Made Perfect In Persecution

Hebrews 11:35 Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:

36 And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:

37 They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;

38 (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:

40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.

We are not all called to greatness as the world sees greatness. Everyone loves the first 34 verses of Hebrews 11 and may even stop at "women received their dead raised to life again." but we do not want to hear the rest of the story.

When a person receives a prophecy on their lives these days it is always that the person will be led into a great, even worldwide, ministry or they will be wealthy financing the Kingdom or some other grand thing. No one is told they will be on the other side of the hall of faith.

If God looked for volunteers, would you step forward to be tortured, scourged, nearly naked, afflicted, tormented, wandering in deserts or living in caves with the promise of rewards and justice in Heaven? Honestly, I would not. I have said, "Here am I, send me." but I was not hoping for that kind of mission and life. Yet, there are many worldwide that live these verses and God includes them in the Hall of Faith. Beware of the always positive preachers that prophesy what you want to hear and what culture lusts for as it may not be true. Jeremiah was the only true prophet in his day and his message was not victory, peace and prosperity, but he was vindicated.

Like Amos, I am not a prophet nor the son of a prophet, but I believe a day will be coming when the Western Culture, especially America will see hard times and you and I will be given an opportunity to be on this side of the Hall of Faith. I hope I am wrong. Yet, we have lived like kings compared to so many in the Kingdom and we have often squandered our blessings and taken them lightly. We have been like spoiled children angry when we had to eat leftovers when so many are starving. We are entitled in our hearts to the best and yet I wonder if the people who have suffered the most will be the greatest in the Kingdom not the ones with multi-million dollar church buildings with pastors in mansions having private jets and dressed in fashionable clothing. We may see a person we passed by being rewarded more than us at the BEMA.

We have been snooty and snotty provoking the unbelievers rather than seeking their salvation and their anger is hot. We will not see the wrath of God, but nothing says we shall not suffer the wrath of men to purge the Church.

We want the power of the early Church, but we are unwilling to endure what the early Church endured. Persecution was a great part of their life as well as the fullness of the Spirit that caused them to speak the Word boldly in spite of the persecution. People sang and praised God as they were burned at the stake for their faith. They rejoiced in the scars of their whippings and that they could suffer for the name of the Jesus.

May God grant us revival and the ability to stand in the evil day rejoicing that we are His. Maranatha!!