Part 3: "The Living Sacrifice Is Determined to Walk with Jesus Christ: We rejoice in Tribulation!"
As a youngster growing up in Church, I attended a small Pentecostal Church (The Church of Jesus Christ), formally located at 415 M Street, Northwest, Washington, D.C. The Church was a multi-story house with about 50 members or so. I tell you the truth on Sundays, the worship services were off the chain! The Saints were on one accord and on fire for God! When the Saints sang the songs of Zion, and danced before the Lord, the floor of the Church would at times shake and dust would rise off the floor.
I remember a particular song we use to sing entitled, "I'm Determined." Deacon Wilber Belton, Sr., our head deacon, would often lead the song with no musical accompaniment. In fact, for those of us attending this Service via Zoom Meeting, I am going to play a video recording of the song now.
The main lyrics of the song are as follows:
I’m determined to walk with Jesus, yes, I am.
I’m determined to walk with Jesus, yes, I am.
Through all trials, tribulations, persecution,
(we added: you know I will be faithful)
I’m determined to walk with Jesus, Yes I am.
Wow, what an awesome song. Tell me, are you, "Determined to Walk With Jesus?" Is there anybody here that has dedicated their lives to the Lord, and committed themselves to follow after Jesus wherever He leads? Not wherever you want to go with Jesus, but wherever Jesus leads you to go.
This final Sermon in this Series is for born-again Christians who have their eyes and hearts set on Jesus Christ, and have chosen to become blind to the love of the things of the world. (I John 2:15-17) Saints whose hearts are only filled-full with the love of God and loving others, as Jesus Christ has loved them—this is who this Sermon targets.
Jesus Christ has set forth very clear criteria and the “Agenda” for anyone who desires to be a follower of Him. At Luke 9:23, Jesus said these words:
...If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
Check out the Amplified Version of Luke 9:23:
...“If anyone wishes to follow Me [as My disciple], he must deny himself [disown himself, forget, lose sight of himself and his own interest, refuse and give up himself], and take up his cross daily [expressing a willingness to endure whatever may come] and follow Me [believing in Me, conforming to My example in living and, if need be, suffering or perhaps dying because of faith in Me]"
Jesus Christ is not looking for people who just want to identify with Christianity, and be known as "Christians" in name only. The Lord is searching for Christians who want to travel with Him everywhere He goes no matter the personal cost! To be a follower of Jesus (a disciple), the person, must be willing daily to serve as a "Living Sacrifice" unto God. As we say in Christian Circles, they must be "All In"—100 percent committed to Jesus, as nothing less will do.
Your life no longer belongs to the devil, the world, your family, or even you! Your spirit, soul, physical body, and all the resources you possess belong to God! The whole of you has been purchased with the precious blood of Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul wrote at I Corinthians 6:19-20:
What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
As born-again Christians, everything about us has been re-engineered by God in Jesus Christ to bring God glory! Therefore, we should expect our lives to continually bring forth the glory of God! The light of Jesus Christ ought to shine bright and through our lives so men, including our enemies, can see our good works and glorify God which is in heaven. (Matt. 5:16)
If you are determined to walk with Jesus, then like Jesus Christ, you must also be consumed with God’s Agenda (God’s Will). God’s Agenda (The Will of God) given to Jesus is recorded at John 6:39-40. It reads:
And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.
And this is the will of him that sent me, that everyone which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.
The Will of God is that every person born into this world would believe in and receive Jesus Christ, as their Savior and Lord so they may have eternal life, and be raised from the dead on the last day with glorified bodies, like unto the glorified body of Jesus Christ. (I John 3:2) Somebody ought to shout for joy saying, “thank God I have the Will of God in me!”
Please here me well. God has placed His Agenda (Will) in the hearts (spirit and the mind of the soul) of every born-again Christian. (Heb.10:14-16) My friends in Christ, search and examine your heart right now, and the Holy Ghost will testify to your spirit, that the passion of your heart is to see every person on earth receive Jesus Christ as Lord. (Don’t search your brain—you will always be tempted to leave some people out that have mistreated you—but examine only your heart.)
