"North Korea's supreme leader, Kim Jong Un has reportedly ordered the execution of 33 people for converting to Christianity and receiving money from a South Korean Baptist missionary to start 500 underground churches".
I read that statement in the news and my heart pounds, the questions race. The fear sets in deeper. Yes, the fear. The fear that maybe one day....it will be ME. That old selfish question that pops up when we read about the persecution of the saints.
Would I have the strength to proclaim Christ to the end? Will I shout his name while being executed for His sake? Will I stand stoically silent? Will I be in prayer? Will I endure? Or will I cower?
The bigger questions that haunt me,
Will I even get to the point of dying for Him or will I shy away?
Our fellow brothers and sisters are DYING for Him. They are proclaiming the Gospel, worshipping, building churches, meeting in secret and giving up their lives for the sake of the Kingdom. 33 Christians will be executed for planting churches in North Korea. READ THE FULL STORY HERE
Would I have the strength to proclaim Christ to the end? Will I shout his name while being executed for His sake? Will I stand stoically silent? Will I be in prayer? Will I endure? Or will I cower?
The bigger questions that haunt me,
Will I even get to the point of dying for Him or will I shy away?
Our fellow brothers and sisters are DYING for Him. They are proclaiming the Gospel, worshipping, building churches, meeting in secret and giving up their lives for the sake of the Kingdom. 33 Christians will be executed for planting churches in North Korea. READ THE FULL STORY HERE
The fearful voice that whispers in my ear "what about me"? Am I willing to die for Him? Am I willing to lose my life for this belief in the most High God?
I heard a message that says "IT WILL COST YOU EVERYTHING". Yes it will, it will cost you your life. We don't think about that too often do we? We think about the joy, peace, fruits of the Spirit, but we get uncomfortable when we think of the death. When we think of torture, persecution and martyrdom. But, we are martyrs are we not? We are supposed to DIE DAILY for our Saviour, our lives are no longer ours.
Yet and still, we cling to it. We treat our lives like they are more precious than God. Too unwilling to let it go. We say we believe but want to hold on to our lives. This is more than just "Believe and you will be saved". This is more than just "Believe and Obey", This is "Give Him your life and show that you believe".
Will you die for Him?
Will you give up friends and family for Him?
Will you give up your sins for Him?
Will you give up your wants, dreams and desires for Him?
Will you give Him EVERYTHING? Will you give Him YOU, to be used as a vessel, to be poured out??? Not just on Sundays for 3 hours. Not just on Wednesday night Bible Study for 2 hours. Will you die daily? Will you suffer for Christ's glory? Can He trust you with the His name? Can He trust you with His glory in the midst of your suffering?
Your fear of spreading the Gospel, you fear for speaking on sin in someone's life, your fear of not being liked, it's irrelevant. Your life is not your own. Go and do what God has called you to do...to proclaim His name to the ends of the earth. Your most prized possession is Christ, not your life.
Will you die for Him?
Phillipians 1:21-22: For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose
Will you live for Him?
Galations 2:20: I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
I read a great blog about our brothers and sisters in Christ who will soon lose their lives and enter into eternity with the Most High God. Really, really powerful. I hope you take the time to read it.
___________________________________________________________________________
EXCERPT: "They'll Be Dead By Morning (What Difference Will it Make)
I imagined thirty-three of my Christian friends executed for leading people to Christ, facilitating worship, praying, or offering praise to God.
I would be horrified, sad, and angry, devastated
but I would also know that God has the last word on their lives not Kim Jong-un or the evil power behind him.
Still, I would want their deaths to motivate the church of Christ.
I would want their deaths to galvanize other believers to put feet to their own faith,
To fuel their passion for Christ, To remember to pray for those who suffer,
To spread God’s word with more zeal, persistence, and creativity than ever before.
While we in the West argue over worship styles, sleep in when there’s a visiting preacher, bemoan having to endure a boring prayer request or off-key soloist, serve up the pastor’s sermon over lunch, or sit home and judge the church unworthy of our attendance altogether
there are other brothers and sisters
gasping their way to every precious moment
when they can gather, in hiding, with other precious believers
and hear a whispered message from God,
bathe in the reading of His word,
and pray with passion and tears for strength to endure
and the courage to continue speaking the truth under threat of death.
READ FULL BLOG POST HERE
I heard a message that says "IT WILL COST YOU EVERYTHING". Yes it will, it will cost you your life. We don't think about that too often do we? We think about the joy, peace, fruits of the Spirit, but we get uncomfortable when we think of the death. When we think of torture, persecution and martyrdom. But, we are martyrs are we not? We are supposed to DIE DAILY for our Saviour, our lives are no longer ours.
Yet and still, we cling to it. We treat our lives like they are more precious than God. Too unwilling to let it go. We say we believe but want to hold on to our lives. This is more than just "Believe and you will be saved". This is more than just "Believe and Obey", This is "Give Him your life and show that you believe".
Will you die for Him?
Will you give up friends and family for Him?
Will you give up your sins for Him?
Will you give up your wants, dreams and desires for Him?
Will you give Him EVERYTHING? Will you give Him YOU, to be used as a vessel, to be poured out??? Not just on Sundays for 3 hours. Not just on Wednesday night Bible Study for 2 hours. Will you die daily? Will you suffer for Christ's glory? Can He trust you with the His name? Can He trust you with His glory in the midst of your suffering?
Your fear of spreading the Gospel, you fear for speaking on sin in someone's life, your fear of not being liked, it's irrelevant. Your life is not your own. Go and do what God has called you to do...to proclaim His name to the ends of the earth. Your most prized possession is Christ, not your life.
Will you die for Him?
Phillipians 1:21-22: For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose
Will you live for Him?
Galations 2:20: I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
I read a great blog about our brothers and sisters in Christ who will soon lose their lives and enter into eternity with the Most High God. Really, really powerful. I hope you take the time to read it.
___________________________________________________________________________
EXCERPT: "They'll Be Dead By Morning (What Difference Will it Make)
I imagined thirty-three of my Christian friends executed for leading people to Christ, facilitating worship, praying, or offering praise to God.
I would be horrified, sad, and angry, devastated
but I would also know that God has the last word on their lives not Kim Jong-un or the evil power behind him.
Still, I would want their deaths to motivate the church of Christ.
I would want their deaths to galvanize other believers to put feet to their own faith,
To fuel their passion for Christ, To remember to pray for those who suffer,
To spread God’s word with more zeal, persistence, and creativity than ever before.
While we in the West argue over worship styles, sleep in when there’s a visiting preacher, bemoan having to endure a boring prayer request or off-key soloist, serve up the pastor’s sermon over lunch, or sit home and judge the church unworthy of our attendance altogether
there are other brothers and sisters
gasping their way to every precious moment
when they can gather, in hiding, with other precious believers
and hear a whispered message from God,
bathe in the reading of His word,
and pray with passion and tears for strength to endure
and the courage to continue speaking the truth under threat of death.
READ FULL BLOG POST HERE