I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE LAMB
Persecution and martyrdom is not a popular subject and seldom does one hear of these afflictions from the main stream media. Yet on any given day, somewhere in the world a brother or sister in Christ is being persecuted and/or put to death for their faith in Jesus.
Matthew 16:24-26
24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
If you have not read “Foxe’s Book of Martyrs” I would encourage you to do so as it is a huge eye opener and incredible faith builder. I recommend an updated version because Middle English, as penned by John Foxe in 1563, is very difficult to read and understand. The copy rewritten by Harold J. Chadwick and published in 2001 by Bridge-Logos is good and has also been expanded to include recent martyrs in the 21st century.
Persecution has a way of separating true Christians from those who only give lip service to Jesus and I have often wondered how I would hold up if put to such a test. But this much I do know; God’s ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55:8-9), His strength is made perfect in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9-10), He will never leave or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5-6) and whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord
(Romans 14:8).
I have heard how Christians long ago
Were brought before a tyrant’s throne
And they were told that he would spare their lives
If they would renounce the name of Christ
But one by one they chose to die
The Son of God they would not deny
Like a great angelic choir sings
I can almost hear their voices ring
Were brought before a tyrant’s throne
And they were told that he would spare their lives
If they would renounce the name of Christ
But one by one they chose to die
The Son of God they would not deny
Like a great angelic choir sings
I can almost hear their voices ring
I pledge allegiance to the Lamb
With all my strength
With all I am
I will seek to honor His commands
I pledge allegiance to the Lamb
With all my strength
With all I am
I will seek to honor His commands
I pledge allegiance to the Lamb
Now the years have come and the years have gone
But the cause of Jesus still goes on
And now our time has come to count the cost
To reject this world, to embrace the cross
And one by one let us live our lives
For the One who died to give us life
Till the trumpet sounds on the final day
Let us proudly stand and boldly say
But the cause of Jesus still goes on
And now our time has come to count the cost
To reject this world, to embrace the cross
And one by one let us live our lives
For the One who died to give us life
Till the trumpet sounds on the final day
Let us proudly stand and boldly say
I pledge allegiance to the Lamb
With all my strength
With all I am
I will seek to honor His commands
I pledge allegiance to the Lamb
With all my strength
With all I am
I will seek to honor His commands
I pledge allegiance to the Lamb
To the Lamb of God who bore my pain
Who took my place, who wore my shame
I will seek to honor His commands
I pledge allegiance to the Lamb
Who took my place, who wore my shame
I will seek to honor His commands
I pledge allegiance to the Lamb
~ Lyrics and Music ~ Ray Boltz
Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Blessings to you in 2012 and keep looking up; Jesus is coming soon!
Until That Day…
Romans 8:35-39
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
[All Scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version of the Holy Bible]
