Persecution is Coming to the West

sermonindex Oct 24, 2006

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BLANKENBURG -- Persecution is coming to the West. Under the guise of tolerance, Bible believing Christians of all confessions are subjected to suppressive intolerance, warns a declaration issued at the Ecumenical Confessional Convention in Blankenburg, East Germany.
The event, with 130 Protestant, Catholic and Orthodox representatives, was convened by the evangelical missiologist Prof. Peter Beyerhaus. The so-called Blankenburg Proclamation speaks of a dangerous anti-Christian influence on legislation, academic life and school education.
The declaration refers specifically to the plight of German homeschoolers. Approximately 150 families were subjected to fines or jail because they refused to send their children to state registered schools and thus broke the German law. ...

more info: http://www.crosswalk.com/news/religiontoday/1438844.html

E

enid Oct 24, 2006

Was talking to my sister about this article.

Persecution has been coming to the west slowly, by surely.

It's escalating now, speeding up a little, though the apathy in the Church stays the same.

Time will divide not only the sheep from the goats, but the lukewarm from the hot.

Are we hot?

God bless.

G

ginnyrose Oct 31, 2006

Hummmm, now the evangelical will find himself on the same side of the issue as the Catholics...this will bear some watching...could get interesting before it turns nasty and that is what I expect will happen.

ginnyrose

sermonindex Oct 31, 2006

I have a question regarding persecution.

Because I live in England, at the moment I personally have not come under any sort of persecution. But in a way I wish that I was being persecuted, because then I would stop this lukewarm Christian attitude and actually start depending on God.

Is this the wrong attitude to have?

In Christ

sermonindex Oct 31, 2006

richardf, from what I know yes it is the wrong "approach" to solving lukewarmness.

God tells us the "righteous" shall suffer persecution

also, "all that seek to live Godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

Persecution primarily comes because we are first living the set apart life that the world hates to see us live and so they will then persecute. The persecution could be as simple as not talking to you to calling you names to physically hitting you etc.

More could be said of other ways persecution comes but I must go.
God bless, John

G

ginnyrose Oct 31, 2006

richardf,

Many good Christians have entertained this idea...

Consider: how would you cope if you could not find any employment to feed and clothe yourself (and your family, if you have one)? How would you deal with people who may forcibly remove your children from your home? Or who would kill them before your eyes? How would you handle it if someone would cut out your tongue, gouge out your eyes? withhold food from you? imprison you in a damp cell infested with vermin and filth?

Read "Tortured for Christ" by Richard Wurmbrand and then reevaluate this question.

The Apostle Paul said we should pray that we could lead a quiet and peaceable life...the LORD's prayer has this phrase "Lead us not into temptation.." would this not address this issue?

Richardf, from my observation, males are wimps when it comes to enduring pain - females have a higher pain threshold then males, as a rule. (We need it if we have to birth babies!)This will factor in when confronted with persecution because it will not be pain-free!

To answer the heart question, the solution could be very simple: tell God what you feel in your spirit, then learn to listen to Him and see what happens. I suggest if you find it easy to be lukewarm now, to expect to become an ideal Christian when persecution comes, is raising the expectations too high. Richard Wurbrand in "How to Form an Underground Church" says many think the [underground]church will be so mature it will not have problems, but he says the opposite is true. The devil will get you wherever you are with whatever means is at his disposal at the moment.

This is my take on it. What do you think?

ginnyrose

sermonindex Oct 31, 2006

Well, the reason I say 'lukewarm' is because without persecution, life is so very easy and I have often slipped into the mindset of not relying on God because life is so easy and trouble-free.

Don't get me wrong, it's not like I go to bed every night and pray for persecution. But I do sometimes wonder, maybe persecution would strengthen me, because I would actually have to rely on God for absolutely everything?

Any thoughts?

G

ginnyrose Oct 31, 2006

richardf,

Most males seem to think they are so self-sufficient they have little need for God. And they are strong, have good sense - most of the time! If you think you would benefit from persecution, that you are deficient in any area, ask a female who is close to you what the areas are wherein you could improve! (Let it be a female who loves you, like your wife, if none, then try Mom or a sister or a cousin. or...)Try it and see what happens.

ginnyrose

sermonindex Oct 31, 2006

You could also just repent and do the "first works".
If you are like most of us when you were first born again you would do and say anything for the Lord. Everything was brand new and you had a fresh start on life. Like a new found love you would do anything for the one you love,Jesus. But then the cares of the world choke that love and we grow indifrent at times. Jesus calls us to return to the "first works".
God bless, John