In your heart, there is no person that you want to see perish. Not even your worse enemy do you wish to see consumed by the eternal fires of hell. In your heart is the fruit of the Spirit, long suffering, and you are willing to suffer any and all things necessary so that every person can receive Jesus Christ as Lord!
Praise God, your inner-man has been made after the likeness of God, and you have everything in common with God the Father. For God is long suffering and wants none of His creation to perish, and that all people in the world would have everlasting life! (II Peter 3:9 & John 3:16) Praise the Lord, God is in you, and you in God, therefore, you have the Agenda of God! (I John 4:15)
Furthermore, because your heart is full of the Will of God, the follower of Jesus Christ yearns within themselves to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ to all people, so they may receive eternal life and be raised up at the last day. For how can the lost hear the gospel preached and be saved, without a preacher? (Rom. 10:14) Thus, God has called and ordained you to share the gospel with every person. (Mark 16:15) You have an unction from the Holy Ghost to preach Jesus everywhere to everybody.
As the Lord's followers, we have been given instructions on where we are traveling, to carryout God’s Agenda
(Will). Jesus Christ is continually leading, and working with us, in His Vineyard. Jesus is recorded as saying the following words at John 4:34-38:
Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.
Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.
And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.
And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth.
I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.
In case any one is not clear on where the Lord’s Vineyard is, see Luke 14:23. The Scripture reads:
And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.
As followers of Jesus Christ, we are to go into the streets of communities and, “compel” people to come to Church—the Lord’s House of Prayer where every need is met and exceeded. We are not to just post a sign or electronic bill board on the front lawn of our Churches; advertising and inviting people to come join us in worship services. Rather, every able bodied born-again Christian must go out from the four-walls of the Church, and into the streets and take the gospel of Jesus Christ to the lost.
Notice, Jesus said, compel them to come into His House. This means we are to make an offer to people that they cannot easily refuse to come to Church. We are to tell people about the testimony of Jesus Christ and His love for them. We are to share with people our personal testimony about what Jesus has done in our lives.
From the love of God within us, we are to be concerned about and have compassion, to listen to the problems and cares of others, and by the faith of Jesus Christ pray and command their deliverance from bondage. Further, we are to implore them to come to Church because God desires to do something extra special for every person, beyond what they could ever think or ask, if they believe on Jesus Christ.
While I’m in the streets ministering, I often tell people: “Every good thing starts at the House of the Lord.” Then I add, “If you want good to come on your life and get stuck on you, then make it your habit to attend Church, and bring someone else with you!”
We are tell every person to come to Church expecting to meet God and receive a miracle! The follower of Christ must always make their boast in the Lord! (Ps. 34:2) There is nothing too hard for God to do. This is the holy ambition and work of the follower of Christ: Soul delivering, Soul healing, and Soul Salvation!
Now, let me return to the song I mentioned earlier, "I’m Determined." Child of God, this is exactly what it is going to take to follow after Jesus—“Determination.” I’m talking about a “Holy Determination” to follow after the Lord. A Holy "Determination" means that the follower of Christ, (disciple) must make a committed decision to let Jesus Christ live through them to accomplish God's Agenda (Will), so that God may be glorified through them.
No matter what comes in life—through hard trials, tribulations, persecutions the follower of Christ faithfully walks with Jesus. The Christian life cannot be walked-out in faith, without total reliance of Jesus Christ leading the way. (John 15:5) There is no way that the follower can do the works of Christ, and endure the adversities that come with the work, without the Lord’s Strength infused in their mortal bodies. (Php. 4:13) Moreover, only the Lord can establish us and keep us from evil. (II Thess. 3:3)
If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, you can be sure that a “whole-heap” of trouble is coming your way. As you labor with the Lord in His vineyard to win the lost, intense opposition will rise up against you—all because of your faith in Jesus. You see, any time you express your faith in Jesus Christ, and make the decision to allow Christ to live through you; trials, tribulations, persecutions, and perhaps even physical death may come.
