August 17, 2014

“Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you." Matthew 5:10-12

How can I be sure to stand against persecution?

I was told that a group of believers were having an illegal meeting an unregistered church assembly in Russia. There came a loud knock at the door and it was thrown open by several uniformed and armed Russian soldiers. The frightened people were shocked when one of the soldier shouted, "Those of you who are not willing to die for you Jesus, leave now!" There was a moments stillness as the reality of the threat sank in. Suddenly several people quickly jumped to their feet and ran out of the meeting into the dark, but most of the little group remained. The soldiers then closed and locked the door, stacked their weapons in a corner and sat down. One of them then motioned to the pastor to continue the service saying "Now we can truly worship the Lord with you who are truly brothers and sisters in Christ."

What would you have done?

How do you know?

What would you have done?

How do you know?

Here are some thoughts for preparing to face persecution:

Acknowledge the Facts

Watching the rapid rise of violence against Christians must shock you into the reality that you may be called upon to suffer or even die for your faith.

The sooner you acknowledge that the sooner you can begin to change your mindset and your lifestyle.

While we argue that it is extreme or even crazy, Muslims are energized by the idea of being martyrs for their faith. They believe that for them death is better than life.

As Christians, when are we going to face the fact that our life AFTER death will certainly be better than the abundant life God has given us here. Everyone of us is going to die. Not one of us will get out alive. So, why should we shrink from the possibility of dying for our faith knowing what awaits us on the other side?

Acknowledge Your Fears

Admit your fears and come to grips with them. Make commitments ahead of time when you aren't under pressure. Be like Jesus, who settled His fate in the desert and in Gethsemane before He had to face the brutality and torture.

Be like Daniel who purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself or deny his God. 

“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” – Jim Elliott

Acknowledge Your Faith 

Memorize the promises of God and remind yourself of the reality of your faith. Here are a few of His precious promises:

“From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep;  in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;  in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness—“ II Corinthians 11:24-27

^“No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” I Corinthains 10:13

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith” Galatians 5:22

^“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” Ephesians 6:10-13

^“In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials,  that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.” I Peter 1:6-9

Acknowledge His Faithfulness

God has ALWAYS been faithful to His people. Often He delivered them from their troubles while other times He gave them grace to endure because He had something better for them.

“Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented— of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth.  And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise,  God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.” Hebrews 11:34-40

If you will face the facts about your own mortality and deal with the reality of death, if you will prepare yourself for the possibility of suffering, if you will strengthen your faith and trust His faithfulness completely you WILL be able to stand strong in the face of persecution.

August 16, 2014

“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” Matthew 5:10-12

As you think about Christians being persecuted, the thought may cross your mind, "Will I be persecuted?

The short answer – “Only if you’re righteous…..”

The context of this teaching on the “Beatitudes” implies that if you are successful in applying the first seven of these Kingdom qualities, the evidence will be the eighth – you WILL be persecuted!

“You will be hated by all for my name's sake… “ Matthew 10:22

“Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.” John 15:20

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”  John 16:33

The Apostle Paul later wrote:

“For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake… “ Philippians 1:29

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

‘Remember the words I spoke to you: ’No servant is greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also.” John 15:20

“Blessed are you when men hate you, when they exclude you, and insult you, and reject your name as evil, because of the son of man”. Luke 6:22

“Every faithful believer will have some resistance and ridicule from the world, while others, for God’s own purposes, will endure extreme suffering” - John MacArthur 

It’s a certainty, some of you here today in this room will face life threatening persecution. Are you ready?

Several common forms Of Persecution: 

1) Economic Persecution

Prophecies tell of a time when only those who take the mark of the beast will be able to buy or sell. We are seeing the beginnings of that with the some the Government mandates being handed down.

We will see Christians being passed over for job promotions or discriminated against in hiring because of their faith.

2) Social Persecution

Christians will be hated, ostracized and marginalized because of their opposition to abortion and same-sex marriage. 

