This morning I was reading acts chapter 8 and it was talking about Stephen put to death. It starts in chapter 7 and continues briefly in chapter 8. Now Saul approved of putting Stephen to death. acts 8:1. What happen next is even worse than one man being put to death. In the rest of acts 8:1 it says And on that day a great persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except for the apostles. As a new believer if I were, hearing this I would be like I am out of here. But I chose to pick up my cross and follow Him and take all that comes with that. Throughout history countless times it talks about people persecuting Christians.
God never said the road with him would be an easy one. Yesterday I talked what do you do if people don't like you hate you or want to harm you and that was your neighbor. I am talking about today is the world wanting to do those things just because you are Christian. The disciples knew that they could die any day for their faith in Jesus and still chose to keep on proclaiming Him. They cared more about proclaim Jesus that their own souls. They knew there would be a place for them made in heaven for them. In Luke 21:17 it says, and you will be hated by all people because of My name. That name is Jesus Christ and he is the savior of the world.
So, no matter what I go through because of his name I know that he is with me and that he will never forsake me. We will be hated and that is a fact but in Jesus we will have a place in heaven for proclaiming his name. I was going to go another direction, but I got his in my spirit to finish and go a different way.
That is this we will be hated by the world because we preach a message that is not popular these days. we are against more than we are for it seem like day after day. But wickedness and sin is wickedness and sin no matter what day and time it is and needs to be called out as such. Just for saying we are Chrisitians we will be hated.
But because stayed the race till the end. Mark 13:13 says, And you will be hated by everyone because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved. this mean we will be with Jesus and be in his glory when we are called to go to heaven there is a place stored for us in heaven if we endure to the end. That makes me want to jump through this screen and shout hallelujah and amen for this. Matthew 6:20 it says, But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal;. We will have treasure in heaven if we stay the course and follow and proclaim his word. I don't know about you but I always like a good movie where there is treasure being sought after. It always amazes me what they will do just to find the treasure.
What if we were to be like the people in the movies and no matter what comes we never stop in seeking the treasure of heaven no matter who hates us or wants to kill us we are Jesus followers and He is with us through it all. Mic drop
All verse taken from the NASB
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