Faithful to the End By Paul Chappell Saturday, Mar 22, 2014 “And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive; I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan. Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.” Revelation 2:8–10 In 1553 during the tumultuous struggle over succession to the crown of England, a teenage girl named Jane Grey was placed on the throne as part of an unsuccessful effort to keep the Catholic Queen Mary from ruling the country. Jane Grey, the “Nine Days Queen” was quickly deposed and convicted of treason for opposing Mary. “Bloody Mary” as she was known, treated those who opposed Catholicism harshly and refused to commute the sentence of death. Just days before she was to be executed, Jane wrote to her younger sister these words: “Live to die…and then enjoy the life that Christ has gained for you by His death. Don’t think that just because you are now young your life will be long, because young and old as God wills.” After quoting Psalm 51 and praying a brief prayer, Jane Grey placed her head on the chopping block and died, refusing to recant her faith. Today Christianity is becoming more unpopular, and there may come a time when we are faced with the persecution and threats that the early church faced. When our faith is challenged, it needs to be strong enough to withstand the test—and that requires it being strengthened before the challenge comes. Today’s Renewal Principle: Live each day with a faith that looks toward eternity.
Posted on: Sat, 22 Mar 2014 10:08:55 +0000
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