Foxnews.com is reporting that members of the Music Department at the Bloomsburg University in Pennsylvania are busy creating a disc of holiday music from various religions and cultures because the traditional Christmas carols with their Christian message offended some non-Christians in the area. The University’s programmed bell system requires a special disk and they couldn’t find one with holiday music that wasn’t Christian in nature.

http://www.foxnews.com/national/tonguetied/112000.sml Illustration by Jim L. Wilson

After reading the report, a reader identified only as “Jodi E” wrote these words to the editor: “ …what happens to a person’s right to hear the traditional songs one grew up without it being muddied with the modern definition of "all inclusive" —— what it should be called is ‘all exclusive.’"

Should Christians be up in arms over the not so subtle effort to take Christ out of CHRISTmas? I don’t think so, what should we expect from a culture that is slowly growing more hostile to the gospel but to be excluded. Jesus predicted more than exclusion, He said we would be persecuted for His name.

Matthew 5:10-12 NASB “Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. [11] Blessed are you when men cast insults at you, and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, on account of Me. [12] Rejoice, and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

Pastor Samuel Lamb knows what it means to live in victory. Twenty-one of his seventy-two years have been spent in prison courtesy of the communist government of China. As recently as 1990 the house church he serves as pastor was closed by government officials and all of his property confiscated. But Pastor Lamb didn't shrink back. He continued doing what God called him to do. As Cal Thomas reported in his syndicated column (July 6, 1997), Lamb's church, without a building, averaged four hundred worshippers in 1997 during each of its four services a week.

For more information on Names of God’s Promises, go to http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0802461832/fm082-20

A 19-year-old Alaska man was attacked when he tried to tell two strangers about Jesus on a bike trail in the Anchorage area.

James Cunning says he went out for a walk around midnight after returning home from a revival meeting at a nearby church, where he had rededicated his life to Christ. Cunning says, “I was asking God what was next for my life.” Just before 1 AM, he encountered two young men walking on the trail. Cunning introduced himself and began talking about Jesus. He says, “I told them, ‘I want to tell you guys two things: Jesus loves you and He has a plan for both of you’. A little bit into my testimony, I got sucker punched and hit a couple of times.”

Then, one of the men pulled out a gun and asked, “Where’s your God now?” The man then shot Cunning in the arm. Fortunately, Cunning was not seriously injured. He was treated a local hospital and released. Reflecting on the incident Cunning says God was present, “If my God wasn’t there, I wouldn’t be alive to talk and keep going.”

—Pentecostal Evangel, June 29, 2003, pg 10. Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

2 Timothy 4:3-5 NIV “For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.”

In March 1999, Chris King ran for president of Harvard's student council on the platform of, among other things "values-driven leadership." A fellow Christian, Meagan White sent out an email to members of the Harvard-Radcliff Christian fellowship requesting prayer for his candidacy. When news that King was a Christian became public, the school newspaper came out against him because King's "… ties to religious groups have raised concerns among students."

Matthew 5:10-12 "Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

In October 1998, David and Diane Reiter of Denver were ordered by the city to stop their weekly prayer meetings in their home. They could only meet only once a month. Even though they are complying with all municipal regulations, a city administrator determined that he did not want any religious activities in their neighborhood.

On April 2, 1999 In Seattle, Washington a twenty-five-year-old pregnant woman was kicked off a public transit bus in the pouring rain. What was her disruptive behavior? The bus driver overheard her talking with a fellow passenger about the Lord.

Matthew 5:10-12 NIV "Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. [11] "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. [12] Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you."

Under a new law signed by the President of Belarus on October 31st, all unregistered religious activity in the country has been banned. The legislation requires compulsory censorship of all religious literature, forbids foreign citizens from leading religious communities, and restricts religious education to faiths that have ten registered communities.

The law also bans all but occasional small religious meetings in private homes. Despite the new regulations, the Full Gospel Union of Pentecostal churches says it will defy the government if necessary. Dmitry Zelensky, the assistant pastor of the Jesus Christ Full Gospel Church says his congregation will not stop preaching the Good News. He said, “ If the provisions of the law seriously complicate and in time make impossible the holding of services, communal prayers, and preaching of the Gospel, we retain the right not to submit to its provisions.” Pastor Aleksandr Sakovich, the head of the Union made an official statement saying, “ The newly adopted laws forces us to violate the basic law on which our faith is based: the Law of God. As believers, we have the full right not to obey laws and decrees that go against our faith and conscience.”

In a statement, the office of the President defended the legislation as a “balanced legal basis to ensure that the freedom of every person individually should be in harmony with the interests of society.” Organization which monitor persecution of believers said similar opinions have already lead to serious problems for believers in other parts of the former Soviet Union.

—Assist News Service, Belarusian Full Gospel Church defies religion law, November 6, 2002. Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

We need to pray that these believers under pressure will continue to speak with boldness.

