Remember the Persecuted

​Sunday 14 November is the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church.

“Remember the prisoners as if chained with them – those who are mistreated – since you yourselves are in the Body also.” Hebrews 13:3

Persecution Worldwide

Over 400 million Christians live under 66 governments which restrict religious freedom and persecute believers. Every year an average of 200,000 Christians are killed for their Faith.

In the Book of Revelation, the Apostle John was given a glimpse into Heaven. He sees the martyrs, and he hears their prayer. What are the martyrs who have died for Christ praying?

​The Martyr’s Prayer

“When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the Word of God and for the testimony which they held. And they cried with a loud voice, saying, ‘how long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?’ Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed.” Revelations 6:9-11

Praying for Justice

Here we obtain a glimpse into Heaven. Those who had been faithful to God’s Word, and had been slain for the testimony that they had maintained, are in the very presence of God and they are praying: “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” Throughout the world I have come across many people who are praying for peace. However it is notable that the martyrs in Heaven are praying for justice.

And how does the Lord respond to these prayers? Does He rebuke them? No! Each of them is given a white robe signifying their right standing with Almighty God. They are told to be patient for a little while. When the full number of their fellow servants and brethren have died for Christ, their prayer for justice will be answered.

The Wrath of the Lamb

The rest of Revelations 6 illustrates that judgment: “And the kings of earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and the rocks of the mountains, and said to the mountains and rocks, fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the Wrath of the Lamb! For the Day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?” Revelation 6:15-17

If the World Hates You
The Lord Jesus warned us: “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the Word that I said to you, ‘the servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you.” John 15:18-20

The Testimony of the Apostles

Indeed, all of the Apostles suffered severe persecution for Christ:

Peter was crucified upside down in Rome after much outreach.

James the Elder was beheaded by Herod in Palestine after fearless preaching.

John, after a life of evangelism, was boiled in oil and banished in exile to Patmos.

Andrew was crucified in Greece while spreading the Gospel there.

Philip died as a martyr in Asia Minor after preaching the Gospel to the Gauls.

Nathaniel preached the Gospel in India and Armenia before being flayed alive and beheaded.

Thomas established churches throughout Babylonia and India before being axed to death.

Matthew was burned to death while preaching the Gospel in Ethiopia.

James the younger was crucified while evangelising in Egypt.

Jude preached the Gospel throughout Syria and Persia where he was finally martyred.

Simon the Zealot preached the Word of God throughout Syria and Mesopotamia and was sawn in half in Persia.

Matthias was crucified on a missionary outreach in the Crimea (in what became the Soviet Union).

The Sufferings of Paul

The Apostle Paul testified: “In labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness – beside the other things which come upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches.” 2 Corinthians 11:23-28

The Suffering is Temporary

The Apostle Paul wrote: “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” Romans 8:18. The suffering is temporary – the glory is eternal.

Following in His Steps

The Apostle Peter wrote: “For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps.” 1 Peter 2:20-21

Tested by Fire

“In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your Faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honour and glory at the Revelation of Jesus Christ.”    1 Peter 1:6-7

Will Suffer Persecution

“Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.” 2 Timothy 3:12

The Scripture does not say some, nor does it say many, nor even most. “All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.”

The Scripture does not say may or could suffer persecution. “Will suffer persecution.”

Brother Andrew writes of a mission behind the Iron Curtain to Hungary where a pastor asked him if there were any pastors in prison in Holland. Brother Andrew replied that, no, he was not aware of any pastors who were in prison in Holland.

“What then do your churches do with 2 Timothy 3:12?”

Brother Andrew reported that he had to admit that their churches did nothing with this verse.