3) Family Persecution

Traditional marriage and parenting will come under increasing pressure as schools and government seek to gain more influence and control over their children.

4) Religious Persecution

We have already seen the beginning of religious persecution when the Catholic Church was required to provide birth control for its employees even against their moral and religious beliefs.

I believe we will soon see tax exemptions taken away for contributions to local churches and churches losing their property tax exemptions.

We will see the government continue to apply pressure over what pastors preach from the pulpit.

There will be state and federal discrimination laws making it illegal for pastors to refuse to marry same-sex couples.

Over my lifetime I have seen the Government systematically try to assume the role of God and to politicize religion and morality. That does not bode well for evangelical conservatives who believe in a big God and a small government.

5) Political Persecution

We will see continued efforts to increase the size and scope of the Federal Government. As the Government gets larger, the private sector shrinks and individual liberties erode.

We are seeing a determined strategy to eliminate opposition parties such as Republicans and Independent Tea Party types. There is strong evidence to suggest that conservative Tea Party organizations were intentionally targeted by the IRS and denied tax-exempt status that could have negatively impacted their chances in the 2012 elections.

The persecution of righteous believers will continue to increase. While it will take different forms, expect it to become increasingly stronger and more threatening.

God's Word clearly warns us it will happen. Why should you expect it won't happen and why wouldn't you be preparing yourself and your family to face persecution?

August 15, 2014

"Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. "Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad for your reward is great in heaven, for so men persecuted the prophets who were before you." Matthew 5:10-12

One of the main themes of the Beatitudes is to define righteousness for followers of Christ and to show them how to please God. The word "blessed" means to have the favor of God.

If you want to please God, live by the Beatitudes. If you live by the Beatitudes you will be righteous and if you live righteously in an evil world, you will be persecuted.

So, are we then to conclude that God is pleased when you are persecuted?

No, God takes no pleasure in your persecution but He does take pleasure in your faithfulness to remain righteous in the face of intense pressure and pain.

Remaining righteous in the midst of persecution proves that you love pleasing God more than you like pleasing yourself. That pleases God.

God was pleased when Daniel purposed in his heart not to defile himself by being unrighteous under the pressure to conform to the King's decrees. Daniel was faithful all the way to the lion's den and he pleased God.

We know that God shut the mouths of the lions but Daniel didn't know that in advance, he just knew he was determined to remain righteous.

God was pleased when the three Hebrew children declared they would not bow to the image of the king even if it meant they would burn in his fiery furnace.

When the image came past and the trumpets sounded and everyone bowed low, they stood tall. They were fully prepared to perish in the furnace but their righteousness pleased God so much He sent His Son into the flames to deliver them.

So, while God takes no pleasure in your persecution He is pleased when you prove that you love Him and His righteousness more than you love your own life.

The pressure and pain of persecution is God's proving ground for those committed to pleasing Him.

Will you please Him as the prophets of old did?

Will you purpose to live righteously today no matter how much it hurts?

August 14, 2014

“Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. “Rejoice and  be  glad,  for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you"  Matthew 5:10-12

The eighth Beatitude states that the evidence of being changed by the first seven Beatitudes is persecution will come your way!

Jesus reminded us that "the prophets of old" where persecuted because of their righteous witness and message. I can't wonder if as He preached to His disciples to prepare them for the opposition they were about to confront  did He have His own suffering in the back of His mind?

During the 20th Century more Christians were martyred that in all previous centuries combined. As a 21st Century watching the growing opposition, oppression and persecution of Christians all over the world you have suffering on your mind.

In a world that ridiculed, rejected and murdered the Son of God, how can you be surprised that you will also face persecution if your life resembles His? This doesn't mean we seek it, but neither should we be surprised when it comes. In fact, while we can’t verify all the facts, church history and tradition tells us that the disciples fared no better than their leader. Fox’s “Book of Martyrs. 

·     James was beheaded. It is said that on his way to be martyred, his accuser was so impressed by his courage and conviction that he repented of his sin, committed himself to Christ, and was then beheaded along with James.

