The Privilege of Persecution
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” – Matthew 5:10
“Jesus does not present to His followers the hope of attaining earthly glory and riches, and of having a life free from trial, but He presents to them the privilege of walking with their Master in the paths of self-denial and reproach, because the world knows them not.” – Thoughts from The Mount of Blessing, p. 29
Heart Questions:
When selfless-love, righteousness, holiness, and truth is being revealed by faithful Christians, Satan will arouse resistance and hatred amongst those who choose to ignore the Holy Spirit’s voice. We can have the assurance that in all persecution we might face, Jesus will be with us and will be glorifying Himself through our challenging experience. Have you experienced persecution because of your faithfulness to Jesus? Why, or why not? Will you choose today to cast off any desire to please the world, and prayerfully focus on revealing God’s glory, even if that might result in persecution?
Praise Reports:
- Many churches are becoming creative in conducting their Sabbath services while physical distancing.
- The pandemic has brought the importance of our health message to the forefront of members around the world. The interest in preventative health work, NEWSTART, etc. is growing. Now is a wonderful time to lead people to a comprehensive understanding of God’s laws of health and wholeness.
Day 66 - Prayer Focus
- Pray for the ministry of Norway’s oldest Adventist church, now adding a center of influence to provide free Norwegian classes for migrants, a cooking school, a conversation café, and more.
- Pray for the ministry of two new mobile health vans in Chiapas, Mexico. Pray for the patients they transport and the weekend medical brigades they support, making possible free medical checkups, minor surgeries, dental procedures, ultrasounds checks, eye exams and more.
- Pray for a revival of true godliness and a renewed interest in evangelism in each member and church around the world.
- Pray for the church in Burundi. It is going through various struggles and issues at this time. Only God’s intervention can bring peace.
Going Deeper: Additional reading suggestions for this week
• The Beauty of Humility - (Attached to this week’s reading)
• Melody Mason, Daring to Live by Every Word: Loving God with Heart, Body, Mind and Soul
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