Christian Reflection and Prayer

Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by
Les Lamborn

Scripture:
Read: Philippians 1:12-20
All who desire to live godly
in Christ Jesus will suffer
persecution. —2 Timothy 3:12
Bible in a year:
Lamentations 3-5;
Hebrews 10:19-39

Reflection:

As my wife and I were walking through
a shopping mall, we came to a T-shirt
stand. While browsing the shirts and
their often humorous sayings, I noticed
one with a disturbing message. It read,
“So Many Christians, So Few Lions.”
 That shirt, with its reference to the
first-century practice of throwing
Christians to the lions in the Coliseum
in Rome, wasn’t at all funny.

Persecution is no laughing matter.
Not long before those brave Christians
faced death in Rome’s cruel sport,
Paul wrote, “All who desire to live
godly in Christ Jesus will suffer
persecution” (2 Tim. 3:12). Persecution
is inevitable, and it should be a matter
of serious concern for all believers. In
fact, at this very moment fellow brothers
and sisters in Christ around the world
are suffering in Jesus’ name.

What can we do about it? First, we
can pray that God will comfort them
in their suffering. Second, we can aid
families left without support when loved
ones are imprisoned. Third, we can pray
now for courage should we face persecution.
When the apostle Paul was put in jail for
his faith, his courage led others to be
bolder in their witness (Phil. 1:14).

Want to encourage the persecuted church?
Pray. Then proclaim the message for which
believers suffer.

The church of Christ can’t be destroyed,
Though many enemies have tried;
Whenever persecution comes,
The church is spread and multiplied. —Sper

We find courage to stand when we kneel
before the Lord.