Bible Lesson: Persecution-Religious

Bible Lesson: Persecution, Religious.

According to the Free Republic:
ROME, (Zenit.org).- The 20th century may have been the most striking in the annals of Christian martyrdom, and a new book shows it with numbers.

In two millennia of Christian history, about 70 million faithful have given their lives for the faith, and of these, 45.5 million -- fully 65% -- were in the last century, according to "The New Persecuted" ("I Nuovi Perseguitati").

What does your faith mean to you, would you be willing to die for it?
Many are doing just that.
The Word of God tells us that in the last days...

Revelation 12:12 KJV
"...Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time."

So many so called Christian people today, say yes, I will keep the faith!
And yet, those same people, will not so much as bow their heads to say a prayer of thanksgiving while eating out, nor will they ever be seen carrying, of all things their Bibles, anyone knows thats just for church. Witnessing, why isn't that for a preacher?

Here is a very serious verse from the Lord Jesus.
Matthew 5:20
For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed * the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

*Exceed: Greek-Perisseuo (Per-is-syoo-o): Super abound, excel, make more, be more abundant, be better, increase, over and above.

Matthew 5:20 NLT
But I warn you—unless your righteousness is better than the righteousness of the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven!

Matthew 5:20 NIV
For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.

Every day, the Church of the Lord Jesus, and His followers are coming under attack.
A former U.S. Attorney General, once stated that anyone believing in the “Second Coming,” is a radical.

The church today is coming under attack, as a place where “Hate,” is being perpetrated, because of it's Biblical standards against homosexuality, polygamy, and abortion, just to name a few.
Some so called Christians are heading for the door.
Now is the time for “real-Christians,” to take their stand for their Saviour!

If the world had “no other,” example of what a Christian is, what could they ascertain by watching you?

Hebrews 4:16 KJV (Tells us where you and I may find boldness to stand for Jesus Christ.)
Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace (the Altar), that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Isaiah 40:31 KJV
But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

If we try to exalt the Lord Jesus, by ourselves, we will fail, yes we need the Lord's help even in exalting Him!
We need His strength, and His wisdom. And we can have it if we but wait upon Him, at the altar.
The altar, is the place (of grace) where God and man meet. The curtain has been forever torn, between the holy place and the holy of holies, the way is open to be in His presence.

Persecution, yes it will come and in many forms, but may we be determined to be faithful ambassadors of the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.

Then it will be said of us as it was said of our Master.
John 6:38 KJV
For I came ..., not to do mine own will, but the will of Him that sent Me.

John 9:4 KJV
I must work the works of Him that sent Me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.


Persecution: The testing of faith.

Daniel 3:16-18 KJV
16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you.
17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty.
18 But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.”

Matthew 10:16-18 KJV
[16] Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
[17] But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues;
[18] And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.

Matthew 10:16-28 NLT
16 “Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves.
17 But beware! For you will be handed over to the courts and will be flogged with whips in the synagogues.
18 You will stand trial before governors and kings because you are my followers. But this will be your opportunity to tell the rulers and other unbelievers about Me.
19 When you are arrested, don’t worry about how to respond or what to say. God will give you the right words at the right time.
20 For it is not you who will be speaking—it will be the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
21 “A brother will betray his brother to death, a father will betray his own child, and children will rebel against their parents and cause them to be killed.
22 And all nations will hate you because you are My followers. But everyone who endures to the end will be saved.
23 When you are persecuted in one town, flee to the next. I tell you the truth, the Son of Man will return before you have reached all the towns of Israel.
24 “Students are not greater than their teacher, and slaves are not greater than their master.
25 Students are to be like their teacher, and slaves are to be like their master. And since I, the Master of the household, have been called the prince of demons, the members of My household will be called by even worse names!
26 “But don’t be afraid of those who threaten you. For the time is coming when everything that is covered will be revealed, and all that is secret will be made known to all.
27 What I tell you now in the darkness, shout abroad when daybreak comes. What I whisper in your ear, shout from the housetops for all to hear!
28 “Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

Mark 8:31-38 KJV
[31] And He began to teach them, that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.
[32] And He spake that saying openly. And Peter took Him, and began to rebuke Him.
[33] But when He had turned about and looked on His disciples, He rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.
[34] And when He had called the people unto Him with His disciples also, He said unto them, Whosoever will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.
[35] For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for My sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it.
[36] For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
[37] Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
[38] Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of Me and of My Words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of Man be ashamed, when He cometh in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.

Mark 15:29-32 KJV
[29] And they that passed by railed on Him, wagging their heads, and saying, Ah, thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days,
[30] Save thyself, and come down from the cross.
[31] Likewise also the chief priests mocking said among themselves with the scribes, He saved others; Himself He cannot save.
[32] Let Christ the King of Israel descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe. And they that were crucified with Him reviled Him.

Luke 6:22,23 KJV
[22] Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of Man's sake.
[23] Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.

John 12:42,43 KJV
42 Many people did believe in Him, however, including some of the Jewish leaders. But they wouldn’t admit it for fear that the Pharisees would expel them from the synagogue.
43 For they loved human praise more than the praise of God.

John 15:18,19 KJV
[18] If the world hate you, ye know that it hated Me before it hated you.
[19] If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

John 16:1-4 KJV
[1] These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended.
[2] They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.
[3] And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor Me.
[4] But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you.

Acts 5:41 KJV
And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name.

II Corinthians 6:4-10 KJV
[4] But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,
[5] In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings;
[6] By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned,
[7] By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,
[8] By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true;
[9] As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed;
[10] As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.

Revelation 2:10 KJV
Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

Revelation 6:9-11 NAS
9. When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God, and because of the testimony which they had maintained ;
10. and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, "How long , O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth ?"
11. And there was given to each of them a white robe ; and they were told that they should rest for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed even as they had been, would be completed also.

