Moody Media Latest Blog Entries

Idol Hunting

Dr. Erwin W. Lutzer (media@moodychurch.org)

Nor idolaters…will inherit the kingdom of God. 1 Corinthians 6:9–10

D.L. MOODY
It is clear that idolaters are not going to enter the kingdom of God. I may make an idol of my business; I may make an idol of the wife of my bosom; I may make idols of my children. I do not think you need go to heathen countries to find men guilty of idolatry. Anything that comes between me and God is an idol—anything—I don’t care what it is; business is all right in its place, and there is no danger of my loving my family too much if I love God more; but God must have the first place; and if He has not, then the idol is set up.

ERWIN LUTZER
John Calvin, a Swiss Reformer, said that the mind was an idol factory. We are constantly erecting idols in our hearts (Ezekiel 14:3). By nature, we are idolaters; we don’t have idols of wood and stone, but we do have idols of fame, fortune, and pleasure. The idol of technology has stolen our hearts and distracted us from what is most important. Our smartphones have taken us places on the internet where we would have never thought we’d go.
It’s easy to find out what your idol is. Number one: What do you think about most of the time when you have free time to think? And secondly: Who do you desire most to please? The answers to those questions may well be the idol(s) of your heart God needs to pluck from you.

The dearest idol I have known,
Whate’re that idol be,
Help me to tear it from thy throne,
And worship only thee.
—William Cowper

PRAYER
Father, let not an idol steal my affection for you; come to my aid and deliver me from its power!

REFLECTION QUESTIONS
What are the Idols in your life and how do you know they are Idols?

What are some steps you can take alongside confession to remove these idols in your life?

Point to Jesus

Dr. Erwin W. Lutzer (media@moodychurch.org) — Sat, 23 May 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. Matthew 5:16

D.L. MOODY
If a man has not grace to keep his temper, he is not fit to work for God. If he cannot live uprightly at home, he is not fit for God’s service; and the less he does the better. But if he can keep his temper, he can live uprightly at home, by the grace of God.

ERWIN LUTZER
Moody was concerned about our testimony before others. Yes, if we are short-tempered, we could drive people away from Christ rather than nudge them toward Him. We are to let our light shine in a dark world. The early church attracted some people because of their love, but their commitment to holiness repelled others. Jesus said that men, by nature, love darkness rather than light (John 3:19).
Some people will make up their minds about Christ based on their interaction with us. Christians must guard their testimony. Light gives us perspective. As a child on a farm, I would frequently run out in the fields after dark. I would often take a flashlight because I’d imagine things that weren’t there. Darkness can be terrifying, misleading, and dangerous.
Our world needs light. Today’s culture calls darkness light and light darkness. We have the privilege and responsibility of showing others that there is a light they can confidently follow—a light leading us to the reality of forgiveness and hope. Suicide is on the rise because of hopeless despair. Sadly, at the same time, many Christians are hiding their light, fearful of being canceled, ridiculed, or otherwise thought to be odd.
Let’s honestly answer these questions: Are we good representatives of Christ’s light in the lives of those who walk in darkness? What sin is keeping us from letting our light shine? Are we fearful, hesitant, and unprepared? Or, as Moody would say, “of a bad temper?”

PRAYER
Father, may I represent Christ without shame and without rancor. Let my temperament and attitude be pleasing in your sight.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS
In what specific areas of your daily interactions does your fleshly reaction most threaten to dim your Christian testimony?

How do we strike the faithful balance of being genuinely loving without diluting the truth that convicts?

Keeper of the Keys

Dr. Erwin W. Lutzer (media@moodychurch.org) — Fri, 22 May 2026 00:00:00 -0500

I will place on his shoulder the key of the house of David. He shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open. And I will fasten him like a peg in a secure place, and he will become a throne of honor to his father’s house. Isaiah 22:22–24

D.L. MOODY
There is one nail fastened in a sure place; and on it hang all the pitchers and all the cups. “Oh,” says one little cup, “I am so small and so black, suppose I were to drop!” “Oh,” says pitcher, “there is no fear of you; but I am so heavy, so very weighty, suppose I were to drop!” And a little cup says, “Oh, if I were only like the gold cup there, I should never fear falling.” But the gold cup answers, “It is not because I am a gold cup that I keep up, but because I hang upon the nail.”

