ye shall have tribulation

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world..” John 16:32-33

Persecution is real, persecution of the faithful has never stopped, persecution is happening, and persecution is coming...

Throughout the world, Christians are imprisoned, their property is stolen, their families are taken and given to others, they are being tortured, hanged, beheaded, and their meeting places are burned to the ground.

We have had it soft in the "west", but the tides are turning.  The western governments are redefining who and what is "tolerable" and what is a "hate crime".  The popular so-called "christian church" is liberalizing and redefining "christianity" then ridiculing anyone who upholds the Bible as the true authority.

Popular churchianity already compromises in every form and fashion in the name of being trendy and cool.  They already compromise for the love of money to keep the "tithes" rolling in.  They already compromise, capitulate, and apologize at the least bit of resistance from popular culture.

If they cannot stand when times are good and easy, how can they stand in the day of true persecution?

Jesus comforted His disciples by telling them in advance that persecution was coming, so that they would be prepared for it when it did happen.  So that when they were undergoing tribulation, they would remember He had already overcome the world, take comfort from that fact and endure through to their reward.

What is the "church" doing to prepare members for the persecution to come?

Are we prepared to truly trust the Lord to be our provider when we can no longer buy from the grocery store and feed our family without the mark?

Are we prepared to stand and not compromise our beliefs when they are unpopular?

Are we prepared to stand and not compromise our beliefs when we are threatened with imprisonment?

Are we prepared to stand and not compromise our beliefs when we are threatened with torture?

Are we prepared to stand and not compromise our beliefs when they put a gun to our heads?

Are we prepared to stand and not compromise our beliefs when they put a gun to our spouse's or child's head?

Whoever tries to keep their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life will preserve it. Luke 17:33