How Far Are You Willing To Go

23 Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one--I am talking like a madman--with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death. 24 Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; 26 on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; 27 in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. 28 And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches. 29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to fall, and I am not indignant? 30 If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. 31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, he who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying. ~ 2 Corinthians 11:23-31 Here it is again in my daily devotion this same passage that we covered in Pastor Timothy Lawson message this past Sunday. I love it when God starts putting the same scripture in front of me over a period of time. What I am seeing here is how much Paul suffered for Christ, how much hardship he endured to bring the Gospel to a people who desperately needed it but did now what to hear it. This message from Paul really parallels our world today. The question that keeps coming to my mind is, how many of us personally knows someone who has suffered this much to bring the Gospel to anyone? I know people who have gone through human trials, sickness, the death of a loved one, financial hardships, etc., but not the life threatening trials Paul suffered to bring the Gospel to people. Do you know there are people who are suffering and dying every day to teach and preach and make disciples? Visit http://www.persecution.com/ or http://www.prisoneralert.com/ this is two places where you can read about and support people who do just that. Pastor Tim talked about getting out of our comfort zones to bring the Gospel to the world. My question to you is, are you will to suffer for Christ? If so how far are you willing to go? Amen <><