John 16:1 “I have told you these things so that you won’t abandon your faith.”

How many people do you know that have abandoned their faith? It’s sad. The pleasures of this life seem more important to them than the gifts from God, forgiveness, salvation, eternal life, peace, joy, and heaven.

I am reminded of Moses, from Hebrews 11:25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season… What a tremendous lesson for each of us to toe the mark, to not abandon the ship, to hold onto the Word of God. To know and understand what God wants us to do and to never falter in our determination to stay in tune with Him.

John 16:2 “For you will be expelled from the synagogues, and the time is coming when those who kill you will think they are doing a holy service for God.”

Persecution is headed our way. The world will think it’s right to persecute you, to shut out your godly opinion, to imprison you because they believe you are a little off your rocker.

They’ll want you to get with the program. They’ll want you to be in service for the good of the whole. God is concerned with the individual, the world with collectivism. It takes a community to raise a child, the world says. God says, mom and dad should raise their child in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. God holds the parents responsible for the nurture of the child.

Sure, we draw on the community’s resources, but that is a different issue than nurturing a child.

Hitler tried to capture a generation of kids to indoctrinate them. Communism believes that if it gets a generation of kids and indoctrinates them, it could take over America. That has always been the goal of dictators and cults.

Our schools are changing America today. They are indoctrinating our children with rewritten history books that change the truth of what happened to making America look like an evil country. They are teaching a­morality, just about anything goes as long as you are following your heart. They are indoctrinating our children through TV. They are telling our children that America has made its way to prosperity by stealing from third world countries. That we are the bad people and it must be changed.

We need believers to wake up and take notice of what is happening. The hate crimes legislation is aimed at God’s people and God’s Word. Especially churches that are 501(c)3 corporations. In the near future, they will not be able to preach all of God’s Word without going to prison for hate speech or by losing their tax deductibility. It’s coming. Don’t be lulled to sleep thinking it cannot happen in America. Satan wants to take this “once great Christian” nation and destroy it’s influence for God. And it will come through seemingly innocent legislation that sounds good on the surface but will reap havoc on the church.

Persecution will come when we follow Christ. The world is offended with the message of the Gospel. They don’t want the morality that comes out of God’s Word. When they get red­faced and angry over your comments from Jesus it’s because they are under the conviction of the Holy Spirit. It’s not you, it’s a Jesus issue.

None of us walks nonchalantly into conflict. On the contrary, we desperately seek to avoid it, almost at any cost.

Now the question comes, “Are you ready for the coming times of persecution.” Or will you “abandon your faith.” Many will.

Notice what God’s Word says:

Luke 8:13 The seeds on the rocky soil represent those who hear the message and receive it with joy. But since they don’t have deep roots, they believe for a while, then they fall away when they face temptation. NLT

These seeds represent people who have abandoned their faith in Jesus because of tough times of persecution.

2Peter 3:17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness.

2Thessalonians 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

Dear Christian, do not let persecution catch you unaware and unprepared. God’s Word warns us that it is coming in the last days. I believe we are in the latter stages of the last days before Jesus comes. I don’t know how long it will be. No one but God knows that. But the stage is set and all has come to pass that is prophesied to happen. Jesus coming is imminent. He could come at any time.

Don’t be caught up in the petty things of this life. Peter says we are strangers and aliens in this world. We are citizens of another country, God’s country. (No, it’s not Texas) (Sorry, I had to throw that in.) Don’t let the things of this world capture your devotion and time. Let it be the things of God that take precedence over everything. Let your desires be only toward your God.

Yes, you may get caught up in some persecution and it may not be pleasant. However, can we ask for anything less for ourselves than what Jesus went through for us.

Strap on your defensive armor and gird yourselves with courage and God will see you through, and don’t abandon your faith for anything or anyone. Remember, everything is a Jesus issue!

Dr Ken Lewis