“Don’t Believe Anything I Tell You,” by Jack Kelley (an edited version)

“I tell you the truth. This generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.” (Matt. 24:34) One possible interpretation of this verse is that the Lord was referring to the people who would be alive when the signs of the End of the Age began to appear. Notice it doesn’t say all the end times prophecies will be fulfilled in the span of one generation.  It says they will be fulfilled within the lifetime of those born at the time of the first sign.

The length of our days is seventy years, or eighty, if we have the strength (Ps. 90:10). I interpret this verse to mean the average 'normal' life span for man is 70. Data collected by the UN between 2005-2010 show that the world wide average lifespan is 67.2 years.  Never in history has the entire world's average lifespan been 70 years of age. According to this interpretation, the end times could not begin until Israel was reborn because the Lord’s specific signs required it. If Israel’s rebirth in 1948 was the first end times sign, and if all end times prophecies will be fulfilled within the lifetime of those being born at that time, that would place the 2nd Coming about 70 years after 1948, or 2018. If the last 7 years can’t begin until the church is gone then the likelihood of the rapture occurring in 2011 is very high indeed.

I’ll remind you again as I have before that this is just my opinion. It is not my intention to pin down a date, but only to suggest a general time because the Bible says end times events shouldn’t take us by surprise.  I’ll close by reminding you of Paul’s warning not to believe anything I tell you, but to search the scriptures and come to your own conclusion (Acts 17:11). You’d better hurry though, because if you listen carefully you can almost hear the footsteps of the Messiah.

How are your listening skills?

This last week in my General Psychology class, as I was teaching my students the various personality theories, (Freud, Rogers, Skinner, etc.), I wanted to make sure they understood that these were all “natural” men who had developed “natural” ways to explain man, the who am I?—minus a biblical worldview.

As I was preparing my lesson, Holy Spirit reminded me that God is a Person—a Personality. (And He is not a theory!) And He can and wants to be known as  a Person who thinks, reasons, feels, judges, chooses, and, most importantly, communicates. Unlike thousands of man-made gods, ours is a speaking God.

From Genesis to Revelation, from Priest to Prophets, God spoke. And while the writer of Hebrews points out that Jesus is God’s final Word of salvation (1:1-2), he also indicates that God still speaks today, and that we need to pay attention to Him (2:2; 3:15). How? He speaks Spirit to spirit (1Cor. 2) thru the written Word.  He speaks by answering prayers. He speaks thru life events and everyday circumstances. So since we have a God who speaks, I think it behooves us to work on our listening skills.  I know I have room for improvement (now there's an understatement!).  What about yours?

Helmets popping off at an alarming rate!

I had one of those “laugh-out-loud” (LOL) moments this morning when I read the above-titled article in USA Today. Through the first 7 weeks of this football season, there have been 1,152 instances of helmets coming off in the middle of play. No serious consequences yet, but the potential for injury is great.

The problem appears to be the fault of players who are keeping the four buckles on their chinstrap so loose, the helmet easily pops off when a 250 lb tackler hits them.  The NCAA Rules committee is in angst over what to do.  One suggestion is to give the players a ‘time-out’—sitting out the next play—to make insubordinate players take this seriously.

My regular readers will recall that I wrote a blog post last week about the helmet of salvation which protects our minds during spiritual battle. Today’s ‘story’ adds a witty wrinkle to it.  The secret to keeping your “spiritual” helmet is making sure it is securely fastened, or in biblical parlance, after "putting on" the Word, we must “hold fast” to it. Paul says, “you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you” (1 Cor. 15:2).  Jesus says, “ I am coming soon; hold fast to what you have, so that no one will take away your crown” (Rev. 3:11). When our helmet falls off, after an especially hard hit from the enemy, maybe it’s not such a bad idea to take a time-out to put our helmet back on and make sure it is securely fastened.

It’s time to get back to the Cross

John Stott, a biblical expositor whose depth & simplicity brought doctrinal clarity to millions of Bible students, passed away in August.  Just before his death, he was asked what was missing in the Church today. He answered: “I think we need to get back to the fact that the cross is the center of biblical Christianity.” It’s true. If you open the pages of your Bible to the center, you’ll find yourself somewhere in the Psalms. But if you were to cut open the Bible “surgically,” to find its heart, you would find the cross.