2 Corinthians 4:8 NIV “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.”

In their book, "A is for Abductive", Sweet & McClaren write, "Some of the chief forms of persecution in early postmodern culture are prosecution, silencing and derogation. Muslims aren't being asked to downplay their beliefs. Buddhists aren't being asked to downplay their beliefs. The Dalai Lama isn't being asked to downplay his beliefs. But Christians are often expected to sit down and shut up."

Acts 4:19-20 (HCSB) "But Peter and John answered them, 'Whether it's right in the sight of God [for us] to listen to you rather than to God, you decide; [20] for we are unable to stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.'"

Joe, a forty-seven year old Vietnamese refugee is experiencing an unusual form of persecution. He has been stranded at Los Angeles International airport, lacking the proper documents to leave the United States and return to his native Vietnam. Joe misplaced his refugee passport and U.S. identification card and needs both to board the flight home. Without the proper paperwork, Joe is caught in a legal limbo and has been living at the airport trying to make arrangements to get home.

Joe escaped from a small village in Vietnam after being persecuted for preaching the gospel. He had been living in North Carolina and wanted to return home to his family. Though he is aware he will face more persecution if he returns to Vietnam, Joe wants to see his wife and five children again.

Joe had been stranded at LAX for the last month, filling his days sitting in the terminals, reading his Bible, sleeping, and walking around. Airport employees learned about Joe's plight and began providing him with hot meals, and taking care of him. Joe was recently granted permission to move to a city shelter for 90 days while he works on getting his documentation. Cynthia Fuentes translates for Joe. She said, Joe says, "I just want the visa, the passport, my Bible, and I'll leave to go to Vietnam and will never come back."No matter what happens Joe knows God is in control. Fuentes adds, translating for Joe, "Whatever happens, God will protect me."

—http://cbn.com/cbnnews.cwn, Vietnamese Christian Stranded In U.S., October 29, 2004. Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

1 Cor. 4:11-12 (NASB)"To this present hour we are both hungry and thirsty, and are poorly clothed, and are roughly treated, and are homeless; [12] and we toil, working with our own hands; when we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure;"

People with character will be hated by those who hate the values their character represents. There is no way around it.

John 15:18-19 (NASB) "If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. [19] If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you."

After a year of bombings, assassinations, kidnappings, and death threats in Iraq, many Christians chose not to openly celebrate the Christmas holiday in 2004.Only a few people braved the dangers of going to church, as attacks against Iraqi Christians and churches soared over the past year.

Catholic Priest Peter Haddad said only 70 people came to Christmas Eve services in a church that was built to hold more than 700. He said, "If you (had) seen this church some years ago, (there was) no place to sit! All the churches (were) full of people, even here and even in the streets."

The rising insecurity resulted in as many as 50,000 of Iraq's 800,000 Christians to flee to neighboring Jordan and Syria in the past 18 months. Those who have stayed try not to draw attention themselves, including avoiding church on Christmas Eve. Some congregations cancelled Christmas Eve services altogether. Others refrained from putting lights or decorations on the walls, while worshippers shunned bright-colored clothing and women kept their faces hidden behind scarves.

Outside the churches that were open, heavily armed Iraqi National Guard troops guarded the entrance, while concrete blocks and gun-mounted military Humvee vehicles sealed off the road in front of the church to prevent an attack.

Despite the tense atmosphere, 31 year-old Dalida Sarkis went to church. She said she was determined to keep up the Christmas spirit. Sarkis says she will not be intimidated because she believes God will protect her. The mother of four added that if the security situation for Christians deteriorates further, she may have no choice but to leave Iraq too.

—http://voanews.com, Fear and Defiance Mark Christmas for Iraqi Christians, December 24, 2004. Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

John 17:14-17 (NLT) "I have given them your word. And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not. [15] I'm not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. [16] They are not part of this world any more than I am. [17] Make them pure and holy by teaching them your words of truth."

Pastor Mark (Yu Chao) watched his father die for his faith during China’s Cultural Revolution. The Red Guard arrested his father for preaching the gospel and beat him within an inch of his life. The guards made Mark and his son watch as they tortured him, breaking several of his bones, and covering him in his own blood.

At a cemetery, they had a mock trial where they accused Mark’s Dad of being an “enemy of the state,” but gave him the opportunity to live if he would recant his faith. “We offer you this precious chance for life,” they said. “Choose wisely.”

Mark’s father responded, “You can cut my head off and you can spill my blood, but I will never forsake Jesus Christ! He has been faithful to me and has blessed me for many years and nothing you do can ever make me renounce my loving Friend and Savior!”

The guards rushed him and beat him to death to the dismay of the crowd. Looking back on the event, Mark said, “Because of the example of my father, who was willing to endure to the very end, great fruit has resulted. In Shandong province today I, his son, still follow Christ, as do my own son and my grandson. Three generations have followed the Lord, and we hope many more generations to come will, also!”

