Date: Thursday, 25th January, 2024
Text: Matthew 7:14
Author: Pastor Adedeji Fadehan
Exhortation:
The road that leads to eternal bliss is hard to follow. Only a few people find it- Matthew 7:14B. What makes the way hard? The highway to everlasting life is fraught with many challenges. Many are the afflictions of the righteous but the Lord delivers him from them all- Psalm 34:19.
The moment you give your life to Christ, you become a prime target of the dark forces of the devil’s kingdom. But victory is assured.
The word of God says, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you” Isaiah 43:2. The Lord has promised saying, “I will never leave you, nor forsake you.” So we may boldly say: “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” Hebrews 13:5b-6
Sometimes you are persecuted for your righteous stand, whether directly or indirectly. Persecution means hostility or ill-treatment received as a result of your righteous convictions and commitments. When you refuse to follow the corrupt ways of this world, some people will not like you; some may even hate you. It is a normal Christian experience.
It is impossible to live a righteous life in this world and not be persecuted. In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted- 2Timothy 3:12.
If you are a Christian and you aren’t experiencing any form of persecution, check your life, it means you are a friend of the world; you are already on the broad easy way that leads to destruction because friendship with the world is enmity with God- James 4:4.
Concerning this the Lord Jesus said,
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you”. Matthew 5:10-12
Prayer Nugget: Father, despite the challenges, please, grant me the grace to always rejoice and be glad on the hard road to eternal bliss in Jesus name.