-fY;.) I-~
. )'6- ~
I
<!'1
n-u- e~--l..
r-~
.
C-J~/~8~,f~
T»
~
/
~e->-t.-.
fr;r
Now tid,S
suall
refers
to I'lorus
word
ahout
them.
..:J..,. ,<, "it'
referred
~ory.
'11,
gi vo them
an
f,J;J,
en
r-It
too
who .were@the
!lid you knm< this
r;J1i!.. ~
a ai
here
can have
- were
•
"&'~ ....
~/re3..._ l,e''' .••l.•..•
2=(
~
the
that
things
~llu.Jb~d,
:f.c4.J.
meaning,
that
t"-t..
were
uut
said
tan.
is
And of human
Ii
onch
It
is
a l~ce.
Yon
and practically
eveTYjnajor
elipion
that~~ has
ever elUsted
-<~=
_. -- --_... ~=-~-.
nth you will notice that the 28th is a Day of Prayer
wi 11 use an ~dissentin¥
mino:
for the PersecutedChurch. Early in Jesus' earthly ministry,
~ opJXJsition surfaced and, before very long, turned into intense
/
dust.
."
J-.;
and violenthatred.Experienciallythis is foreign10 us a, Americans
H' J-.i
and. thus. we struggle to helieve that such attitudes and actions
~
still exist.The New Testament is clear, though, "all who desire
to live godly in Christ Jesus will he persecuted" (2 Tim. 3:12,
NASB).This is not that we resign, but rather that we anticipate
it. Persecutionof the followers of Christ will continue and likely
Christians
have persecuted
the J.pw;; for C1intensifyuntil His triumphant return.
~
As we pray with insight and identifiable intercessionfor
it is difficult
even to win Jm<s today to Jesulour helieving sisters and brothers in places like Sudan, Albania,
4,:\ 1
J:if
Y"
China. Indonesia and many more. let us also remember and
sough t to
pcrSCCtlte
they
taken
them..
-
have
Anel they have lookc( rejoice that Goduses the faithfulne..,;s of His children even.inl
persecution to draw people to Himself. From one of the oppres-
up persecution.
give placesof the world this word has come, "Now in a town
where only recently there were no Christians, there arc nearly 20.
Friends who previouslybad no interest at all in Christ arc a,king
for Bibles and how to become a Christian.... All this because
you cared and pmyed."
This special day is nur opportunity to join with believers
Back there
in the beginning
of the Christiarollndtheworldtocarcandprayforthosewhosufferrorthc
•V
sake of the gospel.
around.
The I_(o_m_a_n_E_m~p_i_r_e,
where so many of th( f)_.\)
Roman authorities
Roman Emperor
Nealthy
to persecute
,Jewish
Now this
happened
- they
population.
was brought
in this
city
sOlillht
to blot
Christians
out
wa;(fler~
They poisoned
about
of smyrna.6
by the
the
infant
And he Ii stened
the
minus.
.Jewish
people.
of the
Olristian
great~
Martyrdom
church.
to
in
The first
some of the
all
the
world
a
-9-
was the leader of the Christians
111
in the
cited
Fe~when
and cried out as a mob
about Polycarp -- they brought him before the RomanGoveUlOr. He was given a choice
of saying,
~r
Jesus
is Lord._ He ryused
(the Govemor) said say I swear that
Polycarp answered this
I will set thee at Liberty.
s\rved him and he ~
,,,,,vj onr.
Whe
Howthen can I blaspheme my.King and my~
GsvwWf
i1ieatened
I have wild be~&
him.
that you ~
the beasts,
Polycarp answered, thou threatens
is put out.
I will
cast and cause thee tio
me with fire,
that
nut thou a,rt i&ora~
a portion
in the flames.
fi •• Me
thought me ,,,orthy of this
J
th c
.!.a~il'.liii!i!iiiiiillliif
w'ony unto death.
I know thou utter
blasphemy. which say they. are .Tewsand arc not.
know and I understand.
St
And after
cowin] Wdree,ent.
Whytarry
Polycarg prayed this
in the number of thy m~tyrs
S 2.. di ed til c pastor
6iWS>"l%!
fIre.
thou, bring forth
gath red the
thou has graciously
may receive
i"
hg 5~
---
punishment reserved for the ungodly.
pastor.
at hand.
which hurns for an hour.
what thou will.
that
thou art.