Faithful Under Fire

Yet, surely, if we are seeking to be faithful to our Lord Jesus, we will suffer some persecution for it? By God’s grace, perhaps, not the violent and vicious persecution which Christians in communist and Muslim lands have suffered. However, if we remain faithful to the Lord, there will be times when we will be misunderstood, slandered, discriminated against, threatened and abused. Whether from family or friends, neighbours or co-workers, whether at school or at the work place, those who maintain a consistent testimony for the Lord are bound to suffer some abuse.

Watch and Pray

When the Lord warned his disciples of coming persecution (Matthew 16:21-16; 26:31-35), they responded with disbelief. Because they did not believe Christ’s warning, they did not “watch and pray.” As a result, they denied the Lord and ran away (Matthew 26:40-46; 56; 60-75).

The Apostle Paul strengthened the disciples and encouraged them to remain true to the Faith by teaching: “We must through many tribulations enter the Kingdom of God.” Acts 14:22

Rooted in the Word

Jesus taught that many believers would forsake Him (Matthew 24:9-10) when trouble or persecution comes because of their superficial commitment. Those with no roots in God’s Word would fall away quickly (Matthew 13:21).

In response to the clear warnings of these Scriptures, and in the light of the increasing hostility towards Christianity in so many circles, it would be wise for every Christian to study what the Word of God has to say about persecution.

Victorious Faith

“And they overcame him by the Blood of the Lamb and by the Word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.” Revelation 12:11…

Christians can overcome satan by the Blood of Christ’s atonement and by the Word of God. Not only by the Word known and memorised in our hearts and minds, but by our living testimony, applying the Word of God to every area of life. Our Lord Jesus Christ taught that we should not be afraid of those who can only kill the body and after that can do no more. The Lord told us whom we should fear. We must fear God, who after the killing of the body has power to throw both body and soul into hell, forever (Luke 12:4-5).

Courage

And it is this kind of courage that we see in the apostles in the Book of Acts. When Peter and John were dragged before the Sanhedrin they courageously responded: “Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey you rather than God. For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.” Acts 4:19-20.

In response to the threats of the Sanhedrin, Peter and John gathered with the other disciples and prayed for the boldness to continue to proclaim God’s Word “Now Lord, look on their threats, and grant to your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your Word…” Acts 4:29

And the Scripture records that “when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the Word of God with boldness.”  Acts 4:31

To Obey God or Man?

Then you read that the High Priest rose up with great indignation and arrested the apostles, casting them into prison. “Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this Name? And look, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this Man’s blood on us!” But Peter and the other apostles answered: “We ought to obey God rather than men.” Acts 5:28-29

Suffering Shame for His Name

The Sanhedrin then had the apostles flogged and commanded them not to speak in the Name of Jesus. We read that the Apostles left the council “rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His Name. And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.” Acts 5:41-42

The Steadfastness of Stephen

We then read of the martyrdom of Stephen who is described as “full of Faith and power” and who did great wonders and signs among the people (Acts 6:8). The people were stirred up against Stephen and false witnesses were produced. Stephen’s courageous stand before the Sanhedrin is recorded in Acts 7: “You stiff necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you. Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the just One, of whom you now have become the betrayers and the murderers, who have received the Law by the direction of angels and have not kept it.” Acts 7:51-53

Scattered by Persecution

We read that “a great persecution arose against the Church which was at Jerusalem; and they all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria…those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the Word.”Acts 8:1-4

The Martyrdom of James

In order to please the people, King Herod had James, the brother of John, beheaded. He then ordered the Apostle Peter to be arrested. However, God opened prison doors and set the captive free - in answer to prayer. And God judged Herod. “An angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and died. But the Word of God grew and multiplied.” Acts 12:23-24

Power Amidst Persecution

Throughout the Book of Acts we see peace and power amidst persecution. Paul and Barnabas boldly proclaimed the Gospel and responded to persecution with joy.

