God Blog

Approaching God One Thought At A Time

The world never burned a casual Christian at the stake.
- John R. Rice

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Persecution

Humanity's inhumanity is legendary. Throughout history we've preyed on one another in unbelievable and inexcusable ways, from racial and religious persecution to war and genocide. In the same way cosmologist detect Dark Matter from it's gravitation pull on the visible universe, so too the way mankind has and continues to treat one another is strong evidence for the existence of an Evil One.

Today, we needn't wait for people to be born before
literally tearing them apart. Clinical abortion alone is responsible for over fifty million murders in the U.S. and well over a billion globally. For both better and worse, the Bible is crystal clear that the shedding of every form innocent blood if strictly forbidden, bringing swift and commensurate judgment in time and eternity. In fact Christ identifies so completely with "the least" of humanity that He warns that the eternal fate of each us is will be decided by what we've done or or failed to do "to Me."


Those who try to live a godly life because they believe in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.


- 2 Timothy 3:12 GW


Not only is there great suffering on Earth already, but according to extremely reliable prophecy humanity will soon face the greatest tribulation the world will ever know. We should use our time wisely, remembering Christ's advice:

  • “Watch out! Don’t let your hearts be dulled by carousing and drunkenness, and by the worries of this life. Don’t let that day catch you unaware, like a trap. For that day will come upon everyone living on the earth. Keep alert at all times. And pray that you might be strong enough to escape these coming horrors and stand before the Son of Man.” Luke 21:34-36

  • "These are going to be hard days—nothing like it from the time God made the world right up to the present. And there'll be nothing like it again. If he let the days of trouble run their course, nobody would make it. But because of God's chosen people, those he personally chose, he has already intervened. "If anyone tries to flag you down, calling out, 'Here's the Messiah!' or points, 'There he is!' don't fall for it. Fake Messiahs and lying preachers are going to pop up everywhere. Their impressive credentials and dazzling performances will pull the wool over the eyes of even those who ought to know better. So watch out. I've given you fair warning. "Following those hard times, Sun will fade out, moon cloud over, Stars fall out of the sky, cosmic powers tremble. "And then they'll see the Son of Man enter in grand style, his Arrival filling the sky—no one will miss it! He'll dispatch the angels; they will pull in the chosen from the four winds, from pole to pole." Mark 13:19-27

Temptation and Deception

While the time of
Great Tribulation has yet to start, the time of Great Temptation and Deception is well under way! The battle lines are drawn and the assault of the Devil rages against humanity, as well as the Church, with seven billion souls at risk:

  • "Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else." Ephesians 2:1-3

  • "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." John 10:10-11

  • "The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you. Do you remember what I told you? ‘A slave is not greater than the master.’ Since they persecuted me, naturally they will persecute you." John 15:19-20
In the modern world it's not "religiously correct" to talk about unpleasantries. It's considered divisive to discuss, much less act on, any spiritual truth that makes people uncomfortable. While there is wisdom in being "at peace with all men" it's important bear in mind that the Apostle Paul penned those words. The same Paul who's back was torn open 195 times while five times being lashed within an inch of his life because of confronting the church of his day!


Doctrine of Devils

Those who would authentically seek and serve God are in for a bumpy ride. While this has always been true it may soon be truer. For some time Christendom has known peace. After millennia of war and persecution, for the most part modern Christian nations have enjoyed freedom and prosperity. Unfortunately, the result has been the church becoming worldly rather than vice versa. Without an
unprecedented global revival, judgment is inevitable. God is not mocked. The peaceful eye of the storm is already passing. Having turned our liberty into license, we shall shall not only reap what we've sown but as Scripture warns, having sown the wind we shall reap the whirlwind.