Oh, but Praise the Holy name of Jesus Christ, notice that the song says “Through” all trials, tribulations, and persecutions. We are not just “Determined” in all trials, tribulations, and persecutions—but THROUGH—all of them. As followers of Christ ever striving to conform to His example of living, persecution is inevitable. The follower of Jesus always enters and goes through afflictions and adversities in life, and comes out on the other side, victorious whether in life or death! (Ps. 34:19 91:16 & Php.1:20)
As noted last week, Jesus Christ told the disciples, the world would hate and do evil against them, because it first hated Him. (John 15:18-27) As we are in the Lord's vineyard preaching the gospel, demonic attacks can come from every enclave of society, including your own family, friends, and fellow church members.
In fact, Jesus Christ suffered persecution from His own family. His siblings hated and wanted Him dead. With the exception of His mother Mary, none of His siblings even attended His funeral. However, early on in Jesus’ Ministry, He clarified for the disciples who His true family members were. See Matt.12:46-50 below:
“While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him.
Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee.
But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?
And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!
For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.
Right now, the hand of the Lord is stretching forth identifying all those who are “Determined” to follow Him—to do God’s Agenda—saying, “You are my family!” Heaven is open wide to receive you, everyone in heaven knows your name, and are cheering you on to continue the good fight of faith until the Lord returns!
As the family of Jesus Christ, we share all things in common with Him—including sufferings and persecutions. Please note the witness of the following Scriptures, written by the Apostles Paul and Peter:
Romans 8.17
And if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.
I Peter 2:19-21:
For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? But if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:
I Peter 3:14:
But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. And do not fear their intimidation, and do not be troubled.
I Peter. 4.16:
Yet if man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this behalf.
Our battles in times of tribulation and persecution are not with people, for we are wrestling with satanic forces, which seek to hinder and stop us from preaching the gospel and living for Christ. The Apostle Paul wrote at Ephesians 6:12-13:
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
These aforementioned Scriptures confirm the inevitability of sufferings followers of Christ will endure—but in the process, bring forth glory to God. The example of the first martyr of the early Church, Steven, illustrates the “Determination” of the follower of Christ, to walk all the way with the Lord, and bring glory of God, even unto death.
In brief, the story of Steven is told in the book of the Acts of the Apostles, Chapters 6 and 7 (around AD 34 or 35). Steven was the first Christian martyr of the early Church in Jerusalem. (Steven was buried in about AD 36 in Jerusalem.) He was a man of faith in Jesus Christ and full of the Holy Ghost and power. Steven was one of seven men of the Church who were chosen to oversee the collection and distribution of Church resources for the needy—elderly women, widows, and orphans. (Acts 6:3-5)
Steven was also a powerful Evangelist who preached the gospel of Jesus Christ, and performed many “great wonders and miracles” before the people. (Acts 6:8) One day, while preaching the gospel of Christ and defending the faith before the Jews, he was falsely accused of blasphemy, as he challenged the Temple cult practices of Judaism. For expressing his opposition to Judaism, he was brought before the Sanhedrin. (The supreme council and tribunal of the Jews headed by the High Priest—most likely, the same High Priest—Caiaphas that Jesus faced during His trial. (Matt. 26:57) The Sanhedrin had jurisdiction over all religious, civil, and criminal matters in Jerusalem.
When examined by the High Priest, under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, Steven continued to boldly contend for His faith in Christ, and denounced the council’s hypocritical rabbinical practices under the Law of Moses. Steven’s words greatly offended and angered the Sanhedrin to the core of their hearts—such that they “gnashed on him with their teeth,” and condemned Steven to death by stoning. The Sanhedrin concluded that Steven had rejected God by his acceptance of Jesus Christ and bold declaration as Lord. (Acts 7:54)
At this point, however, I would call your attention to Steven’s response to his wrongful conviction and persecution, recorded at Acts 7: 55-60.
