Verse from Romans

唯有基督在我们还作罪人的时候为我们死，神对我们的爱就在此显明了。(罗马书 5:8)

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)

Real love has a lot to do with sacrifice.

That idea is in line with the wisdom of the Bible. In the Scriptures there are several Greek words for love but the highest form is agape love—love that is defined and driven by self-sacrifice. Nowhere is this more true than in the love our heavenly Father has shown us in Christ. We are deeply valued by Him.

If sacrifice is the true measure of love, there could be no more precious gift than Jesus: “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son” (John 3:16).

The measure of love is what you are willing to give up for it.

Verse from Proverbs

惧怕人的，陷入网罗；惟有倚靠耶和华的，必得安稳。(箴言 29:25)

Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe. (Proverbs 29:25)

Fear is such a paralyzing emotion. It robs us vitality, decision making ability, and strength. Courage helps us step out of fear's paralysis and turn its nervous edge into power. But this kind of courage comes to us fully only when we know that all Satan and his allies can really have of us is our bodies. He cannot take our mind, our attitude, our faith, and most of all, he cannot take our relationship with God given to us through Jesus.

Verses from Jeremiah and Psalm

你们所怕的巴比伦王，你们不要惧怕他；你们不要惧怕他 ，因为我与你们同在，要拯救你们，要搭救你们脱离他的手。我要向你们施怜悯，他也会怜悯你们，使你们归回自己的土地。’(耶利米书 42:11-12)

耶和华是我的亮光，是我的救恩，我还怕谁呢？耶和华是我性命的避难所，我还惧谁呢？(诗篇 27:1)

Do not be afraid of the king of Babylon, whom you now fear. Do not be afraid of him, declares the Lord, for I am with you and will save you and deliver you from his hands. I will show you compassion so that he will have compassion on you and restore you to your land.’ (Jeremiah 42:11-12)

The Lord is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid? (Psalm 27:1)

The prophet Jeremiah talked about the difference between real and imagined fears. A group of his Jewish countrymen asked him to find out whether the Lord wanted them to stay in Jerusalem or return to Egypt for safety because they feared the king of Babylon (Jer. 42:1-3). Jeremiah told them that if they stayed and trusted God, they didn’t need to be afraid (vv.10-12). But if they returned to Egypt, the king of Babylon would find them (vv.15-16).

In a world of real dangers, God had given Israel reason to trust Him in Jerusalem. He had already rescued them from Egypt. Centuries later, the long-awaited Messiah died for us to deliver us from our own sin and fear of death. May our Almighty God show us today how to live in the security of His shadow, rather than in shadowy fears of our own making.

Trust when your skies are darkening,

Trust when your light grows dim,

Trust when the shadows gather,

Trust and look up to Him. —Anon.

Under the protecting shadow of God’s wing, the little shadows of life lose their terror.

Verse from Leviticus

不可报复，也不可向你的族人怀恨，却要爱你的邻舍好象爱自己；我是耶和华。(利未记 19:18)

“‘Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord. (Leviticus 19:18)

Hanging on to bitterness and keeping alive grudges is consuming work. It leaves little energy for blessing others, praising God, or enjoying life. The only way to get over a bitter heart toward others is to actively love and serve them in ways that bless their lives. 

Remember, holding bitterness and keeping alive grudges doesn't cause others to suffer, you are the one who suffers in the end. 

Verse from Luke

我告诉你们，因为一个罪人悔改，天上也要这样为他欢乐，比为九十九个不用悔改的义人欢乐更大。(路加福音 15:7)

I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent. (Luke 15:7)

The angels rejoice because someone has been adopted into God’s family.” Indeed, it is a picture of the joy of heaven when someone new joins God’s forever family by faith in Christ.

Praise God that He has adopted us into His family. No wonder the angels rejoice!

The One who made the heavens,

Who died on Calvary,

Rejoices with His angels

When one soul is set free. —Fasick

Angels rejoice when we repent.

blessings from God!

thank God for
1) supportive parents who have been constantly showing me what it means to have God as our first love
2) parents who lead by example to be faithful to the Lord
3) the opportunity to learn to live by myself in Australia, and learn to cook etc (skills that are important for setting up my own family in the future)
4) sending blessings to me from my beloved brothers and sisters and close friends etc (you guys know who you are and I love you guys too!)
5) sending me miracles after miracles, what seems to be impossible and scary at times, He has shown His faithfulness to me again and again
6) putting wonderful brothers and sisters in Christ around me for support all these while (you guys know who you are)
7) providing me a part time job here which is really great, I have learnt and still learning skills on making delicious and yummy sushi, all sorts of sushi
8) giving me opportunities to serve Him here in church and in cell groups and in overseas christian fellowship in Monash University.
9) giving me opportunities to bless people wherever I go, and showing people His wondrous grace and mercy and love in my life!
and
10) most importantly, His amazing, unfailing and never ending love and faithfulness, mercy and grace!

