Ahhh…and then this. The Life and Death of Jesus of Nazareth, worn in heart and soul by some few Wayfarers:
Man with his burning soul
Has but an hour of breath
To build a ship of Truth
In which his soul may
Sail on the sea of death
For death takes its toll
Of beauty, courage, youth
Of all but Truth.
Some very VERY few are those who would die willingly for love of the Man Jesus, and a cause of His Truths (which He personifies as “the Word” and “the Truth” and “the Way”). These Special Ones, His Elect, would consider betrayal of His love and Truth to BE death, and far more vulgar than mere physical death. In living for Him regardless of cost there is no real risk. With no earthly reward in sight, with no applause sought, these men and women in the Spirit and Together-Life of the Son of God will die FOR Him and IN Him. If prophecy in the Bible regarding your lifetime is True, those in love with Him and obedient to Him will risk dying a criminal death, by simple unyielding Faithfulness to His Word and Ways. Clandestine hand-holding between the Romans (the secular government) and the Religionists (the accepted cultural expression of religion) will plot for the Body what it conspired against its Head, Jesus of Nazareth. A Faithful man or woman will always find themselves, as Jesus promised, rejected by most. “Woe to you if you are not hated by those with something to lose, and accused by those who choose to not bow their knee to the King in daily life.
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Just thought I would share.
Edit: This portion I shared was from a longer teaching I had read on the subject of persecution. I found it to be very encouraging personally, in my walk with JESUS and thought I would share it with others here. In these times when there is so much going on in the world, when days can seem very dark it is encouraging to think upon HIM and know in my heart that HE is the one thing worth dying for!
God Bless
mj