Michael Bresciani
According to the Open Doors World Watch List, there are 50 countries that persecute and attack Christians and Christianity. The ten countries that generate the most extreme persecution are:
North Korea
Afghanistan
Somalia
Libya
Pakistan
Eritrea
Yemen
Iran
Nigeria
India
The other 40 nations are:
Iraq, Syria, Sudan Saudi, Arabia, Maldives, Egypt, China, Myanmar, Vietnam, Mauritania, Uzbekistan, Laos, Turkmenistan, Algeria, Turkey, Tunisia, Morocco, Mali, Qatar, Colombia, Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Tajikistan, Nepal, Central African Republic, Ethiopia, Mexico, Jordan, Brunei, Dem. Rep. of the Congo, Kazakhstan, Cameroon, Bhutan, Oman, Mozambique, Malaysia, Indonesia, Kuwait, Kenya, Comoros.
Most all the countries listed are Islamic nations with very low tolerance for anything Christian.
The Bible clearly declares that as the last days approach, both apostasy and persecution will radically increase for the church.
As the false, lethargic, and lukewarm church falls away, the true church of devout believers will be persecuted.
While it may seem odd, the very product of persecution is the separation of the true and the false church. It is a Romans 8:28 time for believers where God uses the evil against the church to produce something very good.
History has proven that the church is at its weakest point when it is popular and at the peak of its purpose when it is persecuted.
And yet, it does not need to be that difficult. It is the age-old maxim – when the word is heeded – no correction is needed.
Will America occupy or abdicate?
In the parable of the talents, Jesus said to the person given ten talents, “And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.” (Luke 19:13)
Certainly, no nation in the history of the world has been afforded more talents, grace, provision, and international standing as America.
The church has flourished here, and great revivals and missionary movements, along with the greatest worldwide evangelistic movement in history – all came from the shores of our republic.
Barna Group is reporting that America is seriously slipping into doubt, resistance, and apostasy.
The Barna survey asked questions about God, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, Satan, and demons.
All 1,871 self-described Christians were asked about their perception of God. In total, three-quarters (78%) said he is the “all-powerful, all-knowing Creator of the universe who rules the world today.” The remaining one-quarter chose other descriptions of God – depictions that are not consistent with biblical teaching (e.g., everyone is god, god refers to the realization of human potential, etc.).
For the other survey items, a four-point opinion scale was used to measure people’s reactions to statements about each spiritual entity.
Four out of ten Christians (40%) strongly agreed that Satan “is not a living being, but is a symbol of evil.”
It is quite clearly a case of being captured and conquered by an enemy they don’t think exists.
The following passage is often used to inspire individuals to keep going in the heat of the day and in times of great hardship. Look again, it applies to us collectively as well.
“And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” (Lk 9:62)
Can’t save Christmas while we are throwing the lives of our babies and our youth to the dogs
Estimates now are that about 2,300 babies are aborted every day in the United States. Some say it is murder by judicial fiat, while others think it is a scourge from hell itself.
Whatever we call it, Christmas celebrated or cancelled will make little difference in the day when men will give account. If Christmas is so redeeming, then why are not those 2,300 little ones given a chance to see it?
We are not Scrooging Christmas, but we are calling upon murderers to stop the scourge.
There is absolutely no way to explain the confusion about when a fetus becomes a human being, in light of headlines like this:
Judge Recognizes Hippos as ‘Persons,’ yet the Unborn ‘Still Have No Rights’: Pro-Life Group
When gay – Is not so happy
Then comes the long list of biblical passages that clearly warn that all forms of homosexuality will end in the permanent loss of human souls.
The LGBT has warred and campaigned against all Americans, but especially our young people, to accept this behavior as normal.
John Stonestreet and Kasey Leander from the Colson Center’s Break Point ministries say:
“Earlier this year, a Gallup poll announced that “one in Six Gen Z-ers Identify as LGBT.” That was a significantly higher number than ever reported in any previous years. Then, last month, a new survey released by Arizona Christian University reported that about 39 percent of 18 to 24-year-olds claim the label.”
This error will cost millions of people their entire eternity – should the church of Jesus Christ be a part of this?
Not all losses begin after death. Many of the best studies now indicate that the great plunge into transgenderism is costing us dearly.
Christian Headlines reports in an article entitled “The Dangerous 'Science' behind Gender Transitioning” that “Another high-quality study found a 7-fold increase in suicide attempts and a nineteen-fold increase in completed suicides after transitions. Even when the findings are adjusted for pre-existing psychiatric problems, which are often treated as unrelated to the gender dysphoria, there was still a three-fold increase in psychiatric hospital admissions.”
Not all the bad news about homosexuality and transgenderism is in the realm of bye-and-bye when you die.
Even in America, our gift giving is not to be compared to the three wonderful gifts God has given to us
1. Whether we fully understand the matter of the incarnation or not, one thing is clear about Christmas. The babe in the manger is the lesser part of the story. The greater part is that God was in a baby, drawing the world to himself.
Ponder it.
“To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.” (2 Cor 5:19)
2. It is hard to conceive of the idea that the babe has given to us as an entire life, ministry, death, and resurrection – and finally a second coming where the babe will become the everlasting King of Kings.
The babe was just step number one, we are fast approaching the final step.
The entirety of Jesus’ life is the greatest gift mankind will ever be given.
“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” (Isa 9:6)
3. Because we trusted the Savior like no other nation in history – he gave us our nation and our place in the world. We must never forget that in equal and direct proportion to which we give up our faith in him – we will lose our nation.
“And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it; If it do evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice, then I will repent of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit them.” (Jer 18:9-10)
Yes, keep Christ in Christmas. But also keep Christ in America – or there will be no America.
Related
America Enters the ‘Post Truth’ Era – Not Rocket Science
A Sobering Moment in the Midst of June’s Endless Flood of LGBTQ Pride
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© Michael BrescianiThe views expressed by RenewAmerica columnists are their own and do not necessarily reflect the position of RenewAmerica or its affiliates.
