This blog was submitted by ICC representative Shane Bazinet.
As I was searching news stories to write about for ICC’s newsbites last month, I came across a story that really stood out to me.
A Christian mother in Egypt faced the choice of her children’s starvation or her conversion to Islam.
What I find so interesting about Christian persecution is that when someone or an area faces Christian persecution, you discover who the real Christians are. Real Christians are willing to be tortured and killed for their faith in Christ. Non-Christians who claim to be Christians care more about their own safety.
Another interesting issue with Christian persecution is that Christians cannot lose their faith. The persecutors don’t understand this when they give the Christian a choice between such-and-such and their Christianity. The Christian will never lose their faith! God has given them a new heart with new desires and they can’t change that!
The persecutor also doesn’t understand that they can strip the Christian of everything they have (their family, money, food, house, clothes, etc), but the Christian still has everything! They have the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit! They have a relationship with Jesus Christ! They’ve been forgiven of their sins! They’ve been granted eternal life! Hallelujah!
Paul Washer, in a powerful sermon, said Christians make the mistake of telling non-believers, “You have a beautiful wife, beautiful children, good health, a great job and a nice house. You just lack one thing: Jesus.”
Do you see the problem with that? If you don’t have Jesus, you have absolutely nothing!
Finally, the persecutor doesn’t understand that Christians have a special love toward other Christians. We care deeply about Christians like this poor Egyptian woman. Sadly, the persecutor does not experience this brotherly love.
Please pray for this Egyptian woman and send ICC a donation at www.persecution.org to help a brother or sister in Christ facing persecution. The Lord loves a cheerful giver.
Amen.
