Same here, brother. I pray that the Holy Spirit will strengthen me if that time ever comes. I know that without that assistance, and that of the "cloud of witnesses" (the Saints) that surrounds us, I wouldn't last a minute without breaking.
Amen brother, thats being honest and the typical American Christian has no idea of what suffering is. I could never measure up to the faith the early Christians had. Im suffering the trials of Job and its a fate worse than death. Death doesn't scare me much. Our lives also get ripped apart when we chose to follow Christ with everything we have. Ive just about lost everything including my son and only child to fentanyl. I welcome death. I want to go home now.
I've been studying the belief that John the Revelator is alive today. He had asked the Lord, rather than to be seated at His right hand, to witness His return to earth. Good stuff!
Truth is the same today tomorrow and always.... when you believe in truth and know it's truth, this life isn't life... its a life waiting to witness THE truth of everlasting life (in this context anyway)... how? through the lens that is is always first before EVERYTHING. Doesn't make sense.. ? ill make it more concrete. I am sure you Love someone. so much that you would die for them. But where is the proof of this love? no where. how is it measured. it cant be. No everyone is not looking to die. what would you die for ...brings in to focus the very core of truth. meaning no wavering. I think anyway (death is irrelevant and only provides a point of understanding in the context of the writing). and to answer your question. I live for helping others..... makes me understand the energy I am is very connected to others.
? I love life? who said It didn't matter.... sounds like someone is afraid of death... im not. I will continue... .. I guess you don't believe in your soul?? read across cultures. religions. times. before knowledge of what others were saying... the soul is real. who said I didn't have a purpose? you are jumping around like a rabbit. and no. Love is humble at its core... has NOTHING to do with YOU...as a singularity... it is something you give and experience
Knowing your belief is strong enough that you’d die for it doesn’t mean you don’t love life, it means you truly trust Jesus words. That’s what separates true believers from performers.
What is described here is based on people that knew Jesus and those who knew them who were among 100's of people who saw Jesus after the resurrection. I believe you have not even experienced that kind of faith: agnosticism and atheism try to analyze believers in the Creator as if he doesn't exist, which isn't a relevant analysis! I ask Jaguar owners about Jaguars:) Life is very valuable, but life on earth is relatively insignificant compared to eternal life!
Oh, if you knew Christianity, Jesus isn't dead (as in resurrection:) and we stil have a relationship today. And we share His Love and not bitter assaults on others!! I guess they didn't steal that part from Buddism, nor the worshipping of a statue!
A famous mathematician when asked what the chances Jesus was resurrected studied all the information and said the dramatic change in the disciples who ran and hid after his crucifixion explains a dramatic a event that even lead to their extreme martyrdoms and the most probable event was seeing Jesus after His resurrection!
Just because someone is willing to die for their belief/truth does not mean that belief/truth has value. Remember Heaven's Gate? Jonestown? Branch Davidians? And spare me the BS that somehow these modern cults were somehow not as legit as the early Christians.
I'm no one important. Never have been. My beliefs regarding truth and the whole matter of it supersede my very life. I am Christian. Truth is absolute. Pain is temporary. Eternal Truth is all that matters.
The church grew weak over the centuries. Division on arguments over beliefs, right or wrong, weakened what God intended to govern, rule & reign. There are those martyred for Christ but mostly unheard. Satan must not allow that to be contagious. Africa has had churches full of people burned. What is reported is portrayed as tragedy, not faith, devotion, or ccourage. We've been taught to think differently. Weak churches are full of weak Christians. We can testify we love Jesus, use emojis to express it & yet, we fail to truly experience Christ as the apostles did. The church was supposed to grow from them, doing greater things than Jesus did. Yet, here we are, centuries later, society weakened by corruption, greed & subtle maneuvers by satan to stop God from receiving billions of souls thru a conquering church. The church, ekklesia, should have made a difference but instead we have governments filled with evil people controlling us. If tortured, I couldnt endure as the apostles did, I could only cry out to Jesus to take me from it. Im not ashamed of that. I stand for Jesus. He is coming. To let the world know He exists, He's real & we do have a glorious eternity ahead with Him. May He give us His Grace in death from this world, & rebirth into the true world we were intended for.
Very thought provoking. I had made a note to myself long ago to investigate Fox's Book of Martyrs, but never did. How so easy it is to get lost in the things of the world and manipulated by the wiles of the devil. But He said, "Be not deceived." That is a command. And He does not bid us to do what He does not enable us to do. So let us love the truth.
Some of us have no price and others sell their souls for $1... Perfectly written for those that get it and for those that don't well hope it planted a seed. There is no price for integrity, truth and honor. Honor above all!!!
In Australia, they were unable to convince the aborigines living in the outback to get vaccinated with trinkets and free donuts so they began offering them thousands of dollars each to let them vax them. In an area with a population density lower than anywhere on Earth - you do not NEED to vaccinate anyone. There is one person every 20 square miles. I knew soon as I heard this that there was something ‘off’ about them vaccines.
