In the northeast part of China there was a severe flood. Most of the homes were ruined and peoples’ belongings were totally destroyed. There was a couple who were not Christians. The wife was paralyzed from the waist down. They lost everything in the flood so the husband bought some poison pills and was going to give them to his wife and then also take them himself so they could both commit...
Heart-pounding terror—that’s what most Cambodians felt when Pol Pot seized power in 1975. Setan Lee was a young teen-aged medical student when the Khmer Rouge communist forces took over control of Cambodia. Their horrors and atrocities against their own citizens brought the label “Killing Fields” to the era. Setan was in the most vulnerable class as an educated young person. By God’s grace alone...
Ron Boyd-MacMillan’s: That Endures: The Biblical scholar William Barclay famously described a New Testament Christian as having three remarkable characteristics: “One, they were absurdly happy; two, they were filled with an irrational love for everyone; and three, they were always in trouble!” The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace...
The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. Acts 5:41 Today’s devotional comes from Ron Boyd-MacMillan’s excellent volume Faith That Endures: The Biblical scholar William Barclay famously described a New Testament Christian as having three remarkable characteristics: “One, they were absurdly happy; two, they were filled with...
Revival in England In 1776 England was in such a shocking condition, that some historians tell how people became more savage than could be imagined since the creation of the world. Some men sold their wives on auction in the cattle market. Immorality was so rampant that most birth registers were filled with illegitimate births. Drunkenness was so common that even five-year-olds would be...
In 202, Christians who refused to sacrifice to Roman gods were considered traitors. Emperor Septimus Severus was cracking down on anti-state elements. As he saw it, the sacrifice was simply a patriotic gesture, not much more than our salute of the flag. But the Christians saw it as a denial of Christ. Among those swept into the emperor’s dragnet in Carthage were two young women...
His name is Victor Marx. His father was a pimp and a drug dealer. Four stepfathers abused and even tortured him. To escape the emotional pain, he began taking drugs as a teenager. You probably think you know how this tragic tale ends—but you’d be wrong. Today, that boy, Victor Marx, is an evangelical Christian who runs a ministry that helps traumatized children. When he grew up, Victor escaped...
Christian satellite programming in Iran and Afghanistan has resulted in numerous professions of faith in Christ. Many receiving the broadcasts know little about Jesus, but often follow up with questions by phone. According to the director of SAT-7 PARS, Panayiotis, one call came from a young man in Afghanistan. The young man had many questions about Jesus. “He said he was stunned by the love and...
In Gideon Magazine, Autum 1995, was the following article about Lester Ezzell on death row in Florida. He was visited by his Sunday School teacher, Curtis Oakes. He had a real burden for Lester. With great difficulty he visited him in prison. Lester greeted him with the words: “You don’t give up do you? You have to my home. Now here you are, 750 miles from home.” Still Lester didn’t want to...
Prisoner Number 2491 The Inspiring Story of the First Nazi Martyr Thumb nathan tarr bupioapj Article by Nathan Tarr Pastor, Knoxville, Tennessee Dietrich Bonhoeffer was in London when he heard of Paul Schneider’s death. He gathered his nieces and nephews to tell them. “Children, you must never forget the name of Paul Schneider. He is our first martyr.” Schneider, like Martin Niemöller and...