ERWIN LUTZER
Christ is the nail that can hold up the greatest of sinners; He is also the one with the keys who determines the destiny of all who stand before Him for judgment.
While on a trip to Europe, my wife and I waited at a huge door in a castle. We could have tried to look through the keyhole or kick down the door. But then a man arrived with a big key. What we could not do, the keeper of the keys did in a few seconds. Yes, Christ is the One with authority to open and to close; to save and to judge. He holds the master key; all doors open, all doors close by His authority.
For Jesus, there are no closed doors. He can bring people to Himself even in closed countries. There is no room in the universe where Jesus Christ is excluded. There is no square inch on Planet Earth where Jesus Christ cannot come if He wills to do it.
Jesus is the Keeper of the keys. He is also the nail that is strong enough to hold all of His treasures.

PRAYER
Father, thank you for Jesus; help me to rest my life on Him for He is mighty in strength.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS
If there is "no square inch" where Jesus is excluded, which area of your life do you struggle to believe is truly under His control?

In the story of the castle door, the man with the key did what human effort could not. What "impossible" door are you waiting for the Lord to open right now?

The Father's Love

Dr. Erwin W. Lutzer (media@moodychurch.org) — Thu, 21 May 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Our Father. Matthew 6:9

D.L. MOODY
If you ask me why God should love us, I cannot tell. I suppose it is because He is a true Father. It is His nature to love; just as it is the nature of the sun to shine.

ERWIN LUTZER
What Moody doesn’t tell us here is that his own father was an alcoholic who died when Moody was about nine years old. Perhaps this is why the fact that God is our Heavenly Father was so precious to Moody. He didn’t have a father on Earth who loved him, but he did have a Father in heaven. As believers, God is indeed our Father. And as His children, we need discipline. Discipline doesn’t just mean punishment, it also means training. There are three different kinds of discipline. The first is preventative discipline. None of us realizes how many things God has prevented us from doing. How many traps along our path have we
avoided because He has brought some trial or diversion along our way? We could call the second type instructive discipline as in the case of
Job. It’s the hardships of life that teach us to trust God no matter what.
The third kind of discipline is retributive. That means we are taught through the consequences of our disobedience; we are, in effect, reaping what we have sown. We are learning the lesson that “the way of transgressors is hard” (Proverbs 13:15, KJV).
Why are we disciplined? God wants us to be more like His Son, Jesus Christ. As Hebrews 12:6 says, “For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.”

PRAYER
Father, thank you for your love which means you care for me, and discipline me for my good and for your glory.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS
Read Proverbs 13:24. In light of this verse, what do you think about God disciplining us?

How can viewing trials as discipline help us?

Growing Cheer

Dr. Erwin W. Lutzer (media@moodychurch.org) — Wed, 20 May 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body. Proverbs 16:24

D.L. MOODY
I remember hearing of a man in one of the hospitals who received a bouquet of flowers on behalf of the Flower Mission. He looked at the beautiful bouquet and said: “Well, if I had known that a bunch of flowers could do a fellow so much good, I would have sent some myself when I was well.” If people only knew how they might cheer some lonely heart and lift up some drooping spirit, or speak some word that shall be lasting in its effects for all coming time, they would be up and about it.

ERWIN LUTZER
James says, “The tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness” (3:6). The devil wants to control our tongues, to slander and lie. And Jesus reminds us, that “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:34). Our tongues can either speak with the anger of a fiery hell or the encouragement of our hope of heaven.
We must give God our tongues, which really means we are to give Him our hearts—the fountain where it all begins. Let us say, “God, you gave me this tongue. Help me to use it for wholesome words, words that build up, words that help, words that heal wounds rather than cause the wounds. Oh God, I surrender my tongue to you.” As Scripture says, “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying” (Ephesians 4:29, KJV).
We should use words that encourage and provide wise counsel. What words will you speak today? Words that help or words that hurt? Words that heal or words that tear apart?

PRAYER
Lord, forgive me for misusing my tongue; give me a peaceful and pure heart so that my tongue would speak words that bless and not curse.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS
What is the value of encouraging others?

Why should believers build others up with their words?

