A number of years ago when Russia was in persecution against Christians, I heard there was a prayer meeting among a number of professing Christians. And suddenly, the doors burst open, there were two fully armed Russian guards, and they said in Russian, “Get out of this place if you’re not willing to die for your faith.” And half of the professing Christians just got up and left. They just ran. And then when the doors closed, the guards put down their guns, took off their hats, sat down and said, “Praise the Lord, we’re just sorting out the sheep from the goats before we’d risk fellowship.” Now God doesn’t normally use the Russian guard method. He uses open up the ground and swallow them up method. You see, if there was severe persecution that came to the church, what it would do is that it would rid the church of murmurers and complainers. But more, those that cause division, and those that (?????) the Spirit. But more, and I think more importantly, if severe persecution came to the church, it would show the stony ground hearer the error of his ways.
Posted on: Sun, 11 Aug 2013 23:36:08 +0000