The Lord Jesus sends trials and persecution our way to help us grow. However, we will only grow if we respond to persecution in the right way. If we respond the right way, we'll grow closer to the Lord Jesus Christ and shine our light. If we respond the wrong way, it may destroy our testimony for our King. So let's look at the ways we shouldn't respond to the persecution that hits us:
1. Fear: We shouldn't act like cowards in the face of the persecutors. Fear will cause people to ultimately leave the faith, as was happening in Pakistan at the beginning of the year. Peter says, But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you are blessed. "And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled (I Peter 3:14)."
2. Compromise: We shouldn't take our beliefs and mix it with other beliefs when the going gets tough. It shows that we are unfaithful to our God.
3. Retaliation: As Christians we have specific commands from our Savior to avoid calling for revenge against our persecutors. We are leave vengeance up to our God Savior.
4. Apostasy: And of course, we should not leave Christianity we face persecution. Our Savior said that we would be persecuted for his sake, so we shouldn't leave at the first sign of it coming.
Responding in any of those ways, would damage our testimony for Christ greatly. I've just highlighted the ways a Christian shouldn't respond to persecution. Now it's time to show how are to respond when persecution comes our way:
1. Fearlessness and bravery: If fear is a wrong way of responding to persecution, then fearlessness and bravery are the right to respond to persecution. If we get executed for our faith we should face our execution with fearlessness and never be ashamed of the gospel.
2. Endurance- The scriptures tell us over and over again to endure persecution like a beating drum, whether it be insults or beatings.
3. Perseverance- If we persevere through our persecution, God will give us a crown of life. We are also told that the testing of our faith brings perseverance (James 1:2).
I pray that the Lord Jesus will give us Christians, the strength to respond to our persecution in positive ways and avoid negative ways of responding. I pray that we do that so that we win others to Christ and glorify Him.
Showing posts with label The Face of Persecution. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Face of Persecution. Show all posts
Monday, August 1, 2011
Sunday, July 17, 2011
My thoughts on today's Sermon
So I just got home from church and doing a lot of errands and I just wanted to do a post on something the Pastor was saying to us in church. He was talking about planting a seed and reaping the results. During the sermon he mentioned Mark 10:29-30 where My Savior says:
“Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life.
I think of many people- namely Muslims- who have been disowned by their families, for deciding to turn from Islam to the Lord Jesus Christ (in actuality, the cost for leaving Islam is suppose to be death, but if the Muslim family is not faithful to the teachings of Muhammad he or she will be disowned from the family). People like Malak Sabri Alkanani and Negeen Mayel, have turned from Muhammad to the Lord Jesus Christ. As a result they have received much more in this present age, one of those things being a much HUGER family than the one they were apart of (that family, of course, is the family of God which extends to every continent and consists of millions, if not billions of adherents).
I think the reason our Savior promises such a reward for leaving your family to follow Him is because it shows that you love him more than anything else on this earth. Jesus is suppose to have preeminence above everything on this earth, since He's the reason we exist.
“Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life.
I think of many people- namely Muslims- who have been disowned by their families, for deciding to turn from Islam to the Lord Jesus Christ (in actuality, the cost for leaving Islam is suppose to be death, but if the Muslim family is not faithful to the teachings of Muhammad he or she will be disowned from the family). People like Malak Sabri Alkanani and Negeen Mayel, have turned from Muhammad to the Lord Jesus Christ. As a result they have received much more in this present age, one of those things being a much HUGER family than the one they were apart of (that family, of course, is the family of God which extends to every continent and consists of millions, if not billions of adherents).
I think the reason our Savior promises such a reward for leaving your family to follow Him is because it shows that you love him more than anything else on this earth. Jesus is suppose to have preeminence above everything on this earth, since He's the reason we exist.
Monday, July 4, 2011
The Persecution of our Iranian brothers and sisters in Christ
This following video shows the type of persecution our brothers and sister in Christ are facing in Iran. Pray that the Lord Jesus will give them the strength to endure.
Friday, June 24, 2011
Shafia's Story: Persecution of our Pakistani brothers and sisters in Christ
We need to pray for our Pakistani brothers and sisters in Christ. Pray that the Lord Jesus will help them display a bold witness for their Savior over there.
Monday, June 20, 2011
Report: Christian Dies for Beliefs Every 5 Minutes
When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?” Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers and sisters, were killed just as they had been. Revelation 6:9-11
I can imagine that all of my brothers and sisters in Christ who are in Heaven right now are asking the Lord, "How long?" And so am I.