Speaking prophetically, Watchman Nee wrote, “We are in the last hours of this dispensation. The hand of the clock is approaching the hour of twelve. The Church is rapidly drifting into a state of apostasy, further and further away from God. Dark forces have been liberated which are producing as evil an effect upon the Church as upon the world. The Cross of Christ is the light that will illuminate the present darkness.”

There is a strong 'therapeutic' current running through church teachings today that God wants people to be happy and fulfilled. These Christians, not unlike worldlings, will not know what to do with the doctrine of suffering. But all things will make sense to those whose world-view is dominated by the cross, whose interest in this world has been crucified, and who are living the crucified life(Gal. 6:14; 2:20). 

Have you been WITH Jesus?

I love to study words. Sometimes even the smallest word can be loaded with meaning. Such is the word “with.” There are two words in the Greek language for “with.” One is functional, indicating accompaniment.  For example, “I am going with you to church.” But a second Greek word with expresses association, fellowship, and intimacy: the union of belief, convictions, actions and experiences.

When Peter and John healed a crippled man (Acts 4), the Pharisees became quite disturbed that Jesus’ name was being used and He was being glorified. And they were especially angry that they were losing control over the nascent, fast-growing, Christ-follower movement.  The Scripture says the Pharisees knew that Peter and John had been WITH Jesus (Acts 4:13).  By using this word with, Luke is saying the Pharisees were admitting that the disciples’ intimate relationship with Jesus was the source of their power.

Spending time alone, shut in your prayer closet, studying Him in the Scriptures until you really know Him: these are the ways we are WITH Jesus. Wouldn’t it be great if people would look at us and say “you have been WITH Jesus, haven’t you!?”

"Ding-Dong, The Witch Is Dead!"

The Wizard of Oz song "Ding-Dong, The Witch Is Dead," popped into my head last week, when, after the sadistic killing of Muammar Gaddafi, the Libyans danced in the streets. I had a first-hand experience with tyrannicide 33 years ago when I lived in Afghanistan. In a coup d’état that toppled the government, the President and 40 members of his family—women and children—were brutally massacred. The next day Afghans were jubilant!

So while I was not surprised by the primal mob instincts of the Libyans, I was alarmed by the casual attitude toward such barbarianism by the “civilized” world. No doubt criminal justice demanded Gaddafi’s death, but not to be slain like an animal, dragged through the streets, his body displayed on a filthy mattress in a meat locker. One world leader declared, "On this foundation, families, communities and the nation of Libya will flourish.” Ya think?

Can anyone believe a peaceful democracy can grow out of such anarchy? An ideology of hatred turned into one of forbearance and unity? “Hate begets hate; violence begets violence,” said Martin Luther King. “The nations are in chaos, and their kingdoms crumble,” said the Psalmist (46:6). Is this not further evidence  that “the secret power of lawlessness is already at work” among us? (1 Thess. 2:7).

“I’m all shook up” (or Not)

The increase in the frequency and intensity of natural disasters (particularly earthquakes) along with a  worldwide recession has really shaken people up.  And like scared occupants running out of a shattered building, shaken people are spilling out into the streets.  And not only in the U.S.  And it didn’t begin with Occupy Wall Street, but earlier this year in Tunisia, followed by Egypt, etc. The economic recession and high unemployment has uncorked the rage of the middle class toward the wealthy: a “people” shake.

A recent poll of 1,000 Americans reveals that 7 out of 10 are very pessimistic about an economic recovery anytime soon. And almost everyone believes another major terrorist strike in the US is inevitable. To the natural eye, everything seems to be turning irretrievably awful. In the words of Elvis, “I’m all shook up,” or, in the somewhat more hallowed words of the Lord: “I will shake the nations” (Haggai 2:7). Earthquakes have turned into nation-shakes. 

Haven’t you noticed that even people who don’t believe in God are beginning to wonder if these things mean that we’re nearing the end of the world?  Jesus told us these things would increase as time grew short: “When these things begin to happen, stand with confidence! The time when you will be set free is near” (Luke 21:28). So, keep looking up; don’t look down; and don’t be shaken. But like David, say, “I know the LORD is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me” (Psalm 16:8).

Keep Your Head

Rudyard Kipling once asked the question, ‘can you keep your head when all about you are losing theirs?’ His comment seems frighteningly fitting for our times. With the increasingly intense culture wars of our decade, has there ever been a time in history when we have been more sorely in need of keeping our heads?

