While imprisoned in the Tower of London at Newgate Prison, John Bradford allegedly uttered the words, “There, but for the grace of God, goes John Bradford” while watching a criminal on his way to execution. In 1555, this English Reformer would become a martyr at his own execution. Just prior to being burned at the stake, he said to a fellow martyr behind him, tied to the same stake, “Be of good comfort brother; for we shall have a merry supper with the Lord this night!”

John Foxe’s famous book, The Book of Martyrs, was published in 1563 by the Protestant John Day. The book is an account of Christian martyrs from the first through the early sixteenth century. Many have read this book. If you haven’t, you should.

I have given much thought on so many occasions at how blessed are those who live under religious freedom. My thoughts especially turn in upon myself. I, as many others in this country, have suffered anguish from life’s little surprises, but nothing I could legitimately classify as true Christian suffering. When I read the accounts of my brothers and sisters in Christ who are today martyrs for Christ, I humbly say, “There, but for the grace of God, go I”.

I have long been acquainted with a Christian organization called “The Voice of the Martyrs” (VOM). It is listed on the internet, and I would encourage every Christian to visit and support it, if at all possible. It can be located on the web athttp://www.persecution.com/. You will find true accounts of Christian who are, right now, paying the ultimate cost to defend the Faith because they will not reject the Lord Jesus Christ. You can request VOM’s free magazine, write words of encouragement to those who are suffering, support in several ways, and much more. I am not a spokesman for VOM, but my wife and I have had one of their husband/wife missionary teams in our home about thirteen years ago with a Bible class we held at that time. I know their work, and their love for the martyrs of today.

Asia Bibi is a 37-year-old woman who has been imprisoned inPakistan since June of 2009 because she would not denounce her Christianity. Seventeen months after her arrest, she was convicted for blasphemy and sentenced to death.

Imran Ghafur is a Christian businessman who has been imprisoned since July 2009 because he has been accused of burning a page of the Quran. He is using his time in prison to study God’s Word, and says, “I am happy the Lord wants to use me for His Kingdom.”

Y Wo Nie is a Pastor in Vietnam who was arrested in August 2004 “for leading a demonstration demanding more religious freedom and the release of property confiscated by the Vietnamese government.” His family has not been allowed to visit him during his nine year sentence.

I have only mentioned three, but there are many thousands of our brothers and sisters in Christ who need our prayers.

I fuss just as much as the next person at many of the atrocities that are happening in our country. It is sad to watch while those in power rip the life blood from this great country which our forefathers began. But even with all our problems, and there are many, we are still free to openly worship the Lord Jesus, at least for now. We are free to worship in our home, at any local assembly we choose, across state lines, on any day, as often as we like, and for as long as we like. This is not true in many areas of the world.

Most who attend the church services in this country don’t even carry a Bible with them, while many Christians in oppressed countries risk their lives for just one page from the Bible. We complain about the services, while others worship in secret for fear of being apprehended by the police authorities. We argue over the color of the carpet, while others sit on the ground or the cold hard floor. We forego worship for “more important things,” while others sit in prison because they chose to worship.

Do we really appreciate what God has given us in the land of the free? We speak of those who will come to Christ during the Tribulation period as martyrs, because during that time they will be a martyr if they choose to renounce the Antichrist and follow Jesus instead, yet there are many martyrs among us today. What is the difference between martyrs of the Tribulation and martyrs of today? Today martyrs are in select areas of the world, but not in free countries such as ours. However, during the Tribulation there will be no free zones. Everyone will be affected, without exception. Unlike today, everyone will have to make a life or death decision, either for or against Christ.

Many of our brothers and sisters in Christ today are getting a very strong foretaste of what it means to follow Christ, and many more in free countries such as ours are blind to everything around them but their own pleasures.

Will we ever wake up and hear the cries of help from afar? Will we ever have a fire in our belly to pray for those who are oppressed? Will we allow God to guide us in others areas where we may help, while we pray for them?

Next month we will be celebrating Thanksgiving in this country. We will gorge ourselves on food fit for kings and queens then fall back in our recliners while we watch the games.

The following month we will be celebrating Christmas. While working our way up to that day, we will have spent money, like raving lunatics, on gifts, many getting themselves deeper and deeper in debt.

I realize that not every Christian is self-centered, but I do feel that as a whole, we in this country need to thank our God above for the freedoms we have, especially the freedom to worship. We need to wake up and say, “There, but for the grace of God, go I,” and not from a high plateau of haughtiness, but from a deeply humble and appreciative heart.

Even in our own country, some have it better than others, and I’m not talking about wealth. I’m talking about things that matter. For example, when speaking of our Heavenly Father, what kind of earthly father did/do we have? What about our mother, our siblings, other relatives? What was the neighborhood like where we grew up? I’m not making excuses for anyone. God can and does take people from all walks of life and pull them out of the gutter of despair. He does it every day. My point is this. Are we thankful? Can we say, “There, but for the grace of God, go I?”

We Americans are generally fat, lazy, and selfish, and that includes true Christians. Do we say “Thank you Lord” and go about our merry way, or are we really, deeply appreciative of the grace He has reaped upon us, by allowing us to be born in a religiously free country and everything else that goes along with it? If we are, our conscience will not allow us to brush those out of our minds who need our help. They need especially our prayers, and also whatever the Lord shows us to do on their behalf. There, but for the grace of God, go I.

