Daily Devotion

June 5, 2006

Psalms 27:2 When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.

“Now I begin to be a disciple. I care for nothing of visible or invisible things so that I may but win Christ. Let fire and the cross, let the companies of wild beasts, let the breaking of bones and tearing of limbs, let the grinding of the whole body, and all the malice of the devil come upon me; be it so, only may I win Jesus.”
“I am the wheat of Christ: I am going to be ground with the teeth of wild beast that I may be found pure bread.” Ignatius; upon his martyrdom. About 110 A.D.

Many of us are aware of perilous times to come for Christianity (2 Tim 3:1); even today the flames of Christian persecutions remain unabated. It has been found that there is more Christian persecution in the world today than there was during the Roman Empire.

The Bible tells us of a time when the world will be led by a devil-man ruler who will put in place a global economic system that will disfavor all those who do not give him the loyalty that they should only reserve for God. Some look with fear at the time when God will judge the world for such a blasphemy; so much so that terms such “apocalypse; Armageddon” have become associated with horror and havoc.

But my friend, if you are one of God’s people, look upon this time with joyful anticipation! This will be the time when God’s people will be victorious and vindicated (Dan 11:32); this is the final ecstatic climax of the victory of the LORD against the devil and his bands. Yes some of us will fall, but it will only be for a better resurrection (Heb 11:35). We may stumble and fall, but we shall rise up again, while the enemy stumbles to an eternal death.

So today, even today, when you feel your moral stands ridiculed by the mocking world; when you fight the temptation to compromise and be indifferent to the spiritual fight at hand; when you struggle in your upward climb towards virtue and godliness; know that it is not in vain, but that you will be the one standing in front of your LORD and Savior receiving an eternal crown of glory, and hearing those precious words: “Well done,… enter thou into the joy of thy LORD!”

Mat 5:10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Pro 24:16 For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.