Throughout history, the Devil has set the same trap for us over and over again, only changing his bait to fit the times, and we keep falling for it. He hides the evil in plain sight, knowing that we will overlook it if it is seemingly innocent enough, but Paul tells us that we are not unaware of the Devil’s schemes. He has made the Spirit of Discernment available to us; we need only ask. Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he sets us on the path to discernment in his message, Deception Pt. 2: The Devil’s in the Details.
11 And He gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers,12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
Ephesians 4:11-16
As a Christian, we aren’t meant to be deceived by the deceitful schemes of the Devil. This is why we are meant to build our faith so that we can see through the lies of the enemy and all of his deception.
Spirit of Discernment
8 For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.
1 Corinthians 12:8-10
The Spirit of Discernment gives us the ability to see through the deceitful schemes of the devil and his followers. We can see through his bait and traps by the Holy Spirit. This helps us to distinguish between the spirits of good and evil.
Throughout the years, movies and tv shows have become darker and darker. Even more so in our children’s movies that are now filled with demons, incantations, conjurings, curses, spells, witchcraft, and more. Is this something that should alarm the Church, or is that just progress because this is the way the culture is going? Is freedom to take part in witchcraft and magic something the Church should back and/or support, or should we make a stand against these changes that causes us to fall spiritually asleep? Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he sheds some light on this controversial subject in his message, Deception Pt. 1: Falling Asleep.
Falling Asleep Because of Deception
Warning Against Deception in the Bible
Falling spiritually asleep can be the cause of many Christians’ failure to finish the race set before them. They become lulled asleep by the deception of the World. They bought the lie that because people are trying to shift the culture a certain way for progress. But all of these sins have been outlined in the Bible.
16 Take care lest your heart be deceived, and you turn aside and serve other gods and worship them; 17 then the anger of the Lord will be kindled against you, and he will shut up the heavens, so that there will be no rain, and the land will yield no fruit, and you will perish quickly off the good land that the Lord is giving you.
Deuteronomy 11:16-17
24 And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints, and of all who have been slain on earth.
Revelation 18:24
Witchcraft in the Bible
16 And they abandoned all the commandments of the Lord their God, and made for themselves metal images of two calves; and they made an Asherah and worshiped all the host of heaven and served Baal. 17 And they burned their sons and their daughters as offerings and used divination and omens and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking him to anger. 18 Therefore the Lord was very angry with Israel and removed them out of his sight. None was left but the tribe of Judah only.
2 Kings 17:16-18
19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Galatians 5:19-21
Necromancy in the Bible
Necromancy is talking or communicating with the dead.
6 If a person turns to mediums and necromancers, whoring after them, I will set my face against that person and will cut him off from among his people. 7 Consecrate yourselves, therefore, and be holy, for I am the Lord your God.
Leviticus 20:6-7
6 If a person turns to mediums and necromancers, whoring after them, I will set my face against that person and will cut him off from among his people. 7 Consecrate yourselves, therefore, and be holy, for I am the Lord your God.
So many people love to have their ears tickled. They love to hear what they want to hear, over hearing the Truth. Because of this, they are so easily manipulated. But what about the flatterers? Are there consequences to flattery? Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he presents a hard pill to swallow in his message, Flattery, Lies, and Consequences Pt. 2: Pay Back Ain’t No Beach Trip.
Deuteronomy 32:35 Hebrews 10:30 Daniel 6:19–24 Philippians 1:21 1 Corinthians 1:18 Romans 1:16–17 Daniel 6:11 1 Corinthians 3:13–15 Daniel 6:12–13 Daniel 6:14 Daniel 6:15–18 2 Timothy 1:12b Daniel 3:16–18 Daniel 6:24 (Consequence of Flattery) Hebrews 10:31
Pay Back Ain’t No Beach Trip
Is Flattery a Sin?
The Beast shall overcome the world by flattery.
31 Forces from him shall appear and profane the temple and fortress, and shall take away the regular burnt offering. And they shall set up the abomination that makes desolate. 32 He shall seduce with flattery those who violate the covenant, but the people who know their God shall stand firm and take action. 33 And the wise among the people shall make many understand, though for some days they shall stumble by sword and flame, by captivity and plunder.
Daniel 11:31-33
Job made sure that he didn’t use flattery because he knew that flattery was a sin.
20 I must speak, that I may find relief; I must open my lips and answer. 21 I will not show partiality to any man or use flattery toward any person. 22 For I do not know how to flatter, else my Maker would soon take me away.
