Tortured For Christ

Ilene, Carolyn McGrew and I went to see this special feature tonight with several others from church.  Other friends we knew were there, too.  When I bought another ticket this afternoon online so Carolyn could go with us, there had been 158 tickets sold and 12 tickets left for The Grand 18 Cinemas on University Pkwy in Winston.  We wanted to be sure and get there in plenty of time to get a good seat.  I think arriving at 6:45 for a 7:30 showing was a bit early, but it worked out nicely as we got to choose the perfect seats!  Not too close and not too far away from the screen!  And I still came away with the beginnings of a headache. 

You can read more about who Richard Wurmbrand was HERE.

We talked about the movie on the way home.  After watching the movie, the only question I had was for myself.....what would I do under threat of torture if I was captured by our government and threatened to give up names of my fellow church members or be tortured myself?  I can say that I would stand firm the way that Mr. Wurmbrand did.  But, would I?  One pastor wanted to recant when the Russian secret police brought his son in and began beating him in front of him.  But his son begged his dad not to recant, but to preach Jesus as long as he could.  The boy was murdered on the spot by a cruel beating, right in front of his dad.  What would I do if one of my children or grandchildren were beaten in front of me?  Would I recant?  I pray not!

2 Timothy 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. 

We, as American Christians, have had it so easy when you talk about persecution; we have no persecution to talk about.  But, I fear it may come to that as I watch our country reject more and more the Christian principals it was founded upon.  I pray not, but I fear it is right around the corner.  God, help me to " withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand."  Ephesians 6:13