55 But he, [Steven] being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,
56 And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.
57 Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord,
58 And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul.
59 And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.
60 And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
Oh, what great faith Steven exhibited in his day of adversity. Unlike the “Three Wise Men” (The Three Hebrew Boys) in last week’s Sermon, who were delivered from death in the fiery furnace by God, Steven was stoned to death.
During Steven’s entire discourse of contending for the faith in Jesus Christ before the High Priest and Sanhedrin, he knew it would likely bring persecution on himself. But, Steven belonged to God—he was God’s Property, and not his own. Just like the Three Hebrew Boys—Wise Men, Steven’s trust was completely in God, and was determined to stand up for Jesus Christ no matter the opposition and outcome. Under the control of the Holy Ghost, he only said and did things, as heard and saw Jesus Christ doing them—as Christ was living through Him.
In the midst of the pressure of persecution, Steven boldly proclaimed he saw, “the heavens open and Jesus Christ standing at the right hand of God.” I love it! Steven did not see Jesus “seated,” but “standing” at the right hand of God.
I believe Jesus stood up from His throne, as He was pleased to see Steven following exactly in the Lord’s foot-steps—enduring hardship and persecution as a good soldier. He willingly yielded his life and body to experience and learn of the sufferings of Christ.
Moreover, in declaring that he saw Jesus standing at the right hand of God, Steven was trying to get the Jews to open up their hearts, believe in Jesus Christ, turn from their wicked ways, and come to Jesus who loved them.
As an intercessor for the Jews sinful behavior, in his final words, Steven offered a prayer of forgiveness for his attackers saying, “Lord, lay not this sin to their charge,” echoing the same words of forgiveness authored by Jesus on His cross. (Luke 23:34) Jesus Christ was standing at the right hand of God willing and waiting to forgive their sins, and give them all eternal life through faith in His name. But, because these Jews’ hearts were darkened and wax cold toward God, they could not receive Christ.
Steven then fell “asleep,” just as all Christians do who die in Christ. When Steven looked up to heaven, it was the Holy Ghost who had opened his spiritual eyes to allow him to see his salvation. (Ps. 91:16) The Lord promises all those who die a physical death serving Him, will never see, taste, nor experience death—but their spirits instantly are present in the arms of our loving Savior Jesus Christ. (John 8:51 & II Cor. 5:8)
The stoning of Steven, would turn out to be the beginning of an even greater glory of God that would be revealed. This is a truth that the follower of Christ relishes and rejoices in: Suffering and Persecution of the people of God, always leads to the glory of the Lord being revealed! The persecution of Christians opens the door-wide for sinners to come and be delivered from the kingdom of darkness and translated into the kingdom of God.
When followers of Christ are persecuted, the gospel of Jesus Christ only advances into more parts of the world for the winning of lost souls in this world. Notice in the story of Steven, in Acts 7:58 it says,
“and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul.
The execution of Steven, was observed and consented to by Saul of Tarsus—a devote Chief Pharisee, who hated Christians and persecuted the Church. Thereafter, the Church in Jerusalem endured great persecution, and with the exception of the Apostles, all of the Christians were scattered throughout regions of Judea and Samaria. In Jerusalem, Saul made havoc of the Church, entering into every house where there were Christians, and hauling them out—men and women and putting them in prison. (Acts 8:1-4)
As such, the Christians in the Church of Jerusalem, not in fear of persecution and death, but emboldened by the Holy Ghost and power, scattered abroad and went everywhere preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. This was in concert with the prophetic commands of Jesus Christ given to the disciples, turned Apostles. Just before Jesus ascended into Heaven, He told them that after they had received the Holy Ghost, the gospel would first be preached in Jerusalem, and then in Judah, and in Samaria. (Acts 1:8) Glory be to unto God!
Saul, determined to wipe-out Christians wherever he would find them, sought and received approval from the High Priest to hunt down Christians reportedly worshipping in synagogues in Damascus, and transport them back to Jerusalem. (Damascus being located within the province of Judea.) It was while traveling to Damascus, that Saul would be reminded of his persecution of the Church—Steven and the many other Christians that were persecuted, tortured, imprisoned, and killed at his hands in Jerusalem.
