No one wants to be unpopular, right? Being ridiculed for our Faith is the last thing we are thinking about when we surrender our lives to Jesus as our Savior. Yet if we are His followers, sadly enough, this is to be expected. In Day 2 called “Blessed Are the Persecuted,” our authors remind us that, “… being chosen never made the people impervious to discrimination, insults, or persecution. On the contrary, it qualified them for it.” (p21) They are talking about how God’s people, from the very beginning, have always been considered outcasts, and given a hard time about living differently than the world. They quote 1Peter 2:9 where Peter told believers then, and still tells us now, how we are God’s chosen, royal and holy possession who are to proclaim the greatness of the One “who called [us] out of darkness into his marvelous light.” (see 1Pe 2:9) The problem is, those who remain in darkness cannot see, nor understand, His marvelous Light, and so they fight us, and Him, with all they’ve got.
I do love how this devotional unifies the struggles of all God’s people, with Moses in the Old Testament and Peter in the New, saying that they “… got to hang out for a minute on the Mount of Transfiguration.” (p22) Then speaking about Peter the authors add, “He knew that great was his reward in heaven; he’d caught a glimpse of it with his own eyes when he stood next to the persecuted prophets who’d gone before him. They shared a kinship, a bond. Peter and Moses were persecuted because of righteousness.” (p22) While we should certainly never seek it, we should never be surprised by, nor afraid of persecution when it comes because, you and I, my Friends, we are in very good company indeed.
2023’s Got A Minute? Book Club
January: The First & Best Book Ever: The Bible
February: Love Is In the Air: “The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts” by Gary Chapman
March: Spring Growth: “Secrets of the Vine” by Bruce Wilkinson
April: Living the Resurrected Life: “The Wonderful Spirit Filled Life” by Dr Charles Stanley
May: My Spiritual Mom: “Making Good Habits Breaking Bad Habits” by Joyce Meyer
June: Spiritual Dad: “It’s Not About Me- Rescue from the Life We Thought Would Make Us Happy” by Max Lucado
July: Financial Freedom “Complete Guide to Money” by Dave Ramsey
August: Summer’s Soul Restorer “A Shepherd Looks At Psalm 23” by W Phillip Keller
September: Covering Our Children: “Prayers for the Prodigals” by James Banks
October: Reformation of Our Hearts: “Grace: More Than We Deserve, Greater Than We Imagine” by Max Lucado
November: So Thankful To Be Chosen: “The Chosen 40 Days with Jesus Book One, Book Two & Book Three” by Amanda Jenkins, Kristen Hendricks and Dallas Jenkins
<>< Peace, Diane