And the Governor said, seeing
To these wi11 I cast 111eeexcept wi11 thou change.
r-
the faithful
answeredeince
hear me, I am a Christian!',>
A little&r
Of the etemal
cars have I
I should swear by the fortune of Caesar and pretend not to know
who and what I am
a little
and six
-
1 e Governor )ressed him -- the aged pastor
va!nly urging that
Reproach Christ.
y'
fUl"0t!?of all history
He
to say Caesar was Lord.
moving
day and of this
hour.
TIlat I
in the cup of thy Christ.
the church of 5
destitution
ie..
and want.
I Lnowthe
I Lnowthou
nut are the "ynagogue of Satan - I
-10-
It is sai d the
Christ,
I,
I
lIe has said
fro~:hrist.
angry and said -- well,
trcaSllrer$
arCLlaycd
anzerec.l and he said,
have
1'0011
dead
Hj til
- @rOll
e'
If
The Christian
I wi
11
t:lf'vcr
1c;nrc 1J'cc
said,
nor
well
then,
fors.,Jrc
Yon cannot get. to them.
Tho".
touch it4
-'.-
It i ye up
1110 King
was
my
TIle King \\fas r,rcatly
I
ans\vcrctl,
-
,-
-..C.hJ:i.li!. in this
t
replied,
1\nd the Christian
T~YOll_
t
you cannot banish me
TIle Christian
I w'
up on hi 11h.
in God, and you cannot
smilingly
don
\vorlo for 40 years,
To which the King sni d) \VIIi.!.! can you do 'vith
-w;;;r,:,
\~ (f/
•......3-1e
IV.
and
.. St~ddert-Kennedy,11 B0ish ehaplain.in'.World
smd that a~~persolL.w'fuuyII~~ndisturbedjbythe pain
~nd s~ermg of C;ltherswas himself suffering from
.•.• _ h~de~ng..Qf t.hehea~~or~oftening of the.brain." Suf~
fClIng IS' a umversal problem. It confronts us daily
brought s.har& I,lltQ...$oeus.-}?y
one tragedy after an~
/ ..•..
other. It IS ~~artQfJiI~ (roB "emindsus that "man is
troubJ.e,_asJhe spar~ By up~rd'~ (Job
~~;r~Q
OlJll LORD'SH1COlJRAGEMENT
Fonnd even in the
If l1e look back. t~-
''lay
that he introduces
and the las:9
Through all
I am at the beginning of it and I shall
the way through.
In early
And praise
himself.
he says to the ange 1 of the church at Smyrna write
_ thesc thinBs sai th the ~rst
he all
>
have come now to our Lord's words of encouragement.
COI::lIllCndatioll.
ever have.
"God doesn't carel
I am the first
Jays and m ient
lIere be ~.
the trials
that
be at the end of it.
YOIl\Vi11
I shall
and thc last.
he \Vould write
da
over an
Over an unknown place
Or over another place - here 4JL-tlle ~
Just
1;1ClP
of all
the nlap of the world,
so the C
ct~y.
And
to an /-
- - he can \Vri tc,
the
here
tlong ~onB airpo~t.
-11-
J.t is a
telling __
t>torY~E!.~.E\gWO~
was slthng near hUD, and after a while, she burst into tears
~hich mo~ed guickly iQt9 near hy-.:~t~.He tried to comfort
her and dIscoveredthat shehad losther Elaneticketbackto
is, Christ
I ~he
my I\edeelner.
~
\vho suffered
is
I am he which was dead and is
al
in the present
to his resurrection
and am no" alive,
mlCn he died
and was buried
"as
lIe
event
referr'
"ticket"
(7)
r
and was raised
fr(.,..._
--
Our Lord said,
As he has said.
see _ 1 k~laving
This
seen it
in you,
I know is not
If he had said,
I know your "orks,
if
I observe
trihulation,
or I
and poverty.
I knOlv.
This
comes from his
and thou s~s
persecution
it
.le; it not true that many of us are'tting
on our ticke~?
Sitting on our opportunities for It e an servl~
can tell "
you that love convinces, but love also calls for a response and
a commitment. Two men were convinced on that day as the
•••• <
thy works - tribulati0if-poverty,
.Jmow
"
the
and do something about her situatiolJ.: The young woman
reluctantly agreed and slowly got up, and as she did so, s~
suddenly screamed
1 thought somebody had shot her.,"
Fulghumwrote."Whatisit?"~.
