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You will be hated by everyone - oh yay!

I am reading some 'meaty' scriptures this morning from Matt 10

v16  "I am sending you out like sheep among wolves.  Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.  Be on your guard, you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues. ....v22 You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved."  v26  "So do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed or hidden that will not be made known.
v32  "Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my father in heaven."

For many I believe we have this image that in Christ and in His love and showing his love to all around that it is just going to be wonderful.  But what I have found, and perhaps this is just my experience, but the more I have gone deeper in the Lord, in His love, the more I have been persecuted, hated by people I come in contact with, spiritual challenged at every corner, threatened with all sorts of things.

For me, the more I love on Jesus, the more I get opposition, people walking away from me, and I wonder, ponder and question with the Lord about what I am doing that people have walked away? And what I am learning is that there is a clash of Kingdoms.  Light exposes the darkness.  Often times it leaves me feeling hurt, rejected, not wanted, questioning, but what the Lord is showing me is the overwhelming pure love of God, the unconditional love of God, the forgiving nature of God, the freedom found in God can be too much for people at times.

In the quiet He is there
And so when reading these scriptures this morning, I am reminded once again, "It's okay Sarah, what is happening is part of what it is being a Christian.  This is the walk of those who follow me, what you are going through is to be expected and a part of life.  I am teaching you how to be shrewd, I am teaching you how to forgive and to love those who persecute you, I am teaching you not to be afraid".

So I share some of my encouragements from the Lord this morning.
Have a great day!

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