| ONE, WITH GOD, IS A MAJORITY |
| by Charlie Grier |
| _________________________ |
| God’s people have always been a minority but God has used them to change the very world in which they lived! Taking a stand for Christ can be rather costly. |
| IS IT WORTH IT? |
| Following is a quote from Anne Graham Lotz, from her book THE VISION OF HIS GLORY. (Chapter 5, pages 123, 124). |
| “Have you ever wanted to ask Abraham, ‘was it worth it to leave Ur of the Chaldees, wander around Canaan, live in a tent, and in the end have nothing more to show for it than basically, one son, the cave of Machpelah, and the still unfulfilled promises of God?’ |
| “Have you ever wanted to ask Moses, ‘Was it worth it to give up the pleasures and treasures of Egypt to lead a million or more former slaves through the wilderness for forty years and never even get into the promised land yourself?’ |
| “Have you ever wanted to ask Jeremiah, ‘Was it worth it to preach over sixty years and never have even one positive response to your message?’ |
| “Have you ever wanted to ask Daniel, ‘Was it worth it to pray three times a day and wind up in the lion’s den?’ |
| “Have you ever wanted to ask Isaiah, ‘Was it worth it to volunteer for service for God, saying, Here am I, send me, when as a result of that service, you were sawed in two?’ |
| “Have you wanted to ask John the Baptist, ‘was it worth it to speak the truth to Herod's face and lose your head?’ |
| “Have you ever wanted to ask Mary, ‘Was it worth it to say, be it unto me according to Your will, when that submission resulted in a Son who was crucified on a Roman cross? |
| “Have you ever wanted to ask Peter, ‘Was it worth it to open the door for the gospel to be preached to the Gentiles, only to be crucified upside down? |
| “Have you ever wanted to ask John, ‘Was it worth it to preach the gospel and plant churches all over the known world, and in the end, wind up in exile on Patmos?’” |
| - End Quote |
| The writer makes several more excellent points, but for lack of space we will stop here. She also mentioned the tax on her own body, such as getting up early on Sunday morning to teach a Bible Class, or rising a half-hour early each day in order to pray, but she considers any sacrifice she has ever made for the gospel’s sake well worth it, over and over again! |
| What about you and me? It would be easier to sleep on Sunday morning, would it not? For some it would be easier to go fishing, than to go to church? It would be easier to buy another shinny new automobile than to support the cause of Christ. It would be easier to keep our mouth closed, at times than to take our stand for Christ. Jesus said something about that, did He not? |
| Mark 8:35-38 |
| “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? |
| “Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this sinful and adulterous generation, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” |
| BIBLE BELIEVERS DARED TO TAKE THEIR STAND |
| They were neither ashamed nor afraid -- come what may! When King David sinned, Nathan the prophet looked him straight in the eye and said, “Thou art the man.” It could have cost Nathan’s life, and he knew it. Fortunately, David repented and God honored him for it. After naming a long list of faith heroes of Old Testament times, the writer of Hebrews asked, |
| Hebrews 11:32-38b |
| “And what shall I more say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon, and of Barak, and of Sampson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets: who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again; |
| "And others were tortured, not accepting deliverance: that they might obtain a better resurrection: They were stoned, they were sawed asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins, and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (Of whom the world was not worthy) ...” |
| WE ARE ON THE WINNING SIDE! |
| Christian friend, God has appointed you, as a committee of one, to stand for right and oppose evil. God does not want you to be ridiculous or extreme. Just be yourself, but be unyielding in your stand for Christ and for all Bible truth. We are on the winning side! One, with God is the Majority! |
| Praise the Lord! |