Job 32:20-22
Paul says that it is by flattery that the people are deceived into sin.
17 I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. 18 For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive. 19 For your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil.
Romans 16:17-19
Consequences of Flattery
When King Darius realized that the men had used flattery to manipulate him, the very thing they intended to do to Daniel was done to them and their families.
24 And the king commanded, and those men who had maliciously accused Daniel were brought and cast into the den of lions—they, their children, and their wives. And before they reached the bottom of the den, the lions overpowered them and broke all their bones in pieces.
Daniel 6:24
Flattery is a form of manipulation, and God doesn’t take it lightly. Therefore, He promises that no person will get away with flattery or any other form of deceit.
7 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.
Flattery has become almost synonymous with lies, which always seems to end with negative consequences. In today’s world, we often lean towards having our ears tickled by flattering tongues. The Truth has become rarer and rarer in these last couple of years. Feelings have become our main focus instead of facts. The world has tried to convince us that this is progress, but is it? Is having our egos stroked and flattery better than the Truth? Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he opens our eyes to the deceitful tricks of the world in his message, Flattery, Lies, and Consequences Pt. 1: Beware of Flattering Lips.
Daniel 6:6–9 Daniel 5:31 Daniel 6:1–2, 5 Proverbs 29:5 Proverbs 26:28 Psalms 78:36–37 Psalms 12:2–3 Job 32:21–22 Romans 16:18b (Paul warns to beware of flattering lips) Matthew 10:16
31 Forces from him shall appear and profane the temple and fortress, and shall take away the regular burnt offering. And they shall set up the abomination that makes desolate. 32 He shall seduce with flattery those who violate the covenant, but the people who know their God shall stand firm and take action. 33 And the wise among the people shall make many understand, though for some days they shall stumble by sword and flame, by captivity and plunder.
Daniel 11:31-33
The Beast will deceive the entire world by flattery, and those lies will lead those who follow him into an eternal consequence because their ears were tickled and they believed feelings over facts.
Flattering Lips
3 For our appeal does not spring from error or impurity or any attempt to deceive, 4 but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts. 5 For we never came with words of flattery, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—God is witness.
1 Thessalonians 2:3-5
Paul warned the people of Thessalonica that flattery is the same as lies because it is deceit and leads to negative consequences.
Time is no longer counting up. Time is now counting down. It’s counting down to the end of the world as we know it. It’s counting down to the coming of Christ. The early Church was in the last days, and we are now in the last minutes. We, Church, are running out of time. The enemy is setting the stage for a New World Order. A One World Government. This is no longer a farfetched or even an outrageous Sci-Fi idea. The threat of Tribulation is knocking right at our door. Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he reveals some of the signs of these perilous times in his message, Hijacking the Human Genome Pt. 2: The Future of Humanity.
Revelation 13:16–18 Revelation 14:12-13 Matthew 6:20–21 Daniel 7:21–22 1 Peter 3:14 Philippians 1:21 Numbers 14:18a Revelation 12:12
Hijacking the Human Genome Pt. 2: The Future of Humanity
The Future of Humanity
1 And the fifth angel blew his trumpet, and I saw a star fallen from heaven to earth, and he was given the key to the shaft of the bottomless pit. 2 He opened the shaft of the bottomless pit, and from the shaft rose smoke like the smoke of a great furnace, and the sun and the air were darkened with the smoke from the shaft. 3 Then from the smoke came locusts on the earth, and they were given power like the power of scorpions of the earth.
4 They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any green plant or any tree, but only those people who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. 5 They were allowed to torment them for five months, but not to kill them, and their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it stings someone. 6 And in those days people will seek death and will not find it. They will long to die, but death will flee from them.
Revelation 9:1-6
How could people wish to die, but death never come? Is it possible that they are hijacking the human genome? Could genetically modified humans be our future?
New World Order Verses
5 And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months. 6 It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling, that is, those who dwell in heaven. 7 Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation, 8 and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain.
Revelation 13:5-8
15 And it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast might even speak and might cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be slain. 16 Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, 17 so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name. 18 This calls for wisdom: let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666.
Revelation 13:15-18
These two verses point to a New World Order, a One World Government. Both of these verses claim that the New World Order, or One World Government will be let by a single leader, the Beast Out of the Sea.
Sign of Perilous Times
1 But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. 6 For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, 7 always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth.