To enable you and me to do so, Paul says (Eph. 6) God has given the “helmet of salvation.” The “helmet” is God’s way of protecting your mind and keeping your thoughts straight, i.e., keeping your head. It is a helmet of right thinking and a renewed mind (Rom. 12:2). Bible history is replete with those who, figuratively speaking, "lost their heads" because they were so much more mentally vulnerable than they thought they were. No surprise then that Jesus has given us a piece of armor to protect our minds!

Significantly, the “helmet” is one of the pieces of armor not fixed to the body, like the breastplate or belt. In other words, you have to put it on. And what soldier wouldn’t, if, in the throes of battle, he might lose his head? With the speed and intensity of anti-Christian arrows and spears coming at us, it is crucial to keep our helmet on, if we intend to keep our head.

The Dangers of "Higher" Education

With 21 post-graduate units in theology and a semester of teaching in college, I am acutely aware of the dangers of what-is-called “higher education.”

Several times in the Scriptures, the Lord mentions the fact that an abundance of or excessive reliance upon worldly education can actually be a hindrance to entering into the Kingdom. The beginning words of the Lord’s teaching on the Mount began with the blessing on “the poor in spirit.” According to Strong’s Concordance this phrase means “destitute of wealth of learning and intellectual culture which education affords.” God said He would destroy the wisdom of the wise and bring to naught the intelligence of the intelligent (1 Cor. 1:19).

Please do not misinterpret my comments as “anti-intellectualism.” The mind is an essential part in faith: Paul says we are to grow in knowledge (2 Peter 3:18). And Jesus told us to love God "with all our mind” (Matt. 22:37).  The challenge to each of us is to be a diligent student of the Word (2 Tim. 2:15) so we may attain a truly "higher" education.

The Natives are Restless

The phrase "the natives are restless" comes from a 1933 film, “The Island of Lost Souls.” According to the Oxford Dictionary, the phrase is used facetiously to mean trouble is brewing. But more pointedly, it denotes a collective hostility toward authority and control.

Last week, I suggested that the emerging global insurgency, captured by the Occupy Wall Street movement, is the spirit of lawlessness predicted by Paul in 2 Thessalonians 2.  Since then, the media are referring to it as "unrest."  Indeed, restlessness pointedly depicts this phenomenon.

In the book of Job, Satan is introduced as a restless creature, “roaming about on the earth and walking around” (1:7). And he is introduced in the book of Genesis as one disturbing the peace and rest of Eden, provoking Eve to distraction. And then at the other end of the Bible, Peter compares Satan to a roaring lion, prowling about restlessly.

While I have deep respect for the constitutional right of dissent, I can’t help but think there is something else happening on our planet. Isaiah says, “those who still reject me are like the restless sea, which is never still but continually churns up mud and dirt” (Is. 57:20).  Don't those words capture the current global mood?  Earth’s natives are restless!  But be careful not to get caught up in it.  Rather, hold on to the One who said “Come unto me… and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28).

We Have Connections!

Without any fanfare, our cell phones had a birthday last week: the 25th anniversary of the first commercial cell phone call. Of course, since then, our cell phones have grown up.  And they’ve gotten smarter.

In the last decade, our Smart Phones have brought us from connectivity to hyper-connectivity.  And 24/7 instant connection has turned some of us into addicts. You can tell if someone is a connectivity addict by how often he checks his phone for messages!  (The average user sends 42 'texts' a day!)  So, what’s next?

Well, if I could predict that, I’d be a rich man. But I will offer you a rich spiritual analogy: we have 24-7 connectivity with God—hyper-connectivity. (And by the way, there are no “bad” connections to the Throne of Grace!) But like people who underuse their smart phones, some Christians don’t fully appreciate their 24/7 access to God. In the Old Covenant, people couldn’t imagine the privilege of connectivity we have. As New Covenant people, we have a hyper-connectivity smart phone users only dream of!

A. W. Tozer said “every believer can be filled with the Holy Spirit as much as he wants.” Even so, every believer is as connected to God a he wants to be!

Joel Osteen’s TGIF Gospel

Joel Osteen was on the Piers Morgan show last week, plugging his most recent book, “Every Day a Friday, How to Be Happier 7 Days a Week.” Once again, Joel Osteen is offering his own brand of highly therapeutic prosperity theology, with its focus on individual happiness and self-fulfillment.

