Faithful unto Death

Wednesday, September 4, 2024

by Dr. Paul Chappell

And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive; I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan. Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

Revelation 2:8-10

In addition to his vital work translating the Bible into the English language, William Tyndale was an effective preacher of the gospel. Among his converts in the Wiltshire region of England was a man named John Maundrel. It was said that Maundrel had memorized the entire New Testament, and he became a powerful voice against the false doctrines of the Catholic church. For his refusal to stop declaring the truth, Maundrel was sentenced to be burned at the stake on March 24, 1556. While chained to the post, Maundrell shouted to the crowd that he had been offered a pardon from Queen Mary if he would recant but that his reply had been, “Not for all Salisbury.” He chose to die rather than denying God and His Word.

Most of us have never faced a test of our faith that severe. We may face opposition or ridicule, but we are not being forced to choose between denying our Lord or being killed. Yet for millions of believers, not just throughout history but even today, the possibility of dying for their faith is very real. The most important thing that we can do to be prepared to stand firm in the most severe test is to be faithful in the small tests we face daily. The fact that someone may laugh at us or say unkind things against us does not mean that we should back down from speaking the truth in love.

Today's Growth Principle
The foundation for faithfulness to God in big challenges is built on faithfulness to Him in small challenges.

Old Testament Reading

Psalm 143-145

PSALM 143

A Psalm of David.

¹ Hear my prayer, O LORD, give ear to my supplications: in thy faithfulness answer me, and in thy righteousness. ² And enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified. ³ For the enemy hath persecuted my soul; he hath smitten my life down to the ground; he hath made me to dwell in darkness, as those that have been long dead. ⁴ Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me; my heart within me is desolate. ⁵ I remember the days of old; I meditate on all thy works; I muse on the work of thy hands. ⁶ I stretch forth my hands unto thee: my soul thirsteth after thee, as a thirsty land. Selah.

⁷ Hear me speedily, O LORD: my spirit faileth: hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit. ⁸ Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee. ⁹ Deliver me, O LORD, from mine enemies: I flee unto thee to hide me. ¹⁰ Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness. ¹¹ Quicken me, O LORD, for thy name's sake: for thy righteousness' sake bring my soul out of trouble. ¹² And of thy mercy cut off mine enemies, and destroy all them that afflict my soul: for I am thy servant.

PSALM 144

A Psalm of David.

¹ Blessed be the LORD my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight: ² My goodness, and my fortress; my high tower, and my deliverer; my shield, and he in whom I trust; who subdueth my people under me. ³ LORD, what is man, that thou takest knowledge of him! or the son of man, that thou makest account of him! ⁴ Man is like to vanity: his days are as a shadow that passeth away. ⁵ Bow thy heavens, O LORD, and come down: touch the mountains, and they shall smoke. ⁶ Cast forth lightning, and scatter them: shoot out thine arrows, and destroy them. ⁷ Send thine hand from above; rid me, and deliver me out of great waters, from the hand of strange children; ⁸ Whose mouth speaketh vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

⁹ I will sing a new song unto thee, O God: upon a psaltery and an instrument of ten strings will I sing praises unto thee. ¹⁰ It is he that giveth salvation unto kings: who delivereth David his servant from the hurtful sword. ¹¹ Rid me, and deliver me from the hand of strange children, whose mouth speaketh vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood: ¹² That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth; that our daughters may be as corner stones, polished after the similitude of a palace: ¹³ That our garners may be full, affording all manner of store: that our sheep may bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our streets: ¹⁴ That our oxen may be strong to labour; that there be no breaking in, nor going out; that there be no complaining in our streets. ¹⁵ Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the LORD.

PSALM 145

David's Psalm of praise.

¹ I will extol thee, my God, O king; and I will bless thy name for ever and ever. ² Every day will I bless thee; and I will praise thy name for ever and ever. ³ Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable. ⁴ One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts. ⁵ I will speak of the glorious honour of thy majesty, and of thy wondrous works. ⁶ And men shall speak of the might of thy terrible acts: and I will declare thy greatness. ⁷ They shall abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodness, and shall sing of thy righteousness. ⁸ The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy. ⁹ The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.

¹⁰ All thy works shall praise thee, O LORD; and thy saints shall bless thee. ¹¹ They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power; ¹² To make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of his kingdom. ¹³ Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations. ¹⁴ The LORD upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down. ¹⁵ The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their meat in due season. ¹⁶ Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing. ¹⁷ The LORD is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works. ¹⁸ The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. ¹⁹ He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them. ²⁰ The LORD preserveth all them that love him: but all the wicked will he destroy. ²¹ My mouth shall speak the praise of the LORD: and let all flesh bless his holy name for ever and ever.

New Testament Reading

1 Corinthians 14:21-40

²¹ In the law it is written, With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord. ²² Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe. ²³ If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad? ²⁴ But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all: ²⁵ And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth.

²⁶ How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying. ²⁷ If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret. ²⁸ But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God. ²⁹ Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge. ³⁰ If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace. ³¹ For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted. ³² And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. ³³ For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

³⁴ Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law. ³⁵ And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.

³⁶ What? came the word of God out from you? or came it unto you only? ³⁷ If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord. ³⁸ But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant. ³⁹ Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues. ⁴⁰ Let all things be done decently and in order.

Proverbs Reading

Proverbs 4

¹ Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding. ² For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law. ³ For I was my father's son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother. ⁴ He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live. ⁵ Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth. ⁶ Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee. ⁷ Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. ⁸ Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her. ⁹ She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee. ¹⁰ Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many. ¹¹ I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths. ¹² When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble. ¹³ Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life. ¹⁴ Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. ¹⁵ Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away. ¹⁶ For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall. ¹⁷ For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence. ¹⁸ But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. ¹⁹ The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble. ²⁰ My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. ²¹ Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. ²² For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh. ²³ Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. ²⁴ Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee. ²⁵ Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee. ²⁶ Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. ²⁷ Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.