Yes, and everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.
2 Timothy 4:5-6
Their names?—Jim, Pete, Ed, Roger, and their pilot, Nate Saint. They began searching by plane in hopes of finding a way to contact the Waodoni people to share the gospel message of Jesus Christ. From their aircraft, they found a sandbar in the middle of the Curaray River that worked as a landing strip for the plane, and it was there that they first made contact with the Waodoni people. They were elated to be able to finally share the love of Christ with this people group. However, after their first meeting, one of the men in the tribe, a man they called “George” lied to the tribe members about the missionaries intentions. This lie led the Waodoni warriors to plan an attack when the missionaries returned. On January 8, 1956 the men did return and were surprised by ten members of the Waodoni tribe who massacred the missionaries. Jim’s short life that was filled with the desire to share God’s love can be summed up by a quote that is attributed to him. “He is no fool who gives that which he cannot keep—to gain that which he cannot lose.”There is no doubt that persecution is a stark reality of living the Christian life. Although, for now, it’s minor here in America compared to the New Testament believers in the early church. Here is the reality: the moment we say ‘Yes’ to Christ, and submit to Him to be the Lord of our life, we have an immediate target, a bulls-eye placed on our lives. Christian persecution is to be expected: the apostle Paul warned that “Everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.” It is not for the faint of heart.Listen closely, when you press into knowing God personally and truly begin living for God—you will become a target for those who hate God. You can count on it. The spiritual battle is real, but so are the rewards. You are serving a real God who loves you deeply, who was willing to die for you, and who will reward you for standing for Him through seasons and times of persecution. So I remind and encourage you today—Don’t give in. Don’t give up. Don’t relent. Stand firm. Stand strong. Be bold for the faith you’ve committed your life too. Then one day you will hear the words of your Savior when you stand face to face before Him, and He will say,“Well done, my good and faithful servant.”Love God! Love People! Live Sent!Be Worth Being,KevinSUBSCRIBE TO "OVER THE HUMP" DEVOTIONALKevin Burrell has worked in professional baseball as both a player and MLB scout for the past 40 years, and currently serves as an area scouting supervisor. Kevin was drafted in the 1st round of the 1981 free agent amateur draft (25th selection overall), and played ten years of professional baseball with four different organizations. He and his wife, Valerie, live in Sharpsburg, Ga.
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