"My ticket!My ticketl
I have been sitting on it all the time! fjere is my ti(iet!" A'"
she left running to catch her plane, Fulghum wondered to
llimseIf how many of us have the solution to our probleJ}l
and don't know it because all the time we are sitting on.QW
Th
tense,
and great
hecame dead,
for me lick!;,!'5,6" cned and cried. lie listenedto fierstory
pahent!y<
an.9thenhe and an oldercouple,w..!l!l.l!!!.d
alsobetnendedhy, d~ided that tlteywouldtakeher to getsum.ethmg to eat. and,..thensee if they could talk to the authoritiss
Th
last.
t
translated
he refers
and the
Onr Lord continues
in ~;myrna.
When he adds,
alive
first
~heUnited States. ~e had been sitting there for three hours,
She did not know wh.at to do. All her money had been spent
f?
Uere is, my SaiKi
s my LUi&'
all.
me.
brought
lie kne" all
'i1lCYreviled
shall
of this.
S:;;an slwll
Lord said,
different
Think how this
lie has expressed
__ fear
encoura'
5""1
lfGJJ
it
and thy 1'0~y
suffering
all.
and this
lie has experienced
into nri son.
none of those
things
which thou
That you may be tried.
-
And ye
It
the number 10
and intCllseiiRcrsecution.
fear
I know thy trih~n
1 knOlv, I knOlv.
have tribulatiOJ
to fierce
him.
cleath to him.
Jur Lord gives
shal t suffer.
ce --
OIVll
none of these
The
thi ngs,
pe~iods of persecution.
1I00vthe
in the
Lord could have referred
Which some histqrians
c Lord. to say,
fear not.
land of Egypt.
I will
....,
have layeo
allev{ate
••
~lI:V7
refers
But the
to ten
out.
fiut one
- I wi 11 relieve
--
But th
Christian
e
said
may have cried
propert!
In I~/~nd
have m e of the same.
out -- oh Lord, we have so much now,
has been taken.
agony.
ntra
Our hgmeSlremoved from us.
in want.
rie arc ~tcasts)
lie live
we,
To which the
cannot
bear
in ,fags and misery
Is not anything
misery
and agony.
from this
in this
Remember
promised
Is there
something
besides
else.
suffering.
The Lord never
wh
Tri
promised
ley might have a place
can you be baptized
the
cup that
hIJ
)
just
And they said
s was beheade
them any freedom
at tl!e
I<ith my baptisr.I.
they
can.
Can you
But hal< little
the sliord of Herod.
all I-nOl', lVas left
unto death.
the
be
nti on, J29Y"rty,
they understand.
~
and
Horld.
and
drink
the Christian
Our
and we are de;spised.
There will
IT,ore.
it.
last
chapter
on the
I;le
s.fl.!t'tmos
in the Gospel of John,
to die of exposure.
is
called
on to b5 Cfllcified
did
-13You are going to have more trouhle
- amazing
that Jesus said this to these
people.
:J}~ (.,..
The last
/
thin
some~!;ing else.
that
@vou
he sa s i
see the wicked ~
unto
has
h1len you see God's people
having
a hard time.
And some seem to be li.:-ing in an abundance of things.
all
nut here you are - you do not have all
of this.
about your health.
"V
You have to struggle
of this.
SOQe arc having
You have to strum.:le
about how you are g0ng
to live
froQ week
-
be afra; d.
'.lany times
And to other
heart
people.
1.lhen at the s<l!lliL-time, their
the sh.,i!dowof fear.
complete
~he
all
to I1ljmbers of our church
assurance.
says,
When I
I l;ill
the Ivay tJ~.
lurks
even in my
speak - but our Lord gives
,
I knOlv.
And because
f~ar not.
and congregation.
Fear n
he knows, he says
I am the
first
secyou from the beginning
to tJ ese Christians
and the
last
to the end.
I
K
ill
us
at
be there
I know all
about
it.
There i
~frajd
- do
Dot
desl'::lir.
r~r
none of those
things,
Yea, thought
Do not hesjtate
I walk through
the valley
;7
of the shadmv of ?
death,
sta~Olnf~e.
I wi 11 fear
And thou strong
no evi 1:
arm support
for thou art
me,
with mei thy rod and thy
-14-
~
more wonderful person ever lived than (C~~
~.
She was de~!!l~L~ her husband, her children
went to WoZld !'Iar I, with a
~t she found time to @,into the,slllJ!!Sof the cit]
-'---f London and help the unfortunate, save the sick, tIl<
(l~_ She encQu!ag~<l.l!~r_hlJsba!ld
tqJe.a_~_the Meth'Safc shall he my geing
odist Church rather than have his call to serve circumscribed by regulations.. She was one of the front1 J I runners in the
of the Salvation Army. No
Sccretly anned against a 11 a f (cat
_ organization
h
one can eS!!.lJlate-te.good she has.done. And yet when
f,afe though all safety is lost
.('She came to the day of her death., she said that she
could llot.recall.on~dIlY when sh<tha<Lb~njree_ from
)afc where men £(11]
.
