Matthew 10:39 He that finds his life shall lose it, and he that loses his life for My sake shall find it.

 

In the 8th Verse of the First Chapter of the Book of Acts, Jesus gave the Church (which is us) their marching orders. He told them that they would be filled with the Holy Spirit, Who will give them the Power of God to: be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

 

Again, as happens so many times, the true meaning has been lost in the translation. The Greek word for “witnesses” is martus. This means “a martyr for Christ.” There is a HUGE difference between the words witness and martyr. To be a witness is to simply tell what you know and have experienced about Christ. To be a martyr is to totally and completely surrender all that you have and all that you are to Christ even up to the surrender of your life. This is what Jesus was talking about when He said, He that finds his life shall lose it, and he that loses his life for My sake shall find it. (Matthew 10:39)

 

There are thousands (if not millions) of people who profess to be born-again Christians who are “called” into the ministry in some way. They say that they have answered that “call” on their life but have they really? Have they given up everything for the Cause of Christ? Are they truly martyrs for Christ? I dare say, not.

 

Most people in the Ministry today are in it for their own personal gain. Many years ago, I knew a young man who got up in front of the Church and told everyone that he was answering the Call of God to go into the Ministry. One day when I was with him alone I asked him why he had decided to go into the Ministry. His answer blew me away. He said, “Because it’s an easy job. I only have to work two days a week. The Church will provide me a house to live in, pay all my utility bills, provide my family with health insurance, give me four weeks paid vacation, AND pay me a salary on top of all that! I would be a fool to not do it.”

 

I hope you can see that this young man had not answered the Call of God on his life. He was looking for an easy way out and a free ride. Jesus didn’t go to the Cross of Calvary so we can have a free ride through life. He is looking for martyrs; people who will give up everything they have for Him instead of looking to gain personally from a group of people who work hard for what they have, that being the Church fellowship.

 

Jesus gave His Life for us. Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:13) The Apostle Paul wrote that it is our reasonable service to be a sacrifice in return. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the Mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. (Romans 12:1)

 

God knows our hearts. He wants to….….turn the tide ……..in your life.

 

Blessed to be a martyr for Christ,         Doreen

 

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