WORD
FOR THE MONTH & FOR TUES., NOV. 1~
THE
END TIME PERSECUTION
Shalom,
to you my Friend and Co-Minister in the Great Commission,
THE
END-TIME PERSECUTION
Word
for the Month & for Tues., Nov. 1
Scripture:
Col. 2:7
See
Message: The Elijah Generation
The
Bible prophesies of the end-times as a time when believers are
persecuted. Does this line up with what we are now seeing?
Absolutely! It has been observed that there has been more persecution
of believers in modern times than any other time in history.
Believers are persecuted in communist lands, in Muslim lands, in
Hindu lands, and even in quote “Christian” lands. And the
Christians of the Middle East, the birthplace of the faith, are now
in danger of disappearing altogether.
In
China~ China is cited to become in the near future, the home of the
largest Christian population on earth. The communist government has
been intensifying its persecution of believers by raiding house
churches, demanding absolute obedience from Christian seminary
students, demolishing crosses from churches and throwing Christian
leaders in prison.
In
Russia~ Just this past summer, Putin signed a law into effect that
many see as rivaling the worst Christian oppression since the days of
Joseph Stalin. The law, in effect, bans all evangelism in Russia. The
law is so far-reaching that it would even ban telling another person
about the Lord in casual conversation or even in one’s living room.
In
America~ This past summer a grave threat to religious liberty hung
over California as the state legislature moved to pass a law that
threatened to ultimately wipe out every religious school in the
state. Thankfully, in the midst an outcry among leaders, California
didn’t pass the law… this time. But the fact that it could even
come up for a vote is an ominous sign of the times. In Iowa, a law
was passed that would in effect make it illegal for pastors to say
anything that could make someone who was gay or transgender feel
uncomfortable. Just recently, Macy’s suspended one of its employees
for simply expressing that having men in women’s bathrooms went
against his faith – even though he would comply with the new
policy. This constitutes a new phase – a believer in the Bible can
now be punished not only for following the Word of God, but for
simply not agreeing with that which goes against the Word of God.
America is now attaining the religious liberty of the worst days of
the Soviet Communism. We should not be shocked at this – since the
Word of God has fully warned us – but we should be prepared. The
greatest walks, the greatest testimonies, and the greatest moment of
the faith take place most often not in times when Christianity is
celebrated, but persecuted – in other words, at such a time as
this. The key is to become all the more rooted and grounded in God
and to stand true, strong, and uncompromised for God. The challenge
is – become great in God.
This
month, root and ground yourself all the more strongly on the Lord.
Stand strong and make it your aim to become great in God. And may God
greatly bless you as you do!
Your
brother and co-laborer
in
His love and service,
Jonathan