I am thankful throughout my life, my ups and downs and for the rest of my life, for eternity, I have my precious Savior, the King of the Universe who is also my Heavenly Father, Wonderful Friend and Brother by my side, walking with me all the way! <3

Verses from Hebrews

因为我们知道谁说过：“伸冤在我，我必报应。”又说：“主必定审判他自己的子民。”落在永活的神手里，真是可怕的。(希伯来书 10:30-31)

For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge his people.” It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. (Hebrews 10:30-31)

God hates injustice, unfairness, brutality and abuse. In a world where the greedy, the murdering, the thieving, the raping, the mugging... get away with their shameless and despicable behavior, God is the ultimate assurance that justice will be done and the wicked will not triumph. While those who love and serve Jesus' expect his return with anticipation and joy, those who are evil and vile will find out what a dreadful thing it is to fall into God's hands.

Verses from Philippians

应当毫无忧虑，只要凡事借着祷告祈求，带着感恩的心，把你们所要的告诉神。这样，神所赐超过人能了解的平安，必在基督耶稣里，保守你们的心思意念。(腓立比书 4:6-7)

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)

Oswald Chambers wrote: “We tend to use prayer as a last resort, but God wants it to be our first line of defense. We pray when there’s nothing else we can do, but God wants us to pray before we do anything at all.”

At its root, prayer is simply a conversation with God, spoken in the expectation that God hears and answers. Prayer should not be a last resort. In His Word, God encourages us to engage Him in prayer (Phil. 4:6).

For those who have experienced the power of the Almighty, our first inclination often will be to cry out to Him. Nineteenth-century pastor Andrew Murray said: “Prayer opens the way for God Himself to do His work in us and through us.”

Pray first!

Verse from Titus

不可毁谤人，要与人无争，谦恭有礼，向众人表现充分温柔的心。(提多书 3:2)

to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone. (Titus 3:2)

Being considerate is a good motto to live by and is possible as we depend on the Lord. And it is one way to model Christ and demonstrate to the world that Jesus saves and transforms lives.

Your witness is only as strong as your character.

Verses from Psalm

神啊！求你鉴察我，知道我的心思；试验我，知道我的意念。看看我里面有甚么恶行没有，引导我走永恒的道路。(诗篇 139:23-24)

Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. (Psalm 139:23-24)

We clean up the outside of our lives hoping that no one will look into the “closet” where we have hidden our sins by rationalization and excuses and by blaming others for our own faults.

The problem is that while looking good on the outside, we remain well aware of the mess on the inside. Let’s invite Him to inspect and cleanse every corner of our lives.

Lord, 

forgive me for looking good on the outside while attempting to hide my faults and failings. 

I desire for You to cleanse my life so that I may walk with You in full integrity.

We can own up to our wrongs— because we can’t hide them from God anyway.

Verse from Psalm

我到哪里去躲避你的灵？我往哪里去逃避你的面呢？(诗篇 139:7)

Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? (Psalm 139:7)

We do not know what the future holds for us or those we love. We too may descend into the darkness of mental illness, Alzheimer’s, or dementia as we age. But even there the Lord’s hand will lead us and His right hand will hold us tight (v.10). We cannot get away from His love and personal care.

God knows each winding way I take,

And every sorrow, pain, and ache;

And me He never will forsake—

He knows and loves His own. —Bosch

Jesus loves me. This I know.

We cannot separate ourselves from Him. This is the same idea that Paul elaborates on in his letter to the church in Rome: “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 8:38-39). These verses not only point out that nothing can separate us from His presence, they also beautifully state that nothing can keep us from God’s love.

Verse from Luke

我来不是要召义人，而是要召罪人悔改。”(路加福音 5:32)

I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” (Luke 5:32)

It’s easy to give the impression of being virtuous; simply do nothing difficult, controversial, or upsetting to people. But Jesus said we are to love people who don’t agree with us, who don’t share our values, who don’t even like us. Love requires that we get involved in the messy situations of people’s lives. Jesus was frequently in trouble with religious leaders who were more concerned about keeping their own reputations clean than they were about the spiritual condition of those they were supposed to care for. They considered Jesus and His disciples unclean for mingling with sinners when they were simply trying to rescue people from their destructive way of life (Luke 5:30-31).

True disciples of Jesus are willing to risk their own reputations to help others out of the mire of sin.

