Worthy of Praise

7:30 a.m. Wednesday morning, Fox News, lead stories, Someone stole the cross in the Arizona desert devoted to WWI soldiers, after long court battles it had been upheld as legal, Factions fight in Arizona over new Immigration law, genuine anger breaks out, pin the tale on the donkey is deemed dangerous for children.

The world has gone mad.

Philippians 1:29  (New Living Translation)
29 For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for Him.
Believing in and following Jesus is not for the faint hearted. It is promised that if we stand up for Him, we will suffer. If God is Love, read that again it didn’t say He Loves it says he “is” Love, the pure embodiment of love. How could this bring about anything but thankful acceptance?

“It is important to remember that the modern world is not focused on a “Christ Centered Faith”. Our self-centered world is suspicious of anyone who claims to “love” others unconditionally.
Secondly, martyrdom is not a thing of the past. Many Christians still are killed in the world for their faith. Our faith is not a shield from suffering.”
Dr. Charles Stanley

So what are we to do? Like the man above, we must loose ourselves in praise of Him. When we are focused on Christ, He can lead us out of danger, or though it. Even if we die for Christ, we are victorious. Those that do not believe that something more exist after this life, have no hope and must hold onto this existence for all it’s worth. If your faith is in Him, and not this world, your life transcends this world.
Christ himself said, “Take up your cross and follow me.” The good news is that he will be walking with us, and the evil in this world has already been defeated at the cross on Calvary.

the pilgrim

*Photo note: Special thanks to my friend Eric Politzer for his touching image for this entry.