“For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory and that of the Father and the holy angels.” Luke 9:26 HCSB

Who of us is ashamed of Jesus? Who of us is ashamed of God’s word? We all read this verse and quickly jump up and say, “I’m not!” 

I put out a challenge about a week ago for everyone to declare who Jesus is to you — Luke 9:20.  Out of 40 specific people who received it, two responded. Now I know that there are some who never read it and quickly passed by it, but I am sure that some read it but never responded.

I wonder are we ashamed of who Jesus is?

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is God’s power for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek.”

Romans 1:16 HCSB

https://www.bible.com/72/rom.1.16.hcsb

“Elisha came to Damascus while Ben-hadad king of Aram was sick, and the king was told, “The man of God has come here.” So the king said to Hazael, “Take a gift with you and go meet the man of God. Inquire of the Lord through him, ‘Will I recover from this sickness? ’ 

” Hazael went to meet Elisha, taking with him a gift: 40 camel-loads of all kinds of goods from Damascus. When he came and stood before him, he said, “Your son, Ben-hadad king of Aram, has sent me to ask you, ‘Will I recover from this sickness? ’ 

” Elisha told him, “Go say to him, ‘You are sure to recover.’ But the Lord has shown me that he is sure to die.” Then Elisha stared steadily at him until Hazael was ashamed. 

The man of God wept, and Hazael asked, “Why is my lord weeping? ” He replied, “Because I know the evil you will do to the people of Israel. You will set their fortresses on fire. You will kill their young men with the sword. You will dash their little ones to pieces. You will rip open their pregnant women.”

2 Kings 8:7-12 HCSB

https://www.bible.com/72/2ki.8.7-12.hcsb

I did not remember this story from 2 Kings 8. But while reading it I think there is a message for us in it. 

Hazael is a messenger from the king to ask Elisha a simple question. Will I recover? The answer was, Yes he will recover, but the prophecy of Hazael’s rise to power would cut short the king’s life. Elisha stared at this messenger until He was ashamed. 

The word of God does this for us. It stares at our hearts until it reveals what is in it. We then become ashamed of the desires the Word finds in us and we have two options. First, we can obey the Word and change. Or second, we can be ashamed of the word and dismiss the word’s correction in our life.

What will we choose in the coming days? Will we be ashamed of Jesus and His Word when life gets tough for Christians around the world. Or will be strong and courageous now as practice for when the days will get tough.

“Be strong and courageous, for you will distribute the land I swore to their fathers to give them as an inheritance. 

Above all, be strong and very courageous to carefully observe the whole instruction My servant Moses commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right or the left, so that you will have success wherever you go. 

This book of instruction must not depart from your mouth; you are to recite it day and night so that you may carefully observe everything written in it. For then you will prosper and succeed in whatever you do. 

Haven’t I commanded you: be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Joshua 1:6-9 HCSB

https://www.bible.com/72/jos.1.6-9.hcsb