Are You Facing Persecution?

[Guitarhero]

This encouraged me today. I am. Serious persecution. If it weren't for God, I should have died from under it. But He has kept me. I have stayed somewhere around His courts. Sometimes, I've ventured out the gate. I found my way back in. I stay before Him because He promised He would meet me there before I even got back.

Have you been persecuted for your beliefs(in the messiahship of Christ)? I have. This is for you. You can also share your own personal struggles.

Jeremiah 17:5 (New International Version)

5 This is what the LORD says:
"Cursed is the one who trusts in man,
who depends on flesh for his strength
and whose heart turns away from the LORD."

 

[Guitarhero]

Ooookaaayy, lol. That scripture was tying into the persecution thing just demonstrating that if one sought the Lord, it meant he turns away from the world. But we know the world is not going to comprehend our decision and ostracize us for it.

 

[Sharpened]

I am not under persecution, but I would be if I did attend a church. I have no idea if or when I will face it, but I am ready because I have very little care of this world. It is all going to burn up one day, anyway.

OTOH, if I am being vexed by something or someone, I will take it to the Father and ask Him what's up. There may be a lesson I need to learn, like handling incidents differently than someone of the world does.

 

[HeChangedMyName]

I recently had a conversation with a friend in which i realized I was in fear of persecution. I haven't been living life to the fullest in God because I have been afraid of how people might talk about me and mistreat me. So rather than going for all God has for me, I only take and do bits and pieces here and there. Just enough for me to be blessed and live in his presence, but not enough to make people hate me.

I'm working on it.

 

[Guitarhero]

I am not under persecution, but I would be if I did attend a church. I have no idea if or when I will face it, but I am ready because I have very little care of this world. It is all going to burn up one day, anyway.

OTOH, if I am being vexed by something or someone, I will take it to the Father and ask Him what's up. There may be a lesson I need to learn, like handling incidents differently than someone of the world does.

That might not be persecution. I'm talking about being ostracized for believing in Jesus. Some have lost family, some have lost their jobs, some have lost contact with others in their society and still others, their lives. It's a real issue and painful if you ever truly went through it. I'm talking about persecution. There are friends of mine whose families have turned their backs on them. In those societies, you don't have anyone to wish you a happy birthday, comfort your sickness, marry you, even bury you without family and friends. True persecution for the faith:

Matthew 5:11

"Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me."


My message to you who have been persecuted is to stand strong. Do not give up. Continue climbing that hill. You have given up everything for Him and have lost much in this world. Do not despair. He sees that you made Him first. Do not give up. He is with you! If you have lost family, He is your family and will send you believers to make up the slack. If there are those who think ill of you for simply loving God, do not despair. Life is more than this present. It is everlasting. We have gained Him. He is with you!


To those who dare think this is about anybody on LHCF, absolutely not. It's about years of persecution that continue onto today in my personal choice and life...in the flesh, here where I live and where I hail from. Please think deeper about others.

 

[Guitarhero]

So, if you are a community-related culture, how do you deal with the chastisement of now being alone in your faith? How do you handle it other than prayer and just dealing with the alone times?


Edit: Maybe most of the community here is living with fellow christians or just tolerant people. I'm seemingly finding other folks who are having to live down this persecution. Maybe there's a cosmic plan of sorts? Some of the stories are just heart-breaking and are as close as their family/spouses.