Persecution is Real
2 Timothy 3:12 “Everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”
Living a godly life is inseparable from some level of persecution. This is all too tangible for Christians in the Middle East, China, Cuba, and North Korea, but certainly exists in less violent ways in university dorms and classrooms, in high school hallways and locker rooms, in corporate and government bureaucracies, and among family members.
Father, please give me and my family courage, strength, and perseverance in the face of whatever persecutions lie ahead. May we love our enemies and see this fallen world transformed by the gospel one soul at a time. Please strengthen and protect my Christian brothers and sisters in nations where they suffer bombings, rape, torture, beheadings, and even crucifixions. Oh God, please pour out your Spirit for the salvation of the blind and lost men who scheme to persecute your children.