There’s an old story that tells of a missionary—a missionary who became convinced the Lord had called him to go to a foreign land. Obviously, he first needed some training, and as part of that, he collected books about the country and he studied them very closely. He began to learn its language and to speak it; to learn its customs and to adopt them as his own; to learn about its dress and to wear those clothes; to learn about its values and to exemplify them in his life.

Something interesting happened: The more he behaved like a citizen of his future home, the more out-of-step he became with his current home. The people around him would sometimes mock him for acting like the citizen of one country even while he lived in another. But he held firm and over time he became more and more like a citizen of the land he knew God had called him to.
Then, finally, the time came when his preparation was complete and he was ready to depart. When he arrived in that new country and took up his work there, he found that all his preparation had been worth it. His transition was easy and his ministry was effective. Why? Because he was already living like a citizen of his new land.
Just like that missionary, we are to live in this world as citizens of another—to live according to the customs and values of a different kingdom. And just like that missionary, this means we will sometimes be out-of-step with the people around us—we’ll act differently and live differently, we’ll hold different values and set different goals. And what will that do? That will, at times, make people angry. It will at times make them hate us and even persecute us.
Such persecution should not take us by surprise. Jesus, after all, made it clear that this would be part of the cost of following him. He expressed this at the very beginning of his teaching ministry when, in the opening words of his Sermon on the Mount, he said “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:10). Even as he laid out the very basics of kingdom living, he expressed that it would bring about persecution. Then, at the very end of his public ministry, he said something similar when he told his disciples, “Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you” (John 15:20).
He makes it very clear that those who follow Jesus will be persecuted like Jesus. Those who imitate Jesus will suffer like Jesus. If we live as citizens of the kingdom of heaven—which is to say, if we live like Jesus—we will be out-of-step with the values of the kingdom of this world and people will hate us for it.
It’s worth asking why. Why will living as a Christian bring about persecution? It’s not like we are harming anyone with the way we live. It’s not like we are demanding that others live as Christians. We are just going about our business while living quiet, humble lives. Perhaps an illustration can help.
A few years ago one of my neighbors drank a bit too much and the next day he had a pretty bad hangover. He must have been lying in a darkened room with an icepack on his head outside our kids and the neighbor kids were laughing and playing and enjoying some innocent childish fun. They were being good kids and having a good time. But suddenly the neighbor threw open his window and screamed “Make those kids be quiet!” His condition made their joy painful to him; it made their expressions of happiness intolerable. And something like that happens when we become Christians and begin to live out God’s true design for humanity before other people. Our holiness confronts their sinfulness. They see Christians living as God truly made us to live, living in the joy of the Lord—and it challenges them; it confronts them; it convicts them. And many respond with hatred, with persecution.
This persecution can be shown in attitude and insults; or it can be shown in imprisonment and death. But either way: it is the normal course of normal Christianity that we suffer for our faith. Citizens of the kingdom of heaven should expect to face persecution.
But Jesus does more than tell us that we should expect face persecution. He also tells us how we should face it. But since this article has already gone on plenty long, I’ll turn to that subject in a couple of days.

May the Lord be with you and bless you today.
Today’s Kindle deals include Paul Tripp’s devotional 40 Days of Grace.
(Yesterday on the blog: My Epic Documentary Series Is Now Free to Watch)

Kathryn Butler has a compassionate letter to those who suffer with depression. “Dear friend, if you’re among those who cry out to God and yearn for his comfort, know you’re not alone. Your walk in the darkness cannot hide you from the Light of the World. Even when you can’t feel his presence, Jesus remains with you until the end of the age, and nothing—not your shame, your despair, or the agony of depression—can separate you from his love. Though every hour may seem hopeless and every day a painful ordeal, healing is possible.”

Emily Van Dixhoorn offers twelve biblical principles on holiness.

“My sin and skepticism got the best of me, and I thought, Am I out of asks? ‘Oh, but God,’ I muttered, ‘Please hear this one.’ I have experienced the Lord not answering my prayer in the way I hoped, so fear unexpectedly gripped my heart as I prayed, pleaded, doubted, and as I wondered whether I had used up my asks of God.”

This is true: You just can’t outsmart smartphones with your teenagers. “The problem with so many of the strategies we use to limit the negative effects (e.g., massive increases in anxiety, depression, suicidality, sleeplessness, loneliness) of social media and smartphones on teenagers is that they ignore the structure of the medium.”

“I’ve found myself recently convicted, rebuked, and also encouraged to recover a little more zeal. It seems I have, perhaps, become slothful in it. Now that doesn’t mean fake it till you make it. I don’t want to do that, but I find myself praying for more ‘ardour, flame, gusto, sparkle, verve, warmth’ but at the same time I’m praying for meekness and humility so I can embrace zeal and hopefully avoid zealotry.”

“None of us have perfect families. Many of us have family histories filled with trauma and horrific secrets. But even in more healthy, supportive families, I think God intends to use our families to keep us grounded.”

God has said that he will sanctify us completely so that our whole spirit and soul and body will be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He has said that he will fulfill his every purpose for us.

The hypocrite deceives others while he lives, but deceives himself when he dies.
—Thomas Watson

Good morning. Grace and peace to you.
Because it’s a new month, there is a whole big list of Kindle deals to consider. There are some strong titles there!
Logos users will want to look at this month’s free and almost free books. Also, lots of great resources from Zondervan are on sale this month (which includes the excellent Zondervan Exegetical Commentary Collection).
(Yesterday on the blog: A Celebration of Friendship)

Barbara reflects on the reality that sometimes “you can do everything ‘right,’ so to speak, and end up with a life seemingly in shambles.”

“Remember, even in our sinfulness, when we fall, we shall rise. The Lord is our light in the darkest times, and His grace is sufficient to lift us up. Let this truth encourage and strengthen you in your walk with Christ.”

We have all heard a good number of negative or alarming assessments of AI. This one considers some of the tremendous benefits it may bring. There are some exciting possibilities!

“I raised four daughters. That is to say, together with my highly-committed and sensible wife, Trudi, I raised four daughters. I must admit, though, that sometimes it feels like they raised me. Nothing highlights one’s sinful tendencies more effectively than raising children. Every parent reading right now knows what I mean.”

It is good to occasionally revisit the matter of Bible translations to consider why we use the Bible we use.

“Are you numbered with the wheat, or are you grouped with the tares? Jesus warned that the church would contain both. Which are you?” Greg Koukl wants you to consider and helps you do so.

Their lives sounded pretty good. They sounded better than mine, if I was comparing…And for a moment I wanted it. I wanted it all.

A proverb is compact wisdom, knowledge in chunks, a library in a sentence, the electricity of many clouds discharged in one bolt, a river put through a mill-race.
—De Witt Talmage