In the gospel according to Joel, God wants His children to experience every day as if it were a Friday, meaning, every day should feel like the day before a good weekend. (Evidently, there are no ‘weekend warriors’ in Joel’s paradigm.) But Paul tells us (2 Tim 2) that a Christian is like a soldier, a farmer, or an athlete—denoting a “no-day-off” lifestyle, disavowing Joel’s “Have a nice weekend” gospel!

Every false teaching displaces sound doctrine for human experience. While I won’t say Joel Osteen is a false teacher, I will say that his message mirrors the therapeutic and psychological “feel good” philosophy that has invaded Evangelicalism in recent years. Self-development & self-improvement themes permeate evangelical teaching, justified by such words as ‘contemporary’ and ‘relevant.’ Whatever happened to “deny your self and pick up your cross?"

“Since Christ suffered, you must arm yourselves with the same attitude he had, and be ready to suffer too... Endure suffering along with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus… for if we endure hardship, we will reign with him.” (2 Tim. 2:3, 12; 1 Peter 4:1) Can you imagine Paul saying, “Thank God it’s Friday!?”

Should Evangelical Christians Vote for a Mormon?

Is Mormonism a cult or is it just idiosyncratic Christianity? The easiest way to recognize a cult is by its interpretation of the Bible and view of Jesus deity. Mormonism claims that Christianity was incomplete without The Book of Mormon, the Latter Day Saint (LDS) Scripture. With its own teachings and traditions, LDS rejects Christian orthodoxy.  And LDS teaches that Jesus was the brother of Satan.  Knowing this, can a faithful Christian vote for a Mormon candidate?

Well, Martin Luther might have voted for a Mormon! Quoted as saying that he would rather be ruled by a competent Turk (Muslim) than an incompetent Christian, his advice may well serve us in 2012. And we would have to admit that there are non-Christian candidates who share far more of our worldview and policy concerns than some others who identify themselves as Christians.

I still remember the opposition faced by John Kennedy in 1960 from evangelical Christians because he was a Roman Catholic. With increasing diversity in America, Evangelicals are facing unprecedented challenges (what about voting for an atheist?). So in answering today’s question, Evangelicals must think carefully and prayerfully. And it is probably best to do so before you arrive at the voting polls. “If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and He will give it to you” (James 1:5 NLT).

Lawlessness in the Last Days

When the U.S. decided to help the citizens of Tunisia, Egypt and Libya overthrow their governments, I wondered how much thought was given to who would replace them. The ‘insurgents’ had no identifiable leaders; and the only thing uniting them was their shared hatred of totalitarianism. Now in Egypt, as internal fighting and power struggles begin, anarchy doesn't seem far off.

"Anarchy" (the state of lawlessness) is on the rise.  And is it this spirit of lawlessness that seems to underly the current Occupy Wall Street unrest that has spread all across the U.S. and to every continent. Some are calling it “a new age insurrection, in which aggrieved people—enabled by social media and inspired by uprisings in North Africa and Europe—are uniting in opposition to what's wrong with the world." But what can protesters, who are only united by their common anger and resentment, hope to accomplish? Without leaders, goals, or solutions, isn’t it just mayhem and chaos?

How are we to discern these things? First, we shouldn’t be surprised. Jesus warned that lawlessness would increase in the end times (Mat. 24:12). Second, we must not be enticed by the spirit of lawlessness and chaos which foretells the day of the Lord. (2 Thessalonians 2:4-11) We are witnessing an unprecedented increase in chaos and lawlessness in 2011 that is much more insidious than a local gathering on Wall Street.

“Dying is Even Better”

Why was Steve Jobs’ death such an international event?—Because Steve Jobs was one of the gods of Silicon Valley, worshipped for his ‘superhuman’ feats. But Steve Jobs knew he was no god; he was a Buddhist. And Steve Jobs made it clear he did not welcome death (Buddhism offers no guarantee of happiness in the hereafter). Upon his demise, Steve believed he would go on into a never-ending circle of reincarnation to receive whatever his karma had earned him. Steve Jobs departed this life with the fear of uncertainty.

The uncertainly of the afterlife is a reason people fear death.  But by His death and resurrection, Jesus has delivered us from the fear of death. (Heb. 2:14-15), which is now replaced with the hope of heaven!  (Shouldn’t we all have our bags packed—ready to go?)  Jesus promised His soon-to-be grieving disciples to take comfort upon his departure that He was preparing a place for them! Every day we are one day closer to being with Him forever.

Knowing a better life awaited him, Paul said “the human eye has never seen nor the ear heard the heavenly wonders God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Cor. 2:9). Unlike Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, or any other ‘ism,’ we live and die with certainty: “For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better” (Phil. 1:21).

