Can you learn anything from the ones who were martyrs for the Lord?

The reason why I ask this is because although this is a depressing topic, I've been reading up on the people from the past and present who became martyrs for God and also because as unpleasant as this is, I do find quite a bit of stength for my faith from these brave individuals for Jesus. I purchased books entitled, "Voices Of The Faithful," which is a devotional of all the courageous marytrs, Foxe's Book Of Marytrs, and "Jesus Freaks." Right now I started reading a book entitled,"Sister Freaks," written by Rebecca St. James. It's about women who gave up everything in their lives for Christ, it includes the true story of Joan of Arc. I bookmarked The Voice of the Martyrs in my favorites too. Do you find the lessons from marytrdom both heartbreaking but at the same time motivating as well?

Hi sis:)
I remember reading about those that went before us, those that counted even their own lives as nothing compared to Christ. To this day, when I read of brother Stephen's martyrdom, my spirit is strengthened that such simple brothers could lay it all out there for the Lord. These were people who saw the Value of Christ, that He is the One of Preciousness and of Peerless worth.

Many of us may not be physical martyrs, but in this world that is filled with such hatered toward the Lord and those that Love Him, we too experience a measure of it.
One thing that always comes away with me when I read of our brothers and sisters who laid down their lives for the Lord was that they did three things. They lived a life of denying the Self, of taking up their cross daily and of following the Lamb wherever He may go. These ones, like us, had families and friends, but because they were captured by the Lord and fully, yet gradually, consecrated to Him. The physical and psycological parts of our being are no comparison. Denying the Self today is the biggest part of our martyrdom. Too often I want my own way, I want to preserve my face or my image, many of us who profess to love the Lord, but at the first sign of heat, we deny Him before our friends, we do not have a strong testimony before our families and neighbours... The Lord truly needs to overcome in us and strengthen us in this evil day.

Only a heart that loves and has been unveiled to see the timeless value of our Lord will see how small our own lives measure in comparison and we will lay it all down on the alter. The thing about the Lord is that whatever we " loose" in this life.. He replaces it with Himself.. He, who is EVERYTHING that is pure and sweet and lifegiving in this world:)

Ty for asking
May the Lord strengthen the brotherhood all over the earth who are suffering on behalf of the name and testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ. May we avail ourselves of the Bountiful supply of the Spirit and of Grace.

Your sister
sandy

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