.l'JllnLWhy?
~
-----c"-.-
I
iil,/I;:'-I;;'~):C~rQ~~Y
had done nothing wrong, In fact, she
Alld if these poor 1imhs die
Safcst
a mere ehild of,six when she lost her sight through
1 anwas3teide,!t.
WIiyp---- ---.
of all.
litticr
th;;~lghtwas br~ught On by sin, saying, "TllOugh he
sla)\ me, yet wdl I trust in him." Take tile case of
Fanl)Y~1v
again, God did not will her blindness
It wa
Ct'd
I I ,
I .. s ~na~ ~ftt. t lappened because certain natural
aws weI" breken. But the acciden~ having occurred,
God cou ~'fc!')[~,:,ny Crosby to'~~~e,
_.,
/
WTote:
I kllow lIot whcrc his is 1ands U ft
Jesus, keep ~e near the cross;
There a precIOUS
fountain
Free to all, a healingstrea~,
. Flo,,:sfrom Calvary'smountain,
11ICir fronded paIns in air
I only know that
Beyond his
that
pyncipalities,
death,
)
I cannot drift
love and care.
I am persuaded
nor power2, things
or allY other
creatures~ shall
God which is ill Christ
\\
.Jcsus,
Dozens of other hymns by that same Ch' . 't~ .
I
I'
flS Jan Woman
lave ]terally lifted men's souls up to heaven Whe
wehsuffer: no mattcr wllat the causc, and c;n hav:
suc a fa'tll, we are On the road to rugged good character and everlasting life.
that
110her
present
death,
nor things
no,!- Ii fc,-llor
flIlg(o]s,,
to come, nor height
he ahle to separate
our Lord.
~or
us from th<L.1mLC.
of
Rom. 8:31\-39.
T1lcre arc
ows ahout.
dcsperatcly
for life.
knO\is.
TIlcrc are some of you who are
There arc some of you I.ho ar~vith
And the Lord
==- knows, and there
.
T
ting
YOUre
arc some of you 'iho lahar in' persecution
and God
There arc some of you 1"lho
t.
God knows.
Fear not.
Fear not.
1/
and in heart
- and
J.2~ ~
~',1:
~
IJ rv; "p-..J.J~-w..KM:...
+P14>~,
J.-.o,
If] I
".L:N4~_ ..,. J:;:r<-j;'
L<:.15.-~;1 'r4~
,fV\L.o"
','
.,.,
_Lou
"-j--;X;': ~
ri:'4c.W{ ~'h
~,.,<\.-~
.••
)~L ..
Ie
"""
,-"
r
l~
~ ~1-e-~.',
"t'C-' 0-fJ
,j<.\'flc
These are our Lord - takes into. cohsidefation
\
sJle - his lila
, thou faithfnl
ovcrcol11eth,
unto dcath
lall
And I will
not Lc hurt,
give the
'C$
<JLDLl-ifc.
of thc secorrd ,death.
''''''''''<.(j
h>-.~,
~~,.'
~
"',,--
/
.
_ 11
1OUSlJromisc.
that
,
•
~J~~~~;J.t;~~~~-;;
~-~~"~""
...
',
.~b?\Q,::~
~.t~
of'
~;:'DP.
,:if~
6lJW,..,..
••••..
~
\. ~~
-!?,,",v.~
,;J%.-I-k...
:-L.JW-'.... .
"''',-.... TI
,'-V!te
an
~_v""';
-10>'
•
<-
b
c,
-
'"'1'-
l'Ives t 0 (lC.
I'
lics
death.
, •.~ __.
•.
J<J'''~
€
I
t
_-..</0.
:t
...
....,.
~"-4J
~
ON EARTH
Is
GOD DOING IN TIlE WORLD?
And
seen
ThThou,0 Lordiby
h whomare
b
y creaturesas t eye,
FoMrgive
me if too closeI lean
l
y lUmanheart
on Theel
t
But the ChI
• ,£7/
~
..:stuit'-
J.rrl ~1f~)'.:1i;' WUAT
71.
IIC--Wffi'.
death for the lost
.•.•••..•
_.