Joshua 24:15 NIV “But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord."

Martyrdom is not just an ancient act. Many are still losing their lives for accepting Jesus Christ as Lord. Mansuur Mohammad, a Somali worker received Jesus Christ as his personal Savior in 2006. Militants from the al Shahab group captured him on the morning of September 23, 2008 and paraded him before villagers in Manyafulka who had gathered at the insistence of the militant group for a feast.

The militant leaders began to recite from the Quran, accusing Mohammad of apostasy. A witness said Mohammad remained composed, never uttering a word, as his captors yelled “Allahu akbar” (“God is great”) and then beheaded him. Some say video of his death is being circulated in an attempt to prevent Muslims from converting to Christianity

--World Magazine, Nov. 15/22, 2008, p. 12 Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

The enemy is still at work in the 21st century adding to the countless numbers of men and women who have held steadfast to their faith while being put to death. “Jesus Christ is Lord” has been uttered now for 2000 years, and the enemy is still trying to silence the voices of the faithful.

Amos 5:10 (RSV) “They hate him who reproves in the gate, and they abhor him who speaks the truth.”

The Thirty Year’s War, A timeline of Iran’s theocracy, documents the persecution of Christians and Christian churches. Recent events show that the time of persecution is not passed.

In February 2005, Pastor Hamid Pourmand was sentenced to three years in prison for apostasy. In November of that year Ghorban Tourani, a Christian pastor who converted from Islam was murdered. In May 2006, Iranian authorities arrested but later released Ali Kaboli because he converted to Christianity. In September, they arrested a couple for leading a house church. In December at least eight house church leaders were arrested and charged with evangelization and “act against the nation security of the Islamic Republic.” All the house church leaders were eventually released.

--World Magazine, July 18, 2009, p. 34-35 (sidebar) Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

It must not be easy to live under the threat of arrest or even murder as these Christians have experienced. But God’s word promises them the blessing of the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 5:10 (NIV) “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

Alimujiang Yimiti is an Uyghur Christian who has been arrested by Chinese authorities. Charged with “revealing state secrets or intelligence to overseas organizations” he is really imprisoned for his Christian faith and his witness to the Uyghur people.

Another Uyghur Christian, Wusiman Yiming, was sentenced in September 2007 to two years of re-education through labor on the same charges.

--World, August 15, 2009: p. 11 Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

Matthew 5:11-12 (NIV) "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. (12) Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

Fathima Rifqa Bary, a Columbus, Ohio teen, found Jesus Christ as her personal savior. When her father discovered the conversion, he threatened to kill her. Bary ran away from home and has resurfaced in Florida where the courts are investigating her case.
Some of her family members, who are from Sri Lanka, have told authorities they will allow her to practice her new faith. There is some doubt. “They have to kill me, because I’m a Christian,” says Rifqa, 17. Her attorney claims the extreme radical Muslim community in her hometown threatens her if the courts force her return.

We believe we are blessed to live in a nation where religious freedom exists. Jesus saw it differently. He said we are blessed when we are persecuted on account of Him.

World, August 29, 2009. P. 14., World, September 12, 2009. P. 14. Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

Matthew 5:11 (NASB77) "Blessed are you when men cast insults at you, and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, on account of Me.

Chinese officials sentenced thirty-six year old Alimujiang Yimiti to 15 years for “suspicion of instigating separatism and providing national secrets or intelligence to overseas organizations or individuals.”

His crime? Yimiti was the leader of a house church. China Aid president, Bob Fu, says, “This is the harshest sentence against house-church believers in nearly a decade.”

--World January 2, 2010. P. 12. Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

Christians in the free world need to remember in prayer our Christian brothers and sisters in the many countries around our world where there is no religious freedom.

Matthew 5:10 (NASB77) "Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

The Golden Lamp church is China’s first mega church. They built a structure to accommodate nearly 50,000 worshippers. As soon as the building was finished authorities smashed doors and windows, seized Bibles, and physically attacked dozens. Now the church’s co-pastors are in jail, sentenced to seven and four years. Authorities locked the gates and a police armored personnel vehicle remains stationed next to the building.

Jesus warned his followers often that things would not always go well for them with the authorities. There are places all over the world today where our Christian brothers and sisters experience the truth of Jesus’ warnings.

Matthew 24:9 (NASB77) "Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations on account of My name.

In Iran, the persecution of Christians continues. It is especially tough on Christians who dare to evangelize and upon Muslims who convert to Christianity. Iranian pastor Wilson Issavi is one of the former, he converted Muslims to Christianity. The authorities have released pastor Issavi on bail but he is still under indictment for evangelism.

Jesus said to make disciples. I believe he meant even if it is against the law to share Christ with your neighbor. I am certain it means to share Christ when it is lawful.

