Let Us Stand Together

2 Timothy 1:7-12

7For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control.

8Do not blush or be ashamed then, to testify to and for our Lord, nor of me, a prisoner for His sake, but [[d]with me] take your share of the suffering [to which the preaching] of the Gospel [may expose you, and do it] in the power of God.

9[For it is He] Who delivered and saved us and called us with a calling in itself holy and leading to holiness [to a life of consecration, a vocation of holiness]; [He did it] not because of anything of merit that we have done, but because of and to further His own purpose and grace (unmerited favor) which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began [eternal ages ago].

10[It is that purpose and grace] which He now has made known and has fully disclosed and made real [to us] through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, Who annulled death and made it of no effect and brought life and immortality (immunity from eternal death) to light through the Gospel.

11For [the proclaiming of] this [Gospel] I was appointed a herald (preacher) and an apostle (special messenger) and a teacher of the Gentiles.

12And this is why I am suffering as I do. Still I am not ashamed, for I know (perceive, have knowledge of, and am acquainted with) Him Whom I have believed (adhered to and trusted in and relied on), and I am [positively] persuaded that He is able to guard and keep that which has been entrusted to me and which [e]I have committed [to Him] until that day.

As I meditate on this scripture, I am moved when I think about how this is the true definition of the persecuted Christians around the world. It is eye opening to what we are to be doing here in America. We go to church and read the Word, but when it comes to putting everything on the line for the Gospel, how many of us truly take that step. I am taking a closer look at myself, as I am asking all of us who say we are Christians to do. I know I have fallen short of this many times. I used the Amplified Bible verses in this case so that we can meditate deeper on these passages and apply them to our lives. In this way will not only be honoring God by doing what He has asked us to do, but we will also be making a statement to our persecuted brothers and sisters that we are not just praying for them, we are also standing with them and sharing in their sufferings. I promise you our sufferings here in America will never be as harsh as the ones they are going through. I can live with a bruised ego and rejection for our Lord Jesus Christ, how about you. I love all of you deeply and I want all of us to hear good and faithful servant.

Your sister in Christ,
Dora