Gaining Life

 DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE

GAINING LIFE

Luke 21:12-19

12 "But before all this, they will lay hands on you and persecute you. They will deliver you to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. 13 This will result in your being witnesses to them. 14 But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. 15 For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. 16 You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. 17 All men will hate you because of me. 18 But not a hair of your head will perish. 19 By standing firm you will gain life.

NIV

We know this was meant just to for disciples and many of them had happened to them what Jesus said. However, there is some truths within that could apply to the body of Christ today. Throughout the world, believers have been persecuted, tortured, and killed in horrific ways. These words are prophetic directly to those who gave up their lives for faith in Jesus Christ, and because of the news, they were witnesses and because they stood firm, we know they gained life. However, in this country, we have freedom of religion and are protected against persecution because of our faith. But that may not be as true as we believe it to be. We have personally seen families torn apart because of faith in Jesus Christ. It is beginning to look as though we are not as protected by our constitution as we once were, with the government passing laws making it unlawful for Christian symbols to be in the public square. They have taken prayer out of the schools which aids in the non-Cristian doctrines of the progressive agenda in the public school system, owned by the government. In some parts of the country, it does seem as if Christians are hated, in fact, there are areas controlled by Muslims who chant death to America, and we now have some in the national government who have professed hatred for America, wanting to make a fundamental change in our country. Our faith is under attack, but it may be done a little more subtle than taking us out and hanging us on a cross. We also know that we must always stand firm until the end, which may simply mean the end of our peaceful lives, for now, we do not personally experience a lot of resistance to our faith, and we can speak our mind in most situations we experience, although maybe not so much within our own family. Maybe that is just the beginning, but however any resistance or opposition appears, we will still stand our ground to the end, for life is our reward.