This is a harsh but clear truth of which millions of namby-pamdy "Christians" are completely oblivious. Foxe's book of martyrs is a grueling but enlightening read which reports how those being tortured, burned or whatever didn't feel anger, malice, deep fear/regret or even much (or any) pain as they died for the LORD.
I always asked myself would I be able to stick to my beliefs when faced with death. The closest I came to being challenged morally was during Covid when I started to share the results of the pfizer trials in the office. I was also warning family and friends against getting the vaccine. I ended up being fired for not getting vaccinated but it became such a spectacle with office gossip that the company I was contracting at reversed their decision to enforce it on their employees. Was unemployed for 7 months but don't regret taking that stand especially when I saw how it violated medical disclosures.
This is not even close to what I'm seeing happening globally now but the way I see it is if I compromised my values then it would have led to me being silent now.
I have often prayed that I have strength when persecution comes.... I know that my faith is real, but my character is veneer thin.
I look to the men and women, the early Christians and I know that I am not of the same mold... I wish I were.....
I don't want to spend my time in shame, I think that stems from pride...
I think what I need to focus on and this is coming to me as I write, that I cannot and am nothing without Jesus...
Same here, brother. I pray that the Holy Spirit will strengthen me if that time ever comes. I know that without that assistance, and that of the "cloud of witnesses" (the Saints) that surrounds us, I wouldn't last a minute without breaking.
Glory to God!
Amen 🙏🏼 Exactly there too! I’m ok with death…. But not pain.
Good point and analogy
Amen brother, thats being honest and the typical American Christian has no idea of what suffering is. I could never measure up to the faith the early Christians had. Im suffering the trials of Job and its a fate worse than death. Death doesn't scare me much. Our lives also get ripped apart when we chose to follow Christ with everything we have. Ive just about lost everything including my son and only child to fentanyl. I welcome death. I want to go home now.
Wow! That is powerful!
“No bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country.” Gen. George S. Patton
“We fought the wrong enemy [in WW2]” also Patton
With conscription, it changes the reason for dying from voluntary to a legality!
Not in most countries as far as I know-you have to move liike the US draft dodgers came to Canada
You can just choose to go to jail and meet others who resisted and while in jail, organize.
True-good point!!
I've been studying the belief that John the Revelator is alive today. He had asked the Lord, rather than to be seated at His right hand, to witness His return to earth. Good stuff!
The same thought has crossed my mind more than once.
The one problem I have is the Question: What would you die for.
A wise man one said: I never die for what I believe because I could be wrong.
And that is essentially the problem I have with Faith and blind faith in particular.
I would like to reverse this Question... and that is to everyone.
-
What do you live for?
Isn't it that life is more valuable than death or faith?
Are you so desperate to die.
What do you do to make life worth living?
I am really curious about that!
Truth is the same today tomorrow and always.... when you believe in truth and know it's truth, this life isn't life... its a life waiting to witness THE truth of everlasting life (in this context anyway)... how? through the lens that is is always first before EVERYTHING. Doesn't make sense.. ? ill make it more concrete. I am sure you Love someone. so much that you would die for them. But where is the proof of this love? no where. how is it measured. it cant be. No everyone is not looking to die. what would you die for ...brings in to focus the very core of truth. meaning no wavering. I think anyway (death is irrelevant and only provides a point of understanding in the context of the writing). and to answer your question. I live for helping others..... makes me understand the energy I am is very connected to others.
Truth is ZEN
Ib live life to live life.
What you call life after death is essentially Transhumanism.
I wrote an essay about this: My Life matters.
https://fritzfreud.substack.com/p/my-life-matters
If your life don't matter to you... sorry about that.
I have a purpose.
And most certainly that purpose is to live not to die.
And yes... I love like no other can love... because you only love when you love life!
? I love life? who said It didn't matter.... sounds like someone is afraid of death... im not. I will continue... .. I guess you don't believe in your soul?? read across cultures. religions. times. before knowledge of what others were saying... the soul is real. who said I didn't have a purpose? you are jumping around like a rabbit. and no. Love is humble at its core... has NOTHING to do with YOU...as a singularity... it is something you give and experience
You read without understanding.
You make assumptions to feed your insecurity.
You evade Truth to comfort your emptiness.
You don't even know what love is.
I hear the pain screaming from your words.
Wonderful... happy trails
You are so disrespectful... and you call yourself Christian?
Tells me everything about you!!!
Knowing your belief is strong enough that you’d die for it doesn’t mean you don’t love life, it means you truly trust Jesus words. That’s what separates true believers from performers.
If your believe is so strong... why do you get triggered by my opinion?
It only shows you lie to yourself... and that is the sad thing.
Who is triggered? Is was clarifying.
Do you know the last words of the Electrician?
I believe this isn't a life wire.
