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Rank: Administration
Joined: 2/17/2008
Posts: 97
Location: Washington, OK
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It seems over the past few years that Christians are fair game in the media and in entertainment. You can pretty much say ANYTHING you want and the media turns their head. Say something minor and innocent about a favored minority or special interest group, and risk your job, career and future. Have you noticed this trend?
Brent Riggs - Author, teacher, mentor, online business expert riggsreport.com | brentriggsBLOG.com | brentriggs.com | seriousfaith.com | brentriggsPHOTO.com | brentriggsSTUFF.com
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Rank: Regular Member
Joined: 2/18/2008
Posts: 14
Location: Winnipeg Canada
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Yes Brent, I have noticed this trend (!!!) , unfortunately it's not going to get better, nor is it going to go away, it is a sure sign of a "run-away" process, Our Lord is in control however, and if there's something that needs to be said about /to a favored minority or special interest group than we must make sure it is something that will help them to find Jesus Christ, and nothing else, and if that offends them and we suffer consequences, than at least we can turn right back to Our Saviour with clean and honest heart and He will surely comfort us...
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Rank: Administration
Joined: 2/17/2008
Posts: 97
Location: Washington, OK
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I agree. And I'm not so sure it's not a good thing. Persecution purifies the Church. The American church needs a good dose of it. However, don't get me wrong. I'm not speaking from bravado. The thought of real persecution scares me just like everyone else. But I recognize the need for it.
Brent Riggs - Author, teacher, mentor, online business expert riggsreport.com | brentriggsBLOG.com | brentriggs.com | seriousfaith.com | brentriggsPHOTO.com | brentriggsSTUFF.com
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Rank: Bronze Member
Joined: 2/18/2008
Posts: 28
Location: Michigan
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I too, have seen this trend coming for some time.. The "human" side us tends to get angry when we see the "every thing is ok except Christianity" society and i guess rightfilly so. I am with Brent here. Persecution will continue, and quite truthfully....It scares me to death. There are so many scenarios that could play out. For example ...an armed soldier grabs your child and says that if you are a Christian he will kill your child. What would YOU do???? Just food for thought.
http://www.simpletruth-simplyput.com
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Rank: Regular Member
Joined: 2/18/2008
Posts: 5
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I have noticed this trend and it's caused me, frankly, a good bit of discomfort and personal debate with my Abba Father. What I believe God has been teaching me is that I have always lived in America - middle class with a home, food on the table, and clothes that were warm in the winter and cool in the summer. There is no way for American believers like myself to understand persecution the way the rest of the world's believers do without God getting our attention. Start attacking my generation's self-absorption by persecuting us for our faith, and see who is refined through the fire and who ducks and runs. I'm sad to say that many of us choose the latter option, as did I for a time. I praise my Lord and Savior that I am chosen by Him and for Him and that no matter how far I ran, He was (and is) always pursuing me. May I be willing to withstand the persecution - even choose it for His name's sake. That doesn't mean that we don't get tired sometimes!
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Rank: Administration
Joined: 2/17/2008
Posts: 97
Location: Washington, OK
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It also doesn't mean the thought of persecution isn't scary. Sometimes Christians have this idea that we'll march bodly in to persecution like Daniel to the lions den. Maybe.... but probably it will be very scary, very painful and very trying. There's nothing wrong with accepting the reality of that. I don't WANT persecutoin, it scares me. I know the Lord will walk with us, and take us through it. But I don't LONG for it, and hope we don't HAVE to endure it. I think it's just a matter of time though.
Brent Riggs - Author, teacher, mentor, online business expert riggsreport.com | brentriggsBLOG.com | brentriggs.com | seriousfaith.com | brentriggsPHOTO.com | brentriggsSTUFF.com
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Rank: Regular Member
Joined: 2/18/2008
Posts: 14
Location: Winnipeg Canada
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To t-bob,
You're right, as a middle class american with all the good stuff that comes with it, you probably (there are exceptions) heven't expierienced real perscution, the closest you can get in most cases is an embarrasment, personal discomfort or some form of financial/economic disadvantage, basicly the enemy is just hissing and "flashing" his teeth at us, God's timing demands that the enemy remains "on the leash" in America and the rest of the "western society" untill certain prophecies will start to come to pass, and than my friend if you still here....put it this way, there's a lot of info on the internet about what is happening to christians in some countries right now!...to think that here in north america people will be spared the unthinkable horrors, is a very dangerous thinking indeed, it numbs your fears like pain-killer numbs your tooth-ake, and as a result you loose your dilligence to stand right before The Lord! By the way i'm not really sure what' you mean by "no matter how far i ran, He was (and is) always pursuing me" Dont' take the Lord for granted, that no matter what you do He will "pursue" you...according to the scripture it should be the other way arround, it's us who "pursue" Him!
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Rank: Administration
Joined: 2/17/2008
Posts: 97
Location: Washington, OK
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I agree. I have been saying for years that the storm clouds of persecution can be seen on the horizon.... Here are some lessons I wrote similar to these thoughts: http://www.seriousfaith.com/dvo/devotion.asp?teachingnumber=394 http://www.seriousfaith.com/asr/question.asp?questionid=1815
Brent Riggs - Author, teacher, mentor, online business expert riggsreport.com | brentriggsBLOG.com | brentriggs.com | seriousfaith.com | brentriggsPHOTO.com | brentriggsSTUFF.com
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