Unable to go walking with Bailey again this morning as I continue to nurse a sore toe. Bailey is laying on the floor beside me staring at the front door. As I was sitting here, waiting to go to worship services, I was trying to visualize the early church and how happy they were. It is difficult, to some degree, to understand how they could be happy. They were under constant persecution by the Roman authorities. Besides being put to death they were made to serve as objects of amusement; they were made to wear hides of beast and torn to death by dogs; others were crucified, others set on fire to serve to illuminate the night when daylight faded. Persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire occurred off and on for about three centuries, until Emperors Constantine and Liciniu legalized Christianity. Through all of the persecutions, the church not only survived, but it grew and the Word of God spread throughout all of the known world. Today, we have the freedom to worship God openly, without fear of imprisonment or death. We need to be happy when we go to worship, first, and foremost, because God will be there. Second, we get to commune with our brothers and sisters. Finally, we are able to renew and refresh our spirits. I hope you will join me in attending worship this morning.
Posted on: Sun, 19 Oct 2014 12:14:16 +0000
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