Jesus said that He was the Light of the World, but if He is no longer in the World, but now in Heaven, is the Light in Heaven as well? And if the Light is in Heaven, then are we left here in darkness? Who is the Light of the World if Jesus is no longer in the World? Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he shines some light in the darkness in his message Salt & Light: Be The Light Pt. 1.
Matthew 5:13–16 Genesis 1:3 John 9:1–5 Matthew 5:14 Psalms 119:105 Jude 10–13 John 1:5
Be The Light
Jesus is the Light of the World
12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
John 8:12
4 We must work the works of Him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
John 9:4-5
We are the Light of the World
14 You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
Matthew 5:14-16
14 Do all things without grumbling or disputing, 15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16 holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.
Philippians 2:14-16
What is the Light?
If we are the light of the World, shouldn’t we know what the light is?
4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
John 1:4-5
1 The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
Psalms 27:1
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,” 12 even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you.
The light of the World is the knowledge of God. It is Truth and Life. Light overcomes darkness no matter how great it seems because light is the representation of God. As the Church, we represent God on earth. We are His hands and feet to the entire world. We are the light of the world.
Jesus told us to be the salt of the earth, but what does that mean? How can we be the salt of the earth? And if salt has lost its saltiness or taste, how can it be salty again? As Christians, shouldn’t we know how or what it means to be the salt of the earth? Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he explains Matthew 5:13 in his message, Salt & Light: Be The Salt.
Matthew 5:13-16 Luke 14:34-35 Romans 1:22
Be The Salt
Verses on the Salt
Old Testament
34 The Lord said to Moses, “Take sweet spices, stacte, and onycha, and galbanum, sweet spices with pure frankincense (of each shall there be an equal part), 35 and make an incense blended as by the perfumer, seasoned with salt, pure and holy. 36 You shall beat some of it very small, and put part of it before the testimony in the tent of meeting where I shall meet with you. It shall be most holy for you. 37 And the incense that you shall make according to its composition, you shall not make for yourselves. It shall be for you holy to the Lord. 38 Whoever makes any like it to use as perfume shall be cut off from his people.”
Exodus 30:34-38
11 No grain offering that you bring to the Lord shall be made with leaven, for you shall burn no leaven nor any honey as a food offering to the Lord. 12 As an offering of firstfruits you may bring them to the Lord, but they shall not be offered on the altar for a pleasing aroma. 13 You shall season all your grain offerings with salt. You shall not let the salt of the covenant with your God be missing from your grain offering; with all your offerings you shall offer salt. 14 If you offer a grain offering of firstfruits to the Lord, you shall offer for the grain offering of your firstfruits fresh ears, roasted with fire, crushed new grain. 15 And you shall put oil on it and lay frankincense on it; it is a grain offering. 16 And the priest shall burn as its memorial portion some of the crushed grain and some of the oil with all of its frankincense; it is a food offering to the Lord.
Leviticus 2:11-16
We are the salt of the earth and we are to stay salty that we might be a pleasing aroma to the LORD.
15 For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, 16 to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things?
2 Corinthians 2:15-16
We are meant to live our lives for Christ on this earth that the LORD God might be pleased with us. So, that when we enter His presence He might smell a pleasing aroma instead of an unpleasing stench in His nostrils.
New Testament
13 You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.
Matthew 5:13
42 Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. 43 And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. 45 And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell.
47 And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, 48 ‘where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’ 49 For everyone will be salted with fire. 50 Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its saltiness, how will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.
Mark 9:42-50
If salt loses its taste how does it become salty again? Don’t trade your salt for the fake imitation salt of the World.
All over the world, there is great tribulation for the Church. Christians are being persecuted for the name of Jesus. They give up their lives for Jesus. Why? Why are they willing to give up their lives and endure persecution for the sake of the name of Christ? If the threat of tribulation is coming for the entire Church, even here in the West, the free world, is there hope? Why is paying the price of following Jesus worth it? Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he sheds light on the reward for following Christ in his final message, It’s Worth the Price, of his message series, The Cost of Following.
Matthew 13:44–46 Mark 8:36–37 (KJV) Luke 12:20–21 John 14:1–3 1 Corinthians 2:9 (KJV) 1 Corinthians 2:10–12 Hebrews 11:5–6 Matthew 5:5 Revelation 21:1–4 Revelation 21:20–27 Revelation 22:6–7 Revelation 22:10–17, 20-21
It’s Worth the Price Summary
Why is following Jesus worth it?
