Philip 3:7-8
7
But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for
the sake of Christ.
8What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the
surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all
things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ.
Ps 137:5-6
5
If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget
its skill!
6If I do not remember you, let my tongue cling to the roof of my
mouth-- If I do not exalt Jerusalem above my chief joy.
If I forget Jerusalem and do not exalt it above my chief joy, may
my right hand forget itself and my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth - this is a deep
matter! It reveals what our relationship is to Jesus Christ, and what it should mean to
us. Paul counted all rubbish compared to knowing Christ Jesus. It's a disgrace when some
Christians cherish some private ideal and desire above Christ and forsake Him for rubbish,
like lust, money or anything else of this world.
Many of our brothers and sisters experience daily persecution in
Muslim and Communist countries. If a Muslim converts to Christianity his own family will
kill him, as the Koran requires. A certain Muslim who converted to Christianity in 1994
had to flee for his life to America. He was a professor at the prestigious university of
Cairo in Egypt, teaching Islamic history. He got disillusioned with Islam and spoke his
thoughts in class. His students reported him and he was arrested and terribly tortured
(burned with a cigarette, a hot iron, beaten under his feet until he fainted more than
once, and much more), to force him to confess that he's forsaken Islam. Eventually his
uncle got him out of jail and his accusers withdrew all their charges. He then worked for
a year for his father in his business, but he got sick because of his spiritual struggle.
One day he went to a chemist, told her his struggle and asked for headache pills. She
handed him the pills and the New Testament. That night he read the New Testament and was
touched right from Matthew 5. Never anyone spoke as Jesus Christ. There and then he gave
his life to Christ. Later when his dad heard of his conversion he tried to kill him, but
he fled first to South Africa. Here he publicly debated Muslims and showed the truth of
Christianity for three years. Soon they tried to kill him here too. Then he fled to
America, and wrote two books where he relates his life story. (For more info on him,
please see
)
Just see what Jesus means for those who become Christians in
Muslim and Communist countries. They count all rubbish for His sake. They suffer all for
His sake and are not ashamed of Him, but many who call themselves Christians in the West
deny him for the dirt of this world. They forsake Him and run after money, pleasure,
luxury, entertainment, etc. They are an embarrassment to Christianity and should rather
not call themselves Christians - those who follow Christ and His example. No wonder Jesus
said that many will come from the east and west into God's Kingdom, but the children of
the Kingdom will be cast out. Muslims come to Christ and forsake all for Him, but those
who receive the Gospel daily in freedom treat Him as dirt with indifference.
Wales migrate yearly from the Arctic circle, Alaska, about 10000
km to calve. Their journey takes them two months. New-born calves have the same instinct
and can migrate the whole journey without having gone that way before. Who has put these
migration instincts into animals (viz. birds, fish, butterflies, etc.)? Cannot the same
God also guide you and teach you the way you should go.
Let us get down to business with God, understand and knowing our
calling from Christ and perform it with all our hearts.
