Persecuted for speaking of Christ

Does anyone here consider themselves to have been greatly persecuted for what they believe? Has anyone been told to leave a church? Did it lead to a greater blessing in some way?

In Britain there is a rather big atheist community who tend to ridicule us and call it magical thinking. It's sad really that others can't accept isn't it?

Funny how people jump on threads about things that are controversial - this is not. It is a testimonial thread and maybe no one has felt persecuted. This was on my mind this morning because I read Acts and saw that the persecutions of the early Christians only led to more glory for God. It actually spread the message about Christ. We here in America really don't experience persecutions in the same way, do we? I wonder if we could.

Probably the closest I got was when I left a church after telling the pastor that I could not belong to a church where the man considered himself to be the head and not Jesus. The next Sunday, the pastor denounced me as belonging to the devil. I wasn't there, but I heard. It did affect me a little - I've never been addressed such as this. But then I heard that 6 months later, the church dissolved. Many members left. I would not exactly say that this was persecution, but I was most willing to stand up for what I believe - that Jesus is the head of the church. And that I only had to answer to Jesus and the Word of God, not answer to what he believed I should do in a personal matter. This was a pastor who was controlling his congregation in ways he shouldn't.

As to how it became a blessing, I do not see. But it did strengthen me to speak up when I should regardless of the consequences and I was not a person to do this. Every act of boldness I have done for the truth only seems to strengthen me. I suppose that is the blessing.

ah am sorry, well yes I do know about being persecuted by other Christians too, but I guess being LGBT I made my bed and have to lie on it. I have also found myself out of place in churches and like I did not fit in with them.

A lot of us are persecuted because of personalities, lifestyles, opinions, choices, but the persecution I am referring to in this thread are the ones who are willing to be looked down upon for their testimony about JESUS. For Him being the only way to God. For Him being the only Head of the Church. For Him to being God in the flesh. For His being born of a virgin. For His being the only truth. For His Name above all other names. For His Spirit indwelling us. For His free gift of righteousness to all who believe.

To those people, I say you have such a blessing prepared for you. And you are the ones who I seek to be my friends.

How could I forget this: For His sacrifice on the cross, shedding His blood for our sins. For His desiring us to let Him live through our humble humanity. For His gift of Grace and unconditional love.

I have been totally persecuted for my beliefs in God and his son Jesus. I have been told "you and your God" because I refuse to do wrong. If you read my post you can get a picture of the type of person I am. I will not support the gay movement and I have been persecuted. I do not discriminate against them or protest them. I told my children as long as they live with me I do not approve of them having any type of sex as minors. I am told I am to stiff and convicted in my beliefs. I taught my children about God and always told them I can't make you believe in God, but you will learn the Word of God. I am a bad parent I'm told. I don't accept my minor children's choices. I know God won't accept their choices as minors or as adults. One thing for sure is they have witnessed what I have gone through in life because I won't lie, steal and cheat. I am praying that my children remember the things I have taught them when Satan is done using them and throws them to the wolves. I know God is working on turning things around in my life right now. The system is so wicked I had in my public records that I was in prison for ten years, and I have never been to prison. Now my public records have been sealed. What a system.

I do agree with that yes Joie, I have been persecuted for having faith in God and Jesus
Persecution and judgement are terrible hurtful things

joi,

personal blessings always come when we personally
bless our Father with honest hearts, never giving a
thought to what others may think.

Oldthennew - You have such a good point. Not caring what others think does get easier the older you get and when the truth becomes much more important than what people might think. You do get to the point where you really don't care about how others might judge you. And it doesn't bother you when they do.

I'm over 60 too.

Yes, our house anthis has happened to me and my family , have suffered a lot of pressure from people, houses and churches destroyed, asked to leave, or get converted, not yet repaired the destroyed house and church

Sorry to hear that this has happened to you Prayers for you and church and your family.

Levi - Thanks for sharing about your persecutions in India. So many of us want to pray for you because we see how you always take the time to pray for everyone who asks for help. May you and your family be protected and able to continue to share the gospel with others.

As 6th grader in a catholic school 1966 I was being taught the 10 commandments. Also I was at a retreat for extraordinary gifted children and heard the gospel preached by catholic brother. I believed what I heard about God and committed my life to him. 2 months later like a child with a bone trying to understand the hypocrisy of people kneeling and praying to statues when clearly the commandment says don't. Mom says to dad, he really believes. What are we going to do. Dad says never speak to him about god again and he will forget. I did forget. Even though I scored the highest scores for both electrical and mechanical aptitude, 2 times each and 100% was considered impossible, the priest told my father your son is an idiot and we will not accept him. Starting in preschool I have been called idiot, spas, retard, and all my life. That is one kind of persecution.

Finishing high school early and fleeing the rage at home I joined the Air force, protected President Ford and saved hundreds of lives simply by doing my job with extraordinary accuracy. Yet my coworkers, jealous of my achievements and I achieved rank of E 5 1[SUP]st[/SUP] time at bat, filed false charges trying to send me to prison with court-martial. That concluded with the 4 conspirators filing false charges, (carrier soldiers all with 20 years time in service) being forced retired as E3, and I was retire with special order issued by General David Jones, Chairman Joint chief of staff as E4 with less than 4 years in service.
Yet the response to me from my entire family of 9, my wife and her family all said lucky S.O.B. should have gone to prison yet Air Force gave him pension for life. Lacking any coping skills being raised godless I turned to drugs to suppress the murderous rage I felt from massive rejection coming from every direction.
Finally 1982 the Lord enabled me to believe and I remembered my love gospel and promise of heaven and as child was always saying when I grow up I will never do the abuses done to me. I looked to heaven said if it is true what people say you are good and the devil is bad I want to know you because I want to be good. God the Father responded to that prayer and loved me. Then he said if you want to know me read the bible. I obeyed that commandment, learned to live sober, how to consider my neighbors need = to mine, not turn to rage when people do me wrong but rather pray for them. Yet from 1982 to present I have not meet 12 people that were would listen to the commands that enable me to live sober, without rage; giving me the gift of self control, saying no to perversion.

All praise and Glory to Jesus for having grace and mercy for me.

There was a time in my walk when I was 'growing thru the doctrines'. As a result, we would go from Charismatic to Reformed Baptist to Reformed to Lutheran to etc...
Well along the way my convictions changed as I grew and as I grew I went to the corresponding church only to sometimes hear from the ones we left words like 'apostate'. I just seen it all as growing pains.

So Crossnote, you have come up with a new word for persecution: "growing pains".

And that is very apt, since all persecution grows us in inner strengths and endurance. And according to scripture, when persecuted for righteousness' sake, we also grow into just more blessings.

I appreciate the prayers, and thank you all for this loving act. I wish that no one ever suffered persecution, for there may be loss of life , destruction of house, abused, humiliated, but suffering and many things. But know God is Good in every circumstances

Thanks for prayers, i am blessed!

Do you think possible you could have private messaged the person in question about this?
[h=1]Galatians 6:1King James Version (KJV)[/h]6 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.