·     Phillip was scourged, thrown into prison, and then crucified.

·     Matthew was slain with a sword.

·     James the Lesser was stoned to death.

·     Matthias was stoned and then beheaded.

·     Peter was crucified upside down at his own request because he didn't feel worthy enough to be crucified in the same manner as the Lord.

·     Andrew, Thaddeus and Simon the Zealot were crucified. Andrew was left hanging on the cross for (3) days.

·     Bartholomew was beaten with clubs, filleted alive, and crucified. 

·     Thomas was speared to death.

·     John was exiled to an island called Patmos where he died as a prisoner.

Jesus never taught a “prosperity gospel,” but rather a “persecution gospel.” He didn't teach that following Him was going to be a picnic or a religion of convenience, rather He taught that to follow Him we’d have to deny ourselves and take up our cross. The cross was an instrument of torture and persecution.

Here are three Biblical reasons why you can expect to be persecuted if you live a Christ-like life:

Righteousness Expresses Jesus

"But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus." Romans 3:21-26 

When you give yourself to follow Christ, He begins to reveal Himself through you in the form of righteousness. So those who are offended by Christ will be offended by Christ in you.

Righteousness Endorses Absolutes

"The Lord is righteous in all His ways and kind in all His deeds." Psalms 145:17

Many these days are offended by the notion of absolute morality, and the righteousness of God confronts them with their own unrighteousness. If God is holy and righteous as the Bible declares and if they are not believers in God they are therefore, unrighteous. That is offensive to them and they will despise the righteous.

Righteousness Exposes Unrighteousness

When you shine a light into a dark damp basement every cockroach, spider, and rat will scurry from the exposure brought by the light.

In  same way, when the holy light of God's Word pierces the darkness of an evil world, that evil is exposed by the light.

The Bible says unrighteous people prefer darkness rather than light so their evil won't be exposed. When their deeds are exposed by the light of God's righteousness they will seek to extinguish that light.

Truth is the enemy of the lies of Satan and he will oppose it. Light is a threat to the darkness of evil and all the power of evil will be unleashed against God's light. So, anyone who chooses to walk in truth and light will meet with persecution.

How will you choose to walk today?

August 13, 2014

“Blessed  are  those  who  have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the  kingdom  of  heaven. “Blessed  are  you  when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you." Matthew 5:10-12

All of us have been deeply saddened by the tragic news out of Hollywood. It is heart-breaking to lose such a talented comedian and actor like Robin Williams. Adding to the tragedy is the irony of a man who devoted his adult life to bringing people happiness yet he died of terminal unhappiness.

Our hearts have been broken with the initial report of Mr. William's death and the sadness deepens with each additional morbid detail.

Robin Williams had all the trappings of happiness that typically shape our cultural paradigm of what brings happiness. He had a beautiful home on the San Francisco Bay in beautiful Tiburon. Looking across the Bay he could see the stunning skyline of San Francisco, looking to his left would be Alcatraz and the Bay Bridge in the background and to his right is a view of the Golden Gate Bridge. Everyone in Hollywood respected him and millions around the world loved him. By every common standard he should have been happy.

What makes you happy?

Do you know what makes you happy?

How do you know you are happy?

This Summer we have been studying the Beatitudes and discovering eight things that make God happy.

I ask you again, what makes you happy?

Jesus gives the answer to that very thoughtful question in His Sermon on the Mount. In His proclamation of eight "blesseds" He is implying that your happiness will be found in making God happy. 

If you had a "bucket list" or a checklist of things that you would need to be happy, how many of these would be on your list?

Is being poor in spirit on that list?

Is mourning over your sinfulness listed?

How about meekness?

What about hungering and thirsting for righteousness?

Is giving mercy on the list?

Did you list being pure in heart, striving to be a peacemaker, or being persecuted for your beliefs?

I didn't think so. They weren't on mine either, until Jesus changed my heart.

I'm so happy He changed my heart!

