“For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.” (Acts 9:16)
Many people concentrate on three words in that verse, “he must suffer,” when it is these that should be our bases of contemplation, “for my name’s sake.”
It is the Lord Jesus Christ, who is God, that we have dedicated our lives to, He is the reason we deny ourselves, that we offer ourselves as living sacrifices each day.
“As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” (Romans 8:36)
A day is approaching when the chaff will be separated from the wheat, when those who only profess Him with their lips, when the false prophets, followers and leaders of works-based religious organizations will find that the suffering is too much, that they can bear no more, and Job 2:4 will become a truth in their lives.
“And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life.”
For His name means more than just not looking at pornography anymore, more than ceasing from spewing curse words, more than fighting against pride, covetousness, jealousy and anger. It is more than denying the world and self, it means being willing to be persecuted for Him, for His name.
I fear that many who claim to serve the Lord Jesus Christ did not understand or contemplate well when He said, “For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?” (Luke 14:28)
I didn’t, and I still fall victim to my flesh and its desires, I still fall on a daily basis, and I did not consider fully what dying to self meant, much less giving my life for Him if so called upon to do so.
Standing against the mocking’s and ridiculing is far from having your hands tied behind your back as you are led to the gallows my friends.
“He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.” (Isaiah 53:7)
Total obedience is the goal, not only from the Almighty expected by us, but by the ever-growing evil of this world, but you need not fear any persecutions for His name if you do not open your mouth.
In this we cannot emulate our Savior when He stood before Pilate, we are to be witnesses to this world, we are to speak of Him whom we profess to serve and love, we are to voice our faith, no matter the possible consequences to ourselves. To the loss of every family member, every friend, every acquaintance, your job, your house, your very life, all for His name if He so calls you to do so.
“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)
What is approaching cannot be stopped, and the chaff will find that there will come a time in their life when the suffering will become too much, when His name for His glory will not be worth the price they must pay to keep that which they hold dear, that which they find more precious than the One they claimed to love and follow. They will find that the songs they sang, the verses they had memorized, the praise they once offered to him was only offered when the price was not too high to pay, when the cost was what they were willing to pay.
“Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” (Matt. 7:14)
The path to that straight gate has always been rough, and there has always been a trail of blood on that path as well.
“Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?” (2nd Cor. 13:5)
“That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:” (1st Peter 1:7)
“If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:” (2nd Tim. 2:12)
The cross you carry my friends may become very heavy indeed, there may be pain, there may not be any at all, but that should not matter, if your life is lived for His name.
“Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” (Eph. 6:13)
