Today's Verse: Matthew 10:22

Thursday, October 22, 2020

"All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved."
Now you can listen to Today's Verse on iTunes, Spotify, Echo devices, and more!

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

Wow! Jesus' words are emphatic and decisive! He chose these challenging words because his followers - that's us today - must realize they will not be the dominant or accepted culture during most of the world's history. Discipleship is difficult and demanding; most folks want things simple and easy. The values Jesus called his disciples to embody are generally unfavorable to the dominant cultures of our world. "So, be ready!" Jesus was essentially telling us. "Be ready to face criticism and rejection." While we know life as a disciple may be an uphill battle to change the hearts of men and women of the world, with the Spirit's help, we can be God's tools to bless others and lead them closer to him! Jesus called us to do that throughout his teaching and example during his earthly ministry (Matthew 5:11-16). Salvation in all its glory awaits us at our journey's end. Hopefully, we will influence others to join us in our journey to Jesus despite the opposition of those who reject the Lordship of Jesus Christ!

My Prayer...

Forgive us, dear Father, for we have often grown impatient with the world around us and started seeing it as the enemy rather than our target for your grace. Please give us the wisdom and the courage to balance our understanding of the world with your passion to redeem it through Jesus, in whose name we pray. Amen.

Have thoughts on this devotional? Leave a comment

2 Related Resources by Heartlight

Illustration

Illustration of Matthew 10:22 — "All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved."

Other Devotionals from Heartlight for Thursday, October 22, 2020

A daily dose of Christian quotes to inspire and encourage.
"He who has God and Everything has nothing more than he who has God alone."
A daily guide from the gospels that challenges readers to live for Jesus.
"[Jesus continued teaching about the Kingdom:] "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he..."
A daily devotional about God's power for our battles.
"Good people care about justice for the poor, but the wicked are not concerned."
A daily devotional featuring wise counsel found in Scripture.
"If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless."

About This Devotional

Today's Verse is a free daily devotional that includes a Bible verse, thought and prayer.

The Thoughts and Prayer on Today's Verse are written by Phil Ware.

All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.