out of self-righteousness we deserve what we get.
Devotion by Pastor Julia

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