Already Yours

Dr. Erwin W. Lutzer (media@moodychurch.org) — Tue, 19 May 2026 00:00:00 -0500

The promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance. Ephesians 1:13–14

D.L. MOODY
A poor woman once told Rowland Hill that the way to heaven was short, easy, and simple; comprising only three steps—out of self, into Christ, and into glory. We have a shorter way now—out of self and into Christ. That way is the kingdom of heaven begun below—a little of what awaits us in glory.

ERWIN LUTZER
D.L. Moody’s preaching was characterized by simplicity, directness, and deep conviction. He used visual imagery, challenging both the unsaved and the Christians of his day. As far as he was concerned, we could have the assurance of heaven at this moment. The Bible agrees.
The full passage of Ephesians 1:13–14 says, “In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.”
At conversion, the Holy Spirit seals us. The imagery comes to us from ancient times when a king would seal a document by having it rolled up and then hot wax poured on it where the end of the parchment met the rolled paper. Then the king’s signet ring would be pressed into the hot wax to form the seal. The only one allowed to break the seal was either the king or the intended recipient of the document. In our case, the Holy Spirit is both the one who seals us and the only one who could break the seal. But He will not break the seal because we are “sealed for the day of redemption” (Ephesians 4:30).
Are you struggling spiritually? Thank God right now for the sealing of the Spirit, and trust Him to bring a bit of sunshine into your restless heart.

PRAYER
Father, thank you for sealing me with your Spirit, and grant me the assurance of my eternal destiny.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS
What is the inheritance that is coming to believers?

What implications should the sealing of the Holy Spirit have on your life?

Desperate, Delightful Prayer

Dr. Erwin W. Lutzer (media@moodychurch.org) — Mon, 18 May 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive. John 16:24

D.L. MOODY
It is related of a king that he gave one of his generals, who had pleased him, permission to draw any sum from his treasury. When the draft came in, the treasurer was incredulous, and yet fearfully paid the amount. Later, the treasurer conferred with the king, who confirmed the amount and replied, “Don’t you know that the general has honored me and my kingdom by making a large draft?” So we honor God by making a large draft on Him.

ERWIN LUTZER
D.L. Moody loved to quote verses having to do with prayer. He himself prayed with regularity and consistency. He knew that, for many people, only desperation drives us to prayer. God doesn’t always answer our prayers immediately; persistence is important. “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you” (Matthew 7:7). We are to keep on knocking. What God is saying is, “I want to stretch your faith. I want to develop your faith. I want to give you lots of needs so that you end up coming to me, realizing you need me more than you need answers to your needs.”
You and I know God sometimes says no to our prayers. At times like that, let us say with Job, “Though he slay, I will hope in him” (Job 13:15). I’ll trust Him when I get answers to prayer; I’ll also trust Him when I don’t get answers to prayer. And when we don’t see the answers, let us not become bitter, but rather find delight in God.
Don’t ever interpret the silence of God as the indifference of God.

PRAYER
Father, help me to lift my requests to you in faith and be satisfied with your response. What you give and what you withhold is your decision.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS
How you do respond to prayers where God’s response is “no?”

What do you think is the importance of prayer?

God in Us

Dr. Erwin W. Lutzer (media@moodychurch.org) — Sun, 17 May 2026 00:00:00 -0500

From of old no one has heard or perceived by the ear, no eye has seen a God besides you, who acts for those who wait for him. Isaiah 64:4

These things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. 1 Corinthians 2:10

D.L. MOODY
Most people say, “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard,” and they stop there. But see what the New Testament says, “God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit.” You see, the Lord has revealed them unto us: “For the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.”

ERWIN LUTZER
Let’s not interpret the above verse to say that we as individuals should expect to receive special revelations about our future heaven by the Holy Spirit. Rather, God, by His Spirit, revealed to Paul the glories of Christ which he then recorded for us in Scripture. But we as believers often do not enter into the blessings of the Spirit that are ours by faith.
If we had a better grasp of what awaits us in glory, if we could, for a moment, see the unseen and understand the glory that shall be revealed in us, we would live differently. Paul wrote the above words to encourage us, reminding us that we see through a glass darkly; but the day is coming when we shall see Him face to face (see 1 Corinthians 13:12).
Until then, Jesus has given us the gift of His presence. He said, “It is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you” (John 16:7). He went on to explain, “Right now, the Spirit is with you, but soon He is going to be in you.” Do you need guidance? The Spirit is there to guide you. Do you need strength to make it through today? Do you need an advocate with the Father? These needs and others are met by the Holy Spirit of God.
Take advantage of the Spirit’s availability and by faith receive His fullness for today.

