Harvest Chapel International - Kumasi

MGD: I Press On

In this devotional message titled "I Press On", we are reminded that persecution is a part of the believer's life; however, God's grace abounds.

Aired on Radio HCI Today via the RadioKing app.

Duration:: 10m
Broadcast on:: 18 Jul 2024
Audio Format:: mp3

Shalom Shalom, dear beloved, welcome to our morning glory devotion. This is Havis Chapel International, Danyami Kumasi, and facilitating this morning's glory devotion, Pasta, and Mrs. Amorza. Please let's kindly share a word of prayer. Our Lord and Master Jesus, we once again thank you for the beautiful day. We thank you for all the things that you have in store for us today. We thank you for the privilege to fellowship together, through the studying of your word. We ask that you grant us understanding as we share, open our hearts and open our minds to receive from you. In Jesus' mind, saying we pray to Martians, giving amen. Amen. Shall we kindly take our confession from Joshua 1 8? This book of the law shall not depart out of my mouth, but I shall meditate in it day and night that I may observe to do according to all that is written in it, but then I will make my way prosperous, and then I will have good success, amen. The topic for this morning's devotion is "I press on", "I press on". An scripture reading will be taken from Luke Chapter 12 from verse 49 to 53, Luke Chapter 12 from verse 49 to 53, "I am reading for the new King James Version. I came to send fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled, but I have adapted them to be baptized with, and how distressed I am till it is accomplished. Do you suppose that I came to give peace on earth? I tell you not at all, but rather division, for from now on, five in one house will be divided, three against two and two against three, father will be divided against son, and son against his father, mother against her daughter, and daughter against mother, and daughter-in-law against her daughter-in-law, and daughter-in-law against him-mother-in-law, amen, I press on". So long as we are in this world, we will be persecuted, and obstacles will be pleased against us. This is the one thing we are sure of. There is something about the brand of Christ that seems to attract persecution, and anyone who enlists and identifies himself or herself with this brand who feeds this persecution. Beloved, we are in this world, but we are not of this world, so this world will always be against us. Isn't it amazing that Jesus places persecution at the doorstep of your calling and my calling as believers? In his own earthly life, and from the day that Jesus made public announcement of his ministry, he was attacked and persecuted until his death. In Luke 4, Jesus comes to Nazareth, where he had been brought up in his earlier life, and he presents to them in the synagogue, glad tidings of great joy, the gospel message. Jesus said that a day had come for the fulfillment of a prophecy. That would bring the gospel to the poor, heal the brokenhearted, proclaim liberty to the captives, recovery of sight to the blind, and to set liberty all those who are oppressed. And those who had in that day, instead of jumping with joy, rather became angry at the things that they had. They rose up in the thrusting out of the city. They led him to the point of even wanting to throw him off a cliff. Why were the very people who needed this help? Reject the one who had been sent to give them the help. The love of the truth is that this is the spirit of the Age, the spirit that set itself to persecute all those who would want to have anything to do with the gospel message. And this persecution did not cease until the ministry of Jesus was done. The Book of Acts is full of countless testimonies, and the life of all those who were part of the early change, the Apostle Paul's life stands out. This was his own account of the Corinthian church in 2 Corinthians chapter 11-23-27. He said to the church, "Are the ministers of Christ? I speak as a fool, I am more, in labor small abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often, from the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one, three times I was beating with rots, ones I was stoned, three times I was shep wrecked, and nights any day I have been in the deep, in jainies often, in perils of water, in perils of Robes, in perils of my own country men, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils amongst false brethren. In weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and in thirst, in fastens often, in cold and nakedness, beloved this was his life, because he chose to believe in a line with Jesus Christ and his message to the world, yet still, in all of these things, the same apostles said, "We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed, we are perplexed, but not in despair, persecuted, but not forsaken, struck down, but not destroyed, always caring about in the body, the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body, for we who live are always delivered to death, for Jesus is sick, that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh, hallelujah. Beloved this is the kind of faith we want to have and profess, even as we have signed on and said that we are for Christ and we belong to him, and we represent him as ambassadors on this earth. We want to press on and march on and forge ahead, despite the many persecutions that may face us on a day to day basis, because the truth is that if we are really his, then we must brace ourselves and press on, we are non-conformist, for if those who were ahead of us did not conform, we will not conform, that we may set a similar example for those who are coming after us, and so this morning, if you are aligning with Christ, then rise up, let's press on, because when all is said and done, it is those of us who are found in Christ who will receive a crown of victory, amen. The Lord Jesus Christ has also promised you an eye. In Matthew 5, the verse 10 to 12, my blessed are those of us who are persecuted for righteousness seek, for ours is the kingdom of heaven, blessed are you and I, when they revolve and persecute us, and say all kinds of evil against us, falsely, for his name seek, rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for grit is our reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before us, amen. Our memory verse for this morning is taken from the same promise that we just read, Matthew 5, verse 10, Matthew 5, verse 10, blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness seek, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven, blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness seek, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven, amen. Hallelujah, in Jesus' name we press on. Father, we thank you for your way that has come to us. We ask and desire the Lord, who grant us the grace to keep pressing on and not give up, in Jesus' mighty name, amen. Beloved once again, continue to stay tuned to Purdue ACI today. We have a lot of spiritual contents for your edification. Please make a date with us tomorrow at 6.80 a.m. for another edition of our Morning Glory Commission. Have a blessed day. (gentle music)