06/19/2011 (WND)-The number is shocking. Massimo Introvigne, a human rights representative for the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, has told an OSCE meeting in Bodollo, Hungary, that 105,000 people are killed every year because of their Christian faith. Introvigne recently declared to the crowd gathered in the Budapest suburb that the statistics mean that an average of one Christian is killed every five minutes.
Introvigne cited an article written by the Center for the Study of Global Christianity and published in the International Bulletin of Missionary Research. CSGC Researcher Bert Hickman says wars, purges and persecution support such a total. "Those figures are accurate that we published in the International Bulletin of Missionary Research. We report that … over the last 10 years, on average 100,000 Christians have been killed every year," Hickman explained.
...
"This doesn't count Christians who are killed incidentally because of other causes, so that does work out to be about one every five minutes," he said. International Christian Concern's Jonathan Racho says that because of recent upticks in anti-Christian violence, he's not surprised by the figures. Persecution of Christians has really increased over the past couple of years. The figure seems to be very high, but since we don't have exact number of people who have been killed, I can't confirm or deny it," Racho said.
"But the number is consistent with what we've been hearing from reports of violent persecution, massacres, and violence. It's not surprising for us because of the increase in number of persecutions," he said.
The Voice of the Martyrs website discusses martyrdom numbers published by the International Bulletin and researchers David Barrett and Todd Johnson. However, Voice of the Martyrs does not endorse them.
"Many, many persecution experts have concluded that they are untenable," the organization explains. VOM says that the researchers have stated that their figures are estimates.
That the numbers, whatever they are, are significant seems not to be a subject of disagreement. An organization called Defenders of the Catholic Faith says the situation is deteriorating: "More martyrs for Jesus Christ died in the 20th century than in all previous 19 centuries combined. This century will most likely prove to be more repressive and bloody. The world is more anti-Christian than ever since the first centuries in Rome."
Hickman explains that his data are based on several sources.
"It comes from some reports that organizations produce. It comes from some sources we have in different countries," Hickman said, adding that some of the casualty reports are the result of anti-Christian violence in Congo's civil war.
"Before that, you had people being killed for their faith in Sudan for a good period of years. Those are two of the largest causes," he said.
...
Hickman said his figures have credibility because the numbers come from people who are actually in the troubled territories. He said the sources are missionaries, human rights activists and aid workers.
"The numbers come from multiple sources," he observed. Racho says the heaviest persecution is from other religious groups. "So far, the main persecution of Christians is in Muslim countries. The primary number of Christians persecuted and killed are those living in Islamic countries," Racho said.
However, Racho added that even though figures indicate that most of the anti-Christian persecution comes from Muslim countries, Christian persecution is also the product of political ideologies. "There are also a significant number of persecuted Christians living in communist countries like China, North Korea, and Eritrea. In all of these countries persecution is widespread," Racho declared. "There are other countries like India, for instance, where persecution is rampant. This is because of Hindus who believe that India belongs to the Hindus," he said.
"So persecution is going on because of Islamic radical teachings and practices, because of communist ideologies and because of other radical ideologies like the Hindu radical ideas," Racho summarized.
Hickman added a surprising source for anti-Christian violence. "It's a cross section. Sometimes it's from other religions. Sometimes it's from adherents of different groups within Christianity. You can have things like Catholic on Protestant and Protestant on Catholic," Hickman explained.
...
Hickman added that the absence of persecution news in the media doesn't mean that anti-Christian violence isn't happening (Source)
I can imagine that all of my brothers and sisters in Christ who are in Heaven right now are asking the Lord, "How long?" And so am I.
06/19/2011 (WND)-The number is shocking. Massimo Introvigne, a human rights representative for the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, has told an OSCE meeting in Bodollo, Hungary, that 105,000 people are killed every year because of their Christian faith. Introvigne recently declared to the crowd gathered in the Budapest suburb that the statistics mean that an average of one Christian is killed every five minutes.
Introvigne cited an article written by the Center for the Study of Global Christianity and published in the International Bulletin of Missionary Research. CSGC Researcher Bert Hickman says wars, purges and persecution support such a total. "Those figures are accurate that we published in the International Bulletin of Missionary Research. We report that … over the last 10 years, on average 100,000 Christians have been killed every year," Hickman explained.
...