Matthew 28:19 (NET) “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,”

A Pennsylvania church is facing persecution for something they can’t do anything about. In April, the state Department of transportation closed Route 217 in front of Bible Baptist Church in Derry Township to build a new bridge. Since then, area motorists have grown angry at the church because they are being forced to take a three mile detour rather than take a short cut through the church parking lot. The church says the decision was not theirs, but rather the state put up signs to keep traffic out of the lot, and told the church not to allow their parking area to be used as a road for through traffic.

Pastor Matt Schwender says angry drivers have said some startling things. He said one woman threatened to run over his children if she saw them out. Another man said the church was inconsiderate, and threatened to kill the pastor if he saw him in public. The church has even had to park their buses blockade style to keep drivers from driving across their football field to get around the detour. They say they are concerned about the safety of the children attending their school because so many cars are tuning around each day. Schwender and the church staff say they will be relieved when the project concludes in August. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation says they advise people to always follow the posted detour.

Pastor Threatened By Frustrated Drivers in Derry, http://kdka.com/westmoreland/pastor.death.threat.2.1709146.html; May 22, 2010, Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

1 Peter 3:15-17 (GW) “ But dedicate your lives to Christ as Lord. Always be ready to defend your confidence {in God} when anyone asks you to explain it. However, make your defense with gentleness and respect. (16) Keep your conscience clear. Then those who treat the good Christian life you live with contempt will feel ashamed that they have ridiculed you. (17) After all, if it is God's will, it's better to suffer for doing good than for doing wrong.”

For two Iranian women Maryam Rostampour and Marzieh Amirzadeh spent 259 days in Iran’s notorious Evin Prison last year accused of anti-government activity, apostasy, and propagating Christianity—all crimes punishable by death. Under pressure to recant their Christian faith their response was, “We love Jesus. We will not deny our faith.”

With charges dropped and a warning against any further Christian activity in the country, the pair left Iran to an undisclosed location. There is a world of difference between asking someone to repeat a simple sentence, and realizing that living the words will result in a sentence. One is choice; the other is commitment.

Matthew 5:11-12 (NASB) "Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. (12) "Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

What happened to Nagla al-Imam and her two children? An Egyptian citizen, al-Imam converted to Christianity. Recently, a controversial attorney made her conversion public. “In an interview broadcast by Free Christian Voice she described being arrested and beaten by Egyptian security forces for her change of faith. She said an officer took her by the hair and bashed her head against his desk.”

She and her children disappeared on July 12, 2010 and have not been seen since. The Television Station that helped her has been unable to find her, and has had their offices vandalized by Egyptian security. Friends also have reported that they have been unable to locate her or her children.

We need to remember our Christian brothers and sisters around the world who are persecuted for the faith.

Matthew 5:11 (HCSB) “You are blessed when they insult and persecute you and falsely say every kind of evil against you because of Me.

I do not know how blessed Christians in Iraq feel right now, but they are enduring a tremendous time of persecution. During Mass at Baghdad’s Our Lady of Salvation Church, five or six gunmen burst into the building and set off two suicide vests filled with ball bearings. “The remaining gunmen took some 100 people hostage. Eventually Iraqi forces stormed the church, killing all the terrorists and possibly some of the hostages. In all, 58 people were killed and as many as 300 wounded.”

--The Week, November 12, 2010, p. 11 Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

Add these 58 believers to the list of countless martyrs referred to in Hebrews 11:37. Only ball bearings and bullets, not stones, saws, and swords cut them down.

Hebrews 11:37 (NIV) They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated--

Our world has never been very safe for Christians. Persecution rears its ugly head at different places in different times. In Somalia, unidentified gunmen, believed to be acting on behalf of family or relatives, murdered 17-year-old Nurta Mohamed Farah in an apparent honor killing. The young girl had converted from Islam to Christianity and after suffering repeated beatings, isolation, and other abuse by her parents she had fled her home.

Matthew 5:10 (NIV) “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

In Matthew 5:10 Jesus says those persecuted for righteousness are blessed, and will receive the kingdom of heaven, with great reward.

The Christian community of Ethiopia must remember these blessed words. Four thousand of them have had to flee their homes. Muslim violence is responsible for the burning of 90 Christian owned buildings, including churches, a Bible school, and orphanage, and private homes.

One Muslim accused one Christian of desecrating a Quran, which started the destruction. Local police did not attempt to stop the attacks. The government sent in military forces to arrest 130 people and end the violence.

Matthew 5:10-12 (CEV) (10) God blesses those people who are treated badly for doing right. They belong to the kingdom of heaven. (11) God will bless you when people insult you, mistreat you, and tell all kinds of evil lies about you because of me. (12) Be happy and excited! You will have a great reward in heaven. People did these same things to the prophets who lived long ago.

The Chinese government arrested most of the 1000 members of Shouwang House Church in Beijing's Zhongguancun district was on Resurrection Sunday 2011. The arrest didn’t keep them from worshipping, they sang hymns as authorities herded them into a bus.

