Many people say that they love God, but they do not love Him as they love themselves. If their life is in danger, God and His laws are so easily forgotten. In danger, people act without thinking to save their lives. When Peter denied Jesus, he did not think nor reason it out. Suddenly he saw danger, and he had to save himself from it. People lie to save themselves from trouble, and this is what Peter did; three times he lied, saying that he did not know Jesus.

“And when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the hall, and were set down together, Peter sat down among them. But a certain maid beheld him as he sat by the fire, and earnestly looked upon him, and said, This man was also with Him. And he denied Him, saying, Woman, I know Him not. And after a little while another saw him, and said, Thou art also of them. And Peter said, Man, I am not. And about the space of one hour after another confidently affirmed, saying, Of a truth this fellow also was with Him: for he is a Galilaean. And Peter said, Man, I know not what thou sayest. And immediately, while he yet spake, the cock crew. And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny Me thrice. And Peter went out, and wept bitterly.” Luke 22:55–62

When a father becomes angry, thundering with a loud voice, “Who has broken my computer?”, then the little children, trembling, answer, “not me, not me.” They see danger, and the best way to save themselves from punishment is to lie.

In the time of war in World War 1, The Seventh-day Adventists decided to join the army, and fight in the war, and that also included on the Sabbath days. Their decision was a matter of survival. They saw a danger—prison and death before them.

People generally understand that money will allow them survival and security. Therefore, their eyes are constantly looking for opportunities to gain more money.

But, Jesus said something very different. “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. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for My sake shall find it. 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?” Matthew 16:24–26. Whosoever tries to save his own life here on earth will lose his life in heaven.

We are expecting a strong Sunday law to be enacted soon. How many Sabbath keepers will see a danger in it and start keeping Sunday as the day of worship instead of Sabbath? They will do this because there is the danger of prison or a death sentence. This happened on the island of Tonga, when the government made a law that religious services can only be conducted on Sundays; immediately the Seventh-day Adventists started to keep their meetings on Sundays.

Sometimes I have asked these questions during a Bible study—“Would you sacrifice your life for Christ? Would you rather die than commit a sin? Would you go to prison for Christ?” Normally the answer is, “Yes, I would sacrifice my life for Christ, and rather go to prison and to death than commit a sin.”

Peter said all this, “And he [Peter] said unto Him, Lord, I am ready to go with Thee, both into prison, and to death.” Luke 22:33. But, five hours later he denied Jesus, and said, “I do not know Him”, three times. In the time of our persecution, how many will be like Peter, and deny their faith?

We will be tested in the same way as Peter was tested. Jesus has given us an example as to how that will come upon us. “For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow His steps.”  1 Peter 2:21

What will come upon every faithful Christian? “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” 2 Timothy 3:12

Jesus said, “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated Me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.” John 15:18–19

“And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.” Hebrews 11:36–38

When you became a Christian, did you count on these trials to come upon you? We sing so beautifully, “All to Jesus, I surrender, All to Him I freely give.” Are we really willing to give all that we have to Jesus?

In the song, “A Mighty Fortress”, we sing in the fourth verse, “Let goods and kindreds go, This mortal life also; The body they may kill; God’s truth abideth still, His kingdom is for ever.”

Mrs. C.H. Morris, who was blind, wrote a beautiful gospel song, “Nearer, still nearer, close to Thy heart.” In the third verse, we read, “Nearer, still nearer, Lord, to be Thine; Sin, with its follies, I gladly resign, All of its pleasures, pomp and its pride; Give me but Jesus, my Lord crucified.” She did not ask for anything else, only give me Jesus, my Lord crucified.

Also, the prophets suffered affliction. “Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.” James 5:10

Suffering, disappointments, and sorrows are part of our life here, we cannot get away from them. Then, what must we do? The only thing to do is to learn to live with them. Accept them as part of our life, as something natural.

Isaiah writes of Jesus, “He is despised and rejected of men; a Man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from Him; He was despised, and we esteemed Him not. Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth: He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He openeth not His mouth.” Isaiah 53:3–7

If our Lord and Saviour had to suffer so much, should we complain if these sufferings come upon us also? It is a great sin to complain and murmur about God’s leading. “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28

All the sorrows and sufferings that God brings upon us are for our character development. Ancient Israel were complaining and murmuring, and God said, “Your carcases shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, which have murmured against Me.” Numbers 14:29

With all the trials, sorrows, and sufferings, can we still have joy and happiness? “As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.” 2 Corinthians 6:10

“It is ever God’s purpose to bring light out of darkness, joy out of sorrow, and rest out of weariness for the waiting, longing soul.” –Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, p. 216

I had a dream one night in which I was sentenced to death for my religion. As the officer took me to the place of execution, I talked to him about salvation, heaven, the love of God and God’s forgiveness. As we came to the place, I closed my eyes, and said my last prayer. But the strange thing was that I felt great happiness and joy that I could die for Him who died for me. Then I woke up; it was only a dream, but the joy and happiness lasted all throughout that day. If the martyrs felt this kind of joy and happiness in their dying moment, they did not suffer. Whatever comes upon you, as you continue on the way of God, give thanks to Him; it is all for your benefit.

Let not the love of Jesus be one-sided, from Him only to you; let us respond and show the same kind of love towards Him that He has shown to us. Let us walk the hardest road, following Him, and still having joy and happiness. Amen.

Timo Martin