This week’s #scripturesong is 2 Timothy‬ ‭2:11-13‬ ‭KJV‬‬.

“It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: if we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: if we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.”

In 2 Timothy, Paul is writing from prison to his younger ministry partner, Timothy, giving him advice on how to stay strong through persecution and continue to lead others to Jesus.

Paul knew that Timothy would need strength to fulfill the job God wanted him to do. The same goes for us today. If we give up when the going gets tough, we won’t get very far.

We see in this passage, that, as believers, we must count the cost.
Suffering for Jesus is inevitable in the Christian life. Whether you’re getting made fun of at school, you get fired from your job for standing up for your beliefs, or your life is literally being threatened. It requires picking up our cross every day (Matthew 16:24) and enduring just like Jesus did for the joy that was set before him (which also awaits us!) (Hebrews 12:2).

Following Jesus is and always will be countercultural. It’s bound to upset someone in some way, shape, or form.

Jesus said in Matthew 10:34-36 ESV:
“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.”

He also told us in John 16:33 that we’d have troubles in this world. But in the same verse he says to take heart, because he has overcome the world!

‭Jesus never said that being a Christian would be easy, but it is ALWAYS worth it. ✝️