If nothing else, all this ought to serve as ample reminder that we should train our sons to control their anger, and train our daughters how to wisely choose a husband.
This is
totally unrelated, but the thought has popped into my head:
Do we expect the persecuted, jailed, starved, mistreated, and even tortured Christians of China, East Timor, and the Sudan to denounce their faith, or renege on portions of their Christianity, to placate or escape their tormentors, or to
rely upon Christ in their time of suffering?
I daresay this verse must be of immense help to the faithful as they endure systematic persecution, and will be all that we can cling to if we go through the tribulation:
Matthew 10:28
Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
Hebrews 11, on faith
32 And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:
33 Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions.
34 Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.
35 Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that
they might obtain a better resurrection:
36 And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:
37 They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;
38 (Of whom the world was not worthy
they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:
40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.
God, please bless and strengthen our brothers and sisters in their hour of tribulation, when no man comes to their aid, give them the peace and joy that Stephen knew, give them the opportunity to convert their jailers in Jesus' name.
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