“But the Jews stirred up the devout and prominent women and the chief men of the city, raised up persecution against Paul and Barnabas and expelled them from their region. But they shook off the dust from their feet against them, and came to Iconium. And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.” Acts 13:50-52

Singing in the Cells

In Acts 16 we read of Paul and Silas seized and dragged before the authorities, “Then the multitude rose up together against them; and the magistrates tore off their clothes and commanded them to be beaten with rods. And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailor to keep them securely…he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing Hymns to God and the prisoners were listening to them.” Acts 16:22-25

Triumph Amidst Tribulation

Stripped and beaten, flogged and imprisoned, chained in the prison cells, Paul and Silas determined to praise God amidst their persecution. “Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed.” Acts 16:26. By God’s grace Paul and Silas were able to see their captor converted and his entire family brought to Salvation.

Refusing to Worship Caesar

Foxes Book of Martyrs records many testimonies of courageous Christians who suffered for the Faith. It is important to note that Christians were not persecuted in the Roman Empire for worshipping Jesus. The Romans were polytheists. They had an entire pantheon of gods. If the early Christians had registered their religion with the state and if they had burnt incense before an image of Caesar, they would have been left alone.

However, by refusing to participate in Emperor worship and declare “Caesar is lord” Christians came under suspicion and violent persecution. They were not persecuted because they worshipped Christ, but because they refused to revere Caesar.

Christian Courage

It is extraordinary to read these testimonies in Foxes Book of Martyrs of dynamic believers responding to persecution with joy.

Ignatius of Antioch

Ignatius of Antioch, when sentenced to death by the Emperor Trajan responded: “I thank Thee O Lord, that they has vouchsafed thus to honour me. I am God’s grain, to be ground between the teeth of wild beasts, so that I may become a holy loaf for the Lord.”

Polycarp of Smyrna

When Polycarp, the Bishop of Smyrna, was arrested he declared: “God’s will be done!” He provided food for his captors before they escorted him before the Roman consul. The consul was struck by how old Polycarp was: “Pity your grey hairs, old man, just burn some incense before the Emperor and you can go free.”

Polycarp responded: “If you think for a moment that I would do that, then you pretend not to know who I am. Hear it plainly, I am a Christian!”

“Then do this, old man, just curse Christ and I will set you free.”

Polycarp responded: “86 years I have served my Christ, and He has never done me any wrong. How then can I blaspheme my King who has saved me?”

“I have wild beasts” threatened the pro-consul.

“Bring them” Polycarp said. “I would change my mind if it meant from going from the worse to the better, but not from the right to the wrong.”

“If you despise the wild beasts, I will have you burned”, warned the consul.

“You threaten me with a fire that burns for but an hour and then is extinguished. But you know nothing of the fire of Eternal Judgment which will never be extinguished. Bring what you will.”

As Polycarp was led into the arena he was heard to pray: “Lord God, Father of our blessed Saviour, I thank Thee that I have been deemed worthy to receive the crown of martyrdom, and that I may die for Thee and Thy cause.”

Cyprian of Carthage

Cyprian of Carthage, when sentenced to be beheaded, exclaimed: “Thanks be to God!”

Perpetua – Forever Faithful

Perpetua was a Christian noblewoman living in Carthage (North Africa). In A.D. 202 when Perpetua was a 22-year old mother, she was one of the first to be arrested in a new wave of persecution. When her pagan father visited and pleaded with her to deny that she was a Christian, Perpetua responded that it was impossible that she be“called anything other than what I am, a Christian.”

When the governor ordered Perpetua to worship the emperor her response was decisive: “I will not.”

“Are you a Christian then?” asked the governor.

“Yes I am!” Perpetua’s determined response brought immediate condemnation. The governor condemned her and her friends to be thrown to the wild beasts and to die in the arena.

When Perpetua and her friends entered the stadium they were singing Psalms in such a joyful demeanour that the crowd demanded that the Christians be scourged first. This was done.

As the mob screamed abuse, Perpetua was heard to say: “You have condemned us, but God will condemn you.”

Perpetua encouraged the other Christians: “You must all stand fast in the Faith and not be weakened by what we have gone through.”

