Luke 9 says, “23 Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me. 24 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.”
To live a life that truly desires to be patterned after our Saviors looks like this. We recognize that we are just tools in God’s belt to use as He sees fit to make a difference, to repair and restore the broken and hurting. To really live like this means we die…to ourselves, to our own desires and wants in order that anyone may find Him.
It may not seem like much to you right now. I mean, you’re only wearing the same shirt every day…you’re only reading stories from missionaries…you’re only giving up Facebook or a candy bar. But in the Kingdom, you are wreaking havoc! You are causing the gates of Hell to tremble and Satan is on guard. You are talking about rescuing lives and becoming more like Jesus!
Don’t give up or lose heart. We are only 11 days into this challenge. God is already doing some great things! Spend as much time as you can in His presence. Turn on some uplifting music and worship your creator. Open up His word and read what He has to say to you. Sit down, close your mouth, and listen to His voice. He is always talking!
We fear that if we carry our Bible, whear our shirts, tell the reason and ask for sponsors, that people may look at us funny or call us strange. The reality is, this is nothing compared to what believers around the world face every minute of every day and it is all the more reason for us to be bold!
This excerpt from the Live Dead Journal is about just that:
PERSECUTION: ‘I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS’ BY KEVIN SMITH|SOMALIA, ERITREA, DJIBOUTI & KENYA
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds. JAMES 1:2
Thomas* was one of the Bible-school students we taught in Eritrea. He was an amazing evangelist. Everywhere he went, people came to Jesus. One day he was forcefully drafted into the military. Security officials took him to a training camp, took away his Bible, forced him to stop praying with others, and told him to stop witnessing. Thomas wouldn’t stop witnessing, even after being threatened by his commanders. He dared to tell them what Jesus could do for them! Finally they imprisoned him and tortured him, hoping to shut him up. They pushed him face down in the dirt, took a wire cord, tied his arms to his legs behind his back in a figure eight, and wrenched him into agonizing pain. They left him like that in the blazing sun for hours. The cord cut off his blood circulation, and in three hours, his lower arm swelled four times its normal size. Days later, gangrene set in, and the doctors decided they had to amputate to save his life. Just before the operation, the infection burst through his skin, rendering his fingers permanently immobile and leaving a huge scar on his forearm.
Many others like Thomas are tortured to force their denial of Jesus. They have refused, stating: “No, I will not give Him up. Jesus died for me; now I will die for him!”
None of us face this type of persecution. Sure there are those who will call us names and who will stop being our friends because we talk about Jesus more and go to church. But these things are minor compared to our brothers and sisters around the world and are far less of a matter when we look to our reward in heaven.
Be bold this month!! We will be honored and rewarded by sacrificing the “comforts” of a different shirt every day. Wear your Live Dead shirt with great pride in what God is doing in the Arab world! We are a part of building two churches that will reach two of the darkest parts, spiritually speaking, on this planet! What an awesome thought!!!
I would love to hear how things are going for you, what you have seen and heard from those around you and if you are doing the journal, tell me what God is speaking to you!
My honest and sincere prayer is that God will call you, yes YOU, to ministry! Maybe even to an area in the Live Dead project!!!! What an honor!
I love you guys more than you can know. I am proud of you. I want more for you. I desire nothing but all that God has for you! Be open to Him today and whatever, where ever, He may lead you!
Pastor Stacey