Right now the Church is like a woman in labor pains. The world feels impossible and difficult right now, but there is always hope. It is worth paying the price of following Jesus.
16 “A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me.” 17 So some of his disciples said to one another, “What is this that he says to us, ‘A little while, and you will not see me, and again a little while, and you will see me’; and, ‘because I am going to the Father’?”
18 So they were saying, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We do not know what he is talking about.” 19 Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, “Is this what you are asking yourselves, what I meant by saying, ‘A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me’? 20 Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy. 21 When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world.
22 So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. 23 In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. 24 Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.
33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
John 16:16-24, 33
Tribulation will come, but one day Jesus will return for His people. He’ll wipe away every tear from their eyes, heal every wound. There won’t be any more sorrow or pain. But, there is so much more in store for those of us who can find that it’s worth paying the price of following Jesus.
1Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
Our freedoms are dwindling all around us. Everywhere we turn, someone is trying to take away our freedom while trying to convince us that we want it because it’s for our own good. But is it really for our own good? Why do we need to give up so many of our freedoms? What is their end goal? Will the Church be persecuted? Do the conspiracies of a One World Government (The New World Order) and the persecution of the Church have any truth to them? Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he opens our eyes to coming persecution of the Church in his sobering message, The Cost of Following Pt. 5: The Threat.
What does the Bible say about the persecution of the Church? Here are a few instances of the Church going through tribulation under a One World Order.
1 And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads. 2 And the beast that I saw was like a leopard; its feet were like a bear’s, and its mouth was like a lion’s mouth. And to it the dragon gave his power and his throne and great authority. 3 One of its heads seemed to have a mortal wound, but its mortal wound was healed, and the whole earth marveled as they followed the beast. 4 And they worshiped the dragon, for he had given his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?”
5 And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months. 6 It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling, that is, those who dwell in heaven. 7 Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation, 8 and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain. 9 If anyone has an ear, let him hear:
10 If anyone is to be taken captive, to captivity he goes; if anyone is to be slain with the sword, with the sword must he be slain.
Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints.
Revelation 13:1-10
According to Revelation 13, we have the coming threat of the Beast who, as leader of the New World Order (a One World Government), will make war on the Saints of God. The Saints of God are the Church.
15 So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), 16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let the one who is on the housetop not go down to take what is in his house, 18 and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak. 19 And alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! 20 Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a Sabbath. 21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. 22 And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.
Matthew 24:15-22
29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
Matthew 24:29-31
It isn’t until after the Great Tribulation that the rapture (the second coming of Christ) occurs. During this time, the Church will be under persecution like never before under the rule of a One World Government (The New World Order). This calls for great faith and endurance of the Church. This is the threat that is coming upon the Church. We have to prepare for the threat that is upon us instead of turning a blind eye because it makes us uncomfortable and filled with fear.
We don’t’ have to be afraid of this coming threat because Jesus has already conquered and we conquer through Him.
11 And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.
2,000 years ago, Jesus paid the ultimate price for the souls of not only His friends but for His accusers, torturers, and all who put Him on the cross. Jesus paid the ultimate price by giving His life not only for His friends but also for each and every one of His enemies. Today, in the underground Church, all over the world, they are still paying the ultimate price. They are giving their lives so that they can share the Gospel of Christ with those who have never heard. They are giving their lives so that even their torturers may see the love of God in their sacrifice that they might be saved. What are you willing to give for the chance to save a life? Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he shares the importance of preparing yourself for the day of persecution that is coming upon the Church in his sobering message, The Cost of Following Pt. 4: Paying the Ultimate Price.
John 16:1-4a
Verses on Paying the Ultimate Price
The Prophets’ on Paying the Ultimate Price
22 Yet for your sake we are killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.
Psalms 44:22
9 For zeal for Your house has consumed me, and the reproaches of those who reproach You have fallen on me.
Psalms 69:9
Jesus on Paying the Ultimate Price
37 Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
Matthew 10:37-39
25 Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them, 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. 27 Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.
28 For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? 29 Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, 30 saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ 31 Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32 And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace.
33 So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.
Luke 14:25-33
23 And Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25 Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.”
John 12:23-26
The Apostles’ on Paying the Ultimate Price
40 and when they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. 41 Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. 42 And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus.
Acts 5:40-42
24 But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.
Acts 20:24
13 Then Paul answered, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”
Acts 21:13
How To Prepare For Times of Persecution
30 Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; 31 but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.
Isaiah 40:30-31
33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.
John 16:33
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:37-39
16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer selfis wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.