Now I want to live to make Him happy by my attitudes and actions.

What do you need to be happy today?

August 12, 2014

"Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake. For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.  Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you." Matthew 5:10-12

What do these nations have in common: Nepal, China, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Yemen, Mongolia, Cambodia, Bahrain, Benin, Burkina Faso, South Sudan, Bhutan, Mali, Brunei, Guinea, Kuwait, Singapore, and Turks and Caicos?

These countries are all located either in Asia or North Africa.

Most of these nations have a predominately Muslim population, with some Buddhists, Hindus, or atheists.

A majority of the world's population resides in these 20 nations.

The majority of these countries are ruled by totalitarian governments where Christianity is opposed, oppressed or outlawed.

In most, if not all of these nations, a Christian can be arrested or killed for sharing his faith with a non-Christian.

These nations represent the top twenty places where Christianity is growing at the fastest rate.

How is it that the Church of Jesus Christ is growing  fastest in these areas where Christian faith is prohibited and Believers live under the constant threat of persecution?

Jesus said those who are persecuted for the sake of His righteousness are blessed people. Therefore, the Christians living in these countries are more blessed than we American Christians because they are remaining strong and faithful under the pressures of persecution while we practice our faith in freedom.

For you to share your faith it costs you nothing. For one of them to share his faith could cost him everything. The worst you might suffer from sharing your faith is a little ridicule or rejection. Any one of them could suffer arrest, imprisonment or death.

So, why do they courageously and consistently share their faith when you rarely do?

Think about that.

Pray about that.

Pray for them.

Pray for yourself.

August 11, 2014

"I have hidden your Word in my heart that I might not sin against God" Psalm 119:11

Americans like the “bottom line” so let’s get to the bottom line for this verse. How does that sound?

This little verse with a big message is, in fact, the answer to an important question posed in verse nine, “How can a young man keep his way pure?”

So, the bottom line is that everything we have studied so far only matters if you are interested in living a pure and holy life. Others need not apply.

David, the Psalmist declares that the reason he hides the Word of God in his heart is because he doesn’t want to sin against God. If sin doesn’t bother you the Word won’t matter that much.

Logically, if staying pure and holy in all your thoughts and actions is important to you then you will meditate and memorize the Word of God. Therefore, if you are not meditating or memorizing the Word of God it would indicate a lack of interest in holy living.

If you have filed your Bible in the “inspiration reading” section of your mind or if you keep it on hand as a reference book you are not that concerned about sin. Very, very dangerous!

Here in this last half of the verse, are contained two very important truths about sin. Before we wrap our consideration of this verse allow me to point them out.

First, he says that sin is a choice – “that I might not sin”

One of the main blessings of salvation in Christ is it can free you from the power of sin. You no longer have to live as a slave to it. The main message of the Cross is Jesus became the atoning sacrifice for your sins that you can be free!

Every sin is preceded by a thought. If you entertain that thought it becomes a temptation and when you dwell on that temptation it usually leads to sin. So, before you sin you have to run a couple of red lights. You sin because you choose to. For someone who claims to be a Christian, that is exceedingly dangerous.

Think about it. When Jesus was tempted by the devil in the wilderness He had to rely on quoting the Scriptures He had hidden in His heart. If Jesus Who WAS the Word had to rely on the Word to resist sin, what makes you think you can ignore your meditation and memorization?

Second, he says that sin has a consequence – “against God”

When you sin it is against God. When you choose to sin you choose against God. When you refuse to humble yourself to the Word to meditate on it and memorize it you are choosing against God’s wisdom and truth.

I am not sure you want to do that. You probably don’t want to do that. You certainly shouldn’t do that!

You also sin against yourself in that your sin breaks your fellowship with God AND you are the one who will have to live with the consequences of your sin.

Sin complicates your life. Sin alienates you from God. Sin has consequences that you can choose to avoid. Why wouldn’t you? You can choose purity from sin or you can suffer the penalty of sin. It is all dependent on what you do with God’s Word.

That’s the bottom line.