Witnesses in the stands described Perpetua in the arena as “young and beautiful”, “a pure and modest Christian lady”,“with shining countenance and calm step, as the beloved of God, as a bride of Christ, putting down everyone’s stare by her own intense gaze.”

Her bold testimony: “I am a Christian and cannot deny Christ” was repeated throughout the Empire. Her example of Christian resolve and Christian courage, choosing to suffer and die with a clear conscience, rather than deny her Saviour, inspired generations of Roman Christians to stand firm in the face of relentless persecution.

“Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.” Revelation 2:10

The Blood of the Martyrs

As Tertullian famously declared: “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.” For every Christian killed in the arena multitudes were converted in the stands.

Converting the Persecutors

In time the slaves of the Roman Empire were converted, the nobles of the Roman Empire were converted, the barbarian invaders were brought to Christ, and even the bloodthirsty Viking invaders were won to Christ.

The Waldensians

The Waldensians of Southern France, Northern Italy and Switzerland endured much persecution between the 12 th and the 17 th Century, courageously standing firm and enduring as the oldest community of Protestants in the world today.

Wycliffe and the Lollards

Professor John Wycliffe of Oxford University, and his itinerant evangelists (the Lollards), despite severe persecution continued to translate the Scriptures into English and to proclaim and sing the Gospel in English in the market places. They were the field workers of the Reformation, sowing the good seed of the Word of God and laying solid foundations for the mighty move of God’s Spirit in the Reformation.

Jan Hus of Prague

Professor Jan Hus of Prague courageously worked for Biblical Reformation and was burned alive in 1415. His final prayer was: “Into Thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit. I am willing, patiently and publicly to endure this dreadful, shameful, and cruel death for the sake of Thy Gospel and the preaching of Thy Word.” He died signing praises to God.

William Tyndale

The Reformer William Tyndale of England was burned alive at the stake for the crime of translating the Bible into the English language. His last words, his dying prayer: “Lord, open the King of England’s eyes!” was wondrously answered as the very King, Henry VIII, who had condemned Tyndale for his work of Bible translation, within two years of Tyndale’s death, had authorised that same Bible in English to be placed in every parish in the land, accessible to the common people, in the common tongue.

George Whishart

Patrick Hamilton and George Whishart of Scotland were burned at the stake for preaching Biblical Reformation. George Whishart prayed an Imprecatory Prayer against the cardinal who had condemned them. Within three months that cardinal had met a violent death.

John Knox

Reformer John Knox of Scotland was imprisoned and chained as a slave in a galley for nineteen months. At one point he refused to kiss an idol of Mary. Throwing it overboard, he declared: “She is light enough, let her learn to swim!”

The St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre

The Huguenots of France endured vicious persecution and massacres, particularly the St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre of 24 August 1572.

Condemning a Nation

At one point in the 16 th Century the Spanish Inquisition condemned the entire nation of Holland (3 million men, women and children) to death as heretics! By God’s grace, and through the courage of Prince William the Silent and his followers, the Dutch succeeded in throwing back the Spanish invaders and winning freedom for Protestant Holland.

The Greatest Century of Persecution

You may be surprised to know that more Christians died for Christ in the 20 th Century than in all previous 19 centuries combined. The Christian World Encyclopedia calculated that at least 28 million Christians had been martyred in the 20 th Century. The total martyrs since A.D. 33 was calculated at 43 million. The encyclopedia calculated that atheists in secular governments had murdered 25 million Christians. Muslims and Islamic governments had murdered at least 6 million Christians. And Roman Catholics and RC governments had murdered 4½ million Protestants.

Serving the Persecuted

During the last 30 years of missionary work I have had the privilege of serving the persecuted Church in Mozambique, Angola, Romania, Albania, Rwanda, Sudan, Northern Nigeria, the Congo and Zimbabwe. During this time I have endured aerial bombardments, ambushes, artillery and rocket barrages, and I have been arrested and imprisoned for missionary work.

