Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.  Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.  Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.  Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.  Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.  Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

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Blessed and happy and enviably fortunate and spiritually prosperous (in the state in which the born-again child of God enjoys and finds satisfaction in God’s favor and salvation, regardless of his outward conditions) are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake (for being and doing right), for theirs is the kingdom of heaven!   Matthew 5:10 AMP

Today, many of us living in the United States feel we have never been truly persecuted for our beliefs…for doing what is right in the eyes of the Lord.  Oh, we may have been called into question for our actions or harshly criticized for our beliefs but persecuted?  Probably not.  Yet persecution has many forms and comes in varying degrees – from insults, harassment, and ostracism to imprisonment, torture, and even death. As representatives of Christ, the fact that we are a Christian will bother some people Our desire to live for Christ, our non-conformity to this world will bring persecution. 2 Timothy 3:12 assures us of this. “Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”

As Greg Laurie states: “If you live a godly life, you will be persecuted. It is not a matter of if; it is a matter of when and how much.”

Why the persecution?

If you belonged to the world, the world would treat you with affection and would love you as its own. But because you are not of the world [no longer one with it], but I have chosen (selected) you out of the world, the world hates (detests) you. John 15:19

The world cannot [be expected to] hate you, but it does hate Me because I denounce it for its wicked works and reveal that its doings are evil.                     John 7:7

For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.                                                                                               John 3:20

Persecution is a result of righteous living. Most of us have never experienced the harshest extremes of persecution.  Many of us never will.  But we will experience persecution in some form.  How we react to persecution, in any form, is what matters.  What happens when we are taken out of our comfort zone?  Are we steadfast, consistent, unwavering in the face of challenges?  Or do we run from confrontation and actively try to avoid persecution?  There comes a point in our lives where we must decide if we will stand for our Lord, no matter the cost.  It takes courage to stand for our faith.  The stand we take paves the way for others to follow.

He who heeds instruction and correction is [not only himself] in the way of life [but also] is a way of life for others. And he who neglects or refuses reproof [not only himself] goes astray [but also] causes to err and is a path toward ruin for others.   Proverbs 10:17

Which path are we paving?

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Lord, help us to stand our ground and defend our faith no matter what the challenge.  With Your strength we can remain steadfast and unwavering in any situation. You were willing to die on the Cross for me.  Let me be willing to stand firm in doing what is right in Your eyes.  In Jesus’ name, amen…so be it.