martyrs

We say we believe in Christ...that our lives are His, but how serious are we? Many people around the world really, truly love Christ, and are willing to die for Him. He gave His life for us, we are to give our lives for Him...to stand up for Him, no matter the consequences.
     We are so blessed to live in America, where we can believe what we want and worship freely. In countries like China, being a Christian is illegal. They have to hold Bible studies in secret...but they are so hungary for God's Word, they don't care if it's against the law. I heard a missionary once talk about a Bible study he went to in China. They held it in a small crowded room above a store. The people were so thirsty to learn from the Bible, they kept on asking question after question. The missionary was surprised that they wanted to know so much...that they were so interested. The Bible study lasted for 4 hours, and he was exhausted at the end of it. He asked the man who ran it how often they held this study. His reply was not once a month, or once a week...but everyday. They really, truly had a hunger for God...they risked their lives to learn about Him. They could be killed if they were found out.
     You seldom find that hunger in America...but we should have that hunger...that feeling like you just can't get enough of God...that you love Him so much you'd give your life for Him. I'm sure all of you remember the shooting at Colombine High. Cassie Barnell and Rachel Scott were among the kids killed...and they were both killed because of their love for God. Both were asked right before they were shot fatally in the head, "Do you believe in God?" They said, "Yes." They were shot. Just think about that for a sec...if someone was holding a gun to your head and asked if you believed in God, would you say yes? I would have to...He's my life. If I said no, I couldn't live with the fact that I had denyed knowing my God, and therefor denyed who I am...I couldn't turn my back on God like that...could you?
     We need to get on fire for God...to really love Him...to make Him the passion of our lives...to let Him in on every little part of our exsistance. We need to dive into His arms, to be greatful that He's ours and we are His and that He sent His Son to die for us. We need to be consumed by His fire, like these and other martyrs were. We need to get tight with God.

Read: Luke 9:23