Well, America has taken a turn today. Pray for her, and for her leaders, now as never before. But today is the day I have dedicated to talking about the suffering church. Let me tell you a story or two... (all from Voice of the Martyrs weekly online news update, available free to all at Persecution.com)

The incident I shared with you last week was true, but happened anywhere from 50 to 75 years ago. The onslaught against the Lord's people is probably greater today than it was then. For example:

In Iran over the last couple of weeks, two sisters were called in by the government and given a final warning about evangelizing. You see, "being a Christian" is not the issue in many of these places. "Freedom of religion" is guaranteed in many constitutions. But to tell the Good News to others and suggest the switching of "religions" is fatal. These two sisters believe God has called them to stay where they are and to keep telling people about Jesus. We will probably be hearing about them again.

(In America also, being a Christian raises no eyebrows. But start a serious evangelism program, where people's lives are touched radically...)

Also in Iran, a 19-year-old soldier has been arrested for the same "crime." They released him after he signed a written confession that he no longer would evangelize. He has stopped but he is emotionally distraught over it.

(Disappointed? What about the times we were "witnessing" on the job until we found it was not politically correct, or that people were ridiculing and rejecting us, or the boss called us aside and "set us straight" about using company time for spreading propaganda? Let's not be too hard on our brothers...)

In Eritrea (Africa), authorities have rounded up 150 Christians by going from house to house... many have been subjected to beatings... nursing mothers have been forced to leave their infants behind.

And in Iraq, a 14-year-old Assyrian boy was beheaded by Muslim militants when they read on his identity card that he was a Christian. They called him a "dirty Christian sinner," threw him to the ground, held down his arms and legs, shouting...

And so on and on go the stories. We hear so many of them that after awhile we stop asking, "Lord, why them?" and start praying, "Lord, why not us?"

Isaac Watts wrote this classic question as a song over 250 years ago:

Am I a soldier of the cross, a follower of the Lamb? And shall I fear to own His cause, or blush to speak His name?

Must I be carried to the skies on flowery beds of ease, While others fought to win the prize and sailed thro' bloody seas?

Are there no foes for me to face? Must I not stem the flood? Is this vile world a friend to grace, to help me on to God?

Sure I must fight if I would reign, increase my courage, Lord; I'll bear the toil, endure the pain, supported by Thy word.