Dear Lord, 

give me a heart of compassion for

those who are lost in sin. 

Help me not to be concerned about what others think of me but

only that Your holy name will be honored.

Christ sends us out to bring others in. 

Verse from Proverbs

回答柔和，使怒消退；言语暴戾，触动怒气。(箴言 15:1)

A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. (Proverbs 15:1)

The tragedy of war is staggering, yet our relationships and families can begin to fracture with only a few hateful words. James wrote, “See how great a forest a little fire kindles!” (James 3:5).

On July 28, 1914, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia in response to the assassination of Archduke Francis Ferdinand and his wife, Sophie. Within 90 days, other European countries had taken sides to honor their military alliances and pursue their own ambitions. A single event escalated into World War I, one of the most destructive military conflicts of modern time.

A small comment can start a large fight. When we, by God’s grace, choose not to retaliate with our words, we honor Jesus our Savior. When He was abused and insulted, He fulfilled the prophetic words of Isaiah, “He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth” (Isa. 53:7).

Proverbs urges us to speak the truth and seek peace through our words. “A wholesome tongue is a tree of life, . . . and a word spoken in due season, how good it is!” (15:4,23).

A careless word may kindle strife,

A cruel word may wreck a life;

A timely word may lessen stress,

A loving word may heal and bless. —Anon.

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love.

Verses from Matthew

「所以，凡听见我这话就去行的，好比一个聪明人，把房子盖在磐石上；雨淋，水冲，风吹，撞着那房子，房子总不倒塌，因为根基立在磐石上。凡听见我这话不去行的，好比一个无知的人，把房子盖在沙土上；雨淋，水冲，风吹，撞着那房子，房子就倒塌了，并且倒塌得很大。」(马太福音 7:24-27)

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” (Matthew 7:24-27)

The right foundation makes the difference between something that lasts and something temporary. Jesus knew that though foundations are invisible, they are vitally important to the strength and stability of the house (Matt. 7:24-25), especially when it is battered by the elements. He also knew the hearts of His listeners. They would be tempted to take the easy way, find shortcuts, or do things by halves to gain their objectives.

Other foundations may be quicker and easier. Building our lives on the right foundation is hard work, but God’s truth is the only bedrock worth building on. When the storms of life hit, houses built on and held together by Him stand firm.

Verses from Ecclesiastes

二人胜过一人，因为他们一起的劳碌有美好的酬报。如果一个跌倒，另一个可以把他的同伴扶起来。但一人孤身跌倒，没有别人把他扶起来，他就悲惨了。(传道书 4:9-10)

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10)

In the novel Shane, a friendship forms between Joe Starrett, a farmer on the American frontier, and Shane, a mysterious man who stops to rest at the Starrett home. The men first bond as they work together to remove a giant tree stump from Joe’s land. The relationship deepens as Joe rescues Shane from a fight and Shane helps Joe improve and guard his farmland. The men share a sense of mutual respect and loyalty that reflects what Scripture says above.

You have a genuine friend in Jesus if you have accepted His offer of salvation—a friend who is always loyal; one who lifts you when you stumble. He has shown you the greatest love one friend can have for another—love that led Him to sacrifice His life for you (John 15:13).

Jesus is your most trusted Friend.

Verse from Jonah

说： 我遭遇患难求告耶和华， 你就应允我； 从阴间的深处呼求， 你就俯听我的声音。 (约拿书 2:2)

“In my distress, O Lord, I called to you, and you answered me. From deep in the world of the dead I cried for help, and you heard me. (Jonah 2:2)

When God asked Jonah to do something he didn’t want to do, he ran in the opposite direction. But he found out pretty quickly there is no place God couldn’t find him. In fact, Scripture is full of stories of God finding people when they didn’t necessarily want to be found (Ex. 2:11–3:6; 1 Kings 19:1-7; Acts 9:1-19).

Maybe you have tried to hide from God, or maybe you think even God can’t see you. Please know this: If God sees and hears the prayer of a rebellious prophet in the belly of a big fish, then He sees and hears you wherever you are, whatever you’ve done. But that’s nothing to be afraid of. It’s actually a great comfort. He’s always there, and He cares!

Verse from Psalms

我们的列祖倚靠你，他们倚靠你，你就救他们。(诗篇 22:4)

In You our fathers trusted; They trusted and You delivered them. (Psalms 22:4)

We may seem to be traveling on a smooth pathway. Then for some reason, God redirects us into an unfamiliar area. Perhaps it is an illness, or a crisis at work or school, or an unexpected tragedy occurs. We don’t understand what God is doing.