"This doesn't count Christians who are killed incidentally because of other causes, so that does work out to be about one every five minutes," he said. International Christian Concern's Jonathan Racho says that because of recent upticks in anti-Christian violence, he's not surprised by the figures. Persecution of Christians has really increased over the past couple of years. The figure seems to be very high, but since we don't have exact number of people who have been killed, I can't confirm or deny it," Racho said.
"But the number is consistent with what we've been hearing from reports of violent persecution, massacres, and violence. It's not surprising for us because of the increase in number of persecutions," he said.
The Voice of the Martyrs website discusses martyrdom numbers published by the International Bulletin and researchers David Barrett and Todd Johnson. However, Voice of the Martyrs does not endorse them.
"Many, many persecution experts have concluded that they are untenable," the organization explains. VOM says that the researchers have stated that their figures are estimates.
That the numbers, whatever they are, are significant seems not to be a subject of disagreement. An organization called Defenders of the Catholic Faith says the situation is deteriorating: "More martyrs for Jesus Christ died in the 20th century than in all previous 19 centuries combined. This century will most likely prove to be more repressive and bloody. The world is more anti-Christian than ever since the first centuries in Rome."
Hickman explains that his data are based on several sources.
"It comes from some reports that organizations produce. It comes from some sources we have in different countries," Hickman said, adding that some of the casualty reports are the result of anti-Christian violence in Congo's civil war.
"Before that, you had people being killed for their faith in Sudan for a good period of years. Those are two of the largest causes," he said.
...
Hickman said his figures have credibility because the numbers come from people who are actually in the troubled territories. He said the sources are missionaries, human rights activists and aid workers.
"The numbers come from multiple sources," he observed. Racho says the heaviest persecution is from other religious groups. "So far, the main persecution of Christians is in Muslim countries. The primary number of Christians persecuted and killed are those living in Islamic countries," Racho said.
However, Racho added that even though figures indicate that most of the anti-Christian persecution comes from Muslim countries, Christian persecution is also the product of political ideologies. "There are also a significant number of persecuted Christians living in communist countries like China, North Korea, and Eritrea. In all of these countries persecution is widespread," Racho declared. "There are other countries like India, for instance, where persecution is rampant. This is because of Hindus who believe that India belongs to the Hindus," he said.
"So persecution is going on because of Islamic radical teachings and practices, because of communist ideologies and because of other radical ideologies like the Hindu radical ideas," Racho summarized.
Hickman added a surprising source for anti-Christian violence. "It's a cross section. Sometimes it's from other religions. Sometimes it's from adherents of different groups within Christianity. You can have things like Catholic on Protestant and Protestant on Catholic," Hickman explained.
...
Hickman added that the absence of persecution news in the media doesn't mean that anti-Christian violence isn't happening (Source)
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Persecution Helps Churches Grow
Christian Apologist, Tertullian said, "The blood of the matyrs is the seed of the gospel." These words seem to ring true in Somalia.
06/15/2011 Somalia (The Paris Post Intelligencer)-This is in response to the “Outside the Church Doors” commentary about Christian persecution that ran Monday. I am glad to see Mr. [Ernest] Williams bring to light what so many believers/followers in Jesus Christ are experiencing around the world. Thank you, sir.
The Lord has blessed me with being able to work with 115 different churches in Africa, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, South America and here in the States. Most of the churches overseas where we have been face enormous persecution each day — murder, torture, kidnapping, prison, etc. It is the life that they live.
What I have seen is that in areas where the church is suffering persecution, the good news of Christ is spreading like wildfire. In these areas, the church is flourishing, healthy and believers live out a poured-out existence in following the Son of God.
All that they are, and all that they have, is attributed to Jesus Christ. The Spirit of God moves in and around these people. They are truly filled with the Holy Spirit. I went to Somalia this past January with a fellow preacher to contact the underground church there. The first Christian that we came in contact with was highly offended when I asked her if she was in fact a “Christian.” She told us that in that part of the world, the term “Christian” is offensive. She went on to say, “There it identifies them with a person who only goes to church now and then and does not truly serve Christ … you know, like the Christians in America. We want to be called ‘believers’ because everything about our lives points to following Jesus Christ.” Wow!
They are nI must say that I was surprised, but it is something that I have seen and heard many times around the world. Every time I return home here to the States, I see so many churches — not all churches, but most — that are barely getting by, very weak in power and very unknowledgeable of the Word of God.
They are not reaching out to people in their community on a daily basis. The members say that they love God, but do not keep His commandments. The Bible says that people like this are liars, plain and simple. Many are only interested in feeling better about themselves and do not follow the God of the Bible.
