Are You Being Persecuted?

2 Timothy 3:12
Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.

I've been reading a lot about the persecuted church. Testimonies, books, websites, all indicating the often severe circumstances my brothers and sisters around the world face just for following Christ.

I was doing a study on my computer using Logos and came across a sermon by Pastor John Piper on the persecuted church. One of his points was "A Life Devoted to Righteousness Will Be Persecuted". What followed was a list showing why a life devoted to righteousness will be persecuted:

• If you cherish chastity, your life will be an attack on people’s love for free sex.

• If you embrace temperance, your life will be a statement against the love of alcohol.

• If you pursue self-control, your life will indict excess eating.

• If you live simply and happily, you will show the folly of luxury.

• If you walk humbly with your God, you will expose the evil of pride.

• If you are punctual and thorough in your dealings, you will lay open the inferiority of laziness and negligence.

• If you speak with compassion, you will throw callousness into sharp relief.

• If you are earnest, you will make the flippant look flippant instead of clever.

• And if you are spiritually minded, you will expose the worldly-mindedness of those around you.

After reading this, I began to examine my lifestyle to see if I fit the characteristics listed by Pastor Piper.



When I think of persecution, I often turn to Paul as he illustrates his experiences of suffering in 2 Corinthians 11:

21 But whatever anyone else dares to boast of—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast of that. 22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they offspring of Abraham? So am I. 23 Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one—I am talking like a madman—with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death. 24 Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; 26 on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; 27 in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. 28 And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches. 29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to fall, and I am not indignant?

30 If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. 31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, he who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying. 32 At Damascus, the governor under King Aretas was guarding the city of Damascus in order to seize me, 33 but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall and escaped his hands.

Amazing. He experienced all this due to his obedience to his Apostleship. Reflecting on this makes me often ponder, "LORD, with the vision and calling that You have given me, what will I have to endure?" Knowing full well that my life is not my own and understanding that persecution is eminent, I simply ask God to prepare me so that I will not fold under the pressure of real persecution and instead persevere to the glory of Christ.

After reading this scripture, I also remember when the LORD told Ananias to find Saul, lay hands on him and restore his sight. Ananias questioned the LORD saying that he has heard of the evil Saul has done to Christians, which the LORD answered saying Saul was His chosen vessel and will suffer great for His name's sake. Two things I get from this passage, which can be found in Acts 9. #1 - Because Saul's sins were great before he was saved, his suffering was likewise great after God saved him. #2 - Saul's suffering was great because he was a chosen vessel and had a great call on his life as an Apostle to the gentiles.

1 Peter 4:15-16 just came to mind : "Let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name."

Are you suffering? Is your suffering in the form of persecution as a Christian? Or are you suffering as an evildoer?

What's On Your Mind?

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. -

The mind is a very complex part of our being. It is the control center of our decision making, plays a part in the functioning of our body, and is more powerful than most of us realize. Most of our minds are cluttered with useless information. This information causes us to stress, brings deterioration to our bodies, and we end up losing sight of our visions, dreams, and waste precious time on things of no value.

I was posed with a question today as I was thinking to myself in the car, "How much time do you spend focusing on things that are unfruitful?"

To be honest with myself, I had to admit that I spend a lot of time thinking about what I'm not doing right and where I think I should be, rather than thinking about what I can do to get to where I want to be and then allowing my actions to follow suit.

I think about how I wish I was a more effective minister of the gospel, rather than pray more, meditate on the Word more, and spend more time in worship doing things that will make me more effective. I spend time thinking about being single, how I'd like to be married and have children and sometimes wonder who my wife might be, rather than take advantage of the freedom I have being a single man and preparing my mind to be a Godly husband. Finances, work, the cares of this world, are all fighting for my attention. But how do I get things right?

Some people say you need to clear your mind and free it from those things that bring stress. That might work temporarily, but that doesn't make these issues disappear. The Bible says that we are to meditate on the Word day and night and we will have good success. Paul wrote that we should take no thought for anything, don't worry or be anxious, but instead make our requests known to God with prayer, supplication and thanksgiving and the peace of God will rest upon our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. In another passage he says to cast down every thought that tries to exalt itself against the knowledge of God. So here I am, facing an answer I already know. Make my requests known, don't worry, focus on God's Word and not the issues, and I will have peace. But knowing and doing are two different things.

God once told me, "Stop thinking so much, and instead pray within your mind and talk to me about what your thinking about and I will take care of you." This was 3 years ago, and did I listen? Not as much as I should have. And right this moment God is bringing these things back to my remembrance so that I can begin to implement what He has instructed me to do.

Think about the Word, pray rather than worry, and focus on glorifying Christ.

This is my slogan for 2009.