Fresh Bread # 109

MARTYR

          What an awesome day I had today.  Knowing the young women were coming over I still wondered what our Lord would give me to share with them.  It looked like maybe nothing.
          But as I waited on Him, I couldn’t get the stories out of my head about the martyrs in my magazine from Voice of the Martyrs.

          The word “martyr” stuck in my head.  I considered how many people have eliminated that word from their vocabulary in America.  About the only time we hear it anymore is when someone sarcastically says:  “Oh, don’t be such a martyr.”
          Most of us are so pampered in the United States that we have no idea what it means to suffer for someone other than ourselves.  Somehow, we have lost the essence of this most gracious and meaningful word.
          The dictionary says: l.  somebody put to death:  somebody who chooses to die rather than deny religious or political beliefs, 2.  somebody who makes sacrifices:  somebody who makes sacrifices or suffers greatly in order to advance a cause or principle.  Does that sound like our Jesus?

LIVES  GIVEN
NOT
TAKEN

          I remained in awe of such love for Jesus that people were ready and willing to give their very life to see another person won to the Lord.  Some of the people I was reading about worked on the premise that they must Love their Enemy.  Otherwise, they could not witness to them.
          I was aware that every day of their life could be their last day on earth.  They weren’t asking to be killed, but they were willing.
          Suppose a man stepped out his front door with Bible or tract in hand planning to go witness to an enemy soldier.  The soldier aims a tommy gun at him and threatens to kill him if he doesn’t stop talking about Jesus.
          The man with love in his eyes for his enemy says, “You may kill me sir, but please remember my last words, ‘Jesus loves you and died for you.’”
          This man just gave up at least 20 years of his life that he could have used somewhere else.  His life was not stolen from him, he gave it to his enemy that he was able to love, in hope that his enemy would be saved.
          Suppose the martyr dies right there on the front step of his house.  And also suppose, the solder walks away stunned.  Gradually God’s Word penetrates his heart and he receives Jesus.  Only to go back and witness to others soldiers and his family. 

YOU DON’T KNOW THIS MAN

          Neither do I.  But there are many, many, like him.  And you’ll probably never see a statue erected in their honor. They don’t seek the honor of men.  They don’t even seek honor from God.  They just LOVE their enemies and through this Love are able to lay down their lives so that others might be saved.  Just like our Jesus.
          Only God knows whether more people will be saved through the life of this man or through his death.  This servant of God is willing to be used either way. 

HOW CAN WE LOVE OUR ENEMIES?

          Most of us have never lived in a society where we may be asked daily to give our lives for an enemy.  So, my next question was?
          “Well, Lord.  Who is my enemy?”
          Other than the obvious, Satan, I knew we must have human enemies as well.  My only conclusion was people who has stolen from me and hurt me.  These must be my enemies.
          Then clearly I heard the words:

NO ONE CAN STEAL FROM YOU
WHAT
YOU GIVE THEM

          Hmmm.  That was an interesting thought.  Then I realized that the most important things stolen from us had to do with time, or years of our life.
          If we had a perfectly healthy life and many prospects and goals ahead of us, would we be willing to give the last few years of our life to someone else?  Or if it looked like we had many years left, would we be willing to give them to an enemy with love for the sake of their salvation?
          How old was Jesus when he gave His many years for us?  Only Thirty Three.  Many of our best years have come after 33.  So, as always, He gave His Best.  We didn’t take it from Him, He gave it freely.  And we were His enemies.  He loves us that much.

GOD IS ALWAYS THINKING OF OUR GOOD

          I began to think of who my enemies had been (often they are in our own home the Bible says) and one by one, I told God and myself that I was giving those years to those people.  Now, they didn’t owe me anything and they couldn’t steal from me anymore.  Because No One Can Steal something from you when you have made it a gift.
          So, for me, it was a matter of giving years from my life to someone I thought had stolen them.  Of course they didn’t see it that way.  But, I was the problem because I felt that way. 

FREE  FREE  FREE

          I can’t tell you how free I became with each year of my life that I made a gift to someone I felt had stolen them from me.  It seemed a great way to stop the Thief.  There was no way anyone could steal from me again when I delighted in making a gift of my time. 
          A very small example is when a friend promises to come see you and for some reason they get tied up and can’t make it.  Whether their excuse is true or not, it doesn’t matter anymore.  You just say, “Hey, no problem.  I give you that hour of my life.  The time I spent preparing for you and the excitement I felt about you coming to see me.  It’s yours, dear one.  Consider it a Gift from my Life and my time.”
          Then I move on to others things.  You can too, if you are willing to Love your enemy and lay down your life for them.  Of course, I doubt that they will be enemies for long.  But, remember, when you give a gift, don’t expect to be reimbursed for it.  Just enjoy giving because you Love your Enemy and sincerely want to see them Blessed.

GREATEST REVELATION

          This is one of the greatest revelations I have received from our Lord.  And I feel I have given it the least justice in trying to explain it to you.  But,  if, by the Grace of God, you are able to understand it as I did, it will definitely: 

SET  YOU  FREE!
NO  ONE  CAN  STEAL  FROM  YOU WHAT YOU CHOOSE TO GIVE THEM.

          Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy. 
          But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;  Matthew 5:43-44.

AN EYE OPENER

          As my spiritual daughter Vicki and I were meditating on this word, she prayed:  “Lord, help us teach our children to be willing and ready to die, too,  for Your Message of Salvation.”  Oh my, I had not thought to teach our children to be willing and prepared for such as this.  But, Vicki is so right.  We must teach our children or how will they know?
          “For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's.”  (Romans 14.8).

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