“I came not to send peace on earth, but a sword.” 
              — Matthew 10:34

The Christian will be sure to make enemies. It will be one of his
objects to make none; but if to do the right, and to believe the true,
should cause him to lose every earthly friend, he will count it but a
small loss, since his great Friend in heaven will be yet more friendly,
and reveal himself to him more graciously than ever. O ye who have
taken up his cross, know ye not what your Master said? “I am come to
set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her
mother; and a man’s foes shall be they of his own household.” Christ is
the great Peacemaker; but before peace, he brings war. Where the light
cometh, the darkness must retire. Where truth is, the lie must flee;
or, if it abideth, there must be a stern conflict, for the truth cannot
and will not lower its standard, and the lie must be trodden under
foot. If you follow Christ, you shall have all the dogs of the world
yelping at your heels. If you would live so as to stand the test of the
last tribunal, depend upon it the world will not speak well of you. He
who has the friendship of the world is an enemy to God; but if you are
true and faithful to the Most High, men will resent your unflinching
fidelity, since it is a testimony against their iniquities. Fearless of
all consequences, you must do the right. You will need the courage of a
lion unhesitatingly to pursue a course which shall turn your best
friend into your fiercest foe; but for the love of Jesus you must thus
be courageous. For the truth’s sake to hazard reputation and affection,
is such a deed that to do it constantly you will need a degree of moral
principle which only the Spirit of God can work in you; yet turn not
your back like a coward, but play the man. Follow right manfully in
your Master’s steps, for he has traversed this rough way before you.
Better a brief warfare and eternal rest, than false peace and
everlasting torment.

On this day...

• Psalm 19 - 2023
• Psalm 18 - 2023
• 5 Gospel Warnings - 2011
• We have made this the whole assignment and it is not the whole assignment, it was just the first part - 2011
• 2 Corinthians 4:4 - 2011
• The Glory of God as the Goal of History - 2011
• We will never rise to be the army that God has called us to be if we are not willing to tell people what the penalty is - 2011
• Preparing our young people - 2011
• Helping You Sing 'Hallelujah' with True Exuberance - 2011
• The Life-Changing Discovery of Christian Hedonism - 2011