In recent years, the Chinese government has been relaxing its grip on the Christian house churches but it seems this marks a trend in the uptick of suppressive efforts. All large Churches with their own campuses must submit to oversight by the Communist Party.

--Reuters- http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/04/24/us-china-religion-idUSTRE73N0CJ20110424 Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Miguel Martinez

John 15:20(NASB) 20 "Remember the word that I said to you, 'A slave is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also.

In Mongolia, officials have detained10 house church pastors in reaction to their involvement with the Lausanne Congress on World Evangelism in 2010. Chinese officials blocked over 200 house church pastors from attending the event.

The Chinese house church attendance at the conference in Cape Town, South Africa, would have been the second largest delegation at the conference where over 200 nations were represented. The Chinese house church, filled with the Holy Spirit, maintains its commitment to evangelism in the face of persecution.

Acts 4:8-10 (ESV) Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders, (9) if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, (10) let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well.

In Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream, David Platt writes, “I was in Indonesia, the country with the largest Muslim population in the world, teaching in an Indonesian seminary. Before they graduate, the students in this seminary are required to plant a church, with at least thirty new, baptized believers, in a Muslim community. I spoke at their commencement ceremony, and as the graduates walked across the stage, I was captivated by the humble yet confident look on their faces. Every one of them had fulfilled the church-planting requirement. The most solemn part of the day was a moment of silence for two of their classmates who had died at the hands of Muslim persecutors.”

Police in Shelby, North Carolina are investigating an attack where a woman who was injured spent an hour reading the Bible to her attacker. Authorities say Lindsay Wood and her son came home from church around 8:30PM on a Wedne3sday evening. They say Woods son was getting their garbage cans in when a man ran past him toward the back of the house where his mother was. He heard the two talking, but did not understand the conversation.

As Wood’s son approached, the man pulled out a knife and swung it, cutting Wood’s in the right side of the throat. Afterwards, Wood started speaking about Bible verse and church. She waited for almost an hour to call 911, and police did not arrive until the attack had fled. Police Capt. Rick Stafford said. “She even invited him to her church. He kept saying he was sorry, and then walked away.” Police cautioned resident to be aware of their surroundings, and say they will continue their search for the attacker.

--Throat slashed, woman reads Bible to her attacker; http://www.shelbystar.com/articles/police-61740-shelby-woman.html ; February 4, 2012, Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

Luke 6:27-28 (HCSB) (27) “But I say to you who listen: Love your enemies, do what is good to those who hate you, (28) bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.

A Louisiana church’s Mardi Gras outreach plan was stopped by police because they said the church did not have the proper permits. Hope Church from Metairie, LA was giving away free coffee and water along parade routes when they were ordered to stop by local authorities. Pastor Matt Tipton said they were given an order to cease and desist, but they had no idea they were breaking any law. He said volunteers were handing out the refreshments when they were stopped by Parish officials and cited for failing to secure an occupational license and for failure to register for a sales tax.

Tipton said the authorities were not in uniform, but said when they pulled out the ticket, he was convinced it was real. The church has since apologized and then donated the remaining bottles of water labeled with the church’s name and web address to local drug rehab center. A spokesperson later confirmed to a news agency that the church had violated the law, but clarified that they had only received a written warning. Looking at the case, Ken Klukowski from the Family Research Council said the decision was absurd, adding, “This is a perfect example of why so many people have a problem with big government. The idea that a church needs a permit to land out water to thirsty people is unfortunate.”

--Church ordered to stop giving away free water, http://nation.foxnews.com/mardi-gras/2012/02/27/church-ordered-stop-giving-away-free-water , February 27, 2012, Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

Mark 9:41 (HCSB) And whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because of My name, since you belong to the Messiah—I assure you: He will never lose his reward.

In Religulous, Bill Maher says, “Faith means making a virtue out of not thinking. It’s nothing to brag about, and those who preach faith and enable and elevate it are our intellectual slaveholders keeping mankind in a bondage to fantasy and nonsense that has spawned so much lunacy and destruction! Religion is dangerous because it allows human beings who don’t have all of the answers to think that they do.”

Even though the worldly intellectualism of Maher and others like him is meant to be a vicious, hate-filled attack upon Christians, we can rejoice because our Lord said that we are blessed when it happens—Jim L. Wilson and Larry Floyd

“Religulous Ending – Documentary – Bill Maher”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=3R1fwrvPM4w&feature=endscreen
@ minute 2:30 within the clip; date accessed: Nov. 10th, 2012

Luke 6:22 (HCSB) “You are blessed when people hate you, when they exclude you, insult you, and slander your name as evil because of the Son of Man.”

Missionaries in China had been training leaders for several weeks. Following a session on baptism, a fifteen-year-old girl felt led to submit to the ordinance. The girl’s father performed the baptism. Missionaries listened joyfully as the father asked his daughter the first of several questions: “Do you believe in Jesus? Do you believe Jesus has forgiven you for your sins? Do you promise to walk with Jesus always?”

