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).

Are You Carrying a Weapon?

This may surprise some of you, but I always carry a weapon with me. And when Altha and I go through customs in Belize this Saturday (on our third missionary trip), they will ask us: “Are you carrying any weapons?” So I suppose we’ll have to tell them the truth: “Yes, we are armed!”

Allow me to explain. The weapon I am referring to is "the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God" (Ephesians 6:17). In Matthew 4:4 & 7 we see how Jesus used this weapon when refuting the temptations of the devil. Jesus responds, "It is written" and "It is also written."

Jesus resisted Satan’s lies by using the actual words of Scripture—the truth! He did not rely on his own ability to outwit or out-talk the devil. And He was fully prepared for this moment, having read and memorized the Scriptural texts—the written Word(s) of God. Jesus demonstrated that Satan is not rebuffed by cleverness or erudite theological arguments. Our weapon against him is the Bible. Jesus had spent 30 years learning how to use this weapon. If this was true for Jesus, how much more for you and me. When Satan comes along, will you be carrying a weapon?

Will Jesus Be Invited to the Pentagon?

Today is the National Day of Prayer. The Pentagon had asked Franklin Graham, the honorary chairman of the National Day of Prayer Task Force, to lead an official prayer service there. But withdrew its invitation after Muslims, Hindus, Jews, and even some mainline Protestants complained of Graham’s offensive views toward non-Christians. You see, Franklin Graham believes that Jesus Christ is the only way to be saved.

Not one to back down, Graham asserted that Muslims do not worship the same ‘God the Father’ as Christians do; and that none of the 9,000 Hindu gods could save anyone. It appears that the National Day of Prayer (which is supposed to unify Americans!) is turning into a Day of Disunity. But that should not surprise us! Jesus warned His followers He would divide people: Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword (Matt. 10:34ff).

But of course the spiritual pacifists are saying “can’t we all just get along?” Jeremiah warned of a time when people would declare Peace, peace, when there is no peace (6:14). Should Franklin Graham be making peace? No! Peace is not the same as placating: He would be compromising with the enemies of Jesus. Hold fast, my friends! The day is coming when Jesus will separate the tares from the wheat (Matt. 13:30).