We were approaching the end of our time in France last year when our hosts took us to a mountainous region just outside of Valence.  The winding mountain roads brought us to what is known as The Durand Musee of Christian martyrs.  It was located high in the mountains as a form of protection against those who were trying to hunt the people down who lived there and believed something different than the Orthodox Catholic Church.  I am not sure which is harder for me to fathom, living a life so pure that my beliefs could not be compromised, or going to war to rein in someone whose belief was different than the establishment.  Either choice could have lead to death in the 12th century! But what about today?

As one who has traveled around the world and also around the corner to share the importance of accepting Jesus Christ as one’s personal Savior, it struck me that I may have been perceived as someone on both sides of this eternal question.  There are more than fifty (50) countries that my sharing the Gospel of Jesus could land me in jail or at least get me thrown out of those countries.  There are offices and schools in the USA, the land of the free, which would place me in jeopardy by openly sharing the Gospel.  There are family outings that would erupt in chaos if the truth of the Gospel is shared openly.  There are churches that call themselves Christian but would rather not use the Bible as God’s holy Word.  When you compare all of the things we think of as “important” how significant is it in comparison God’s plan of salvation?

What struck me the most about the blood of martyrs is that in just a few generations, we don’t even remember the efforts of many of them and for sure, our faith is miniscule in comparison to theirs.  Oh, that we could find the passion in our faith and our actions that people would observe our lives and our witness and come to faith in Christ!  What is God calling you to do today that could have eternal impact?  Whatever it is, “Just do it”!

I Chronicles 19:13 (NIV) “Be strong and let us fight bravely for our people and the cities of our God.  The Lord will do what is good in his sight.” 

Monday Morning Message Sent 5/10/10

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