Dear Family, 

Today is Wednesday, May 6, 2026. Today is Day 32 and Day 4 of Week 5 in our Count to Pentecost.  

In John 15:18-19 Jesus tells us (ESV) (18) If the world hates you, know that it has hated Me before it hated you. (19) If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 

There is an interesting quote from an unknown source that states; Jesus is the password for a better life. 

At first, this might not seem like a big deal. And yet, if Jesus is telling us the world hates us; then we need to ask; does that sound like it is going to be easy for us to be in the world but not be a participator of the world? Does that sound like a better or easy path for us now? 

There is this incorrect notion today that Jesus simply died to give us easier, more fulfilled lives.  Does Jesus inspire our lives with purpose? Of course He does! However, did He die for our comfort? Absolutely not; not necessarily in this human life! 

For us to state or even believe this false assumption; is to downgrade the suffering of all those martyred saints for us to pretend otherwise. Martyrs like Stephen and Paul and Peter and James and John; and, the list could go on and on and on. We do not need to try to make Jesus life and  death and purpose look pretty with makeup to make it more attractive. 

We need to remember that Jesus promised persecution and spiritual warfare for His disciples; and, He also promised SO much more than a “better” life; He promised eternal life! 

So, we need to ask ourselves; Is it worth? Of course it is! 

1 Timothy 6:12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.  

Matthew 24:13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. We need to fight the good fight; enduring until the end. 

We need to be mindful about how we speak when it comes to Jesus‛s life, death, and purpose on earth. Afterall, anything less than His real purpose makes His life and message look cheap.

Ben Faulkner, Pastor  
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