As Saul came close to Damascus, suddenly a bright light shined all around him—a light from heaven. He collapsed to the ground, and “heard a voice say to him Saul, Saul why persecutest thou me?” (Acts 9:3-5) Saul inquired, who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said:
I am Jesus, whom though persecutest: It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
Jesus Christ was saying to Saul that every Christian he had persecuted, including the stoning of Steven, had been done unto Him. Jesus told Saul to “arise and go into Damascus where it would be told of him what he must do.” The men that were with Saul on his journey led him by hand into Damascus, as Saul was blind. It was Ananias, a devote follower of Christ, who saw and heard the Lord in a vision, instruct him to go to a “street called Straight and inquire in the house of Judas for a man named Saul of Tarsus.”
Jesus revealed to Ananias that Saul had been praying, and told him to go and lay his hands on him that he might recover his sight. After further discussion about Saul’s reputation for persecuting the Church in Jerusalem, Jesus said these words to Ananias, recorded at Acts 9:15-16:
But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way, for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel. For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.
Ananias did as the Lord commanded, prayed for Saul and he received his sight, was filled with the Holy Ghost, and water baptized.
After meeting Jesus Christ and being converted, Saul the former persecutor of Christ and the Church, changed his name to Paul, and was made an Apostle by Jesus Christ Himself. (Acts 13:9, Gal. 1:1 & II Tim. 1:1) Paul was transformed by the Lord, from a persecutor of Christians, into a preacher and Living Sacrifice for God in Christ Jesus!
Jesus Christ now working through the life of Paul, by the Holy Ghost, commissioned both Paul and Barnabas to go from the Church in Antioch and preach the gospel to the Gentiles to deliver them from the death grip of sin. (Acts 13:1-5) This now, in fulfillment of Christ prophetic commandment given to the Apostles at Acts 1:8—to go and preach and witness Christ in the utter most parts of the world. And, Paul went and did just what the Lord commanded. Yes, persecution always yields the glory of God—through persecution some person’s life is always turned around to follow after the Lord!
By the grace and mercy of God, the Apostle Paul openly and routinely witnessed on his missionary trips his past persecution of the Church, as well as his glorious conversion to Christ. For example, Paul wrote the following to the Christians at Galatia, (Galatians 1:13-23)
13 For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it:
14 And profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.
15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace,
16 To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:
17 Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus.
18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.
19 But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord's brother.
20 Now the things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie not.
21 Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia;
22 And was unknown by face unto the churches of Judaea which were in Christ:
23 But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed.
To the Christians at Corinth, Paul wrote:
I Corinthians 15:9-10 -- For I am the least of the apostles, and not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me.
Further witness of Paul’s forgiven atrocities against the Church were told to the Christians at Philippi. Expressing his “zeal,” “as a former persecutor of the Church.” (Php. 3:5-7)
5 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;
6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
At 1 Timothy 1:12-15, Paul wrote to Timothy noting the following about the glorious gospel of Christ, which made him an able minister of the Lord,
12 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry;
13 Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.
14 And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.
15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
As I noted before, through the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ, comes persecution and afterwards the glory of God is revealed so that sinners may be saved. Paul’s life became a surrendered life unto Christ—a Living Sacrifice—unto God. The life of Christ lived through Paul. He testified to this truth. See Galatians 2:20, it reads:
I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
Paul, as a Living Sacrifice, only sought to identify with Christ’s experiences with the power of His resurrection, and to join the Lord in His sufferings. (Php.3:10-11)
That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
At the hands of the Jews and Romans, Paul endured many persecutions and hardships, as Jesus said He would. Paul was stoned to death, and was raised from the dead by fellow followers of Christ. (II Cor. 11:24-27 & Acts 14: 19-20) On multiple occasions, He was beaten in like manner to Jesus. Paul wrote at II Cor. 11:24, saying:
Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.