Occupy Wall Street, Main Street, or Your Street

Having been a college student in the 60’s, I am no stranger to protest movements! The current Occupy Wall Street movement reflects our nation’s anger and frustration. In my opinion, it shares commonalities with its cousin, the Tea Party movement, each one wanting to fix what is wrong with our country. Unlike the Tea Party movement, however, Occupy Wall Street is still amorphous, yet to be defined by a specific set of demands. Both are united by shared values; both are occupied with the idea that something is wrong.

It think it is significant they are using the word “occupy.” Like all earthlings, they are occupied with the things on earth. But you and I know that the wrongs of this world’s systems (financial, governmental, and judicial) will never be righted. That is why we are admonished not to become occupied with them.

“Occupy” means to be busy, engaged, or hard at work. When Jesus used this word—“occupy until I come” (Luke 19:13)—was He not only telling His followers to be fully engaged and hard at work taking care of His business (the kingdom of God), but was He also implying we ought not to let the things of this world occupy too much of our attention? It seems to me that during these troubling times, it will be very easy to pay more attention to the things in the world than to what God is doing. Beware of getting too occupied with Wall Street, or for that matter, even your own street.

Stability has left the building

“Occupy Wall Street” is an ongoing series of demonstrations in New York City that has now spread all across the U.S., some of which are teetering on the edge of violence.  Last weekend, nearly 700 persons were arrested for trespassing on the Brooklyn Bridge.

What are they protesting? That’s the strange thing. It is an amorphous movement, less about specific issues than it is about discontent with the status quo—a demand for social and political change.  I think this movement is part of an emerging global restlessness. 

By now we are all familiar with the anti-government protests, known as the “Arab Spring.” But similar anti-government protests are even now occurring worldwide. Since the beginning of this year, there have been anti-government protests in 24 countries. Like a bad hurricane season, one protest after another is battering global shores. One commentator said, “Stability has left the building.”

Our world today has entered into one of the most challenging seasons of history. Has the entire world ever seen such chaos at once? Jesus expected His disciples to be able to discern the times.  Are we?

The Walls are Coming Down

Every house has to have functioning walls. Without walls, what would hold up the ceiling, keep the wind out, keep your neighbor out and the dog in? Walls are an integral part of, not only buildings, but of all civilization. Walls "hold up" the ideals of the entire human race.

Nehemiah is the story of the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem. Walls were important to ancient cities—for protection: to keep the good in and the bad out! But Nehemiah did more than rebuild walls; he restored the spiritual lives of the Jewish people. After 70 years of spiritual neglect (without spiritual walls) the people were unrestrained.

This week a new movie called “Weekend” premiered at the South by Southwest film festival, receiving kudos from the mainstream media. The film covers 48 hours in the lives of two gay men who have a one-night stand. One film critic said the film is resonating with gay and straight audiences alike because filmgoers, no matter their sexuality, can identify with the characters’ fumbling feelings as their relationship evolves into something more meaningful the day after their sexual encounter. The film's producer says “we are pleased to see a broader audience embracing gay cinema; the walls are coming down.” They certainly are, “like a city whose walls are broken down" (Prov. 25:28).

Steve Jobs—World Changer— died yesterday

Steve Jobs was one of the greatest innovators of my generation, and it didn't take long for the people who loved their Macs, iPhones, iPods, iPads to begin paying their respects to this world changer.

Everyone would like to die believing they left the world a better place. There is something in all of us, a God-given desire, to make a difference in our world of family and friends. Is this not what Paul meant when he said in doing the ‘good works’ that God created for us to do, we would change our world (Eph. 2:10).

Steve Jobs' philosophy of life is summed up in the title of his 2005 Stanford commencement speech: "How to live before you die.” Steve Jobs had become a man of great reputation. But however noble it may sound, Steve’s Buddhist doctrine is an inside-out “truth” easily mistaken for the real thing. For the Bible says we can’t accomplish anything until we die to (give up)—selfish ambition, pride, and reputation (Phil 2:7). Only then, can we, as Jesus did (John 17:4), accomplish the things God has created us to do. Our commencement speech would be “How to die before you live.”

Paul’s secret to life is found in these words: “[I am] always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in [my] body…  death works in [me], so life [can work] in you” (2 Corinthians 4:10-12). The only real world changer that ever lived was Jesus.  So only His life in us can make us world-changers too.