When the father asked the fourth question, however, the missionaries were somewhat taken aback: “When they come into our house and take us away, when they beat us and try to get us to deny Him, will you still follow Jesus?” --Jim L. Wilson and Jarrell Jones

Matthew 16:24-25 (ESV) (24) Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. (25) For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

Chinese pastor Samuel Lamb summarized his life and ministry: “more persecution, more growth.” Lamb was imprisoned in 1958 for refusing to register his house church with the government. Sentenced to 20 years of hard labor, he spent two decades working in the coalmines. He used the time to teach Christianity to other inmates in the camp.
When he was released he returned to leading his house church, continuing to refuse government registration. Pastor Lamb died in 2013 at the age of 88. The church is still unregistered and attendance is 4,000 people per week.

Christian leaders in China say persecutions have helped fuel the growth of the church. In 1949 there were 1 million believers in China, today the estimate is 70 Million. --Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

Acts 5:29 (CEV) Peter and the apostles replied: We don't obey people. We obey God.

In his book, The Insanity of God, Nik Ripken writes, “. . .people flocked to Christ in greater numbers during difficult days of persecution because that’s when they could recognize how God sustains and strengthens His followers through times of trouble.” —Jim L. Wilson

Nik Ripken, and Gregg Lewis. Insanity of God : a true story of faith resurrected. (Nashville, Tenn: B&H Publishing Group, 2013), 195.

Philippians 3:10 (NASB) that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death;

In Iran Christians are coming under extreme persecution for observing the Lord’s Supper. One received 80 lashes and others sentenced to less lashes. Their crime was drinking communion wine.

It may not seem like it at the time, but when believers are persecuted for the Lord’s sake, they are really blessed. Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

Matthew 5:11-12 (NKJV) "Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. (12) Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Christians living in Nigeria are under the constant threat of persecution by Boko Haram. In a recent video Abu Shekau, the leader of Boko Haram tells Christians, “We don’t care about that religion of yours.” At the end of the video the dances and chants, “Christians, you are in trouble; Christians you are in trouble.”

These are not empty threats either. Human Rights Watch reports that they have killed 2,053 people in 95 attacks in the first half of 2014.

If we can’t do anything else, we can pray for these brothers and sisters who face this terror. --Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

Matthew 5:10 (NASB) "Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

What is the worst thing that may happen to us because of our faith? In our current culture we may face ridicule or perhaps some form of censure, but for many in our world, the cost of following Jesus is paid in the blood of martyrdom.

The mother of an Egyptian Coptic who was among the 21 Christians beheaded by ISIS in February 2015 said she is thankful that her son kept his faith until the end.

Milad Makeen Zaky's mother described her son's faith and bravery in a video posted on Facebook. In the video, Zaky's mother called her son a martyr and expressed that she is proud in how he carried himself in the face of adversity.

"I thank God that my son kept the faith and died for the cross, because he was the son of Christ from his birth, not my son." She continued in the short video by talking about her son's upbringing in the church, and his personal journey abroad because he had struggled to find work in Egypt, which ultimately led him to Libya.

"From his childhood he was going to Sunday school, reading the Holy Bible, attending the prayer meetings in the church community," she told the camera.

Todd Daniels, who made the video, told The Christian Post, "The testimony of hope in the midst of suffering, is a testament to the value of the faith for which her son died. This is the message the world needs to see, what the Christian world needs to see."

We tend to think this life is a thing to be held on to at all costs. But many times, the way to life is through death. Tertullian said "the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church." (Apologeticus, Chapter 50). --Jim L. Wilson & Ron Wood

http://www.christianpost.com/news/mother-of-coptic-christian-beheaded-by-isis-i-thank-god-he-kept-faith-died-for-cross-136281/

Matthew 16:24-26 (HCSB) Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wants to come with Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me. (25) For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of Me will find it. (26) What will it benefit a man if he gains the whole world yet loses his life? Or what will a man give in exchange for his life?

2 Timothy 3:12 (HCSB) (12) In fact, all those who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.

Persecution

George Yancey, is professor at The University of North Texas, and the author of 14 books on race and religious bias. As a Black man and a Christian, he has experienced both. In his experience, there is plenty of bias from both directions, but in academia, the religious intolerance is much worse. “Things outside of academia have happened to me as an African-American. But within academia, I’ve faced more intolerance as a Christian, and it’s not even close.”

