From Dying for Christ, to Living For Him

This has been an eye-opening week for me. It is amazing how God can use loved ones to open my eyes to areas of my life that I need the Lord to help me grow in. For so long, I have focused my attention on what it means to suffer for the Lord, such as the Apostle Paul did; as our Brothers and Sisters in China, Iraq, North Korea, and Iran do; and of course, what our Brothers and Sister in the past have done (specifically, people like Jim Elliot, John Wycliffe, Polycarp, and many more in which I can't mention here, but have never forgotten.) In my focusing on these Heroes of the Faith, I have been utterly fascinated at their faith; inspired by their passion to stand for our Lord; and encouraged by their love for God.
But of all of these great things I have gained, I have forgotten one thing: to use their stories of prayer, faith, and passion for Christ to move me closer to the Lord in ways that inspire ME to constant prayer (Pray without ceasing!), increasing faith (Without faith it is impossible to please God!) and to love and desire for Christ (Love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength.). I have loved their stories greatly, and been greatly inspired by them. But--- I have never let them encourage me in the way that, I believe, the Lord would have me be encouraged: By letting His power work through the lives of these heroes in a way that changes my life.
Lord, let me not be a hypocrite. Open my heart to see the power of the Holy Spirit through your children's stories of faith and open my heart to desire to pray and listen to you more; To have more faith in You. And to love You, my Lord and Savior, with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength. Thank you Lord for your grace in my life!

"But alas, what is one better for having other commend him, and his conscience condemn him? What good will it do a man when he is in hell that others think he has gone to heaven? Oh, beware of this! Counterfeit piety is double iniquity."

"He will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea' (Mic. 7:19). Sin shall not be cast in life cork which rises up again, but like lead which sins to the bottom."

Thomas Watson, The Godly Man's Picture

Pondering the Sufferings of Christians: Thought #2

Though Christ died to take away the curse from us, yet not to take away the cross from us. Those stones which are cut out for a building are first under the saw and hammer to be hewed and squared. The godly are called 'living stones' (1 Peter 2:5). And they must be hewn and polished by the persecutor's hand that they may be fit for the heavenly building.

- Thomas Watson, The Beatitudes

Pondering the Sufferings of Christians: Thought #1

A thought concerning the things we are willing to suffer for. Please read and ponder these wonderful words of the Puritan Thomas Watson.

Consider whom we suffer for: It is for Christ, and we cannot suffer for a better friend. There is many a man who will suffer shame and death for his lusts. He will suffer disgrace for a drunken lust. He will suffer death for a revengeful lust. Shall others die for their lusts and shall not we die for Christ? Will a man suffer for that lust which damns him, and shall not we suffer for that Christ which saves us?

-Thomas Watson, The Beatitudes