What does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in obedience to him, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul? Deuteronomy 10:12
Antipas (c. 92)
“My faithful witness”
Antipas was a disciple of the apostle John. During the reign of the Roman Emperor Domitian he was roasted to death in a bronze bull at Pergamum (in modern-day Turkey), where he was a leader of the church.
John mentions Antipas in Revelation 2:13, in the letter to the Church in Pergamum: “…even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city.”
“Not called!” did you say? “Not heard the call,” I think you should say. Put your ear down to the Bible, and hear Him bid you go and pull sinners out of the fire of sin. Put your ear down to the burdened, agonised heart of humanity, and listen to its pitiful wail for help. Go stand by the gates of hell, and hear the damned entreat you to go to their father’s house and bid their brothers and sisters, and servants and masters not to come there. And then look Christ in the face, whose mercy you have professed to obey, and tell him whether you will join heart and soul and body and circumstances in the march to publish his mercy to the world.
William Booth (1829-1912)
Glory to thee, O God, for all thy saints in light,
Who nobly strove and conquered in the well fought fight,
Their praises sing who life outpoured
By fire and sword for Christ their king.
Thanks be to thee, O Lord, for saints thy Spirit stirred
In humble paths to live the life and speak thy word.
Unnumbered they, whose candles shine
To lead our footsteps after thine.
Howard Charles Adie Gaunt (1902-1983)