PRAYER
Father, forgive me for all the times I have grieved the Holy Spirit.
Today, enable me to walk in the hope that awaits me.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS
How is the ministry of the Spirit different in this age compared to the Old Testament?

What does the ministry of the Holy Spirit in your life mean for you?

Dying to Live

Dr. Erwin W. Lutzer (media@moodychurch.org) — Sat, 16 May 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Death shall be no more. Revelation 21:4

D.L. MOODY
Someone said to a person dying: “Well, you are in the land of the living yet.” “No,” said he, “I am in the land of the dying, but I am going to the land of the living; they live there and never die.” Here and now is the land of sin and death and tears, but up yonder they never die. It is perpetual life; it is unceasing joy.

ERWIN LUTZER
Death is not really the enemy it appears to be on this side of the curtain. Is it mysterious and fearful? Yes! Entering that vast unknown? Yes! Hamlet wrestled with the possibility of suicide. And then he concluded, “For in that sleep of death what dreams may come, When we have shuffled off this mortal coil.”10 What he’s saying is, “I’d like to commit suicide, but perhaps what lies on the other side is worse than what I’m experiencing here.”
Contrast this with the words of Paul, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21). Hamlet said, “Live or die, I lose.” Paul said, “Live or die, I win.”
What lies on the other side for the believer? Death is fearsome; it is still our enemy. It ruptures relationships. It brings tears. It brings loneliness. It brings heartache. That’s on this side of the curtain. On the other side, there is happiness, bliss, being with Christ, being in His presence forever.
All of us want to live as long as we possibly can, but when God’s number strikes, when the moment comes for believers to enter into eternity, He will be there to meet us. He has gone ahead to prepare a place for us, and thus, death has lost its sting.

PRAYER
Father, when the time comes, give me the grace to die with the hope and anticipation of seeing you face to face.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS
What comes to your mind when you think about death?

What does God’s word say about death?

Grace that Keeps Us

Dr. Erwin W. Lutzer (media@moodychurch.org) — Fri, 15 May 2026 00:00:00 -0500

The law was our guardian until Christ came. Galatians 3:24

D.L. MOODY
Doctrines are like a street that leads me to God, just as a city street might lead me to a friend’s house for dinner. Doctrine shows me the right path, but if I remain on the street, my hunger will never be satisfied. Feeding on doctrines alone is like trying to live on dry husks; doctrine points the way, but it is not the end of the journey. Lean indeed must be the soul which will not partake of the Bread sent down from heaven.

ERWIN LUTZER
Yes, doctrine is intended to lead us to Christ. In today’s text, Paul emphasized that the law was not an end in itself, but rather points us to Christ. One day, William Randolph Hearst who loved paintings, insisted on having a certain work of art. His employees were asked to search for it and he would pay whatever the price might be. After several weeks he was told, “We have found what you want, and you don’t have to pay a single dime for it.” He was surprised. They said, “We found it in your own warehouse.”
We have the riches of Christ already in our possession. In Galatians, Paul keeps underscoring that we are not justified by the works of the law but by faith. Throughout the book, he keeps clarifying that the law was only a path, it was not the end of the journey. We are to walk in grace. We take strides against the devil in grace. We receive joy and hope through the grace given to us in Christ. To put it simply: The grace that saves us is the grace that keeps us.
So, again and again, we run to the only Person who is able to save us amid our need—Jesus Christ. “And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption” (1 Corinthians 1:30). Our “warehouse” is filled with the riches of Christ.

PRAYER
Father, help me to enter the grace given to me in Christ; teach me to claim the riches I already have in Him.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS
Read James 2:10. Why is it that no one can be saved through the law?

What is the role of grace in the Christian life? What is the role of Grace in your life?