Contagious Cantaloupes and Cognitive Contamination

Have you purchased any cantaloupes lately? The Center for Disease Control reports over 100 illnesses and 18 deaths, so far, from listeria-tainted cantaloupes—the worst such outbreak in a decade.

As I read the story, what seemed especially worrisome is that it can take up to two months before the food-borne illness, listeriosis, manifests. The thought that many people may still have the contaminated cantaloupe in their refrigerators is disturbing. Unlike other bacteria, listeria grows well at low temperatures. Why then is the FDA recommending that consumers rinse the cantaloupes under running water. I don’t know about you, but I think I’ll just toss the melons until this is under control.

About the same time, I was learning of this slow-growing bacteria, I read an article about “cognitive contamination”—the spoiling of our minds by cultural influences. Likewise, the contamination of our minds is a slow, methodical, gradual mental makeover. And, like listeriosis, it is covert.

Yes, indeed, clandestine cognitive contamination is a subtle Satanic scheme. Is this not the reason for Paul's war cry: “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Cor. 10:3-5).

The Solyndra Failure

Every morning on my way to SUM Bible College, I pass the Solyndra Factory on the Nimitz Freeway in Fremont. Solyndra is (was) one of the new “green” companies being sold by the White House as a model of “green” entrepreneurialism. You may recall that Obama stopped in at the Fremont Company last year for a photo op, while announcing He was providing a government-backed loan of nearly one-half billion dollars. Last month (less than a year later), the company filed for bankruptcy. Furthermore, they are under investigation by the FBI for possible fraudulent use of government monies.

Ironically, the “green” company’s motto was “what we do here will someday change the world.” Of course that refers to the development of an energy source (the sun) that will prevent this earth’s atmosphere from imploding into extinction because of the excessive greenhouse gasses. But I can’t help but see the irony here. All of the educated, intellectual, and entrepreneurial efforts of man to “change the world” and save mankind are only that—the futile attempts of man to save himself. I believe this is what Paul refers to as “wood, hay and stubble” and it is doomed for failure (1 Cor. 3:12, 15). It occurs to me that while the ‘natural’ man is striving for the “green,” the spiritual man reaches for the gold!

Well then, call me a Fundamentalist!

In response to an editorial in USA Today last week (“The Truth about Evangelicals”), a retired United Methodist minister wrote the following to the editor:

“I am a Christian and consider myself an evangelical—if you mean someone who believes in propagating the Christian faith. But I don’t believe that Christianity holds all the keys to the kingdom of God. It is more appropriate to use the term “fundamentalist” rather than “evangelical” in speaking of those who think that Christianity is the only way to the kingdom of God and that the bible is infallible. Since two-thirds of the people on our planet are non-Christian, the fundamentalist would say these two-thirds will spend eternity in the fiery flames of hell. Many fine people are fundamentalists… But their philosophy of religion is extremely judgmental and exclusive.”

Would Jesus be called judgmental and exclusive today? Let His words answer that question. “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me… Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it” (John 14:6; Matthew 7:13-14). In our 21st century, anyone who dares to have an exclusive claim on religious truth will be labeled judgmental and exclusive and narrow-minded. Count me in.

What was that Martyr’s Name?

Worldwide, two hundred million people currently suffer persecution because they are followers of Christ. They are arrested, evicted and attacked because of their faith. They are intimidated, interrogated and imprisoned. They are beaten, burned, beheaded, starved, stoned, raped, knifed and killed.

These modern day Christian martyrs are nameless to the outside world. Their sacrificial dedication to follow Jesus has brought them no earthly fame or notoriety; they are unheralded sufferers for Christ. Having forsaken all, these anonymous individuals counted the cost and decide they would rather join the ranks of those who “suffered mocking and flogging, chains and imprisonment, with those who were stoned, sawn asunder, and slain with the sword—of whom this world is not worthy” (Heb. 11:36-39, ed.).

The reason I am writing this is that earlier this week, an Iranian Court convicted a 32-year old pastor of a 400-member church in Tehran of apostasy—sentencing him to death for renouncing his Muslim faith. The story was only given a few lines on page 5 in the SJ Mercury News. And I have seen nothing since. It seems he is about to become one more of the anonymous martyrs of this present day. What can you and I do? “Remember those in prison, as if you were there yourself. Remember also those being mistreated, as if you felt their pain in your own bodies” (Heb. 13:3).