Grant Phillips
grantphillips@windstream.net

Pre-Rapture Commentary

http://grant-phillips.blogspot.com

Have you ever been to a doctor or dentist and they say, “There may be a little discomfort”? Yeah right! Discomfort my foot! When they say that, we’re talking “PAIN”. Now if they say, “There may be a little pain”, then you had better hold on to something, because you’re probably in for an experience. I think we have all been there, but if not, well …….

So much is said today about the Tribulation period, I wonder if we have become too accustomed to the terminology and have forgotten about the seriousness of what will take place.

For those of us especially who live in a free world, the shock is going to be catastrophic for those who are left behind after the Rapture of the Church by the Lord Jesus Christ. We are not accustomed to not having the freedom to live as we please. For example, is it possible that those left behind in this country would not be able to travel as they choose, vote as they wish, buy what they like, live where they want, say what is on their mind, or speak out against those who are in charge of affairs?

What kind of America would it be for those then living in a police state? We in this country would be appalled if someone from another country told us what we can and cannot do, and hauled us into a world court if we didn’t obey, but it is going to happen. Yes, right here in the good old US of A.

In our country, even the poorest among us would be rich in many other areas of the world. During the Tribulation, most everyone, except the very wealthy, will discover what it is like to be truly poor. You think it’s hard to get a job now, it will be worse then. Forget the free handouts too that come from the working stiffs. They won’t be there. You think the economy is bad now. These will be the glory days during that time, days you will look back on with a longing in your heart to return to.

How about the politicians we are blessed with today? Yeah, I know most of them (not all) are rich, immoral, greedy windbags who are destroying everything the great founders of this country established. However, I don’t think we have seen the total depravity of man, until the Tribulation introduces the politicians of that soon to be era (Maybe it will be the same ones, just worse than what they are now). When the world ruler comes on the scene, the Antichrist, it will all sound great at first, then all hell will break loose on this earth.

All I have stated thus far would certainly be more than “a little discomfort”, but that’s not all.

When wars, earthquakes, volcanoes, tornadoes, floods, and starvation, are practically a daily occurrence, and the heavens are falling apart, real “discomfort” will introduce itself. Animals (the four-legged and two-legged kind) will prey upon people, possibly for food. Thieves and murderers will thrive. No place will be a safe haven.

Families, friends and neighbors will turn upon each other to survive. Sons and daughters will be sent off to wars whether you, or they, like it or not. Houses, businesses, and other possessions will be lost or confiscated.

Laws will be legislated that will control every move one makes, in other words, every facet of one’s life. Yeah, I know. It’s bad enough now, but this is still easy street.

Many people today have hardened their hearts to the warnings of God concerning what is about to happen on this earth. The Rapture is laughed off, even by so called Christians. The Tribulation is often discussed, but obviously not expected, or there would be a stampede of people rushing to the cross of Christ.

My dear friends, the Tribulation period is going to be far more than just a little discomfort. It is going to be downright painful, especially the last 3 ½ years. I have done no justice in clarifying the extreme of this horrible period. I have chosen only to give an eye-dropper’s taste of what is to be expected. The full dose will be administered upon arrival.

In 2 Kings 20:1 and Isaiah 38:1, Isaiah warns Hezekiah to get his house in order, because he is going to die. How many of us need to get our house in order? After Hezekiah’s gut-wrenching prayer to God for mercy, God gave him 15 more years to live. How much more time is God going to give this world before He brings judgment down upon it? I don’t know, but as of right now, there is time. How much time though? Could it be years, or months, or days, or even minutes?

Why did God give Hezekiah 15 more years to live? The third verse of Isaiah 38 says, “Remember, O LORD, how I have always been faithful to you and have served you single-mindedly, always doing what pleases you. Then he broke down and wept bitterly.” (Isaiah 38:3 NLT)

This king was actually living for God, so God granted him additional years to live. How many in this world today could truthfully apply that prayer to their lives? My guess is, not many.

As rotten as this world is today, God is giving us time to come to Him through His Son Jesus. Possibly very soon, many are going to face either death or the beginning of the Tribulation. If you have Jesus in your heart, there is no fear of death, “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.” (1 Corinthians 15:55-56) If you have Jesus in your heart, you will not be around for the Tribulation. You will be in Heaven with the Lord Jesus Christ.

I believe that in just the weather patterns alone, God is warning us to get our house in order. Yes, I actually do believe these are warnings. Are we listening? I also believe that the warnings are going to worsen, until God decides the warnings have come to an end. Then it will be time to give the world what it wants; i.e. a world without God (Holy Spirit – will be limited), and the Church (true Christians). It will be the time of Jacob’s trouble for Israel, and judgment upon a godless earth.

Please read 1 Samuel 8:1-22. The people of Israel went to Samuel demanding a king to reign over them. God was very upset because they rejected His leadership. He told Samuel to give them a king and tell them what to expect from their new king. They still wanted their king, and they got him. His name was Saul.

People today want a new king. They too reject the leadership of God. Therefore, God is going to give this world a king like it has never seen before. He is called the Antichrist, and his reign is going to provide more than just “a little discomfort”.

Grant Phillips

grantphillips@windstream.net

Pre-Rapture Commentary

http://grant-phillips.blogspot.com