Abraham faced a mysterious detour when God told him, “Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house” (Gen. 12:1). Surely Abraham must have wondered why God was routing him to the Negev desert. But he trusted God and His good purposes.

A GPS may make mistakes, but we can trust our unfailing God (Ps. 22:4). He will guide us through all our mysterious detours and lead us where He wants us to go.

We seek Your guidance, Lord, 

but we understand that our path won’t always be without challenges.

Help us to trust You through the detours—

knowing that You have our best interests and Your honor at heart.

We don’t need to see the way when we stay close to the One who does.

Verse from Matthew

耶稣听见了，就说：“健康的人不需要医生，有病的人才需要，(马太福音 9:12)

On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. (Matthew 9:12)

Taking God’s assignment seriously means that we must learn to look at the world upside down, as Jesus did. Instead of seeking out people with resources who can do us favors, we look for people with few resources. Instead of the strong, we find the weak; instead of the healthy, the sick. Instead of the spiritual, the sinful. Is not this how God reconciles the world to Himself?

Do you see a needy world through the eyes of Jesus?

Verse from Proverbs

一句话说得合宜，就如金苹果在银网子里。(箴言 25:11)

Like apples of gold in settings of silver Is a word spoken in right circumstances. (Proverbs 25:11)

You may have heard the adage, “Timing is everything.” According to the Bible, good timing applies to our words and speech too. Think of a time when God used you to bring a timely word to refresh someone, or when you wanted to speak, but it was wiser for you to remain silent.

The Bible says that there is an appropriate time to speak (Eccl. 3:7). Solomon compared properly timed and well-spoken words with golden apples in a silver setting—beautiful, valuable, and carefully crafted (Prov. 25:11-12). Knowing the right time to speak is beneficial for both the speaker and hearer, whether they are words of love, encouragement, or rebuke. Keeping silent also has its place and time. When tempted to deride, belittle, or slander a neighbor, Solomon said that it is wise to hold our tongue, recognizing the appropriate time for silence (11:12-13). When talkativeness or anger tempts us to sin against God or another human being, resistance comes by being slow to speak (10:19; James 1:19).

It’s often hard to know what to say and when to say it. The Spirit will help us to be discerning. He will help us use the right words at the right time and in the right manner, for the good of others and for His honor.

Heavenly Father, 

thank You for using others to speak words of encouragement and challenge to me. 

Help me to be wise in how and when my words or my silence may be helpful to someone else.

Timely words are works of art.

Verse from Matthew

Verse from Romans

不要效法这个世界，只要心意更新而变化，叫你们察验何为上帝的善良、纯全、可喜悦的旨意。(罗马书 12:2)

Do not conform yourselves to the standards of this world, but let God transform you inwardly by a complete change of your mind. Then you will be able to know the will of God — what is good and is pleasing to him and is perfect. (Romans 12:2)

I’m thankful for the ways You’re changing me,

Lord. Help me to be open to You and to cooperate with Your work in me.

Transform me to be like You.

God takes us as we are but never leaves us that way.

Verse from Proverbs

恨能挑起纷争，爱能遮掩一切过失。(箴言 10:12)

Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers over all wrongs. (Proverbs 10:12)

Verse from John

我把这些事告诉你们，是要使你们在我里面有平安。在世上你们有患难，但你们放心，我已经胜了这世界。”(约翰福音 16:33)

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

In the midst of troubles, peace can be found in Jesus. 

Verse from Psalm

唯独等候神，我的心才有安息；因为我的盼望是从他而来的。(诗篇 62:5)

For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him. (Psalm 62:5)

Cha Sa-soon, a 69-year-old Korean woman, finally received her driving license after 3 years of trying to pass the written test. She wanted the license so she could take her grandchildren to the zoo.

She was persistent in what is normally an instant world. When we want something and cannot get it, we often complain and demand. At other times, we give up and move on if what we want cannot be quickly gratified. “Wait” is a word we hate to hear! Yet, many times the Bible tells us that God wants us to wait on Him for the right timing.

Waiting on God means patiently looking to Him for what we need. David recognized why he had to wait on the Lord. First, his salvation came from Him (Ps. 62:1). He learned that no one else could deliver him. His only hope was in God (v.5), for God alone hears our prayers (v.8).

Our prayers often revolve around asking God to hurry up and bless what we want to do. What if God’s answer to us is simply, “Be patient. Wait upon Me”? We can trust His response, even if it doesn’t come in the time we expect.

When we call out to You, O Lord,

And wait for answers to our prayer,

Give us the patience that we need

And help us sense Your love and care. —Sper

The bottom line of every prayer should be, “Your will be done.”

