John 15:18-27; 18“If the world hates you, be aware that it hated me first. 19If you belonged to the world, the world would love you as its own. However, because you do not belong to the world, but I chose you out of the world, for this reason the world hates you. 20Remember what I told you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they obeyed my word, they will obey yours too. 21But they will do all these things to you on account of my name, because they do not know the one who sent me. 22If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. But they no longer have any excuse for their sin. 23The one who hates me hates my Father too. 24If I had not performed among them the miraculous deeds that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. But now they have seen the deeds and have hated both me and my Father. 25Now this happened to fulfill the word that is written in their law, ‘They hated me without reason.’ 26When the Advocate comes, whom I will send you from the Father – the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father – he will testify about me, 27and you also will testify, because you have been with me from the beginning.”
None of us had the privilege of witnessing Jesus’ physical presence on earth. However, as followers of Jesus, we can confidently declare that we have been by His side since the inception of our spiritual journey. With that in mind, as persecution worldwide intensifies, let each of us who follow Jesus keep in mind His words in John 15:18-19, 21 words that remind us of the inevitable opposition we may face.
Do you have faith in the Lord to guide you through the growing persecutions Jesus’s followers face? Can you trust in His unwavering support during times of difficulty and challenge? Mentally committing to endure anything for Jesus is one thing, but experiencing persecution firsthand is a different story.
Today, countless followers of Jesus around the globe are sacrificing their lives for their faith, yet their selfless acts seem to go unnoticed by the world. I can assure you that Jesus truly cares, and those who have wholeheartedly devoted themselves to Him are now in His presence, both in the present and for all of eternity.
You may want to review three previous posts that are available. Two recent titles include the phrase (troubling times). In 1999, a post called “Where do you stand” was published, resembling a newsletter in PDF format and featuring multiple writers and is the opening question for this post.
Whatever you choose, be ready, be blessed, and know that Jesus is coming again.
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