To illustrate the difference in modern America, Yancy mentions stores that “will sell you a ‘So Many Christians, So Few Lions’ T-shirt will not sell you one with the Confederate flag.” As Christians in current culture we can hold on to Jesus’ promise that as we are persecuted for our beliefs God blesses us. --Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

Marvin Olasky, From Racial to Religious Bias, World, December 26, 2015 pp 28-29

Matthew 5:10–12 (HCSB) “Those who are persecuted for righteousness are blessed, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs. ¹¹ “You are blessed when they insult and persecute you and falsely say every kind of evil against you because of Me. ¹² Be glad and rejoice, because your reward is great in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

ISIS is forcing many Christians to flee from their homes in the Middle East, and many are still being persecuted where they are. During one conflict, Bashir Estephanos lost two of his brothers, but his response to the killings of his family by ISIS is astonishing. During an interview about the incident, instead of anger about the situation, he publicly prayed for those who had killed his family.—Jim L. Wilson & Miles Hansen

Matthew 5:43–48 (HCSB) “You have heard that it was said, Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. ⁴⁴ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵ so that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. For He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. ⁴⁶ For if you love those who love you, what reward will you have? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same? ⁴⁷ And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing out of the ordinary? Don’t even the Gentiles do the same? ⁴⁸ Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

After a 2015 earthquake in Nepal, eight Christians were asked to provide counsel for students in a Christian school. During the counseling, they passed out a pamphlet with information about Jesus. Nepalese authorities arrested them and charged them with illegal proselytizing. Even after a new constitution declared Nepal to be a secular, not an officially Hindu state, the government continues to push anti-Christian legislation. The case against the eight defendants was later dropped. —Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell.

Matthew 5:10–12 (HCSB)“Those who are persecuted for righteousness are blessed, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs. ¹¹ “You are blessed when they insult and persecute you and falsely say every kind of evil against you because of Me. ¹² Be glad and rejoice, because your reward is great in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

On November 17, 2017 the on-line version of Christianity Today reported that several months in advance of the implementation date for several nation-wide religious restrictions, Chinese Christian villagers in Hangzhou province were told to take down displays of Jesus, crosses, and Bibles verses from their homes and replace them with pictures of President Xi Jin Ping. Some of the villagers were even told by communist officials that they would not be eligible for any government welfare assistance unless their Christian posters were removed.

Many experts believe that the coming year may be one of the most difficult in terms of persecution for Christian villagers in China. –Jim L. Wilson and Wade Harlan

For it has been granted to you on Christ’s behalf not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him,

China has charged Rachel Han with smuggling. Her “smuggling” was the result of her role in China’s underground railroad. This network helps North Korean defectors make their way to South Korea. Her commitment to Christ began when her baby daughter died of leukemia. As she lamented her baby’s death and her own life Han cried out, “what is the point of life?” One of her friends replied, “Do you know Jesus Christ?” The friend explained the gospel and Han eagerly professed Christ. At first, being a Christian in China was almost impossible. She lived 3 hours from the closest church. A job transfer brought them closer and they began to attend and grow. Eventually Han started a church in her home. It grew to 65 attendees when she had to shut it down because of government interference. Eventually a judge sentenced Han to 10 years in prison. In prison she sang loudly, she talked of Jesus constantly, she read her Bible aloud for all to hear. After less than a year authorities released her.

Today Han and her husband serve their local church and are involved with a Christian group that provides humanitarian aid to North Korea.

One can never be sure where a commitment to Christ will lead. One thing is certain; a dedication to Jesus Christ will not be boring in today’s world. —Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell.

U.S. citizen Andrew Brunson has served as a church pastor in Turkey for twenty-two years. In 2016, after a failed coup against the Turkish government, Turkish police arrested Pastor Brunson and held him in Turkish prisons since. He is facing 35 years in prison if the court convicts him. Even though Turkey’s constitution calls for freedom of belief and religion, Pastor Brunson is charged with “dividing and separating Turkey by means of Christianization.” In a very one-sided trial, where only verbal witness is used, (no evidence or corroborating information) he has been allowed to call only one witness. —Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell.

“You are blessed when they insult you and persecute you and falsely say every kind of evil against you because of me. Be glad and rejoice, because your reward is great in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

We often hear those opposed to religion make comments like “religion has been the cause of more wars that have killed more people than all other causes.” It is a way they argue against the church or anything Christian. But is it true?

In their recently published book, Encyclopedia of Wars, authors Charles Phillips and Alan Axelrod say “no.” Their book documents the history of recorded warfare. Their list contains 1763 wars in world history. Of those, only 123 had a religious cause. That accounts for less than 7 percent of all wars and less than 2 percent of all people killed in warfare. Those percentages are for all religions, not just Christianity.

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/rabbi-alan-lurie/is-religion-the-cause-of-_b_1400766.html

Authentic Christianity is a religion of peace; we serve the Prince of Peace. —Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell.

The Chinese government in Beijing keeps adding restrictions to the house church movement in China. The reason for the government’s concern is the continual rapid growth of Christianity throughout the country. When Chinese Christian leader, Ying Fuk-Tsang was asked about his hope for the future of the Chinese church he replied. “There is hope in knowing political power can’t extinguish religion. . . Right now regulations around churches are very strict, but the number of Christians is so large that the church is an important social presence. The power of faith comes from God. That is where your hope lies.”

