1 - Introduction - Living like a real Christian 9b - Blessed are those who are persecuted _2_

“Forever” is a very long time, remember how we live this life will determine how we live forever. Sunday Reading: Acts 2 v 42 – 47 Reading: The last devotional on this particular topic (the beatitudes) I have entitled the product of persecution. persecution. We must know that persecution has a purpose I would like to outline to you three of purpose. these purposes and hope that they will inspire you in the face of the persecution you are going through right now or maybe persecution that will come down the road. purifies. #1 – persecution purifies Scripture paints a picture for us often of the purifying qualities of fire. We read that as gold is put in the fire, so it purifies to make it perfect. When I think of the purification of the test of fire, my mind immediately goes to Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, in Daniel 3 ,where they were literally thrown into a fiery furnace. This fiery furnace is just a picture of the test of your faith. We may not, these days, be at thrown into a fiery furnace, but that does not mean that our faith will not be tested. The reason for this is that the product that comes out of the fire is far more pure and useful to God then the product that went it. I am

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