According to the Catholic News Agency, the famous Trevi Fountain in Rome will be dyed red on the evening of April 29, “in recognition of all Christians who even today give their life for the faith.” In a move reminiscent of the first plague of Egypt, the city will dye its most emblematic fountain blood red in commemoration of the many new martyrs killed in our time for their faith in Jesus Christ.1
The church father, Tertullian, prophetically wrote in the second century that “the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church,” implying that believers who willingly sacrificed their lives for Jesus Christ would lead to the conversion of others to the faith—and millions have indeed followed.
In America, persecution is much more subtle for now with believers losing many of their freedoms, especially in commerce, as government exerts its power to remove Christianity from our daily lives. Other radical groups (ACLU, Freedom From Religion) continue to push to eradicate all Christian values, as well as symbols from our culture. Many well-known corporations (Verizon, PayPal, Starbucks, Target), have also joined in along with some professional sports organizations. Andrew Clavon, writing for To The Source (www.tothesource.org/religious-liberty) adds these provocative thoughts,
“What big corporations hate is freedom of the individual conscience, internally governed families, and churches powerful enough to stand up to the make-believe righteousness of government decrees. All of these things tend to generate independent action and thoughtful morality which can get in the way of profits. People who think for themselves and pray with others tend to be a little less quick to watch the latest soul-degrading film or half-time show or to buy a product simply because it’s the going thing.”
And this just in: recently it was recommended by the American Library association that the Bible be banned from libraries.
Slowly we are seeing the clouds of the darkness of persecution drift toward our shores, fulfilling the words of the apostle Paul to Timothy, “all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:18). We will be severely tested in America. It is just a matter of time.
Jesus, however, knowing what his followers would face, pronounced a dual blessing on those who would suffer persecution. At his teaching on the Sermon on the Mount, he said this,
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for my sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Mathew 5:10-12).
Three years later in the Upper Room, on the night before his crucifixion and as they celebrated the Passover meal, he reminded them that persecution would be part of the physical cost in following him,
“If the world hates you, you know that it hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for my name’s sake, because they do not know him who sent me (John 15:18-21).
But our Lord also made another promise on that night, right before they sang a hymn and walked across the Kidron Valley to the Mount of Olives where he would pray fervently and then be betrayed and arrested,
“These things I have spoken to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
Yes, be of good cheer, saints! He has “overcome the world.” Because along with great persecution that is happening today, this is also what is taking place right under the nose of the devil. It is reported that there are unprecedented thousands who are coming to faith in Christ during this time, especially in Muslim countries. This prompted one Iranian Christian recently to call Ayatollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic, “the greatest Christian missionary in the history of Iran because he established the Islamic Republic which is now pushing people to Christ,”2
The church is exploding in growth in the countries where the darkness appears to be overwhelming because God knows what he is doing. Just make sure you’re a part of it—and please pray for our brothers and sisters throughout the world who are experiencing great persecution and standing firm. Maranatha!
— Pastor Don Kimbro
1Thomas D. Williams, PhD, www.Breitbart.com, April 27, 2016.
2 www.facebook.com/8thirty8/April 16. Reported by Todd Nettleton, VOM.