There was no amount of suffering and persecution, not even death itself, could separate Paul from the love of God in Christ Jesus. (Rom. 8:35-39) Paul knew he was God’s property and following the plan of Christ with his life. As Jesus Christ directed, so Paul followed. (I Cor. 11:1)
Thank God for the mercy, grace, and inheritance of the forgiveness of sins we have through the shed blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. Paul pinned half of the books of the New Testament, and the revelations he received from Jesus Christ on God’s grace through faith are without exception the most heavily relied upon Scriptures in Christianity. God got all the glory out of Paul’s life as he followed Christ, and for certain for all who will follow after his self-less example, God will do the same.
In closing, to my fellow followers of Jesus Christ. Our lives are the property of God, and are intended to bring the maximum glory to God. Spiritually and morally, the days are getting darker as the hearts of men draw wax cold toward God.
In the short 66-years of my life, I have watched how the morals of our society have decade, with Christian liberties being siphoned off and trampled over. How society labels Christians as nothing more than religious fanatics, as closed minded bigots, that need to be ignored.
Sadly, many Christians today have chosen to proffer Christianity in words only, rather than prospering in doing God’s Agenda. Preferring and presuming to be safe and secure inside the four-walls of the local Church, as spectators rather than proclaimers of the gospel in the streets of the community.
However, the body of Christ must understand that the more Christians stubbornly remain inside the four-walls of the Church, the persecution of those who have chosen to follow Christ will become more intensified. Ultimately, because of the perceived irrelevancy of the Church in the world—the move to close and remove Churches and Ministries from our nation and world will become a forward marching political and social movement.
On its current trajectory, it is only a matter of time before the people of this world who claim to be atheist and agnostics grow in sufficient numbers of power and influence in the political, economic, educational, scientific, and entertainment world; to become emboldened by Satan to try and do unthinkable things to all religious groups, especially to those who are Christians in America and around the world. But God will never leave nor forsake His people, and will always cause us to triumph over evil.
So what are we to do when persecutions come our way? How are we to respond when family, friends, and others turn their backs on us? What are we to say when threatened with hatred, neglect, or personal body harm? Are we to only hold on and endure—to just sit tight and bear it? No way! Jesus Christ said that in the face of persecutions we are to “rejoice and be exceedingly glad!”
Remember the words of Christ in the Beatitudes, in which Jesus promised, at Matthew 5:10-12,
Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
No matter the persecution—whether it’s being chained and imprisoned with feet made fast in the stocks, like Paul and Silas, in the mid-night hour (Acts 16:22-34) —or whether family, friends, and co-workers no longer desire to be associated with us because we are called Christians. We will forever be “Determined” to walk and live for Jesus Christ, preach the truth of the gospel to every person, and pray and sing praises unto God.
We rejoice knowing that through our suffering, God will be glorified. Through persecutions, the glory of God is revealed, and some person(s) will come to Christ through our testimony of living for Jesus. All of the roads of our lives through fellowship with Jesus Christ, whether in good or tumultuous times, lead to souls being saved by the power, grace, and mercy of God.
For those who have made the decision to follow Jesus wherever He leads, continue to be led by the Holy Ghost and strengthened by His Might to live as an example of the life of Jesus Christ before men. Be confident in knowing that the Agenda (Will) of God will be satisfied in the earth, no matter what may come. Every person on earth who God has given to Jesus Christ shall be saved. No one can pluck them out of Jesus’ hand, and at the last day, we all shall all be raised up to glory.
As such, this is my prayer today. Lord God, in the name of Jesus Christ, I pray that our lives daily be offered up to you as a sweet smelling sacrifice. Through trials, tribulations, and persecutions—that your, “Agenda” (Will) be satisfied in us. Lord as you see fit use us to bring everyone into your kingdom that belongs to you, through Jesus Christ, so that we all may have eternal life and be adorned with glorified bodies like unto Jesus’ body at the last day.
For this reason, we are “Determined” to yield our lives to Jesus Christ. We rejoice in persecutions, knowing that through tribulations, you Lord, alone are doing a perfect work in us. Your servant Paul stated at Rom. 5:3-5:
And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
This is our prayer this day, and we say Amen to the Word of the Living God!
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