PERSECUTION FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS VS JUDGMENT FOR WICKEDNESS

MEMORY VERSE: Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. Luke 21:36

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalms 119:13-18, Proverbs 31:3, 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

If anyone tells you that once you give your life to Christ you will never face any challenges, they are telling you a big lie. Jesus, whilst on earth, said to His disciples, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world, ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world (John 16:33).” (In the world, ye SHALL have tribulation not ye MIGHT tribulation). It is a guarantee that you will face challenges in your walk with Christ; it is also a guarantee that you will be victorious every time a challenge arises, as far as you remain in Him. You have no reason to fear challenges because the One who can solve all problems is with you. (Long before the challenges arrives; He would have prepared a way of escape.) You see in John 16:33 that almost immediately after He said “ye shall have tribulation,” the next thing He said was, “but be of good cheer; i have overcome the world.” One of the things that will come your way, as you consecrate yourself for the use of the master and live holy, is persecution for righteousness. Even as you witness about Jesus Christ in your offices or colleges, people will challenge you. Sometimes back, a sister was sharing with me how her managers, at work, were persecuting her for not dressing sexy. They wanted her to wear tight clothes and expose parts of her body that is meant to be covered and she said no. They started calling her names. When that did not work, they began to threaten to move her to another department. We thank God for not permitting the enemies to have their way over her job. The moment you decide to really take your Christian life serious and obey God to the letters, people – friends, family, colleagues – will persecute you. What are you expected to do? Endure it. Matthew 5:10 says this: “Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

Something very similar to persecution for righteousness is judgment for wickedness. Whilst persecution for righteousness comes upon the righteous from the wicked, judgment for wickedness comes from God, who is righteous, upon the wicked. We, believers, are all called to endure persecution. None of us who are believers, however, should ever endure God’s judgments upon the wicked. Luke 21:36 says this: “Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.” Jesus indicated that it was the will of God for His disciples – you and I - to escape the judgments of God that were coming upon the wicked earth. However, His disciples – you and I- better watch and pray, otherwise we will not qualify to escape. Were we worthy to be saved? No, we were saved by grace. You and I neither merit it nor deserve it. However, now that we have been saved, we are required to lead such a life of righteousness that it would be unrighteous of God to judge us with the wicked.

QUESTION: Are you still leading a life of righteousness?

PRAYER POINT: Father, please keep my household from evil.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.