Speaking up for the Persecuted

Some of what Christians suffer in Marxist and Muslim lands has been documented in Faith Under Fire in Sudan;Holocaust in Rwanda; In the Killing Fields of Mozambique; Slavery, Terrorism and Islam ; and in documentary films that we have helped to produce such as: Sudan: The Hidden Holocaust and Terrorism and Persecution – Understanding Islamic Jihad.

Angola’s Agony

On numerous occasions, Cuban soldiers in Angola have placed the heads of cattle, or an AK47, on altars or pulpits demanding that the Christians commit idolatry and bow before them. They have walked into services, and taken the Bible off the pulpit and thrown it by the door and demanded: “You may all leave – one by one – just spit on the Bible and you can go free. If you don’t – we will kill you!”

Communist troops have burst into church services declaring: “You Christians – you say that you worship the Lamb – well here is a lamb!” The Cubans taunted the worshippers as they started pouring the blood of this lamb over the believers saying “the blood of the lamb is shed amongst you – worship the lamb!” The head of the lamb was placed mockingly on the pulpit and people were dragged and forced to their knees to bow down before it.

Christians who have escaped from communist concentrations camps and prisons have told how they were often tortured by the Marxists. One prisoner told me of a time in Angola when they were near breaking point and one of them shouted out: “Why don’t you just kill us, and get it over with?”

The response of the communist concentration camp guards was most enlightening: “Oh no, we don’t want to kill you! We don’t want to send you to Heaven to be with God! No, we want you to curse Christ and to come to hell with us, for all eternity!”

The Aim of Persecution

The aim of persecution is not to kill Christians. There is no victory to the kingdom of darkness for Christians to go to Heaven. The aim of persecution is to intimidate Christians into silence. To persuade believers to compromise. To terrify Christians, to giving in to cowardice. If the devil cannot stop us being converted, he at least wants to divert us and distract us so that we are not effective in fulfilling the Great Commission and winning other souls to Christ. As long as you refuse to be intimidated into silence, neutrality and compromise, persecution fails.

“Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘if anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? And what will a man give in exchange for his soul?’” Matthew 16:24-26

Sabrina Wurmbrand

The wife of Romanian Pastor Richard Wurmbrand, Sabrina Wurmbrand, testified that before she went to prison she was very poor. But once she went to prison she became very rich. This was because she was poor in the things of the world, but rich in the things of God. When she came to prison she had the only currency that was of any value, she had much of the Word of God memorised and stored up in her heart and mind. Therefore in prison she was able to make many people rich!

After years in the slave labour camps of Romania, Sabrina was finally released. Some time later a man came to her claiming to have been in prison with her husband, and having a message from him to share with their congregation. Knowing how the communist state sought to infiltrate congregations by infiltrating spies and blackmailing members into being informers, Sabrina was cautious. “Please, before we go any further, would you lead us in prayer?” She bowed her head.

There was an awkward silence and then the man, who claimed to have a message from her husband, stuttered and stammered. Sabrina Wurmbrand looked up and, gazing directly into the man’s eyes, said: “Now then, aren’t you ashamed of yourself? Wouldn’t you like me to explain to you how you can become a real Christian?”

What can we do to help these persecuted believers?

To Prison with Praise

In 1987, while leading a Frontline mission team across the border, we were arrested. This was my first prison experience. We were stripped and beaten. Thrown into cells covered with human filth. Deprived of water and food, blindfolded and transported from Livingstone to Lusaka. There we were thrown into an overcrowded prison. The cells, which were 15 feet by 25 feet, were crammed with an average of 60 prisoners per cell. There were no beds, furnishings, plumbing or electricity in these cells. The whole prison seemed to be one big stinking disease factory. With our shoes taken away, walking barefoot, with cut and bleeding feet, amongst this filth, we could only imagine how many infections and diseases God protected us from.

