What Does It Cost You?

"Paul never glamorized the gospel! It is not success, but sacrifice! It's not a glamorous gospel, but a bloody gospel, a gory gospel, and a sacrificial gospel! 5 minutes inside eternity and we will wish that we had sacrificed more!!! Wept more, bled more, grieved more, loved more, prayed more, given more!!!"

--Leonard Ravenhill

"OH HOW LITTLE we want to suffer for the sake of the Gospel. Yet many will be deprived of food, sleep and comforts for mere carnal toys, pleasures and sports. Paul suffered much for a eternal crown, an eternal prize, he realized what was at stake. Thank God for the witness of Scriptures showing us the early Christian’s attitude to these things.

We read in the book of Hebrews at the tenth chapter: “For ye had compassion of me in my bonds and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance.” These believers realized that possessions in their earth were passing, fleeting and momentary. And when they suffered the loss of their belongings and homes they let them go “joyfully!” Perhaps that is the true test of where our heart is!

We read Scripture so many times without looking at the reality of what we are reading. It is a dream to us! Christ is just a Name in a book! There is no reality in it! How can we read Hebrews 11 and not weep? “they were stoned” Yes, it happened, is happing in the world and will happen again; perhaps even to you or me! “they were sawn asunder” Meditate on this! Consider what these prophets of God went through and what still many persecuted saints go through in the world. “were tempted, were slain with the sword” They were murdered for the testimony of God in them! Do you have such a testimony in your heart?

“They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins.” And imagine the parallel of our designer clothing and caring so much over what we wear! They had so little, we have so much. They had little money but much power with God, we have much money and are paupers spiritually. God is still in the business of adding Names to Hebrews 11. We do not see these Names in our Bibles right now but they are being written in heaven. “Being destitute, afflicted, tormented” We will meet hosts of saints at the Judgment seat of Christ who will have such a testimony but all we will be able to bear witness to is perhaps a missed meal or burnt toast or some trivial matter!

What is your Christianity costing you? Are you taking easy street? Why are we afraid to suffer for the Gospel? The angels weep over this!"

--Greg Gordon, Editor, The Old Paths Magazine #10