Tag: martyrdom
Signs of Cultural Decline! Isaiah 5:20
Jesus said persecution will come to you if you are a follower of Christ! Many places in the world Christian martyrdom is common! However in America the assault is growing on Christian’s! Here are the steps that lead to persecution in any culture! What was once celebrated is now condemned! Some examples? Crosses, traditional marriage between a man and a woman! Bibles! Ten Commandments! American Flag! Patriotism! Legal immigration! Borders! Nationalism! Military service! Sodomy laws! Sunday worship! Free speech! Right to bare arms! Prayer in schools! Free press! Visual displays of Christ! Verbal expressions of Christ in the public places! Litigation and fines against those that support traditional values! Social media blocking of Christian content on Facebook, Google and other media forms! So if you condemn what the Bible has expressed as evil then you will not celebrate the condemned then you will be condemned by the culture politically, socially and judiciously! Pastor Robert Jeffress, Pathway to Victory.
Fear or Faith? Isaiah 51:12
Hebrew Translation: “Even I, am he that has compassion on you. I have repented that I have made man and have changed my heart and attitude to console you. You can take a deep breath of relief. Why should you fear man when you have reverence for me? Man’s weakness of the flesh shall lead to his death. His descendants are made as the grass that will perish.” Comment: The fear of man is what leads to all wars! The fear of death is what leads men to cause the death of others! Religions are formed out of the fear of death! Islam is a prime example! Martyrdom they believe is their only way to God? So suicide is their means to salvation! Faith is just the opposite of fear! God has made the way for our salvation not by any effort of mortal men! The God/Man Christ God’s only Son provided the sacrifice for our redemption! It is not attained by my own efforts but by God’s grace! So my future is not dependent on me but on what God has already done for me! If we will rest in this promise peace will follow! Jesus has promised to those that trust in him he will raise from the dead! Not to cause death but to deliver us from it! Sin is our real enemy with death it’s consequence! To defeat our last enemy death is what God has done for us! If you cannot get excited about this truth then nothing will excite you! When Christ delivered me from my death bed 45 years ago I have a passion for him that no fire can put out! James and Hamsa Sasse, GodWhoisGod.com
It Was Fun! Luke 6:22-23
These were the words of Tom Brady quarterback of the New England Patriots at the end of his interview last night after their Sunday night football game win over the Pittsburg Steelers! This game was really a hard fought battle with both teams having to send players to the hospital during the game! Hopefully not with career ending injuries! Brady himself was body slammed to the ground by 300 pound plus linemen! So what was fun? Was it the pain, injuries, training or uncertainty of every game? Was it the risk of a career ending injury or death? It was the winning! The sacrifices are then forgotten! Do we have the child like excitement about Christmas? About giving? About receiving? Is it fun? In Luke chapter six Jesus is well past the manger scene! He is preparing his players for the game ahead! Jesus told His 12 players that they are going to hate you, isolate you, reproach you and call you evil because of me! Like NFL players they are going to sack you! But Jesus said to rejoice in that day! Leap for joy! You guys just won the Super Bowl! Your reward is great in Heaven! Your fathers the prophets suffered the same things! We do not like to think about suffering during the Christmas season! Yet that is why He came! To suffer for us! To make our lives fun and meaningful with purpose! To win! Losers made winners! The victory parade for you is going on in Heaven right now! While running your race sometimes the pain seems unbearable! Give your pain to Jesus! He became a curse for you! He took your pain upon Himself! We are on the same team! Jesus disciples except John all crossed the finish line with martyrdom! John was boiled in oil and then exiled to a stone quarry for slaves on the island of Patmos! They all looked beyond the finish line towards the goal and their and your victory in Christ! Those that have gone before us have prepared a way for us! Give a sacrificial gift to someone this Christmas as we were given the gift of a little baby boy born in a manger in Bethlehem! Merry Christmas! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Burned at the Stake! 1415 A.D. Hebrews 11:35
Hebrews 11:35 (Greek Translation) “Women received their dead standing on their feet again and others were tortured not receiving kindness with joy and redemption from sinners that they might obtain a stronger more powerful resurrection.” Comment: Could an early resurrection from martyrdom be stronger than a later one from natural death? Absolutely! Why? Jesus resurrection was the most powerful one because it required the most forgiveness! All the inhabitants of earth from Adam and Eve until now and for all that will ever be born were forgiven by God for their sin! We all put Jesus on the Cross! The greater the resurrection the greater the forgiveness required! Here is a quote from John Hus the Czech Reformer who was burned at the stake in 1415. “O’ Lord Jesus Christ, into thy hands I deliver my soul, which thou has redeemed with thy blood. Father in Heaven, do not hold against them the sin which thy enemies commit against me, and let my eyes see them blissfully with thee, when their souls fly to thy throne after an easy death. Holy Spirit, enlighten their deceived hearts, so that the truth of the Holy Gospel may open their eyes and it’s praise be spread everywhere, forever and ever! Amen.