sweat and tears ...

So yesterday I talked about our ability to stay and go to the outer reaches of the world. Today, I would like to follow-up on something I pointed out in yesterday’s post. Therefore, we will pick up with the exact same verse in Acts 1:8, ‘… you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.’

As I stated yesterday, the Greek word for witnesses is ‘‘μάρτυς or mártys’ where we get our English word martyr. Jesus was letting them know that they would be His martyrs – those who suffer persecution and death for refusing to renounce a belief or cause. Why is this significant to us? Unfortunately, there has emerged a type of ‘Christian mindset’ which believes that the Christian walk is supposed to be all blessings and sunshine. Yet that is not the message that Jesus conveyed when He commissioned His disciples, those who would take His message to the world. They would be persecuted - it was what Jesus was preparing them for.

We too must realize that we have been called to a living hope but a dying life ...

I recall a situation several years ago where I was sitting in my car, having a full blown pity part. I was praying and crying and complaining to God about how wicked certain people were acting, how difficult things were and how tired I was. And that is when He spoke so clear that it sounded like an audible voice: ‘You have not yet resisted to the point of bloodshed in striving against sin.’ Stunned by the clarity and the directness of the message, I began to question, ‘Is that a verse in the Bible?’ Yet before I could even finish the thought, He told me where to find it, Hebrews 12:4. He went on to remind me of all that Christ endured for our freedom, for our salvation, the horrific cruelty, the excruciating torture and the tremendous bloodshed that He suffered so that we could be reconciled to the Father.

Then He closed by telling me, ‘What you are experiencing is just sweat and tears and the only way it will kill you is if you sit there and let yourself drown in it. Now stop crying, get back to work, I still have much for you to do.’ He knows exactly what I need to hear and how I need to hear it. However, my feelings were hurt [seriously] as I told Him that His communication was not kind or gentle. Then, I did what He told me to do. I stopped crying and got back to work, recognizing that there was something much greater at stake than my comfort. There were souls on the line.

This Christian walk, it is not for the faint-hearted. So if you were looking for sunshine and roses, you might want to reevaluate your commitment. And the next time you find yourself frustrated and complaining, consider this:
‘^{12 -13}Friends, when life gets really difficult, don't jump to the conclusion that God isn't on the job. Instead, be glad that you are in the very thick of what Christ experienced. This is a spiritual refining process, with glory just around the corner.
     ^{14 -16}If you're abused because of Christ, count yourself fortunate. It's the Spirit of God and his glory in you that brought you to the notice of others. If they're on you because you broke the law or disturbed the peace, that's a different matter. But if it's because you're a Christian, don't give it a second thought. Be proud of the distinguished status reflected in that name!
     ^{17 -19}It's judgment time for God's own family. We're first in line. If it starts with us, think what it's going to be like for those who refuse God's Message! If good people barely make it, What's in store for the bad? So if you find life difficult because you're doing what God said, take it in stride. Trust him. He knows what he's doing, and he'll keep on doing it.’
     I Peter 4:12-19 MSG

His witnesses and His martyrs ...
Quite a sobering thought