DCLM Daily Manna 11 September 2026: His Church Forever Stands
KEY VERSE: “For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews.”
(1 Thessalonians 2:14)
TEXT: 1 Thessalonians 2:13–16
For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.
14 For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judaea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews:
15 Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men:
16 Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins alway: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost.
READ OTHER DCLM DAILY DEVOTIONAL HERE
Cathy Miller, owner of Tastries Bakery in Bakersfield, California, refused to make wedding cakes for a lesbian couple due to her Christian beliefs. The California Department of Fair Housing and Employment sued Miller, claiming it was discrimination under the Civil Rights Act. A judge ruled in Miller’s favour, allowing her to deny the service based on her religious beliefs. This ruling has significant implications for religious freedom and discrimination laws.
Long before contemporary persecutions of Christians, the early church endured significant hardships as the gospel spread to regions governed by oppressive rulers. In Thessalonica, new believers faced intense persecution, much harsher than what might be encountered today. When Paul preached there, the message resonated with the people as divinely inspired. He encouraged them to seek strength from the churches in Judea, which had been suffering similar trials at the hands of their own countrymen, who had previously persecuted Jesus and the prophets.
The church is currently facing significant challenges due to increasing persecution for adhering to traditional biblical values and standards. In numerous countries, those who uphold these beliefs are labelled as fundamentalists and haters, while actions deemed sinful according to the Bible are gaining recognition as human rights. This climate of intolerance has led to military chaplains being pressured to conduct homosexual marriages, public school teachers being terminated for refusing to promote diversity, doctors being censored for refusing to perform abortions on demand, and the potential loss of accreditation for Christian institutions that do not support LGBT. Furthermore, there are reports of pastors in many nations being arrested for preaching biblical teachings on homosexuality.
So, we are headed for increasing persecution if we faithfully hold to what the Bible teaches about these moral issues. The question is, “Will you persevere and hold on to the Bible teachings on all issues, like the Thessalonians? Or will you capitulate and bow to the present godless culture to avoid persecution?” The choice is undeniably yours.
The Bible in One Year: Numbers 5–7
Thought for the Day
Amid the rapids of shifting cultures, the Bible stands …
(The final words are blurred and illegible in the scan.)
DCLM Daily Manna 11 September 2026
