Be faithful unto death!

Rev.12:11, "And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death."

The purpose of a Christian living yet in this world, is to point people to Jesus - Jesus, their indescribably wonderful Savior and King!  To show others that Jesus is the thing they value above everything else. That He is worth giving up everything else to gain. That He is worth serving with all my being, as a living sacrifice!

How could we possibly do this in a life in which we have no need to give up anything for Jesus' sake? This is why "all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted" (2Tim.3:12). If there were no persecution, if there were nothing to sacrifice for His sake, how would we show Jesus to be our treasure above all else?

Our goal here is not, to make everyone think well of us, as though by doing so they would be attracted to Jesus. Our goal is to make much of Christ, to have people think well of HIM, to show them His beauty and glory and love and justice. To be totally His, sold out for Him, known as those who "serve their God continually" like Daniel.

This is why the lot of the Church in this world is not one of dominance, but of being persecuted. It is God's planned way for His worth to be proclaimed, as His people value Him above all else, at great cost to themselves. His word to us is not, "preserve your life at all cost" but rather "Do not fear what you are about to suffer. ... Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life." (Rev.2:10).