PERSECUTION?

     I have heard comments from our fellow Christians about their having suffered persecution or perhaps they comment on having heard or read of others being persecuted in this country for their Christian faith.  It does happen, however, I doubt that it is persecution on the level experienced by the original disciples or Christians in Africa, the Middle East, or India experience for example.  I do hear from many astute Christian watchdog individuals and groups that the tide of persecution in this country is on the rise and expected to continue that rise for the foreseeable future. The extreme that it may grow to they cannot accurately forecast.

     In the publication Christianity Today's  September 2017 issue, a Syrian Christian still living in Syria to aid other Christians cautioned on the rise of persecution in his country, "It wasn't only ISIS that laid waste to the church; our cultural compromises with the government and our divisions against each other brewed for a long time.  We are Damascus, the seat of Christianity; what happened to us can happen to you. Be careful."  In my estimation, division and fighting among the various Christian sects is a major contributor to the weakening of Christianity and the rise of persecution. Though physical persecution is not the chief concern at present, the sheer magnitude of hostility toward Christians is very concerning and, at the same time, self-inflicted to a great degree by our divisions.

     The subject of a recent sermon by our church Pastor, Marty Grubbs, Crossings Community Church, had as its emphasis Christians in this country are not known as loving first and foremost but as judgmental according to studies in this area; not quite what Jesus asks of his disciples. I have been harping on this point for some time. If the mission our Lord gave us was to go out and gather disciples, then we cannot accomplish that task by being judgmental; we must be loving first and foremost. If we are being persecuted in this country, perhaps we are deserving of such.

     In his time upon this earth, our Lord was a revolutionary, and I fully believe he intends for us to follow in his footsteps. He lived, breathed, and died for love. If you don't experience God's love, then you do not know God or give him your precious time. If it is courage that you need, lean on God and ask for all the tools you need to accomplish the tasks he has assigned to you. Did He not promise us he would do as much? What is the most important commandment per our Lord Jesus Christ? Memorize it and make it your everyday - all-day clothing.  Live, breath, and die for his love - your love - loving others.  If we are being persecuted, suffer in silence and with great spiritual joy, serve with humility, and love first and foremost as He does for us.

Matthew 22:36-40 (NIV)

     "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the law?"

     Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'  This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'  All the law and the prophets hang on these two commandments."

     Remember, one cannot truly love others till he loves himself.

1 John 3:1 (NIV)

     See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!  And that is what we are!  The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.

     Are we being persecuted in this country? I believe we are to some degree short of physical violence most of the time. Remember that as disciples of Christ we are different and being different will always carry with it insults and jealousy - persecution.  Let us strive to become known first for our love not our judgment and, perhaps, that will ease the persecution for being different as well as influence and encourage others to become disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ. Strongly, I suggest we keep in mind that we are all Christians with the same purpose and serving the same and only true God through our faith in Jesus Christ no matter which Christian sect we belong to. Let us not self-destruct. Love!