In October of 1987, I was reading the Bible when I came across the following words, “Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.” [1] God wants His people to demonstrate His care for those who have lost spouse and/or parent. I prayed, “Lord, help me to meet either an orphan or widow.” And I believed somehow it would happen, but I didn’t know how.
That very evening, I was at a Bible Study led by Robert Weathersby. At the end of the study, Robert took prayer requests. A young Chinese lady, named Linda Pang, asked for prayer for her mother and sisters. Her father had just passed away and her mother was experiencing deep grief. After the study, I asked Linda if her mother would be okay with our family coming to visit her. She was happy that we were willing to do so.
That Sunday, we went to visit Linda’s mother. Her Chinese name was He Rue Hua. Her English name was Lydia. Lydia believed in Jesus and so did all her daughters.
Years after she lost her husband, Lydia wrote her testimony. It was entitled, “The Love I lost and the Love I gained.” In her testimony she spoke of how devastated she was to see her husband suffer from cancer and then, die. However, before he died, he believed in Jesus. And he told Lydia, and his three daughters to believe in Jesus. Lydia said that her husband died with such a serene look about him. She knew there must be something to this Jesus.
It was Lydia’s first birthday without her husband the day Sherry, our two babies Grace and Glory, and I came to visit. The Chinese often said, “Kaiche gungzi” when they first saw our two babies! “Kaiche gungzi” means “they look like baby dolls.” Lydia enjoyed holding our babies. She said that God blessed her with our love for her.
God brought other Christians into Lydia’s life. Two of her daughters married successful businessmen. Linda, her oldest daughter, got a scholarship to study in Australia. Lydia’s testimony was that she lost a love but gained more love.
Amidst the backdrop of hardship and loss, God wrote a beautiful story with Lydia’s life. She is now with the Lord.
The reason Lydia is with the Lord and her daughters are walking with the Lord is because of their loving Heavenly Father. That is why I am wishing God, “Happy Father’s Day.” He is the best Father ever and the source of all good fathers.
[1] James 1:27
“Don’t you know what Scripture says in the passage about Elijah—how he appealed to God against Israel: ‘Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me?’ And what was God’s answer to him? ‘I have reserved for Myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal.’ So, too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace. For God has bound everyone over to disobedience so that He may have mercy on them all.” [1]
Elijah’s government had killed God’s prophets and ruined places where God was worshiped. His government put a price on his head. He felt overwhelmed because he thought he was the only one left in his country that was testifying for the Lord. But, in fact, the Lord had 7,000 others who were testifying for Him. God gave them grace not to deny Him. God’s mercy on them was the difference maker. They were saved by God’s grace and not by their works. They transferred their trust from self or others to God alone.
“They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.” [2]
Those who overcome the dragon (Satan) do so by the blood of the Lamb. The blood of the Lamb (Jesus Messiah) cleanses us from sin by which the devil tries to claim us as belonging to him.
Those who overcome Satan do so by the word of their testimony. John speaks of the testimony of Jesus Christ. “John… bore witness to the Word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ.” “I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.” “I fell at his [the angel’s] feet to worship him. But he said to me, ‘See that you do not do that! I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.’” [3]
Those who overcome Satan do so because God has given them grace not to love their lives so much as to shrink from death. Normally, people want to live not die, but God’s grace empowers professors of Jesus Christ to prefer death over denial.
“Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, 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. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth.” [4]
While some would not consider martyrdom a victory of God’s grace, it is just that. “Martyr” is the Greek word for a witness. In the context of the Bible, a martyr is someone who testifies for Jesus Christ: that He is the One God the Father sent to save us from our sin! It was Jesus who spoke by the prophet saying, “I, even I, am the Lord, and besides Me there is no savior.” The angels of God testify for Jesus saying, “For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” [5]
When we stand for Jesus Christ, He stands for us. Jesus said, “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.” When Stephen was in process of dying for His testimony about Jesus, the Lord gave him a vision. In the vision, he saw Jesus standing for him. “He, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.” [6]
So, remember this! God’s grace in the last days is to testify that Jesus Christ is your Savior from sin, and to do so, even if and when threatened with pain or death for doing so. This is what the believing remnant does in the last days. We testify for Jesus Christ. And praise the Lord! He testifies of us as He did to Elijah when He said to Him, “I have reserved for Myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal. So, too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace.” [7]
[1] Romans 11:2-6, 32
[2] Revelation 12:11
[3] Revelation 1:1-2; 1:9; 19:10
[4] Hebrews 11:35-38
[5] Isaiah 43:11; Luke 2:11
[6] Matthew 10:32; Acts 7:55
[7] Romans 11:4-5
A mainline denominational church where Jesus Christ was never mentioned during the sermon! I was disappointed. A minister for 26 years, before he came to know Christ! I met this pastor years ago while distributing Gospel tracts.
The Apostle Paul tells us that before he met Christ, “I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.” [1]
“The wicked covet the catch of evil men, but the root of the righteous yields fruit.” For some, the catch of dishonest income is weightier than Christ. Paul urges us to be rooted and built up in Christ. [2] Christ yields good fruit in our lives.
Early on in our marriage, I read in the Bible... “God did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness.” [3] Afterwards, Sherry would hear me praying, “Lord, make me a preacher of righteousness.” Jesus Christ is the only source of righteousness for every sinner. Only He forgives sins! Only He gives us the HOLY Spirit. It is by faith in Him that we receive God’s approval. I must preach Christ to be a preacher of righteousness.
The Corinthians forgot who their rallying point was. Paul wrote to them, saying, “Let no one boast in men. For all things are yours: whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas, or the world or life or death, or things present or things to come—all are yours. And you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.” Spiritual pride led them to pit church leaders one against another. Paul wrote to them, “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.” [4]
Paul urges us to focus on Christ. When he speaks of being an apostle, he is an apostle of Christ. When he writes, he writes to us who have been sanctified by Christ. When wishing us grace and peace, it is grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. When Paul thanks God for us, it is because of the grace that has been given to us in Christ Jesus. He always exalts Christ. [5]
Paul reminds us that only Jesus was crucified for us. Our whole eternity depends on what Jesus did for us on the cross. If Christ had not died on the cross for our sins, we would have died in our sins and perished forever.
It may be foolish to those around us, but for us who believe, the cross of Christ is the power of God unto salvation. Paul wrote, “He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all—how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things?” [6] All good things come from God to us through His Son. So, let us rally around Christ.
[1] 1 Timothy 1:13, 15
[2] Proverbs 12:12; Colossians 2:7
[3] 2 Peter 2:5
[4] 1 Corinthians 3:21-23; 1 Corinthians 1:31
[5] 1 Corinthians 1:1-3
[6] 1 Corinthians 1:18; Romans 8:32
