PERSECUTION AMONGST CHRISTIANS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD

Folks, I mentored a vivacious young Egyptian Coptic Christian gal several years ago who had fled Egypt with her family years ago due to the kind of violence this article speaks of.  I took a strong liking to her because I was in a fire-fight (somewhat friendly) with a bunch of my peers over the topic of chastity before marriage.  She was the only one in our lunch-time discussion who was on my side and basically bore her testimony of how she expects to be a virgin when she marries due to her religious belief and that it is her way of showing her allegiance to God - by keeping herself pure for her future husband.  A breath of  fresh air in a culture where casual hook-ups (like so many stray dogs indiscriminately breeding in the park) are the norm these days.

I told her that it would soon be worse than what she had previously experienced here in America, for the true believers in Christ.  I tried to dig more info out of her about the Coptic marriage rituals and some of their "secret" stuff - but she would not give any ground.  I had to respect her for that - whether she knew anything, or not.  Whereas the Catholics pretty much just let things slide into a full-on state of apostasy, the Copts have held true to many of the original first-century teachings  - just as many groups of the Jews have held onto their original (bedrock) beliefs and teachings.

There are a portion of readers of this blog who will be called to pass thru this kind of stuff.  Like everyone else of old who had to, the reward comes with staying strong in the face of martyrdom and staying to true to your faith in greater things to come in a much better world.  Many, in an earlier time, will have chosen this ending in order to increase their reward on the other side - and, in the bigger picture, allowing God to have what is required to more fully condemn those beings of darkness who reign with blood and horror on this earth.  To lock them up for good, so to speak.  We are in a war - a massive sifting process; actors on a stage, if you will - with the end result being the ultimate victory for our souls.  This is the game where the war of words has moved into the realm of a war of actions and demonstrable values.  No longer merely a twist of a tongue to declare a feigned allegiance (as it was in a previous phase of battle), but an exposure to the extremes where our true heart of hearts and the raw emotional core can be exposed and the potential imposters' intents laid bare.  One third of the host immediately betrayed themselves and probably one third more sat on the fence of mediocrity, not exposed for for the cowardly turncoats that they are.  This is the final battle to allow the remaining two thirds to show what they are made of.  It is a battle for the survival of the spiritual fittest.  It is a battle of exclusion as much as it is a battle of inclusion.  In order for the eternities to continue in a state of perpetuity, there must be a weeding so to speak, of those who were organized into intelligences who will make the grade to themselves sit on yonder throne one day themselves.   In order for God and the God of our God to perpetuate their scheme of things, only those who possess that noble character (charity, loyalty, intelligence, commitment, integrity) will be allowed a continuation of the seed - after they have passed the test given them by a wise and loving Father.  Will many lose?  Yes, indeed many will lose - and a Father and Son who wish to save all of their creations will grieve over what was lost, knowing at the same time, that it must be so.

So, it is a brutal battle.  One with many casualties.  If you do not believe me, take a look at what our youth are going through.  It is not pretty in the least.

Here is the article that got me spun up:

     http://www.infowars.com/christians-are-being-burned-alive-beheaded-crucified-tortured-to-death-and-imprisoned-in-metal-shipping-containers/