God grant that we all endure persecution when it comes..Bearmaster.
Zionshield: I do not ever remember hearing you, but I hear you today. Awesome insight and testimony."It's not difficult to see that the culture and the mood is swiftly ripening for persecution. The current administration has attempted the passage of laws that would cripple our ability to prevent their indoctrination of children and hinder our influence in their lives.".Zionshield." They've tried to end Christian radio and home schooling among other things. What a change if just these two things had passed. The spiritual war is so plain to see."...........It may be easy for you, but that is because you have "Ears to hear." Most are deaf and blind that claim to know Him. The difference comes in LOVING the truth, and receiving it, knowing that it must slay you.Thank you for your discerning insight.
"God grant that we all endure persecution when it comes.."Bearmaster....................................................Yes, the Bear:It is easy to express your bravery: harder to live it by a mile. My faithful ego is a liar. Reality in my heart is that I am more of a coward than a hero. How I need strength and grace....like the Sun shining.
It was studying the martyrs and reading Richard Wurmbrand's material early in my walk that helped me discern real Christianity from the false and of course preaching the Gospel and having my own experiences with religionists. I have received far more persecution from religionists than the world. Luke 6:26 Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets. When your "meat" is "to do the will of the Father", persecution comes to you. Pilgrim
Tom,Well said...All one has to do is read testimonies of people who have lived through times of persecution and you will see how God cared for them. He did not provide for them luxurious comforts or extravagant meals, but he was there giving hope, comfort and endurance - the kind that knew their eternal destination was very luxurious and extravagant. ______________________________________________________________QUOTE:He has never broken this promise to any who seek after Him.____________________________________________________________There is a wonderful book, still in print, by Helen Grace Lescheid titled "Lead, Kindly Light". Helen details the story of her mother whose family suffered persecution under the communists, WW2. This details life and survival with the risks, the tensions inherent to this stress. AND it also shares how God did provide for them. ginnyrose
_________________Sandra Miller
Good post brothertom,Some will have to flee others will be called to stand and be persecuted for the faith.Sometimes the apostle Paul fled, lowered in a basket, other times he went forward into certain persecution.Ac 21:11 And when he was come unto us, he took Paul's girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles. 12 And when we heard these things, both we, and they of that place, besought him not to go up to Jerusalem. 13 Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus. 14 And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done.
Thank you for your encouraging words. you can see the corealation between the famous words you quoted in the subject line and a sermon he preached 1/21/34 in London at a church he pastored."This path will lead right down into the deepest situation of human powerlessness. The follower becomes a laughingstock, scorned and taken for a fool, but a fool who is extremely dangerous to people's peace and comfort, so that he or she must be beaten, locked up, tortured, if not put to death right away."He was preaching about Jeremiah, but it would turn out to be prophetic about his own situation.
_________________Randy Lambert
"This path will lead right down into the deepest situation of human powerlessness. The follower becomes a laughingstock, scorned and taken for a fool, but a fool who is extremely dangerous to people's peace and comfort, so that he or she must be beaten, locked up, tortured, if not put to death right away." Zionshield on Bonehoffer...........................................The "follower":" These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb."In the end, whoever does follow the Lamb will be hunted for the above reason. I did not know that Bonehoffer was so aware of his pending martyrdom.[ Hitler had him executed 11 years later.]...Thanks for the insight Zionshield._________"All one has to do is read testimonies of people who have lived through times of persecution and you will see how God cared for them. He did not provide for them luxurious comforts or extravagant meals, but he was there giving hope, comfort and endurance - the kind that knew their eternal destination was very luxurious and extravagant."...........ginnyrose "Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:" 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."......Yet, they were provided for. Some with destitution, and affliction and some with martyrdom. This is the essential nature of overcoming, and all of us must face it, face to face. Some will overcome in peaceful death, entering in the Kingdom never-the-less. Some, as the thief on the cross, will receive extreme grace at the end of their torment.Some, who love Jesus more than anything or anyone must overcome the wrath of Satan and all Hell itself, fleeing, and yet enduring with the most meager provision, according to our life today.___________"And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.9 If any man have an ear, let him hear."________This is real, and apparent. I believe it is barreling down upon us, and it's seed is in Islam. There is a Caliphate forming from the Arab Spring, facilitated and empowered from a Muslim American President. The Muslim Brotherhood is waiting for the 12th Immam, which is the Christian anti-Christ. Islam is pure anti-Christ, and is sworn to behead everyone who refuses submission to Allah. They increase in power each day. I believe, as the Bible says, that 1/3rd of the Earth will die in a coming war which will create a FLAT-WORLD.__O__" Behold, the Lord maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof. And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest; as with the servant, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the lender, so with the borrower; as with the taker of usury, so with the giver of usury to him. The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for the Lord hath spoken this word. The earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world languisheth and fadeth away, the haughty people of the earth do languish. The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left!"Some will overcome by being translated on His Glorious Return and Gathering of His!.......but......"He who endures unto the END!...the SAME shall be saved!"..JesusWe must be willing to follow Him no matter the consequences....and OVERCOME!
Revekation 6:9When be opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the wotd of God and the testimony they had maintained.It is said every five minutes someone spills their blood for Jesus.Bearmaster.
It is said every five minutes someone spills their blood for Jesus."Bearmaster."It could never get that bad here`, right?; after all we rule the world. Been to the hunted church in China, where I heard testimonies about slain Pastors, but could not confirm. I do know that some are missing, or just fled, and they are very, very cautious towards any "Christian" westerner. I saw women leading, but then noticed male leaders observing from afar. Their lives are at stake, and the foreigner through foolishness may expose a true brother, so there is no money or names exchanged. In India the Muslims, [ 12% of population there ] are gaining confidence through sheer aggressive terror power, and have many denominational churches impotent. They refuse to tolerate any public witness of Christians, while they have a strategy of taking over the villages..[ 100,000 or more sometimes ] by liberating the untouchables by converting them to Islam.They approach the elders and families of, and come with money to give...to convert. Thus, a lowest caste Hindu who formerly could only clean your sewer lines, could now be educated and become a Muslim Doctor, or businessman. This is very appealing to those who could only carry hod, or sweep streets because of their life-long caste. In India both the Muslim and Hindi despise the Christian, with much persecution, and some unto death; even burned alive. It will not get better, but we might receive more glory along the way. This is the real and ancient consciousness, that Paul confronted; We hate you and you will die! mentality, and around the World, it is expanding.It is a sober world now, and the day of the exotic "Mission Trip" is over for good. Perilous times as Paul said.