The members say that they do follow God, but are not found studying God’s Word, living a sacrificial existence or fulfilling the Great Commission.
The Great Commission commands believers to go unto all of the world telling of the good news of Christ, teaching, baptizing and making disciples. Not until persecution reaches our shores, and not until America is broken of its comfort, will the church begin to truly flourish here. A missionary who I am good friends with in China said this to me recently; “All of the servants of God that I work with in China pray daily that America will be broken for God and that persecution will reach the American church.” (Source)
06/15/2011 Somalia (The Paris Post Intelligencer)-This is in response to the “Outside the Church Doors” commentary about Christian persecution that ran Monday. I am glad to see Mr. [Ernest] Williams bring to light what so many believers/followers in Jesus Christ are experiencing around the world. Thank you, sir.
The Lord has blessed me with being able to work with 115 different churches in Africa, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, South America and here in the States. Most of the churches overseas where we have been face enormous persecution each day — murder, torture, kidnapping, prison, etc. It is the life that they live.
What I have seen is that in areas where the church is suffering persecution, the good news of Christ is spreading like wildfire. In these areas, the church is flourishing, healthy and believers live out a poured-out existence in following the Son of God.
All that they are, and all that they have, is attributed to Jesus Christ. The Spirit of God moves in and around these people. They are truly filled with the Holy Spirit. I went to Somalia this past January with a fellow preacher to contact the underground church there. The first Christian that we came in contact with was highly offended when I asked her if she was in fact a “Christian.” She told us that in that part of the world, the term “Christian” is offensive. She went on to say, “There it identifies them with a person who only goes to church now and then and does not truly serve Christ … you know, like the Christians in America. We want to be called ‘believers’ because everything about our lives points to following Jesus Christ.” Wow!
They are nI must say that I was surprised, but it is something that I have seen and heard many times around the world. Every time I return home here to the States, I see so many churches — not all churches, but most — that are barely getting by, very weak in power and very unknowledgeable of the Word of God.
They are not reaching out to people in their community on a daily basis. The members say that they love God, but do not keep His commandments. The Bible says that people like this are liars, plain and simple. Many are only interested in feeling better about themselves and do not follow the God of the Bible.
The members say that they do follow God, but are not found studying God’s Word, living a sacrificial existence or fulfilling the Great Commission.
The Great Commission commands believers to go unto all of the world telling of the good news of Christ, teaching, baptizing and making disciples. Not until persecution reaches our shores, and not until America is broken of its comfort, will the church begin to truly flourish here. A missionary who I am good friends with in China said this to me recently; “All of the servants of God that I work with in China pray daily that America will be broken for God and that persecution will reach the American church.” (Source)
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Persecution: How God uses it to help us grow
Persecution helps us in two ways. One way is that it shows us to whom our true allegiance belongs. If you are living in an area where you are allowed to worship the Lord Jesus Christ freely (The West), then one can not see whether or not you truly love Him. However, if someone puts a gun up to your head and says, "Convert to Islam or die!", then that will be a real test of whether or not you love Jesus Christ. God uses persecution and trials for the same reason he ask Abraham to go up to Mount Moriah and sacrifice Isaac. He does it to put a child through the fire so they can out as goal. God does to see if we "fear him" (Genesis 22:12). God also uses it to help us develop many numerous virtues. You can't have perseverance unless there are obstacles to overcome, you can't be a servant unless there is someone to serve. The old maxim, "No pain, No gain," applies here. Persecution, as painful and unpleasant as it is, can be a tool which the Lord Jesus can use to sharpen his saints.
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Helping our persecuted brothers in Christ
I have posted a lot of posts up here on my blog in the first few days of its beginning. As you can see, our brethren are suffering horribly all over the world. As Western Christians, we should not turn a blind eye to the suffering of our brethren in other lands. Many think that the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the gospel. While that is true, we should remember that the population of Christians in certain places like Turkey, Algeria and Libya has dimished due to relentless persecution of Muslims in that area. Others argue that persecution is expected so we let it continue. This is very contrary to the example of the Apostle Paul, one Jesus Christ's greatest servants. Sometimes he fled; sometimes he suffered and endured; but sometimes he resisted. For example, when he was about to be whipped Paul said, "I am a Roman citizen, no one has the right to hand me over to them. I appeal to Ceasar!" So we must fight for the human rights of our brethren in persecuted countries.
Here are verses in the Bible where we as Christians are commanded to care for our persecuted brothers and sisters in Christ:
I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.
