Thursday, May 22, 2014

Working Through Wickedness

Jesus didn’t promise favor here on earth. In fact, He knew wickedness would increase and prepared His disciples and you and me for it.

Matthew 24:9-14 9 “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. 10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13 but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

This section starts off quite unpleasant, but ends with great promises. Jesus promised eternal salvation to those who stand firm and that the gospel would be made known in all nations.

God is all-powerful. He even works through wickedness to accomplish His purposes. As the disciples and early church were persecuted and killed, they scattered from Jerusalem and “preached the word wherever they went” (Acts 8:4). They began fulfilling God’s purpose to spread the gospel to all nations!

Do you and I let the wickedness around us get us down or shut us up? Or, do we stand firm and allow God to work through us as a result of it? The gospel “will be preached in the whole world” just as Jesus promised. We can watch from the sidelines, freeze in place, or join His mission. Which one are you doing? Which one do you want to do?

True joy and blessings are in store for those who stand firm in their faith and join God’s work, in spite of the increasing wickedness.

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