Persecution!

Oh! i will be going mawai like tmr..so i will only be back on the 4th dec!
Today, Pastor Ronald talked about the last beattitude....
It is on the verse matthew chap 5 verse 10 "Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

He talked about many christians having to master the bible just like a walking bible...
like whenever you need a verse, he can just tell you straight kind of thing...
It is not say not good, but it is BETTER to let the bible master you!
What do i mean by that?
If you let the bible and God's word to master you, you are actually carrying out God's word in your life...you live a Godly and Christ-like life!
It depends on what kind of christian you wanna be. Those which are mastered or are just only mastering...
But one thing i can be sure is that. If you are a christian, like a true one, you WILL face persecution in one way or another.

When we talk about persecution, many people will think that ai ya..in a place like Singapore, me being a christian will not face any persecution de...only God's 12 disciples as said in the bible face persecution. Or, only those missionaries who like go overseas to some exotic places to spread God's word will face persecution...(physical persecution)
Their flesh will be ripped apart...their heads will be chopped off...their body parts will be cut off one by one, they are set on fire, stonned etc...just because one is a christian...
It is like even found today!
Statistics show that 40 million people died because of Christ after Jesus died until now...
Also, out of this 40 million, 60% are children!
As for now, everyday, 300 christians dies!
In Singapore, we don't face it...but as we live our normal lives, eating breakfast, going church, eat lunch with friends, maybe go for a movie, shopping etc. 300 christians are dying!
If terrorist were to come, the first people that they will pick out to have some fun with will be the jews...then they will ask for christians...they will not ask for buddist or any other religion...

However, God did not only mention having physical persecution. Persecution includes other factors like verbal and scandal.
In matthew chap 5 verse 11" Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me."
what do i mean by verbal/scandal persecution?
Verbal persecution is one that i always face...people talk behind your back and gossip about you, saying how holy you are, mocking you and making fun of you just because you chose you lead a Godly life! A life that follows according to God's word! In my case, my friends always say..."wah...somebody so holy ah.."
The world loves sin and rejoices with it...people take pleasure in Sinning...thats why when doing the right thing comes along, they will hate it!
For example, if your friends are like gossiping and talking about other people, you wouldn't be comfortable with them cause they are actually sinning...you will just walk away..or have the courage to be a peacemaker! to tell them that "Hey! this is not right, we shouldn't be talking about this. stop it."
Do you think when you tell them to stop, they will be very happy about it?
Will they be like wah! so good..i really wanna be like you..thank you for telling me what is wrong...you are so nice to us...
No! they won't!

Jesus did not die because he did good...he died because he was different from the rest...
The Scribes and Pharasis did not like Jesus and hated him because Jesus was righteous and holy...Jesus was so good as compared to them..thats why they wanted to get rid of him...the world do not like Godly people....

If you were to ask your friend to come to church, the first time your friend may say, ai ya...don need la...
if you ask again, your friend might say no...
if you ask the third time, you friend may say...NO! which part of NO do you not understand? the N or the O?!
if you ask the fourth time, your friend might just seclude you...
You won't be very much well liked by your friends..

In 2timothy chap 3 verse 12"Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted."
Are you as a christian being persecuted?
If you are not, are you really one?
If you are not being persecuted, one reason is that your friends can tolerate with your Godly life...or is it that you are not even leading one? Is it that you have lowered your standards of what a Godly life is all about? Have you entered and become part of the world...being indfferent?
Maybe your friends don't even know that you are a christian...

If you don't want to be persecuted then just don't care about saving your friends...then don't care about whether they are going heaven or hell...don't care about being a christian and leading a Godly life...don't care about how God sees you...don't need to share with them about christ...don't need to tell them that they are going to hell..

If you are facing persecution, it can tell you that you are actually children of God...
Because if you are children of God, you will enjoy God's glory with him and suffer the same thing that Jesus suffers!
Also, it can serve as a conviction that you are actually doing the right thing and leading a Godly life whereby God is pleased with you...
matthew chap 5 verse 12"Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you."
Rejoice and be glad that you are persecuted?
Is God saying that we must like throw a party and are like super happy when people persecute us?
No!
it is the WILLINGNESS to get persecuted..NOT SEEK for persecution but will carrying out all the other beattitudes said in the bible at matthew chap 5, we will confirm be persecuted...
Don worry!
Cause our reward is not found on this earth! our reward is more than we can ever expect!
Only when we are weak from all the persecutions that we face, then, we can be strong as we depend more on God rather than ourselves!

2corinthians chap 4 verse 17-18 "For momentary, light afflicition is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal."

James chap 1 verse 2-4 "Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."

Leading a Godly life is not one that is being lead by an extrovert..one that talks alot...it can be lead by anyone! introvert or even people of all ages! As long as you are willing to take this step of faith out and pray and ask the holy spirit to lead you and give you courage, you can be the point of difference and shine God's light to the ends of the earth!

God Bless you!