“If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:” (2nd Tim. 2:12)
Suffering is not feeling bad because you did not read your Bible today, when you get drowsy sitting in that pew on Sunday morning and berate yourself, chastising yourself because once again you had a lengthy conversation with someone and did not bring up the name of the Lord.
But that suffering does not always mean watching wicked men kill your family in front of you, being imprisoned and tortured for His name, burned at the stake, or as our brothers and sisters in Christ who will not take the mark will suffer by being beheaded.
“And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.” (Matt. 10:22)
I have never heard of a person who suffered at the hands of our adversary’s emissaries who lived the Christian life by example, but never once opened their mouth and let the truths of the Scriptures flow past their lips. Going to church on Sunday morning, attending a Bible study class, even volunteering at the church, but never going out into the world and seeking the lost, never mentioning His name outside those walls to the wicked.
My friends, you cannot correct, reprove or rebuke in love for the glory of the Living God by your actions, you must speak the words. And if you do not, you will never suffer for Him, save in the construct of your own deceiving heart and those feelings you did not like.
“And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:15)
And do what? Live a good life, be polite to all you meet, make sure your yard is mowed and the car is clean and shiny? Dress appropriately, have the proper haircut and save your best clothes for Sunday morning?
“For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward.” (Mark 9:41)
Have you done something good for someone lately, and then went about your business feeling good about yourself, thinking you just performed a Christlike act? Kind of forgot that “in my name part,” didn’t you?
Perhaps you feel right at home in that building with a cross in a prominent place, around the people you call your family, you probably even feel closer to the Almighty there, don’t you? But when you step outside, when you go back into the world, your responsibility to Him stops, except for that good person you believe you are to be, that person that always has a smile ready, who is always prepared to lend a helping hand, that person that never speaks a word of the Scriptures, who never says the name of the One they profess to love to those they meet on the street, the one who will never be persecuted by anyone, because Him whom they profess to serve they do not obey.
“For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father’s, and of the holy angels.” (Luke 9:26)
You will never be persecuted and hated by this world, because you do not speak of the Lord Jesus Christ to them.
“For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.” (Mark 8:35)
You are safe, you are secure, except for those bad feelings, and they will pass, they always have. As soon as you step into that building you will feel better about yourself.
I have met a lot of good people who are going to hell, I meet few who are willing to stand for the Lord, no matter the consequences to themselves. But they are out there, they speak of the wonders of the Most High, of the price that was paid for them, of the joy of hearing His voice in their soul, and it does not matter to them who it is they are speaking to, all need to hear the truth.
That drink of water only matters if it is given in His name.