Revelation 11:3-12 NAS
3. "And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for twelve hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth."
4. These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth.
5. And if anyone wants to harm them, fire flows out of their mouth and devours their enemies ; so if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this way.
6. These have the power to shut up the sky, so that rain will not fall during the days of their prophesying ; and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood, and to strike the earth with every plague, as often as they desire.
7. When they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the abyss will make war with them, and overcome them and kill them.
8. And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which mystically is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified.
9. Those from the peoples and tribes and tongues and nations will look at their dead bodies for three and a half days, and will not permit their dead bodies to be laid in a tomb.
10. And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and celebrate ; and they will send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.
11. But after the three and a half days, the breath of life from God came into them, and they stood on their feet ; and great fear fell upon those who were watching them.
12. And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, "Come up here." Then they went up into heaven in the cloud, and their enemies watched them.

Revelation 13:5-10 NLT
5 Then the beast (The Anti-Christ) was allowed to speak great blasphemies against God. And he was given authority to do whatever he wanted for forty-two months (3 1/2 years).
6 And he spoke terrible words of blasphemy against God, slandering His name and His dwelling—that is, those who dwell in heaven.
7 And the beast was allowed to wage war against God’s holy people and to conquer them. And he was given authority to rule over every tribe and people and language and nation.
8 And all the people who belong to this world worshiped the beast. They are the ones whose names were not written in the Book of Life before the world was made—the Book that belongs to the Lamb who was slaughtered.
9 Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.
10 Anyone who is destined for prison will be taken to prison. Anyone destined to die by the sword will die by the sword.
This means that God’s holy people must endure persecution patiently and remain faithful.

Revelation 14:12 NLT
This means that God’s holy people must endure persecution patiently, obeying His commands and maintaining their faith in Jesus.

Romans 5:3-4 KJV
[3] And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
[4] And patience, experience; and experience, hope:

Romans 8:18,31 KJV
[18] For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
[31] What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

Romans 12:12,14 KJV
[12] Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;
[14] Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.

Philippians 1:29-30 NLT
29 For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for Him.
30 We are in this struggle together. You have seen my struggle in the past, and you know that I am still in the midst of it.

Philippians 3:10-11 KJV
[10] That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death;
[11] If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

I Thessalonians 1:6 KJV
And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost:

I Thessalonians 3:3-4 NLT
3 and to keep you from being shaken by the troubles you were going through. But you know that we are destined for such troubles.
4 Even while we were with you, we warned you that troubles would soon come—and they did, as you well know.

II Thessalonians 1:6-10 NLT
6 In His (God's) justice He will pay back those who persecute you.
7 And God will provide rest for you who are being persecuted and also for us when the Lord Jesus appears from heaven. He will come with His mighty angels,
8 in flaming fire, bringing judgment on those who don’t know God and on those who refuse to obey the Good News of our Lord Jesus.
9 They will be punished with eternal destruction, forever separated from the Lord and from His Glorious Power.
10 When He comes on that day, He will receive glory from His holy people—praise from all who believe. And this includes you, for you believed what we told you about Him.

II Timothy 2:3 KJV
Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

II Timothy 4:18 KJV
And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto His heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Hebrews 2:10 NLT
God, for whom and through whom everything was made, chose to bring many children into glory. And it was only right that He should make Jesus, through His suffering, a perfect leader, fit to bring them into their salvation.

Hebrews 10:32-34 NLT
32 Think back on those early days when you first learned about Christ. Remember how you remained faithful even though it meant terrible suffering.
33 Sometimes you were exposed to public ridicule and were beaten, and sometimes you helped others who were suffering the same things.
34 You suffered along with those who were thrown into jail, and when all you owned was taken from you, you accepted it with joy. You knew there were better things waiting for you that will last forever.

Hebrews 11:24-26; 35-40 NLT
24 It was by faith that Moses, when he grew up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter.
25 He chose to share the oppression of God’s people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin.
26 He thought it was better to suffer for the sake of Christ than to own the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to his great reward.

35 ...But others were tortured, refusing to turn from God in order to be set free. They placed their hope in a better life after the resurrection.
36 Some were jeered at, and their backs were cut open with whips. Others were chained in prisons.
37 Some died by stoning, some were sawed in half, and others were killed with the sword. Some went about wearing skins of sheep and goats, destitute and oppressed and mistreated.
38 They were too good for this world, wandering over deserts and mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground.
39 All these people earned a good reputation because of their faith, yet none of them received all that God had promised.
40 For God had something better in mind for us, so that they would not reach perfection without us.

Hebrews 13:6,
So we can say with confidence,“The Lord is my helper, so I will have no fear.
What can mere people do to me?”

James 1:2-4,12 NLT
2 Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.
3 For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.
4 So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.
12 God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him.

I Peter 1:6-7 KJV
[6] Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:
[7] That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

I Peter 2:19-21 NLT
19 For God is pleased with you when you do what you know is right and patiently endure unfair treatment.
20 Of course, you get no credit for being patient if you are beaten for doing wrong. But if you suffer for doing good and endure it patiently, God is pleased with you.
21 For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in His steps.

I Peter 3:17 KJV
For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.

I Peter 4:12-16 KJV
[12] Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
[13] But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when His glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
[14] If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the Spirit of Glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part He is evil spoken of, but on your part He is glorified.
[15] But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters.
[16] Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.

II Peter 2:9 KJV
The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:

Psalm 135:14 NIV
For the LORD will vindicate His people and have compassion on His servants.

Revelation 21:1-4 KJV
[1] And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
[2] And I John saw the Holy City, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
[3] And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God.
[4] And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.