What is described here is based on people that knew Jesus and those who knew them who were among 100's of people who saw Jesus after the resurrection. I believe you have not even experienced that kind of faith: agnosticism and atheism try to analyze believers in the Creator as if he doesn't exist, which isn't a relevant analysis! I ask Jaguar owners about Jaguars:) Life is very valuable, but life on earth is relatively insignificant compared to eternal life!
FYI... I am Buddhist... ZEN.
The oldest Religion on Earth.
Jesus came to India to study Buddhism.
All that is good in Christianity essentially is stolen from Buddhism.
--
Oh and I doubt it that anyone here knows or knew Jesus.
Because to do that you must be over 2000 years old and that is impossible.
Chose life... not Death!
Oh, if you knew Christianity, Jesus isn't dead (as in resurrection:) and we stil have a relationship today. And we share His Love and not bitter assaults on others!! I guess they didn't steal that part from Buddism, nor the worshipping of a statue!
INTRODUCE ME I LIKE TO MEET HIM
Does he work on Starbucks or McDonald...
One Jesus Burger please...
Faith and reality... when two worlds collide
BTW;
The only historical person that was resurrected was BAAL.
So you are saying Jesus Christ is BAAL?
A famous mathematician when asked what the chances Jesus was resurrected studied all the information and said the dramatic change in the disciples who ran and hid after his crucifixion explains a dramatic a event that even lead to their extreme martyrdoms and the most probable event was seeing Jesus after His resurrection!
Mathematics is a Religion too...
Just because someone is willing to die for their belief/truth does not mean that belief/truth has value. Remember Heaven's Gate? Jonestown? Branch Davidians? And spare me the BS that somehow these modern cults were somehow not as legit as the early Christians.
Thank you... spot on.
They were all Christians!
Its about apostoles Friz
I'm no one important. Never have been. My beliefs regarding truth and the whole matter of it supersede my very life. I am Christian. Truth is absolute. Pain is temporary. Eternal Truth is all that matters.
I want to say that this is one excellent read! 👏👏👏👏
A valid and believable post about the effect the resurrection of Jesus had on his disciples and followers! A great and important analysis!
The church grew weak over the centuries. Division on arguments over beliefs, right or wrong, weakened what God intended to govern, rule & reign. There are those martyred for Christ but mostly unheard. Satan must not allow that to be contagious. Africa has had churches full of people burned. What is reported is portrayed as tragedy, not faith, devotion, or ccourage. We've been taught to think differently. Weak churches are full of weak Christians. We can testify we love Jesus, use emojis to express it & yet, we fail to truly experience Christ as the apostles did. The church was supposed to grow from them, doing greater things than Jesus did. Yet, here we are, centuries later, society weakened by corruption, greed & subtle maneuvers by satan to stop God from receiving billions of souls thru a conquering church. The church, ekklesia, should have made a difference but instead we have governments filled with evil people controlling us. If tortured, I couldnt endure as the apostles did, I could only cry out to Jesus to take me from it. Im not ashamed of that. I stand for Jesus. He is coming. To let the world know He exists, He's real & we do have a glorious eternity ahead with Him. May He give us His Grace in death from this world, & rebirth into the true world we were intended for.
Thank you for a thought provoking substack.
Very thought provoking. I had made a note to myself long ago to investigate Fox's Book of Martyrs, but never did. How so easy it is to get lost in the things of the world and manipulated by the wiles of the devil. But He said, "Be not deceived." That is a command. And He does not bid us to do what He does not enable us to do. So let us love the truth.
Powerful and thought-provoking.
Live a Christian life worthy of persecution.
Some of us have no price and others sell their souls for $1... Perfectly written for those that get it and for those that don't well hope it planted a seed. There is no price for integrity, truth and honor. Honor above all!!!
In Australia, they were unable to convince the aborigines living in the outback to get vaccinated with trinkets and free donuts so they began offering them thousands of dollars each to let them vax them. In an area with a population density lower than anywhere on Earth - you do not NEED to vaccinate anyone. There is one person every 20 square miles. I knew soon as I heard this that there was something ‘off’ about them vaccines.
This is a harsh but clear truth of which millions of namby-pamdy "Christians" are completely oblivious. Foxe's book of martyrs is a grueling but enlightening read which reports how those being tortured, burned or whatever didn't feel anger, malice, deep fear/regret or even much (or any) pain as they died for the LORD.
This one was fair and written well
There is one belief I am willing to die for.
There are things we're willing to die to protect.
I always asked myself would I be able to stick to my beliefs when faced with death. The closest I came to being challenged morally was during Covid when I started to share the results of the pfizer trials in the office. I was also warning family and friends against getting the vaccine. I ended up being fired for not getting vaccinated but it became such a spectacle with office gossip that the company I was contracting at reversed their decision to enforce it on their employees. Was unemployed for 7 months but don't regret taking that stand especially when I saw how it violated medical disclosures.
This is not even close to what I'm seeing happening globally now but the way I see it is if I compromised my values then it would have led to me being silent now.