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He came into a house. The multitude came together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread. When his friends heard it, they went out to seize him: for they said, "He is insane." The scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, "He has Beelzebul" Mark 3:19'22 WEB.

When I first gave my heart to Jesus, I lost every friend I had but quickly gained new ones in my church family. I was born an American heathen, and at the mention of Jesus, the friends that I had scattered like cockroaches when you turn on a light. Have you ever shared your faith with someone who thought that you had lost your mind and had them ask, "What has happened to you?" I used to do it all the time.

It's comforting to know that when Jesus was on earth, at one point, His own family thought that He was "Out of His mind." They staged an intervention and tried to seize Him. His family and friends thought He was insane: "For not even his brothers believed in Him" (John 7:5). To make matters even worse, the highly respected religious leaders from Jerusalem thought that Jesus was possessed by a demon, beelzebub.

No one that previously knew Jesus seemed to understand His calling. When Jesus visited His hometown of Nazareth, they were offended by Him and said: "Isn't this the carpenter, the son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? Aren't his sisters here with us?" Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor, except in his own country, and among his own relatives, and in his own house" (Mark 6:3).

When you get turned onto God, and the little fire within you becomes a flame, the world will quickly turn its back on you. You may find that your enemies are even those of your own household (Matthew 10:36). Expect it. This means that you are on the right path. The things that you give up for the sake of Christ will be returned with better.

When you share your faith, be patient and speak in love. Being radically saved seemed to come naturally to me, but subtlety was something that He had to teach me over the years. I used to feel that I knew a lot about God, and I had to share it with others, but the older I get, the less I seem to know, and the less I find myself speaking. Now I usually wait for God to provide the opportunity and the words. A word spoken in due season, how good it is! (Proverbs 15:23).

It's important to note that Jesus didn't pursue His family or those who disagreed with Him and try to convince them or win them over. He moved on to others who would listen. He gave His disciples the "Shake it off" rule (Mark 6:11). When they do not receive your message, shake it off, and go to the next town. We would be very wise to follow His example.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, please strengthen me and give me a fresh boldness for You. Give me tact and help me recognize the right time to share with others. Put a guard over my mouth and give me the right words to speak. I thank You so much for all that You have done for me. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen!

Note: This morning, we will be hosting our RHM Live Online church service. This is a special time of worship, prayer, fellowship and an inspiring message. All are welcome! Here is the link to join: RHM Live

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