"11 Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you."
Matthew 5:11-12
Since saved,
Have you experienced any reflection of verse11,
Can either be with friends, family, work mates or fellows in church.
Were you ever persecuted falsely, and maybe have that verse droped in your heart by He's spirit?
Care to uplift my spirit please friend. Can I kindly ask you to share your experience with me please, don't doubt your experience weither it was too long ago, sounds a little 'stupid', too complicated to be understood etc
Don't you worry yourself about those, the Holly spirit will help this little mind of mine to comprehend what you mean.
May the great Lord bless you as you open up to this request of mine.... Thank you dear ones!!
Years ago I was in a church were the Lord blessed me with a sister to minister with. We spent a lot of time together. We had good boundaries and accountability with the pastor, her family and our home group. We never hid anything. Our relationship was platonic. We were gossiped of sleeping together and me of being a womanizer.
Same church during that period I brought a homosexual man to church with me that I had been doing bible study with. I was gossiped of being a homosexual.
One person came forward and confessed that since they could find no sin in my life to accuse me of... they made things up.
They all called me brother during service. I told God at one point that I Loved Him but that I was done serving Him. But I could not stay close to Him without Him softening my heart. Bringing me to repentance. And continuing to haltingly follow His will.
A fellow who I had been doing a bible study with (unsaved) wanted to talk about evil things. When I called him on it he looked at me with anger and venomously said "your such a Christian". Greatest compliment in my life.
In these situations and more, before Christ and with Christ He has shown Himself trustworthy to "Heal the broken hearted" and he has taught me that I can "Consider it pure joy whenever I face trials of many kinds, because I know that the testing of my faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work in me so that I will be mature and complete, not lacking anything." (James 1:2-4 personalized paraphrase mine) I'm not there yet but closer then I was.
There you go Sissy, Hope this fits what you were looking for.
It was certainly worth bringing this for discussion, have no idea how much I needed to be reminded of that passage about 'James'
That went right through my spirit first time reading your reply.
Do allow me please to give appreciation for taking this as serious as you did. Could have been easily ignored since it requires one to search deep within and maybe be reminded of issues that you've buried and forgotten about. As if that's not enough... Having to share those in an international website. I by no means take your effort forgranted, you've just ministered not only to me but to a multitude of us in hunger for God's word.
When saying "....But I could not stay close to Him without Him softening my heart. Bringing me to repentance."
I'm reminded of the passage in Jeremiah when He was pretty harder on me when I ran to Him as a victim hoping for comfort while disciplined me through that passage and required me to repent. It is frustrating when we can't keep trace of His high ways... Suppose that's where faith takes place when we must just believe Him fore the better fore His God after all, His not limited by our little minds.
It was your season dear one,
Your portion to go through.
May God never cease to shower you with blessings for sharing your testimony with me.
I'm reminded that my trails are common with any other believers'
Would have contacted you direct but your filter wouldn't allow. Have read many of your comments and two words come to mind when considering you.... "enthusiastic innocence" You are a treat a precious diamond in the diadem of God. You are appreciated. May the God who created you always take delight in you.
I av been mocked severally by my ex-friends. when i gave my life to christ and started winning souls for God until they found out that i cant leave the purpose filled live in christ and go back to these wicked world they started envying me, indeed the spirit of God has set up a standard against the enemy when they come in as flood.
Another incidence happened in the unit i was opportuned to serve God in church as a chorister.It all happened when we went to one of our brothers wedding, they served wine containing high percentage alcohol, the christian brothers that went with me didnt turned down the offer but i did and they laughed at me to scourn and a word dropped in my heart that we serve a rightoues God. and i responded to the still voice echoing from my heart saying i luv u Jesus, and i left the scene with a joyful heart.
I av been mocked severally by my ex-friends. when i gave my life to christ and started winning souls for God until they found out that i cant leave the purpose filled live in christ and go back to these wicked world they started envying me, indeed the spirit of God has set up a standard against the enemy when they come in as flood.
Another incidence happened in the unit i was opportuned to serve God in church as a chorister.It all happened when we went to one of our brothers wedding, they served wine containing high percentage alcohol, the christian brothers that went with me didnt turned down the offer but i did and they laughed at me to scourn and a word dropped in my heart that we serve a rightoues God. and i responded to the still voice echoing from my heart saying i luv u Jesus, and i left the scene with a joyful heart.
When I was at my lowest I started reading Foxes Book of Martyrs. When the world hurts us I remember that sinners are supposed to sin. Christians are to Imitate Jesus. The betrayal of "brothers" and "sisters" is hard. But being tortured for years....
Still Jesus knows our pain and never belittles us whether our pain is great or small, emotional, physical or spiritual.
What a great God we serve. A God of compassion who teaches and empowers us to Love those who hate us. After all He Loved us when we were still His enemies.
Still it strengthens our faith when we hear of other people's persecution stories because no matter how the story ends God delivers His children.
"20 But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when bribulation or persecution raises because of the word, immediately he stumbles."
Your reply reminded me of that parable of the Musterd seed.
You had innermost peace on your way home cause God was pleased with you passing that test. Since Jesus was led by His Spirit to the wilderness to be tempted, what does it say about us, are we to be exempted from temptations and tribulations? God has so much confidence on us.
That sounds like a very empowering interesting book you've red on your early days with Christ. He has His ways of giving us a cornerstone, something to fall back on in rough times.
Of all verses that He led me to just after I got saved, there's this particular one that has sustained me big time through out lifes challenges.... Hebrews 3:12-13 "Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God: 13... Lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin."
Must have missed all kinds of critics from friends and family after i've red that passage. My main concern was my heart above everything else. I too worried of this innermost battle that would have compromised me the relationship with God, than anything else people said about me.
