Ecclesiastes 12:10

    In Hebrews 12:4 we read, “ You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin.”  The implication is that at some point you will. Which might be hard for us to accept. For many, the only thing that we expect to suffer in being a Christian is losing a bit of sleep on a Sunday morning or some FOMO for an event. Yet the Bible tells us something different.   “ For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if, when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God. For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps ,” 1 st  Peter 2:20-21 Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted . 2 nd Timothy 3:12 so that no one would be disturbed by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we have been destined for t...

  When Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refuse to bow down to Nebuchadnezzar’s golden image, the king decides to give them a second chance to change their ways. They however tell him they don’t need it. It wasn’t a mistake or oversight, they knew what they were doing and are ready to accept the consequences of their actions, no matter what they are (Daniel 3:12-18).  This sends the already upset king into a fury. He then orders the furnace to be heated up seven times hotter than usual.  This bit of overkill will burn them to ashes. It isn’t a good idea. The fire is so hot that it ends up costing him some of his best warriors that are sent to escort the trio to the flame.   So why was he so mad? Well, the easy answer is pride. He made the image as a way to give him homage. We know from the next chapter pride was an issue for Nebuchadnezzar. Someone that is deifying his creation is defiling him. How dare these men think they have a God that can deliver them from his ha...

  For the start of Christianity, the church received a form of official protection by its association with Judaism. Roman officials were reluctant to get involved in matters of religion (Acts 18:15, 25:19)  Yet, that wouldn’t be the case for too long. Under Emperor Nero, Christians would become the scapegoats for Romes’s problems. As Tertullian was quoted, “ If the Tiber rises too high, or the Nile too low, the remedy is always feeding Christians to the lions. ”  It should not have come as a shock for the faithful, however. The apostles and writers on the New Testament had warned the faithful of the coming persecution. “ Do not be surprised at the fiery ordeals ” and “ all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted ” (1st Peter 4:12,2 nd Timothy 3:12).   However, these attacks wouldn't hinder the spread of the Gospel, they would actually impel it. In a few years, Christianity would go from the scourge of the Empire to its official religion. ...

 A new crewman came aboard the old sailing ship and he was immediately struck by the grizzled first mate. You just tell by his appearance that he was a salty pirate. He had all the classic wounds, the peg leg, the eye patch, the hook for a hand.  After a couple weeks at sea, he worked up the nerve to ask the first mate about his career.  “Tell me,” he inquired “How did you end up with the peg-leg?”  The mate replies, “We were in a storm at sea, and I was swept overboard into a school of sharks, just as my men were pulling me out, a shark bit my leg off.”  “Wow!” said the crewman. “What about your hook”?  “Well”, replied the pirate, “We were boarding an enemy ship and were battling the other sailors with swords, and one of the enemy cut my hand off.” “Incredible!” remarked the crewman. “How did you get the eye patch”?  The pirate remarked, "Well one I was staring into the sky trying to get my bearing, when a seagull flew over me and did, well, what ...

   All my life I have heard people in prayer thank God for the blessing we have in this country to be able to worship without any fear persecution from authorities.  I’m not “ a prophet or the son of a prophet ” but with the changes in our modern word, I wonder if that will be the case for much longer.  That might seem a radical idea to some but consider how quickly our world is changing in how it thinks about moral issues (homosexuality, sex outside of marriage, etc) and how quick it has become to pass laws to control “undesirable” behavior and thinking.  I not sure that an expectation of increased political pressure on churches is too radical a guess, however let me say something even more radical: I’m not sure we should be thanking God that we are not persecuted more.  I'm thinking about Acts 5:41,  “ So they went on their way from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His...