Anyone watching Christian TV as their main source of spiritual food, may think that God's whole purpose is to bless every Christian and make us all happy...
That our joy as believers in Christ primarily comes from getting things, or by having certain prayers answered in the way we want them to be.
May I be so bold as to say that our greatest joy should be in giving our lives to Jesus Christ to do as He will with each of us (Romans 12:1-2). I think that we're more blessed to be able to give our lives for Christ's sake than to get all those so-called "blessings from heaven."
This is why I find myself so humbled and astounded by my brothers and sisters in Christ who live in Third World countries, and who actually suffer deprivations, and even beatings and death because of their choosing to serve the Lord.
These martyrs and "sold out for God" servants are perhaps the most blessed of all Christians on the earth. They have the privilege of being partakers in Jesus' sufferings, and of having a bond with the Lord that perhaps we in the United States of America have probably never fully experienced.
"For unto you it is given in behalf of Christ, not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for His sake" (Philippians 1:29).
"That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto His death" (Philippians 3:10).
In examining these Scriptures, and as I compare these words with our modern-day Christianity, I am wondering if we're even practicing the same faith? In the Bible, the early church gave their material possessions away:
"And all that believed were together and had all things in common; And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need" (Acts 2:44-45).
Sadly, much of North America's version of Christianity encourages craving and obtaining possessions. If we do not get our prayers answered the way we want, we get angry at God, and we're ready to abandon the faith. Surely this is a different kind of Christianity, I'm afraid, than the faith that's displayed in the Bible. For the Holy Scriptures reveal that sometimes being a believer in Jesus the Messiah may result in the loss of all things:
"And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourging, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth" (Hebrews 11:36-38).
I must confess, I know little of this kind of life and this kind of suffering. But according to Jesus' own words, how blessed are those men and women who experience such things for His sake:
"Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness; sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:10).
I shall always be deeply grateful to my suffering brethren for their good confession, and for their demonstration of genuine Christian faith. I am sure that each of them, whoever and wherever they are, have their times of doubt, struggle and fear. They are not "super-saints," of course. And I am not idolizing the church's martyrs, nor am I placing persecuted Christians on a pedestal. But I do, however, believe they have much to teach the Christians of North America. Therefore, may our hearts be open to them as they lead by example, and as they risk everything to follow Him.
Are we doing likewise? My prayer for myself and for the church is that we will live with eternity in mind. That we will unite with our suffering brethren through our prayers and by supporting worthy evangelistic ministries. May we choose to do without various luxuries so that we may have more to give to missions.
I also believe that our intercessory prayers greatly help. The labors of our suffering brethren, combined with our prayers, will never be in vain.
D.B.
May I be so bold as to say that our greatest joy should be in giving our lives to Jesus Christ to do as He will with each of us (Romans 12:1-2). I think that we're more blessed to be able to give our lives for Christ's sake than to get all those so-called "blessings from heaven."
This is why I find myself so humbled and astounded by my brothers and sisters in Christ who live in Third World countries, and who actually suffer deprivations, and even beatings and death because of their choosing to serve the Lord.
These martyrs and "sold out for God" servants are perhaps the most blessed of all Christians on the earth. They have the privilege of being partakers in Jesus' sufferings, and of having a bond with the Lord that perhaps we in the United States of America have probably never fully experienced.
"For unto you it is given in behalf of Christ, not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for His sake" (Philippians 1:29).
"That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto His death" (Philippians 3:10).
In examining these Scriptures, and as I compare these words with our modern-day Christianity, I am wondering if we're even practicing the same faith? In the Bible, the early church gave their material possessions away:
"And all that believed were together and had all things in common; And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need" (Acts 2:44-45).
Sadly, much of North America's version of Christianity encourages craving and obtaining possessions. If we do not get our prayers answered the way we want, we get angry at God, and we're ready to abandon the faith. Surely this is a different kind of Christianity, I'm afraid, than the faith that's displayed in the Bible. For the Holy Scriptures reveal that sometimes being a believer in Jesus the Messiah may result in the loss of all things:
"And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourging, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth" (Hebrews 11:36-38).
I must confess, I know little of this kind of life and this kind of suffering. But according to Jesus' own words, how blessed are those men and women who experience such things for His sake:
"Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness; sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:10).
I shall always be deeply grateful to my suffering brethren for their good confession, and for their demonstration of genuine Christian faith. I am sure that each of them, whoever and wherever they are, have their times of doubt, struggle and fear. They are not "super-saints," of course. And I am not idolizing the church's martyrs, nor am I placing persecuted Christians on a pedestal. But I do, however, believe they have much to teach the Christians of North America. Therefore, may our hearts be open to them as they lead by example, and as they risk everything to follow Him.
Are we doing likewise? My prayer for myself and for the church is that we will live with eternity in mind. That we will unite with our suffering brethren through our prayers and by supporting worthy evangelistic ministries. May we choose to do without various luxuries so that we may have more to give to missions.
I also believe that our intercessory prayers greatly help. The labors of our suffering brethren, combined with our prayers, will never be in vain.
D.B.
