Matthew 10: 21 “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. 22 You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. 23 When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. Truly I tell you, you will not finish going through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.”
The pastor couldn’t believe it! The previous Sunday, one of his church members who had converted from Islam to Christianity had failed to appear in church. Assuming that the young college student was probably sick with malaria, the pastor and two elders had visited the student and his family after church. But when the group entered the family compound, they found the young man’s body wrapped in a sheet and lying on the verandah. The family smugly informed the pastor that since the young man refused to revert back to Islam, they chose to poison him! They were now about to bury him. And the pastor and church elders really had nothing they could do because this took place in a predominately Muslim city. Had church members reported the family to the police, local Muslims would have probably torn the church and its members to pieces.
This story is very real; we were in the church the Sunday the pastor was describing the death of this promising college student. The situation is similar in most Muslim countries: convert and die. Unfortunately, some Christians are so insensitive that they post photos of converts publicly, thus ensuring that these converts may soon pay with their lives.
Why should we follow Jesus if all we have to look forward to is rejection and death? “The one who stands firm to the end will be saved.” We are not pursuing limited earthly goals; the decision to follow Jesus has eternal rewards. The question is this: how are we going to spend our lives? Rest assured, you are spending your life in some fashion with every breath that you take. Each decision you make has eternal consequences.
Now the world is facing the threat of COVID – 19. This virus has hit people of every age and of every health background. The first case in the state of Oklahoma was a local pastor with a clean health history who died one day after the diagnosis was made.
2 Corinthians 6:2 says, “I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.” Choose to follow Jesus Christ while you still have time!
PRAYER: Father God, we choose to follow you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Help us to be brave so that when we face opposition, we will continue to be faithful. In the mighty and precious Name of Jesus. Amen.
Burunche's Blog 
Leave a comment