Bible verses to build your life on

Jesus said: “… whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock…” ~ Matthew 7:24

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On persecution and how to stand in it ~ study

November 2010

Several verses I've been meditating on and digging deeper in:

"Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one." ~ Colossians 4:6 >> A key note - that word "always" is a very important one! ~ :)

"Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, 'Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,' says the Lord." ~ Romans 12:19

Jesus' example: "For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: 'Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth'; who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously..." ~ 1st Peter 2:21-23

"Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues. You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you." ~ Matthew 10:16-20

And it especially hurts when the reviling and false accusations and gossip and backbiting comes from your own distant relatives, but we must remember Jesus' words on this (having suffered in this from His family, as well, for a time) "Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned?" ~ Matthew 5:9-13

We are either growing and proclaiming God's Word in a way that causes conviction on those around us, which causes them to persecute us - or we are quite possibly just like them. We are either salt-y or salt-less. ~ But, when we find we are salt-less, we only need to ask God to restore us, and He will gracious arrange the necessary trials and events to cause us to stand and become active in growing once again! :)

your bro/friend and a growing servant/life-slave of Jesus, SH