While listening to a Karen Peck recording about how it will feel to walk the streets of gold, I was challenged. One line in the song had to to do with meeting the saints. I immediately thought about what it will be like talking to David or Paul. My thinking went something like this: how will my part in a conversation with any of these saints go? “Brother Paul, I want you to know, I love your writings, and your teachings.” And I can imagine that Paul might say: “why brother Jerry you have an advantage here, you seem to know all about me, but I know very little about you. Just what have you done for Jesus and for the truth of His word and the gospel?

Will that be a question asked of us in that moment. The answer to that question will not be what got you and me onto the streets of Gold, but it just may effect who I am and who you are perceived to be, and thus our outlook possibly for an eternity.

Just what is our testimony?

Revelation 12:11 “And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death. (NASB)

I have come to realize that a testimony is only possible as I allow the Holy Spirit to direct my path in life.

It was long ago when in my young adult days that the Holy Spirit called me to seek after His understanding; His teaching me; His direction for my life. So if there has been anything in my life worthy of mention, it has been because of Him.

None of us therefore will have anything about which to boast. But I do believe that the extent to which we are rewarded by God, will mean a basing of that reward upon our obedience to His continual calling of us through His word and His Spirit.

Pride in ourselves is never and can never be the basis of our testimony in that obedience. Love as Paul has told us, is always to be our motivation. Love first for the Lord who has delivered us from the wrath to come, and love for our brethren secondly, and finally love for the world including our enemies.

And it is these enemies that I want us to think about. First we cannot truly love them without pointing out to them that they are our enemies because they are God’s enemy. Only then can we show our love to them by offering to them the path of escape from Gods wrath, which is provided us only through Christ’s sacrifice for us, who will receive it. But praying for those who spitefully use us is part of that love. And doing all this is part of our obedience.

In fact there are some enemies that we can only pray for, because we will never actually meet them, but we can pray without meeting them. They are men who make every attempt to destroy our way of life. These are spiritually deceived, they need a spiritual awakening a revival or wisdom and understanding. Our testimony can only reach persons with the ability to see and hear truth. Pray this for them, do not allow hate to cloud your own vision.