“This is a new age of martyrs. It’s a time when those who believe in the transcendent generosity of Christ are driven from their homes to suffer exile. It’s an age of blood spilled at a ravaged cross.
Even Bethlehem, within living memory a majority-Christian city, has driven out the followers of Jesus until perhaps a dwindling eighth of the population is Christian.” - Col. Ralph Peters, US Army Retired
It's hard to believe but 90,000 of our brothers and sisters in Christ are gone just in 2016 alone. They were taken from us and taken to glory simply for their love of Christ. This is less than the 105,000 Christians that were slaughtered in 2015, That means 195,000 saints were taken in 2 years. This years total of 90,000 martyrs in 2016 is one Christian murdered for their faith every six seconds.
According to Professor Massimo Introvigne, director of CESNUR, the Center for Studies on New Religions, approximately 70 percent of the martyred Christians were from "tribal villages" in Africa in tribal conflicts. There they are considered easy prey because they will not take up arms. The other 30 percent were Christians who fell victim to terrorism or governmental persecution.
Furthermore, there are between 500 and 600 million Christians who can not practice their own faith in complete freedom. (source). Think about it - we have 600,000,000 brothers and sisters who cannot even open a bible in a public space, that's almost twice the population of the United States. And now the rabble that slaughtered the Christians in the middle east are pouring into Europe, raping the women.
Bad times are coming for us, the fire that tests Christian's faith and love for Jesus Christ is slowly enveloping the world. When the fire reaches you, you are going to have two choices; deny Christ to save your hide or to proclaim your love for him and suffer here on earth. Are you anchored in your faith? Look around your church next Sunday, how many congregants in your church would be willing to profess their love for Jesus Christ if their lives were on the line? Draw close to them.
12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; 13 but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation. 14 If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. 15 Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler; 16 but if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name. (1 Peter 4:12-16)
Lord have mercy...
ReplyDeleteCoincidentally, our pastor showed this same graphic Sunday opening his sermon. This was the first week of a series he is going to be teaching, "Living for Christ in a Hostile World," and will be examining 1 Peter.
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