Rejoicing to Suffer for the Name of Jesus

Can you imagine driving a box truck that was so full of Bibles that it was rocking back and forth like a boat in water as you drove it down the road? Can you imagine unloading that box truck full of bags of Bibles into the hands of over 170 full Gospel businessmen?

I drove that box truck. I unloaded it. I traveled with such a group to China. We rejoiced because we placed over 13,000 Bibles into the hands of Chinese believers. Later that evening, we heard the testimony of four Chinese preachers. They reported 39,000 converts that month. Our effort had only supplied a third of the Bibles that were needed for one-month of Chinese church growth.

I saw some Full Gospel businessmen with tears in their eyes as the four Chinese preachers exuded joy that they had been imprisoned multiple times for the sake of the Gospel. Some in our delegation had been talking about material-blessings from God. These four rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer for the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ! This is what apostles did, “They departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His Name.” [1]

I heard Adrian Rogers on BBN (Bible Broadcasting Network) rejoice that Jesus holds all things together. [2] He keeps the sun at just the right distance from the earth so that we neither freeze to death nor burn up. He keeps our hearts beating within our chest day after day. He took on human flesh and dwelt among us. He showed us what God is like. He died on the cross for our sins. He is the firstborn from the dead in that He arose from the dead and is alive forevermore. Jesus holds the keys of death and Hades. He gives believers in Him eternal life.

Yes, there is good cause to be thankful and to serve the Lord with gladness. Our God reigns! “Heavenly Father, please grant us Your grace to have attitudes of gratitude for opportunities to suffer for the Name of Your Son Jesus! You, together with the Holy Spirit, three-in-one, are worthy of glory, laud, and honor!”

[1] Acts 5:41
[2] See Colossians 1:12-22