Apart from a Miracle

Dr. Erwin W. Lutzer (media@moodychurch.org) — Thu, 14 May 2026 00:00:00 -0500

The LORD said to him, “What is that in your hand?” He said, “A staff.” Exodus 4:2

D.L. MOODY
Here was Moses, a weak, solitary man going down to Egypt to meet a monarch who had the power of life and death. And all he had with which to deliver the people from bondage was this rod! Yet see how famous that rod became. God’s servant had but to stretch it out and the water of the country was turned into blood. He had only to lift up the rod and the waters of the Red Sea separated so the people could pass through dry- shod. He lifted this rod and struck the flinty rock; when the water burst forth, they drank and were refreshed. But it was not the rod, it was the God of Moses, who condescended to use it.

ERWIN LUTZER
Yes, the rod of Moses became the rod of God! One day there was a tree growing in the desert, and one of its branches became a staff. This rod accompanied Moses for the rest of his life, becoming a symbol of his relationship with God. The power was not in the rod, but in the God who provided it for His servant.
When Moses was standing at the Red Sea, he faced a crisis. The Egyptians were behind him, the sea was in front of him, and there was difficult terrain on both sides. God led Moses to a tight place; he was exactly where God wanted him. But in that tight place, God provided a way of escape. Moses lifted the object he had acquired in the desert and God parted the sea.
There is a lesson here for us: Just as the staff became a constant reminder to Moses of his life in the desert, so it is with our desert experiences. We learn lessons in the desert that we will carry with us for the rest of our lives. What is in your hand? What did you learn during those hard times that you can use as you move forward in your walk as a Christian?

PRAYER
Father, thank you for being with me in my desert; help me to be reminded of your faithfulness.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS
What do you think it means that God condescends to interact with us?

What stands out to you the most about the story of Moses?

Our Relational Creator

Dr. Erwin W. Lutzer (media@moodychurch.org) — Wed, 13 May 2026 00:00:00 -0500

God is love. 1 John 4:8

D.L. MOODY
If I could only make men understand the real meaning of the words of the apostle John—“GOD IS LOVE”—I would take that single text, and would go up and down the world proclaiming the glorious truth. If you can convince a man that you love him, you have won his heart. If we could really make people believe that God loves them, how we should find them crowding into the kingdom of heaven! The trouble is that men think God hates them; and so they are continually turning their backs on Him.

ERWIN LUTZER
Yes, God is love, but today’s understanding of love is used to justify that which is evil. Love must be defined by the teachings of the Bible, “This is the love of God, that we keep his commandments” (1 John 5:3) and love “rejoices with the truth” (1 Corinthians 13:6). That being said, Moody’s preaching was a great example of someone who preached the love of God in almost every sermon. The love of God was Moody’s central theme.
The statement “God is love” reminds us that God is personal; it means that God invites us into fellowship with Him. Love has implications for companionship for the redeemed. In John 17, Jesus prayed that we might know that He loves us even as He is loved by the Father! And as He was loved by the Father in eternity past, so we also have been loved from all eternity.
The Westminster Shorter Catechism has it right. “Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him for ever.”9 This is the God who loved His own from all eternity.
And yes, because we have been loved, let us love one another.

PRAYER
Father, thank you for loving me from all eternity. Help me to know what it means to love you with all my heart, soul, and mind (Matthew 22:37).

REFLECTION QUESTIONS
How can you grow in your relationship with God

Why is the chief end of man to glorify God and enjoy Him forever?

The Faith to Believe God

Dr. Erwin W. Lutzer (media@moodychurch.org) — Tue, 12 May 2026 00:00:00 -0500

So take heart, men, for I have faith in God that it will be exactly as I have been told. Acts 27:25

D.L. MOODY
Faith is a belief in testimony. It is not a leap in the dark. God does not ask any man to believe without giving him something to believe. You might as well ask a man to see without eyes as to bid him believe without giving him something to believe.

ERWIN LUTZER
Faith is not a leap in the dark. There are plenty of reasons to believe in the promises of God, just as Paul did in today’s text. Paul’s faith was anchored in the character and promises of the Creator. Just as the Romans and sailors trusted Paul, we trust the testimonies about Jesus from the apostles and prophets.
The Bible’s dependability has been proven from archaeology, history, and science. Yet, this book is rejected by millions. This rejection typically stems from moral rather than intellectual objections. People prefer to believe that they were born good.
The message of the Bible, however, is that we are born sinners. We don’t need good advice; we need good news. It’s not enough for us to be helped, we must be rescued; we are not just sick, we are spiritually dead in our trespasses and sins.
The cross, as it is preached, is thought of as foolishness. But redemption in Christ is necessary for everyone. We need to humble ourselves, admit our spiritual helplessness, trusting Christ alone as our sin-bearer. We trust the testimony of God, the true object of our faith: “This is the testimony of God that he has borne concerning his Son” (1 John 5:9).

