Are you waiting for the tribulation? Waiting for “times to get harder”? Well, they never will unless YOU do something to make them come! Had you ever considered that? The world will hate someone – but the world has to know that someone exists!

Why should they hate you? Do they even know who you are, or what you believe? Do you CONDEMN the world, and tell it how evil it is daily? No? Then fear not – you will never suffer persecution!

John 7:7 The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil.

If that describes you, then you will never have persecution! You have to EARN your persecution! It’s not free!

Acts 5:27-33 And when they had brought them [the Apostles], they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them,
Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.
Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.
The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree.
Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.
And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.
When they heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them.

Verses 40-42 … and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.
And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.

Has this ever happened to you, or to anyone you know? I think not! That is because you are not WORTHY to suffer shame for His name! Yes! You avoid confrontation! You avoid telling the world that it is evil, so it can’t hate you!

2 Timothy 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

Which means that you aren’t living Godly in Christ! If you were, you’d be suffering persecution! Oh, I don’t mean losing one or two jobs in your lifetime, or mild trouble with a spouse, I mean being persecuted and forced to leave a city – possibly after getting a beating!

If that isn’t happening to you, YOU AREN’T DOING SOMETHING RIGHT! You are DENYING CHRIST!

Matthew 10:32-34 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven. Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.

You probably think you’re doing all right. You probably think that you’re a good Christian, and there isn’t really anything much wrong with you. Oh, maybe a few things – nobody’s perfect – but overall, you’re pretty good.

So here is a good test to see if you’re right or not. When was the last time you had to flee a city – a church – or even someone’s HOUSE for condemning their evil? Hmm? Never? THEN you are NOT living Godly in Christ, and you are NOT pleasing God, and one day Christ WILL TELL YOU “I NEVER KNEW YOU!” (Matthew 7:23)

If you want to be counted WORTHY to suffer for His name, you will have to EARN it! You will have to CONDEMN THE WORLD! You will have to get in the face of everyone you know, and tell them where they are evil, and why God isn’t working with them, and WHY suffering is coming upon them and this nation!

If you do that right, I promise you that you WILL suffer persecution for His name, and for perhaps the first time in your life you WILL PLEASE GOD RATHER THAN MEN!!