©2001 Charles Darby

Do we love the Lord or are we just serving Him to be blessed?  What about when we are really put down for our stand for Christ? Sometimes we are ridiculed for believing in God and for our faith in Jesus Christ. Usually this comes from non-believers; folk who are not church members. It hurts, but we should expect some of this.

What about when it comes from a brother or sister in  the church? Words or actions cut to the bone and we are grieved and wounded. It should not happen but it will.

I have heard some, after this, who want to quit serving the Lord. These say the church has failed them. As an insurance man, before I retired, I have been in many homes like this. Someone hurt them and now they have quit going to church. They are no longer a witness for the Lord.

Let's look at this from another angle. There was one who was perfect and never sinned. He had healed the sick and cast out devils. Some accused Him of having a devil. This same one stood in the judgment hall and was spit on, His beard plucked out and was blindfolded and mocked. He was beat with many stripes. His only crime was He loved the whole world not just the established church of the day.

As this was going on what if He had decided, I am hurting and it's not worth me going through this? Father, deliver me from this; just let them go to hell if they want to. Instead He kept right on and went to the cross and died for all the sin of the world. From the cross He cried, Father forgive them for they don't know what they are doing.

I don't know about you but I have a made up mind. I found what I was looking for the day I repented and asked Jesus to come live in me. (See my testimony) I am not looking for a place to quit but rather a way to move forward. I am not my own, I have been bought with the Blood of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

If I get mocked, ridiculed and talked about what is that compared to what Jesus went through for me and for the whole world? He that has been forgiven much loves much. I have been forgiven of much. Oh, how I love Him! Actions and deeds show love, not words only. We who love the Lord must expect to be tested and tried so we will be as pure gold in His sight. We who love the Lord are in His army. What good soldier would give up when the going got tough?

How about you? Are you sold out to the Lord? Would being mocked, hurt and ridiculed cause you to want to give up on the Lord and His church? He loves the church and gave His life for it. The church is His bride.

This is why I have a web page. The Lord has put a desire in my heart to feed His Body, The Church. To encourage and lift up those in Him. The word says that the love of many would wax cold in the last days. Let's not let it happen to us even if we need to do our first works over.

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Thank you for reading.