~
4"
I u.9t b,e afraid.
lIc has Leen tlV'Ollllh,).1;,.al ~.,! ,
~
1~
~ ~~
iu~ \ot.u.. 1t.......t..1t<-I/!. t;
,I re~~.somewhCJre-a-line..sh,tl;'ment.1!bout
the great
almi ts with a_ c!'':'VIjforl~~~stian
wh" \0 VICton~~~r1~.~_org~Gordo~
On the Sun1d£.1\...
4.:> f'
::J- ~ "'day before Ii left for ~he S~?n; GenerarGordon went
'. chjo"ld!en"(\ jor you who 11ve In a hard 1War) all aro],1Il~_Lon?onto ~ !!c,!!!!berof chu!:ehes, taking
.~
~
1
C-?mm~n as many hmes as he possibly could-in
Goo is with"'!lis people.
And God is "ith Y' order, ne said, to st'lIi!1.ut"brim fulIotC';d." Brim full
If] J~
of Godl This is the seeret;;f"beariug:"silifcri!,g, of ae.
. ~~'i;~\~~
cepting it, of understanding it, and of using it. Apart
.1<'J.., oX
JI
I
I
Q
fro.m.-QQE,..theris
.e no answer tQ...l1le'\.why?"
of sorrow
/..:---..-//\~ _
n~
I
and ?~in an~ ~lfering,
'/
tl .n, \\i t \'lOU
1d he ~
.~ mm Shoo.. once told a story about how people
ll'-C~
,
~.
/
bqm full 0 Goa handle suHering.
crown 0
~a
~.:-com
,11 ~
.Duri~'g World War II, ~:J~mily reeeivedd2:'q)teleT
grams 1II~_weeks
announcr_!!!L!.hat-theiL~ons
Jmd
~d .
'111no !,(Y'fL.
<W~14- Because etc: bot,hbeen.ki~ed.i? action, :his family had al~ays been
0, , ..n4I
achve CI.lfIstlans,IIIv.olvedIIIchurch aHairsvery dec'ply.
e,;a
. r
r\~ that lion.
lEd
h
'
~
t was n~ _::,~er, an t ere Was mneh speculation
~
11LP~
about what they would do on Easter, The congregation
.I
• v"1>
~."..v. "(
f~
\ \,I
-'riK
vr .. tt ~~.
PI r\..- ~
.Q
\''="
<~
t:.
--P'
'
1
.j
~,......e,r-
~
tJl"
..-()
A ~
lr
~
IV'
1\'". I1<lL~I.IrPt'i.Nl: They oPl,eal'cd in their r"g!~ln~J.11I\ecs
when the worslnp hour came, faces drawn in grief,
hut with a look of victory in their eyes. However, it
But unbelievers
there will be anothel remained for a ;;'Illall.hoyjn that congregation to say
the llltimate w."!:dwhich summed up that beautifnl and
no , dramatic experien'ee. lIe was sitting in the pew imf,nd not etenlal
life.
eut you
,Q-" P<r
f 1 mcdiately behind tha~father and mother.
. _._-You "ill ~
be SelJar~,
the souIce
0
a
.:J
7'--..
.....
,--07
'fl. & ".J
1f'.l-1.k..
r..J:r~v- },-..,.( \.c''1r...t ..•' ....•
.
.
:<
"XC
tt<f~
Je;rth
'.
G~~
\:;.U.P-f,o
h
, I tl~~;Ul
t6~ " I 1q-""l..r ~..\~
..1~h, ~~
l\/~
~~,~.u
fJ' P .\ "If('.-, v .f:V~~~
t~
d
~
v'
fY"
~
~):
(0\'!J
~
~
~
~
~
~
~;AI
~'WIIEN
( ..
(.:l\wr:H~)............
f-!' ,~
"'i'"!-... ~
~-('.....
JIll'
"i"'1..."j:foI"
~,
f,..,.{
'1P'-~)
rt~_.~)
") . -:r..-ur'
I
T~
,r..7
..
,
.t";""tc'..-
"
')
'jlI-l
;/
I\:.)~ /.<'l.,'
Cmsls CO"""
Whoshallseparateus frOmthe love of Christ?shall tribulation, Ordistress,or persecution,Orfamine or nakedness or
I?
"
pen. or SWOT( '"
Nay. in all these things we are more
than conquerorsthrough him that loved us. For I am persua~l~d,that neither death, nOrlife, nor angels,nor principnhtllc~. nor powers. nor things present, nor things to come,
nor leIght,nor depth, nor any other creature,shall he able
to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ
Jesus our Lorn. Inn •...•.•
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