Coming persecution will likely be
three fold. First, as things go from bad to worse, even within the church there will be increasing intolerance for genuine Biblical doctrine and God's truth:

  • "Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done. Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip. They are backstabbers, haters of God, insolent, proud, and boastful. They invent new ways of sinning, and they disobey their parents. They refuse to understand, break their promises, are heartless, and have no mercy. They know God’s justice requires that those who do these things deserve to die, yet they do them anyway. Worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too." Romans 1:28-32

  • "Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from the true faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons. These people are hypocrites and liars, and their consciences are dead." 1 Timothy 4:1-2

  • "But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power." 2 Timothy 3:1-4
Second, every wicked pleasure and entitlement will become an entrenched right. As temptation and deception rise beyond even current and historic flood levels, we will see increasingly more severe repercussions by the world system against any and all dissenters.

  • "If you find the godless world is hating you, remember it got its start hating me. If you lived on the world's terms, the world would love you as one of its own. But since I picked you to live on God's terms and no longer on the world's terms, the world is going to hate you." John 15:18-19
Finally, pretense will give way to global persecution of Christians and any decenter. The Antichrist will be given absolute authority and wage war against the God's people, conquering them:

  • "Then the beast was allowed to speak great blasphemies against God. And he was given authority to do whatever he wanted for forty-two months. And he spoke terrible words of blasphemy against God, slandering his name and his dwelling—that is, those who dwell in heaven. And the beast was allowed to wage war against God’s holy people and to conquer them. And he was given authority to rule over every tribe and people and language and nation. And all the people who belong to this world worshiped the beast. They are the ones whose names were not written in the Book of Life before the world was made—the Book that belongs to the Lamb who was slaughtered. Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand. Anyone who is destined for prison will be taken to prison. Anyone destined to die by the sword will die by the sword. This means that God’s holy people must endure persecution patiently and remain faithful." Revelation 13:5-10
  • While this will be far worse than it sounds, as always God will make a way of escape that we might bare it. Unfortunately, rather than a secret "get out of jail free" pre-tribulation rapture, the Bible teaches martyrdom will be required:

  • "War broke out in Heaven. Michael and his Angels fought the Dragon. The Dragon and his Angels fought back, but were no match for Michael. They were cleared out of Heaven, not a sign of them left. The great Dragon—ancient Serpent, the one called Devil and Satan, the one who led the whole earth astray—thrown out, and all his Angels thrown out with him, thrown down to earth. Then I heard a strong voice out of Heaven saying, Salvation and power are established! Kingdom of our God, authority of his Messiah! The Accuser of our brothers and sisters thrown out, who accused them day and night before God. They defeated him through the blood of the Lamb and the bold word of their witness. They weren't in love with themselves; they were willing to die for Christ. So rejoice, O Heavens, and all who live there, but doom to earth and sea, For the Devil's come down on you with both feet; he's had a great fall; He's wild and raging with anger; he hasn't much time and he knows it." Revelation 12:7-12 The Message
Having passed through a dozen stages in the journey of seeking and serving God let us press on, as did Paul, that we "might know Him the power of His resurrection" before it's necessary to undergo "the fellowship of His suffering."


Other Resources

One of the greatest resource for Biblical teaching and real world experience in regards to persecution is Nik Ripkin Ministry’s extremely insightful and challenging “Insanity of God” (best selling book and movie) along with it’s companion work “The Insanity of Obedience.”

  • From the world’s point of view the cross of Jesus will always be a stumbling block. From the world’s point of view God does not come and die, God comes to control and destroy. From the world’s point of view, if we were God, we would act from a position of power, not from a stance of love and humility. Today, as throughout all of history, a God who “so loves the world that he gave his only begotten son” is an act of insanity. For those of us who know Jesus, we want to model such insanity to all the peoples of the world because it is an insanity motivated by love, sacrifice, and obedience. It is an insanity motivated by going not staying. It is an insanity motivated by giving not receiving. It is how the world looks at God. This should be how the world looks at us. The Insanity of God is the true story of missionaries Nik and Ruth Ripken. After the death of their son, this ordinary couple journeys into the depths of the persecuted church, asking the question- IS JESUS WORTH IT? How does faith survive, let alone flourish in the places of the world that are over­ come with the darkness of sin, despair and hopelessness? Join the Ripkens as they tell the story of being taught by believers in persecution”how to follow Jesus, how to love Jesus, and how to walk with Him day by day even when it doesn’t make sense.”



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