Falsely Accused

In our prison cell there was Isaiah Moyo, a 26 year old black South African, who had been imprisoned on trumped up charges of being a South African spy! Actually, he had lent money to some ANC refugees in Lusaka, who had decided, rather than repay him, to accuse him of being a spy!

Tortured

Isaiah had been severely tortured. He had 26 pussy sores on his body where red hot pokers had been pushed into his skin. His knees were calloused from the many hours he spent kneeling on the concrete floor praying to the Lord.

When, by God’s grace, international prayer and pressure forced the Zambian government to open the prison doors and let us free, I determined to campaign for the release of Isaiah Moyo.

Publicising the Plight of the Prisoners

American Christians that I met in Cape Town encouraged me to come overseas and testify of the reality of communist persecution in Africa. I received an invitation to speak at the International Society for Human Rights Conference in Frankfurt, Germany and used that as the launching pad for my first overseas ministry trip. This involved radio and TV ministry in the USA, testifying to government officials of the atrocities I had witnessed and documented in communist Mozambique and Angola, and speaking on the BBC World Service.

Later I heard that prison wardens had rushed with their radios to Isaiah Moyo in Lusaka Central Prison shouting:“Isaiah, that white South African missionary who was locked in here, he is speaking on the radio – and he is talking about you!”

Isaiah heard the tale end of my interview as I gave people his prison address, and requested people to send care packages, with salt, soap, sugar, vitamins, pens, pencils, paper, etc.

Isaiah told us later that from that time on he was never mistreated again. Mail sacks of letters and parcels were dragged into the cell. He became the most popular person in prison. He had so many trading items which everyone wanted. People couldn’t do enough favours for him.

The BBC World Service radio programme had raised him to celebrity status in the prison. The prison guards treated him with great respect, and soon he was set free and allowed to travel back to South Africa to be reunited with his wife and two children.

Publicity Provides Protection for the Persecuted

This was my first experience of seeing what an influence Western Christians can have through prayer and pressure. Publicity provides protection for the persecuted. As our Lord Jesus taught in Luke 18:1-5, even an unjust judge will do what is right in response to persistent prayer and pressure.

As virtually every Marxist dictatorship in the world is a beneficiary of vast amounts of foreign aid from Western nations, this provides leverage. Most dictators prefer foreign aid to foreign prisoners. If given a choice, they will let the prisoners go free in order to continue to receive the Western dollars, pounds or euros.

Setting Captives Free

Whatever we bind will be bound, whatever we loose will be loosed. By the power of prayer, and through persistent pressure, we can see the powers of darkness limited, prison doors opened and captives set free.

Jesus said: “For I was hungry, and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me. Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or imprisoned and come to You? And the King will answer and say unto them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, in as much as you did it to one of the least of these brethren, you did it to Me.’” Matthew 25:35-40

“And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honoured, all the members rejoice with it. Now you are the Body of Christ, and members individually.”   1 Corinthians 12:26-27

“Remember the prisoners as if chained with them – those who are mistreated – since you yourselves are in the Body also.” Hebrews 13:3

Dr. Peter Hammond 
Frontline Fellowship 
P.O. Box 74 
Newlands, 7725 
Cape Town, South Africa 
Tel:             (021) 689-4480       
Fax: (021) 685-5884 
Email:  [email protected]
Website: www.frontline.org.za

The audio CD of this message and other resources for the persecuted, are available from:

Christian Liberty Books 
P.O. Box 358 
Howard Place 
7450, Cape Town 
Tel/Fax:             021 689-7478       
Email:  [email protected]
Website: www.christianlibertybooks.co.za

In North America these, and other resources for the persecuted, can be ordered through:

Frontline Fellowship – USA 
P.O. Box 728 
Manitou Springs 
CO 80829 
Tel:             719-685-2899       
Fax: 719-685-9330 
Email:  [email protected]