Day 318: Acts 3:1 - 5:27

As grateful as I am that we live in such a time where we have so many technological and medical advancements, I sometimes wish I lived in Bible times where the line between true believers and non-believers was very sharp and defined. In today's society, there are hundreds of thousands of "Christians" who would say without hesitation that they would be willing to endure all sorts of punishment and torture for the sake of God's name, and they can say it without hesitation because they know chances are good that they'll never be in a situation where they have to prove it. We live in a society where "suffering" for His name's sake means feeling uncomfortable about sharing your faith or, God forbid, someone making fun of you for being a Christian. In our attempts to be more palatable and user friendly, we have blurred the lines of true Christianity to such a point that it is worth no more than a trinket that can be tossed around and used when most convenient. In the times of Peter and John and the rest of the Apostles, Christianity was the most inconvenient faith anyone could be a part of, and that in and of itself is what made their passion so much more evident. We as believers must find a way to get back to that point where we aren't happy unless we are suffering for His name's sake. We must learn to take all of the conveniences of this Christian faith that we have developed and throw them out the window. Of course, we are fortunate to live in a society where going to jail for our faith may not be as likely as other times in history, but that does not excuse us from the responsibility to take this message that He has given us to the ends of the earth and not stop until the last breath of air has escaped from our lungs. God has given us one life here on earth and He didn't intend for us to waste it making sure that we die comfortably. If we are meant to die, we may as well do it for the One who gave His own life for us.

- Father, set Your church on fire again so that they may have a true passion for Your name. Help us not to be caught up in our own desires and comforts, but consume every area of our lives with Your fire. Show us what it means to be true followers of You and give us the strength to not quit until we are standing before Your throne -