Verse from Ephesians

所以，你们该效法上帝，好像蒙慈爱的儿女一样。(以弗所书 5:1)

Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children (Ephesians 5:1)

Would those around us recognize that He is in residence based on the way we live? If He is within us, that will show on the outside.

let’s fly the flag of His presence—the flag of His grace, righteousness, and love—so that others may see Him through us.

Verse from Jeremiah

然而，耶和华与我同在，好像甚可怕的勇士。因此，逼迫我的必都绊跌，不能得胜；他们必大大蒙羞，就是受永不忘记的羞辱，因为他们行事没有智慧。(耶利米书 20:11)

But the Lord is with me like a mighty warrior; so my persecutors will stumble and not prevail. They will fail and be thoroughly disgraced; their dishonor will never be forgotten. (Jeremiah 20:11)

God did not desert Jeremiah, and He will not desert us. We have His continual aid through the power of the Spirit who lives inside every believer (John 14:16-17). The Helper gives us hope (Rom. 15:13), steers us toward spiritual truth (John 16:13), and pours out God’s love in our hearts (Rom. 5:5). We can trust that God faithfully helps us as we endure hardship. We can say with Jeremiah, “The Lord is with me as a mighty, awesome One” (Jer. 20:11).

You, God, have been our help forever.

And You are our hope now and into eternity.

We thank You that You will never desert us.

You will be faithful.

Our greatest hope here below is help from God above. 

Verse from Psalm

我必安然躺下睡觉，因为独有你—耶和华使我安然居住。(诗篇 4:8)

In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety. (Psalm 4:8)

Give me a spirit of peace, dear Lord,

Midst the storms and the tempests that roll,

That I may find rest and quiet within,

A calm buried deep in my soul. —Dawe

Only God can give u the peace in the midst of the storms in your life. 

http://youtu.be/O6Fw8DgvTQA

Verse from Psalm

你们要称谢耶和华，因他本为善；他的慈爱永远长存。(诗篇 136:1)

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. His love endures forever. (Psalm 136:1)

More than ever, we live in a disposable culture. Think for a minute about some of the things that are made to be thrown away—razors, water bottles, lighters, paper plates, plastic eating utensils. Products are used, tossed, and then replaced.

This disposable culture is also reflected in more significant ways. Many times true commitment in relationships is seen as optional. Marriages struggle to survive. Long-term employees are discharged just before retirement for cheaper options. A highly revered athlete leaves to join another team. It seems as if nothing lasts.

Our unchanging God, however, has promised that His loving mercy endures forever. In Psalm 136, the singer celebrates this wonderful promise by making statements about God’s wonder, work, and character. He then punctuates each statement about God with the phrase, “For His mercy endures forever.” Whether it is the wonder of His creation (vv.4-9), the rescue of His people (vv.10-22), or His tender care for His own (vv.23-26), we can trust Him because His mercy will never fail. In a temporary world, the permanence of God’s mercy gives us hope. We can sing with the psalmist, “Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever” (v.1).

God’s grace is immeasurable; His mercy inexhaustible; His peace inexpressible.

Verse from Proverbs

遮掩别人过犯的，得到人的喜爱；屡次提起别人过错的，离间亲密的朋友。(箴言 17:9)

Whoever would foster love covers over an offense, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends. (Proverbs 17:9)

"It's just a little harmless gossip." The Wise Teacher reminds us that gossip is neither little or harmless. Its consequences are huge and its damage horrible. Instead, it is much better to be a peacemaker and an offense mender.

Verse from Mark

耶稣起来，斥责了风，又对海说：“不要作声！安静吧！”风就停止，大大地平静了。(马可福音 4:39)

He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. (Mark 4:39)

Life can feel like a storm—tossing us around with winds of misfortune, grief, or stress. Where can we turn? When Jesus’ disciples were caught in a great windstorm and wondered if He cared, they still knew where to turn. He demonstrated His power by calming the howling storm (Mark 4:38-39).

But often He does not calm the storm immediately. And, like the disciples, we may feel that He doesn’t care. To calm our fears, we can cling to faith in who God is and what He can do. We can take shelter in Him (Ps. 91:1). We can find His help to relate to others with grace. We can rest in an all-powerful, all-wise, and all-loving God. He is with us in the storm and cradles us through the storm.

Verse from Philippians

因为你们蒙恩，不但得以信服基督，并要为他受苦。(腓立比书 1:29)

For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him, (Philippians 1:29)

When we read the book of acts, we find the disciples overjoyed at suffering "for the sake of the name." The truth of our commitment is often best shown to the skeptical when we are "under fire." So let's keep our character when under attack and rejoice, because we have seen in Jesus what happens when God's children are faithful even at the cost of their lives.