Matthew 25:36
Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body.
Hebrews 13:3
Rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter. If you say, "Behold, we did not know this," does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who keeps watch over your soul know it, and will he not repay man according to his work?
Proverbs 24:11-12
Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor will himself call out and not be answered.
Proverbs 21:13
which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.
1 Corinthians 12:24-26
Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
Galatians 6:10
Pray for our persecuted brethren, my western brothers and sisters in Christ.
Here are verses in the Bible where we as Christians are commanded to care for our persecuted brothers and sisters in Christ:
I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.
Matthew 25:36
Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body.
Hebrews 13:3
Rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter. If you say, "Behold, we did not know this," does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who keeps watch over your soul know it, and will he not repay man according to his work?
Proverbs 24:11-12
Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor will himself call out and not be answered.
Proverbs 21:13
which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.
1 Corinthians 12:24-26
Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
Galatians 6:10
Pray for our persecuted brethren, my western brothers and sisters in Christ.
Saturday, April 30, 2011
U.S. Panel ID’s World’s Top Religious Persecutors
I hope and pray that the population of Christians will not disappear, we need someone to preach the gospel to the non-christians there:
04/30/2011 Vietnam (CBN) – As global persecution of Christians rises, a U.S. government commission is urging the Obama administration to act against countries that persecute religious minorities. “In many countries, certainly religious persecution has become worse over the past several years,” said Leonard Leo, the chairman of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom.
The U.S. commission keeps an eye on religious freedom around the world. Their new annual report highlights countries like Vietnam, where Christians and other believers face imprisonment and torture. “They took me to the station and they tortured me. They used something to tie my thumb and one of my toes and they hung me on the wall for three hours,” Kahn said.
Peter, another persecuted Christian, said, “The government says there is freedom of religion. But there is a lot of persecution among Christians and other tribes.” The cover of the commission’s new report is a photograph from the funeral of Shahbaz Bhatti. He was the Pakistani official who predicted he would be killed for fighting against Pakistan’s blasphemy law, which promises death to those who insult the Prophet Mohammad, the founder of Islam.
“I believe in Jesus Christ who has given his own life for us. I know what is the meaning of cross and I’m following the cross. And I’m ready to die for a cause. I’m living for my community and suffering people, and I will die to defend their rights,” Bhatti said before his death. The commissioners are asking the federal government to blacklist Egypt for failing to prevent or respond to what they call “a sharp deterioration” of religious freedom.
“We’ve seen a ratcheting up of attacks on the Christian minority, in particular the very large Christian Coptic minority,” said Elizabeth Prodromou, the commission’s vice chairperson. The report predicts that entire nations may soon see Christianity disappear within their respective borders because of persecution. (Source)
04/30/2011 Vietnam (CBN) – As global persecution of Christians rises, a U.S. government commission is urging the Obama administration to act against countries that persecute religious minorities. “In many countries, certainly religious persecution has become worse over the past several years,” said Leonard Leo, the chairman of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom.
The U.S. commission keeps an eye on religious freedom around the world. Their new annual report highlights countries like Vietnam, where Christians and other believers face imprisonment and torture. “They took me to the station and they tortured me. They used something to tie my thumb and one of my toes and they hung me on the wall for three hours,” Kahn said.
Peter, another persecuted Christian, said, “The government says there is freedom of religion. But there is a lot of persecution among Christians and other tribes.” The cover of the commission’s new report is a photograph from the funeral of Shahbaz Bhatti. He was the Pakistani official who predicted he would be killed for fighting against Pakistan’s blasphemy law, which promises death to those who insult the Prophet Mohammad, the founder of Islam.
“I believe in Jesus Christ who has given his own life for us. I know what is the meaning of cross and I’m following the cross. And I’m ready to die for a cause. I’m living for my community and suffering people, and I will die to defend their rights,” Bhatti said before his death. The commissioners are asking the federal government to blacklist Egypt for failing to prevent or respond to what they call “a sharp deterioration” of religious freedom.
“We’ve seen a ratcheting up of attacks on the Christian minority, in particular the very large Christian Coptic minority,” said Elizabeth Prodromou, the commission’s vice chairperson. The report predicts that entire nations may soon see Christianity disappear within their respective borders because of persecution. (Source)
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
The Nature of the persecution of our brothers and sisters in Christ
Jesus said, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?(Luke 9:23-24)" It's no different today than it was now and our brethren in places refuse to renounce their God and Savior, Jesus Christ and get killed as a result of it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)