May the mumbling commence!
Have you been having a bad day… or a bad week or bad month or bad year? Sometimes, having a bad time in life is not about being punished for wrong doing. The ways of the world are so upside-down from the Way of God that sometimes we are being punished for doing right.
In fact, Paul warned the people of Thessalonica and others that persecution would follow a person who is determined to walk and live the Way of Christ Jesus. Read from First Thessalonians chapter three (Peterson’s The Message paraphrase):
Not that the troubles should come as a surprise to you. You’ve always known that we’re in for this kind of thing. It’s part of our calling. When we were with you, we make it quite clear that there was trouble ahead. And now that it’s happened, you know what it’s like. That’s why I couldn’t quit worrying; I had to know for myself how you were doing in the faith. I didn’t want the Tempter getting to you and tearing down everything we had built up together. (Verses 3b-5)
There’s trouble in Christian living. We cannot separate the trouble for our calling to walk the walk and talk the talk. So, what do us comfortable Christians in North America do with this fact? Our lives often seem the furthest from trouble or persecution. We read about that kind of stuff in the papers about other places in this world.
Yet, if we do nothing more that speak our mind… attempt to speak the mind of Christ together on the issues of our day, we will reap some definite trouble from many of the people in our society – both non-Christians and Christians alike. We must no longer be afraid of standing up for our Christian faith.
Let us stand together. It is far too easy for the Tempter to divide and conquer if we do not stand together. Let us walk the walk and talk the talk – regardless of the trouble or persecution that may follow.
Sometimes, we may feel alone in our stand; but do not be fooled. We are never alone. Thank God for that!
Praise the Lord!
Enough mumbling for now…
Peace Out
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