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The Martyr’s Oath

Could You Sign This?

Saturday I went to the Fight Club X Conference put on by the Acts 29 Network. The opening speaker was Dr. Samuel Thomas, President of Hopegivers International, an organization that rescues orphans and at-risk children in India and provides food, shelter, education and training to share the Gospel throughout the country. Dr. Thomas shared how when a new missionary is trained, before sending them out into the field to share the Gospel, the missionary must sign a Martyrs Oath.

In America we are very familiar with signing “Membership Covenants” and the like within the church. We often make shallow commitments and then when that which we committed to interferes with our schedules or our comfort we face new struggles of how to back out of that which we have committed to. When I hear the stories shared by Dr. Thomas, it makes me realize that we rarely have to live out Scripture to its fullest, therefore we put our own idea or context to it’s meaning (usually tainted by American ideals).

Check out the Martyr’s Oath below, you can download your own PDF copy as well:

  • I stand with the Apostle Paul in stating that “For me to live is Christ and to die is gain.”
  • I take a stand to honor the Lord Jesus Christ with my hands to serve all mankind.
  • I take a stand to honor the Lord Jesus Christ with my feet to spread the gospel to all the ends of the earth no matter what the cost.
  • I take a stand to honor the Lord Jesus Christ with my lips by proclaiming the Good News to all who hear and by edifying the body of Christ.
  • I take a stand to honor the Lord Jesus Christ with my mind as I meditate upon His Word and His promises to me.
  • I give my earthly treasures and all that I possess to follow the way of the cross. ➵ I commit to love my family, orphans, widows, lepers, the wealthy and the poor the way that Christ loved the Church.
  • I surrender my will and life to His will and life.
  • I commit to the service of the Lord by being a good steward of my time.
  • I surrender this body on earth to the perfect will of Jesus and should my blood be spilled may it bring forth a mighty harvest of souls.
  • I pledge allegiance to the Lamb. I will seek to honor His command. I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes.
  • Lord Jesus, Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. ➵ I love my nation and my fellow citizens and I claim my nation for Christ.

I have read this pledge and understood it completely. Being of sound mind and body, I do solemnly declare this martyr’s pledge without any persuasion of enticement.

I, _____________________, from ______________________ (Place of Birth)  do hereby make the following covenant on this __________ day of _________ in the year ___________.

So, could you sign it? Would you mean it?

We probably wouldn’t know unless we actually lived in a place like India, where our lives were truly threatened.

P.S. Dr. Samuel Thomas has had 19 Assassination attempts on his life (perspective)!

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ESPN My Wish: Jeffrey Buzzell

I saw the video this morning for ESPN’s My Wish series (embedded below). It featured a wish by 15 year old Jeffrey Buzzell, Jr., who is suffering from Alport’s Syndrome.

In ESPN fashion the story is very touching and very good. Jeffrey’s wish was to race go-karts with Dale Earnhardt Jr.; he got more than his wish. You can check the video out below to watch the entire story and see the royal treatment he received from Dale Jr. and several other Nascar drivers.

That’s really cool to see, but the point of this post is to point out the extremely difficult situation this teenager is in. Who knows, maybe someone will run across this post and be moved to see if they are a matching kidney donor? Jeffrey is suffering from Alport’s Syndrome. It is a disease that attacks his kidneys. As you will see in the video, Jeffrey’s kidneys are operating at approximately 18% and without a transplant he will only be functioning on approximately 10% by February of 2011. Jeffrey’s uncle died with this same disease when he was 15 years old, the same age Jeffrey is right now. Both of Jeffrey’s parents have been ruled out as potential donors. I hope Jeffrey’s wish turns into more than just a couple of days with a famous Nascar driver, I know he too wishes for a transplant. Check the video out:

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Suffering Afflictions and Going the Second Mile

Oswald Chambers’ Devotion for July 14…

Suffering Afflictions and Going the Second Mile

But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also. – Matthew 5:39

This verse reveals the humiliation of being a Christian. In the natural realm, if a person does not hit back, it is because he is a coward. But in the spiritual realm, it is the very evidence of the Son of God in him if he does not hit back. When you are insulted, you must not only not resent it, but you must make it an opportunity to exhibit the Son of God in your life. And you cannot imitate the nature of Jesus- it is either in you or it is not. A personal insult becomes an opportunity for a saint to reveal the incredible sweetness of the Lord Jesus.

The teaching of the Sermon on the Mount is not, “Do your duty,” but is, in effect, “Do what is not your duty.” It is not your duty to go the second mile, or to turn the other cheek, but Jesus said that if we are His disciples, we will always do these things. We will not say, “Oh well, I just can’t do any more, and I’ve been so misrepresented and misunderstood.” Every time I insist on having my own rights, I hurt the Son of God, while in fact I can prevent Jesus from being hurt if I will take the blow myself. That is the real meaning of filling “up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ . . .” ( Colossians 1:24 ). A disciple realizes that it is his Lord’s honor that is at stake in his life, not his own honor.

Never look for righteousness in the other person, but never cease to be righteous yourself. We are always looking for justice, yet the essence of the teaching of the Sermon on the Mount is- Never look for justice, but never cease to give it.

