Dying for your faith?

It's no secret that Christians have been martyred since Jesus led the way, by being crucified on our behalf. All of Jesus's disciples were martyred, except Judas who committed suicide after betraying Jesus. And since then millions have been given the choice of renouncing Jesus or being murdered and chose death. Most of those killings took place a long time ago. But Christian martyrdom is on the rise. Time Magazine did a story last year entitled Deaths of  Christian Martyrs Doubled in 2013. That story points out that there were 1,201 recognized Christian martyrs in 2012 and 2,123 in the year 2013. But the vast majority of them, 1,213, occurred in Syria.

 As a Christian you may have considered what you would do if you were in their shoes, but then breathed a sigh of relief because you're in the Jesus friendly confines of the United States. But as Lee Corso says "not so fast my friends". Times are changing.

Back in 1999 a 17 year old high school student name Cassie Bernall was confronted by a demon possessed madman who found her hiding under a blanket praying quietly while he murdered her classmates at Columbine High School. He then pulled up the blanket, said "Peek a boo"! laughed and asked "Do you believe God can save you"? She said "yes" and was then shot in the head.   That was the story that got everyone's attention. I wasn't a Christian yet, but admired her faith. Since then I have become a Christian and understand that Christians aren't brave because they're special people. Romans 8:11 explains "the same power that raised Jesus from the grave now lives in you". God is working through a Christian. And when a Christian is confronted with death, like Daniel Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were by King Nebuchadnezzar for not worshiping something other than God, it is God answering through them. our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

Now Christian martyrdom is on the rise. There was the Fort Hood shooting where 13 people died because they were Christians. They were not given the opportunity to convert however so some argue that's not true martyrdom. We then had the Charleston 9 murdered after their prayer meeting with the assassin. Some argue that the only reason they were killed was because they were black. And the killer himself said he was hoping to start a race war. However he also said that he targeted the church because it played a significant role in the black community.   The clearest case of Christian martyrdom to come out of America in a while is the mass execution of Christians that took place recently in Oregon. The shooter shot the professor dead upon entering the room and then asked the Christians to stand up. He then said "Good! because you're a Christian you're about to meet God" and shot the 8 students. 

I've heard people argue that that's not the way it happened. The witness mis-remembered, that Christians are blowing the story up. I don't know. I wasn't in the room. But here's a story this week as told by the murderers. Yes ISIS members are reporting that 12 Christians were given the opportunity to convert to Islam or be beheaded. It's actually even worse then that! The Christian leader was tied up while ISIS members chopped his 12 year old sons finger off! They then warned that if he didn't renounce Jesus and convert they would do far worse things to his boy. As a human father the only answer is of course, I'll do whatever you say to protect my son. But when God our father speaks through you He has the correct answer. There is nothing you can do to any of us, that will last more than a period of time. And once that period has passed, all of eternity will be spent safe, worry free, in holiness with our brothers and sisters in paradise. The leader was tortured for the day along with his 2 co leaders and son. As the day ended all 4 were crucified. That left 8 other Christians. 6 men and 2 women who were 29 and 33. They had watched all of this while in chains. They were now given the opportunity to convert. They all declined. The women were then according to the ISIS leaders dragged out into a public place. A crowd was summoned in order to watch and then they were raped. They both prayed to Jesus throughout the ordeal. The 6 men were tortured during that process as well. At the end they were forced to their knees and just as they were about to be beheaded one of the woman yelled Jesus with her last breath.    

No one is disputing that story. You can read it in lots of papers around the world like The Daily Mail, the London Mirror, or the Toronto Sun. But interestingly mainstream America press hasn't covered it. The right wing publications like American Thinker, Breitbart and Townhall have but no one else. Could it be that this type of news makes them uncomfortable? The fact that it's becoming dangerous even in America, to declare publicly that you're a Christian. I think people need to hear about other people whose lives have been so radically transformed by their relationship with Jesus, that literally nothing can shake them. 

If you are what's known as a lukewarm Christian, God says in Revelation 3:16 that He will spit you out. Just before that He says; I would prefer that you were cold or hot. If your cold towards Him he can rattle you like he did me and millions of others. If you're on fire for Him, you want to hear from Him! But if you're lukewarm there's nothing He can do with you. So he spits you out. I'm not saying that if you imagine yourself in one of these people that were martyred shoes, that you know decisively how you would respond. I'd like to think I would do what they did, but I'm scared that I might "wimp out" and take the path of least resistance. (I say least resistance instead of easy road because when you're dealing with ISIS and other demon possessed people I doubt that there is an easy road). But you need to be building a relationship with Jesus which is the most important relationship in your life. More important than your spouse or children or your pet or your hobby or whatever other relationships you have. Luke 14:26 Jesus says "If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters--yes, even their own life--such a person cannot be my disciple". Matthew 10:37 has a gentler way of translating it. "Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me". Are you willing to do something for a person that you wouldn't do for Jesus? If so, you are lukewarm.

 But all is not lost! While there's breath there's hope! Ask Jesus to help you place Him at the center of your life. If it was possible for you to do that on your own, you could then take credit for some of your own salvation. As Ephesians 8-9 remind us; For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.So simply ask Him over and over to help you. Matthew 7:7 assures us He will answer. Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. I pray God blesses every one of you who are beginning to confront your lukewarm hearts.