PRAYER
Father, I thank you that my faith in Christ was not a leap in the dark, but a leap into light. Today, I earnestly pray I might
share my faith with someone.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS
How would you describe faith, and how does that definition compare to Hebrews 11?

What is the role of faith in the life of the believer?

No Small Part

Dr. Erwin W. Lutzer (media@moodychurch.org) — Mon, 11 May 2026 00:00:00 -0500

You will be told what you are to do. Acts 9:6

D.L. MOODY
A man at sea was once very seasick. If there is a time when a man feels that he cannot do any work, it is then. But he heard that a man had fallen overboard. He couldn’t do much, but he laid hold of a light and held it up to the porthole. The light fell on the drowning man’s hand, and a man caught him and pulled him into the lifeboat. It seemed a small thing to do to hold up the light, yet it saved the drowning man’s life. We can do as much as that. If we cannot do some great thing, we can hold the light for some poor, perishing soul, who is out in the dark waters of sin.

ERWIN LUTZER
Every person can do something for God—no matter how seemingly insignificant. The same Holy Spirit who converted Paul on his way to Damascus is the same Holy Spirit who, 2,000 years later, converts people, saves them, transforms them, and then gifts them in the body. Some people are gifted as teachers or leaders, but others are helpers or prayer warriors. As long as you are alive, God has some place for you; there is light you can shine.
A friend of mine who died of cancer invited his neighbors and friends to visit him; at times it was an uncomfortable experience for him as well as for them. Visiting someone near death reminds us of our own mortality. But this dying man knew there was something he could do for God. In his suffering, he shared his faith; this was the light he shone on those who would otherwise die without Christ. Even a dying man has a ministry to fulfill.
Like Moody said, even a man who struggles with seasickness can find something to do. Our challenge: You and I both know someone we can point to the heavenly shore. Let us be a light in the dark, spiritual waters of our culture.

PRAYER
Father, rid me of excuses; help me to shine a light on someone’s life today!

REFLECTION QUESTIONS
How does keeping eternity in view help you overcome the fear of sharing the Gospel?

Who is the one person in your life right now who needs to be pointed toward the "heavenly shore," and what is one practical step you can take to reach them?

Let the Opposition Come

Dr. Erwin W. Lutzer (media@moodychurch.org) — Sun, 10 May 2026 00:00:00 -0500

No one will take your joy from you. John 16:22

D.L. MOODY
In the second century, they brought a martyr before a king, and the king asked him to recant and give up Christ, but the man spurned the thought. The king said, “If you don’t do it, I will banish you.” The man smiled and answered: “You can’t banish me from Christ. He says He will never leave me nor forsake me” (Hebrews 13:5). The king got angry and said: “Well, I will confiscate your property and take it all from you.” And the man replied: “My treasures are laid up on high; you cannot get them” (Matthew 6:20). The king became still more angry and said: “I will kill you.” “Why,” the man answered, “I have been dead forty years; I have been dead with Christ; dead to the world. My life is hidden with Christ in God, and you cannot touch it” (see Colossians 3:3).

ERWIN LUTZER
Don’t you wish we had the faith of a martyr? In Oxford, England, I stood at the place where three famous martyrs were burned at the orders of Mary Tudor (Bloody Mary). I thought of their heroism, their steadfast faith, and their refusal to recant though facing the terror of the hot flames. And, because sometimes the fire burned slowly, they died a slow, terrible, and excruciating death.
We probably will not have to face such a challenge, but we are faced with the reality of being canceled by friends and relatives, the loss of a job, or the vilification of a hostile culture. Will we ask, “How much will this cost me?” Or simply, “What is the right thing to do?”
We will likely never be martyrs, but we can imitate their faith and example (Acts 5:41).

PRAYER
Father, may I rejoice when I am counted worthy to suffer for you.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS
Does our faith rely on comfort, or are we prepared to stand firm when the "fire" of public opinion turns against us?

How can we cultivate a "martyr’s grit" to handle the long-term pressure of living in a culture that vilifies our values?