❤️ First Love Weekly (Season II Finale): Take Heart! Jesus Has Overcome the World

Daniel found favors with the kings of his time. When Darius the Mede took over the Babylonian kingdom, he anointed Daniel as one of the three administrators over his land with the plan to have him oversee it all one day.

However, the favor over Daniel aroused jealousy in others who eventually plotted an evil scheme to kill him— even though they “could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent” (Dan. 6:4).

Eventually, they succeeded in getting Daniel thrown into the den of lions for a fabricated crime— for a reason none other than praying and giving thanks to God. Thankfully and miraculously, God spared Daniel’s life as he came out of the den unscathed. And the story of God’s goodness lives on ’til this very day.

Ever since reading this story a couple of weeks ago, the Spirit has placed the following verse on my heart to ruminate on:

These are words of Christ who was perfectly righteous in all his ways and moved with compassion in every step he took. Yet, like Daniel, Jesus was also wrongly accused of a crime punishable by death— for claiming he was the Messiah: the way and the truth and the life. Tragically, this was not the news Jews wanted to hear, so they rejected him by nailing him on the cross for blasphemy. Oh, the irony of it all.

Are you aware, my brothers and sisters, of all the persecutions Christians are facing around the world? The hatred towards the children of God has been intensifying of late, resulting in unspeakable violence and destruction; as the days go by, the line between us and the world seems to sharpen. What’s clearly demarcated in the Bible as within and beyond God’s righteousness, the world at large has turned a blind eye to draw new arbitrary lines that serve its own desires.

Jesus predicted all this— as did the many prophets before him— that such events will (have to) take place:

Amongst a few that Jesus promises will happen, three things I’d like to highlight:

1. The love of most will grow cold.

2. One who stands firm to the end will be saved.

3. This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world— as a testimony.

My beloved, as heavy as it is for me to write this letter today, I want to leave you with a message of hope in all this: In Christ, there is hope in this life and the one to come; though the world may hate us, we have on our sides God who calls us His own (1 Peter 2:9).

Borrowing the words of Jesus in John 16: I have told you these things, so that in Jesus you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! Jesus has overcome the world.

Do not ever let the world dim your light— we have people to reach and lives to save. Let us keep our eyes heavenward and honor the commandments Jesus laid down for us, the calling for us all to:

In the words of apostle Paul who lived a passionate life of serving the Lord:

We can find comfort in knowing Jesus walked the walk for us to know we are not in this alone. So, I say it again in bold letters: in this world you will have trouble, but take heart! Jesus has overcome the world.

May your hearts burn with the love for Christ you had at first. “To the one who is victorious, Jesus will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God” (Revelation 2:7).

In Closing

A couple of years ago, I had a dream where the Lord called me to follow him and marked two verses in my heart to cherish. Fast forward to May of this year, the Lord spoke to me that He’s doing a new thing (Isaiah 43:19) and that I ought to make room for Him (Isaiah 54:2). Since then, I’ve committed to a lifetime of complete surrender and obedience; I sought my Father to prune leaves that are to be left behind so I can free myself up to walk with Him. And He responded by telling me He will lead me into the wilderness and speak tenderly to me (Hosea 2:14-15). Surprisingly, it’s been made known to me that a fruit to be left behind is this newsletter.

With that, it’s been an honor to give God the glory He deserves through this newsletter, through every 47,273 word written in dedication to His goodness. Thank you for all your encouragement and support throughout this journey. Until next time— when the Spirit leads me to write again.

With love,
Jae

“You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first.” (Revelation 2:3-5)