Daily Devotional

We just celebrated Easter last week and in the midst of the celebration and joy that we experience in our church services, it can be easy to forget just how dark the world is becoming around us. However, at any glance at the news you will quickly see that the forces of evil are on the march on almost every front and we as Christians have best be ready because while we do technically enjoy freedom of religion in this country, it is under assault. And while we should fight for our First Amendment rights, as Christians, that should not be our primary focus.

Remember we are strangers and aliens in this world, as our true citizenship is in Heaven. We are warned to expect hardship and suffering in the name of Jesus and we should bear those sufferings gladly. I don’t know about you, but it is helpful for me to be reminded of this periodically as it is easy to believe that suffering comes only from sin and wrong behavior and thus when it happens we must have fallen out of favor with God. Unfortunately, this idea is often preached in churches that would rather tickle the ears of their congregation and thus increase in numbers and giving. The prosperity gospel is unfortunately alive and well in many American churches.

But remember we are to expect suffering and trials for the cause of Christ and to rejoice in them. Jesus said in Matthew 10:22, “you will be hated by all for My name’s sake.” It is important as we press on in this dark world to not compromise our faith to avoid suffering as we are called to suffer for the cause of Christ. We need to be ready for it, to not be complacent, but instead be expecting it. James 1:2–3 says, “count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.” My favorite though is the second half of Matthew 10:22 which says, “you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved.”

Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus through all your sufferings and trials, firm in your faith leaning on Him for your strength to endure to the end and thus you shall be saved! Amen!

New King James Version (NKJV)
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.