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When Relationships Trump Ego – A Lebron James Story

lebronjames_150hgt I was happy when the Lebron James decision came last night. I couldn’t even turn on the news without seeing a report about it or being told to go to their website to answer their poll on where I thought he would go. Now, here I am diving into the conversation. Just to get it out there, I didn’t think LeBron would stay in Cleveland, I was leaning towards New York, after all, that’s what everyone has been talking about for two years now. After all, that’s what was going to be the best for Lebron’s brand, his bank account, and his ego.

Okay, great, that’s out of the way….

With every athlete there is an ego. I personally didn’t think Lebron’s television “Decision” on ESPN was the best decision. In fact, I thought it was quite egotistical, a little self-centered. I had a slight change of heart when I found out proceeds from the television performance was going to the Boys and Girls Club of America.

dewaynewade_150hgtI also had a change of heart in Lebron’s choice from last night to this morning. When Lebron mentioned that he was going to South Beach in Miami, I at first wanted to tweet that he would never be seen in the same light at Michael Jordan, even if he did win multiple championships, I still believe that, but that’s the point of my change of heart.

I read an article on ESPN from Bill Simmons about a pact that Lebron James, Dewayne Wade, Chris Bosh and Chris Paul made two years ago. In the article Bill reports that the four players made a pact that they would all play with each other in a single city one day. It has been widely reported all over the media that Wade, James, and Bosh are all good friends and in the end, I have no doubt that is what made the final decision for Lebron.

I find it interesting that most of the outrage surrounds the decision by Lebron to go to Miami, however, the fact is, it is requiring a huge sacrifice on his part to attempt to win a championship. After all, that’s what professional sports are all about, winning championships. Lebron hurts his brand, he sacrifices his ego, and he sacrificed a lot of money (although Florida’s no state income tax may have helped there too). Chris Bosh and Dewayne Wade are also sacrificing many of the same things that Lebron is sacrificing, all to play with each other and to win a championship. That’s truly unheard of with All-Star athletes.

chrisbosh_150hgtThe media questions why things are progressing the way they are with the ego and selfishness of professional athletes, yet, we feed it. I think a majority of people who followed the Lebron situation wanted him to make a choice that would “benefit” him the most. Even his entourage advised him not to go to Miami because of the things he would be sacrificing. Instead of celebrating an athlete that would give his television proceeds to the Boys and Girls Club, sacrifice at least 30 million dollars in salary, sacrifice his legacy as a player that could win a championship in a “cursed” city and be the “leader” of the team; we make him the black sheep. We would rather celebrate greed and self-centeredness over sacrifice and selflessness.

I am sure there are plenty of things that we can fault Lebron on and I can definitely understand Cleveland’s hurt and pain with Lebron leaving, however, the fact is, this is a business and Lebron has to make the best decision as someone who is employeed in the industry. I am sure his decision was tough, but in the end, I think relationships trumped ego and that is at least one lesson that should be taught to our kids and at least one thing that should be praised throughout this situation.

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God, Hurry Up!

I loved today’s entry from Oswald Chambers. I find myself too often wanting God to hurry up and fulfill the vision he’s given me, whether it be for my family, for my church, or for myself personally. I’ve had a new hunger and longing lately, one that I’ve never had before and today, I think I see that it is God getting me into shape for the goal he has for me. I’ve heard similar things from some of our New Passion team. They are longing for God to show up in a fresh and powerful way; first personally then corporately. I’m excited that God has us on the same page and I cannot wait (although he wants me to wait) to see God continue to unfold his plan in us and through us.

Check out the devotional from today:

Visions Become Reality

The parched ground shall become a pool . . . Isaiah 35:7

We always have a vision of something before it actually becomes real to us. When we realize that the vision is real, but is not yet real in us, Satan comes to us with his temptations, and we are inclined to say that there is no point in even trying to continue. Instead of the vision becoming real to us, we have entered into a valley of humiliation.

Life is not as idle ore,
But iron dug from central gloom,
And battered by the shocks of doom
To shape and use.

God gives us a vision, and then He takes us down to the valley to batter us into the shape of that vision. It is in the valley that so many of us give up and faint. Every God-given vision will become real if we will only have patience. Just think of the enormous amount of free time God has! He is never in a hurry. Yet we are always in such a frantic hurry. While still in the light of the glory of the vision, we go right out to do things, but the vision is not yet real in us. God has to take us into the valley and put us through fires and floods to batter us into shape, until we get to the point where He can trust us with the reality of the vision. Ever since God gave us the vision, He has been at work. He is getting us into the shape of the goal He has for us, and yet over and over again we try to escape from the Sculptor’s hand in an effort to batter ourselves into the shape of our own goal.

The vision that God gives is not some unattainable castle in the sky, but a vision of what God wants you to be down here. Allow the Potter to put you on His wheel and whirl you around as He desires. Then as surely as God is God, and you are you, you will turn out as an exact likeness of the vision. But don’t lose heart in the process. If you have ever had a vision from God, you may try as you will to be satisfied on a lower level, but God will never allow it.