October 5
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BLESSED ARE THOSE PERSECUTED
A poem by ILMA
Thank the Lord when your faith when it is flourishing
Especially when your love for others is growing
Hold on to your faith when you experience hardships
It will give your faith a chance to grow and endure.
When you are persecuted for your faith, don’t be hopeless
God will use this persecution to show his justice
In this justice, he will pay back those who persecute you
And so, in this way, you are worthy of his kingdom.
God will provide rest for all who are persecuted for his sake
In the end, Jesus will appear from heaven with his angels
He will bring judgment on those who don’t know God
Including all those who refuse to obey his word.
Keep praying that God to enable you to live worthy of his call
Ask God to give you power to accomplish the good he prompts you to do
So that the name of the Lord will be honored by the way you live
Then you will yourself be honored along with him.
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MEMORY VERSE
And God will provide rest for you who are being persecuted and also for us when the Lord Jesus appears from heaven. – 2 Thessalonians 1:7
Read: 2 Thessalonians 1:3-12
When you experience persecution, you are instructed by Paul to be hopeful so that you can focus on the final reward of Christ in the end, to be with him. He brings justice to those who are being oppressed for his sake.
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REFLECTION
• Have you ever been persecuted for Jesus? How did he give you hope to look forward to his promises?
• What can you do to keep on living a life worthy of God’s call?