As the threat of persecution continues to arise in our own country we need to remember those words. Our hope lies in God. —Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell.

“You are blessed when they insult you and persecute you and falsely say every kind of evil against you because of me.

Leah Sharibu, 15, of Nigeria is in danger of losing her life after she refused to give up her Christian faith under threat from her Boko Haram captors. Sharibu is the last Dapchi schoolgirl left in captivity under the Muslim terrorist group. The Nigerian government negotiated the freedom of the 104 girls that had been with her, but Boko Haram refused to let Sharibu go because she would not renounce Christianity. The prisoners who returned home told stories of Sharibu’s determined stand for her faith. Recently, the group laid down an ultimatum: Sharibu had one month to choose to become a Muslim or they would kill her. The Nigerian government has promised to do all it can to rescue the girl, and local churches are praying for her release. Many pastors say she has been an inspiration.

We look with admiration at a young girl who has the courage to stand for her beliefs. We take time to pray for believers in our world who face persecution for their belief in Jesus. We thank God for the salvation we have found in Jesus Christ and believe we could stand for our beliefs as well. —Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell.

Matthew 5:10 (CSB)“Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs.”

Roughly 70% of Christians worldwide live without the right to worship freely, notes Karen Ellis, director at Reformed Theological Seminary’s Center for the Study of the Bible & Ethnicity. It is getting worse. Open Doors, a group that monitors worldwide persecution says that last year 1 in 9 Christians experienced serious persecution. That is a 14% increase over the year before. —Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell.

Most of us are in the 30 percent with religious privilege. We must be vigilant to protect our freedoms while praying for the other 70 percent. We can also support missionaries to go to the difficult parts of the world. The high level of persecution is taking place in 73 countries. The top four offenders are North Korea, Afghanistan, Somalia, and Libya. Can we agree to pray for our brothers and sisters in these places?

John 15:18 (CSB)¹⁸ “If the world hates you, understand that it hated me before it hated you.

The advance of secularism has made it difficult to have Christian beliefs. According to Time.com the “faith of our fathers” is controversial as never before in parts of our country. Some examples they mention are a teacher in New Jersey who was suspended for giving a student a Bible. A football coach in Washington was placed on leave for saying a prayer on the field at the end of a game. The Atlanta, Georgia fire chief was fired for self-publishing a book defending Christian moral teaching. A Marine was court-martialed for pasting a Bible verse above her desk. Many Christians who have had smears hurled at them like “bigot” and “hater” for simply holding traditional beliefs about marriage.

Not just individuals but Christian institutions are facing pressure to conform to secularist ideology—or else. “Evangelical schools like Gordon College in Massachusetts and Kings College in New York have had their accreditation questioned. Some secularists argue that Christian schools don’t deserve accreditation, period. Activists have targeted home-schooling for being a Christian thing; atheist Richard Dawkins and others have even called it tantamount to child abuse. Student groups like InterVarsity have been kicked off campuses. Christian charities, including adoption agencies, Catholic hospitals and crisis pregnancy centers have become objects of attack.

The Portland, Oregon city council is stepping into the gap. With it becoming more unpopular every year to have traditional Christian beliefs, they unanimously approved an ordinance banning discrimination against atheists and agnostics. “With this declaration,” said City Commissioner Amanda Fritz, “perhaps more nonbelievers will feel less fearful of being themselves in the open.”

It’s good to know the city council is making unbelief safe again. Jesus warned His followers they could be un-popular in their own culture. –Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell.

Matthew 5:11 (CSB)“You are blessed when they insult you and persecute you and falsely say every kind of evil against you because of me.”

The Chinese government is requiring all recipients of government payments to give up their worship of God. “The participants were ordered to remove crosses, religious symbols and images from the homes of people of faith who receive social welfare payments and replace them with portraits of Chairman Mao and President Xi Jinping,” Bitter Winter reported Tuesday. “The officials were instructed to annul the subsidies to those who protest the order.”

A member of a church there told the publication that the communist officials tore down religious writings and a calendar of Jesus in his home and replaced it with an image of Mao Zedong, the most murderous dictator in world history.

Today the persecution is on the other side of the world. Tomorrow it may be here. Do you think we are ready for this kind of treatment? –Jim L Wilson and Rodger Russell

When Leah Sharibu, was 14 when Boko Haram terrorists kidnapped her along with over a hundred other students from her school in northeast Nigeria on Feb. 19, 2018. Sharibu is the only one of her classmates left in captivity under the Muslim terrorist group. The Nigerian government negotiated the freedom of the 104 girls that had been with her, but Boko Haram refused to let Sharibu go because she refuses to renounce her Christian faith. Her fellow students who returned home told stories of Sharibu’s determined stand for her faith.

· Over 340 million Christians living in places where they might experience persecution and discrimination