Here is a short message I wrote and posted in the "a challenge" post. But I put it here as well because it deserves your attention. (Note I was told not to use anything from the Bible in this message, so I only added a short bit down the bottom for Christians - that was the challenge, yet in prayer nothing is truly a challenge).
Message: "Just a Belief"
The following is a summary of the wonderful fate of Jesus' Apostles:
Phillip was crucified (Phrygia A.D 54), Barnabas was burned to death (Cyprus A.D 64), Peter was crucified (Rome A.D 69), Paul was beheaded (Rome A.D 66), Andrew was crucified (Achaia A.D 70), Matthew was beheaded (Ethiopia A.D 60), Luke was hanged (Athens A.D 93), Thomas was speared to death (Calamina A.D 70), Mark was dragged to death (Alexandria A.D 64), and James was clubbed to death (Jerusalem A.D 66). – (By the way this is historical information, not biblical).
These followers of Christ did not live a life of temptation, persecution, and tribulation, which ended in brutal deaths, for no reason. You see the only reason that could justify these martyrs' actions, was to spread the message of God's mercy, in sending His only son to die on the cross so that we may be saved and God glorified.
According to a study by Regent University, in 1998 there were approximately
156,000 Christian martyrs throughout the world. We put so much emphasis and importance on life that we cannot see any reason why someone would die just for a belief. But this isn't 'just a belief' this is the most important truth that anyone could possibly know. Do you really think that those hundreds of thousands of people would have died for 'just a belief'?
Now with modern day, Islamic and cult “martyrs” people often think, who was it that these insane apostles killed with themselves. However unlike many modern day non-Christian martyrs, the apostles died not in the action of trying to take the life of others, but in trying to give life to others, through Jesus Christ. The main difference between the apostle’s martyrdoms, and modern day non-Christian’s, is that these apostles knew for sure, whether or not Jesus was who he claimed to be. They were there through his preaching, miracles, and resurrection, they knew for sure whether or not these things were true. The interesting thing is, that these apostles died for what they called truth. And like C. S. Lewis said,
"You never know how much you really believe anything until its truth or falsehood becomes a matter of life and death to you."
Ask yourself, would twelve men die for a belief, which they knew was false? Would you die for a belief that the sky is pink, when you know that it is not?
Is Christianity 'just a belief' to you, or is it something worth a lot more, is it a truth worth dying for?
By Tim Hall
(P.S This is biblical backing for the Christian: Hebrews 11:35-38, concerning the fate of the apostles - They have been "tortured,...had trial of mockngs and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented - of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth".)
If you disregard this message, you are saying that the apostles went through all these things, for something that they knew was a lie.
Or
You can take in this message, and simply say to God: "I believe, because you are true, I have sinned ----- (not following the ten commandments http://www.livingwaters.com/good/001.shtml )-----, I have missed your mark, I am SORRY, I accept the sacrifice and forgiveness given by Jesus Christ on the cross - thankyou, in Jesus' name I pray, Amen.
After this, whether you prayed this prayer or not, this site may be beneficial: http://www.livingwaters.com/articles_growth.shtml
May God bless the humble, and bring the weight of the law down on the proud.
Message: "Just a Belief"
The following is a summary of the wonderful fate of Jesus' Apostles:
Phillip was crucified (Phrygia A.D 54), Barnabas was burned to death (Cyprus A.D 64), Peter was crucified (Rome A.D 69), Paul was beheaded (Rome A.D 66), Andrew was crucified (Achaia A.D 70), Matthew was beheaded (Ethiopia A.D 60), Luke was hanged (Athens A.D 93), Thomas was speared to death (Calamina A.D 70), Mark was dragged to death (Alexandria A.D 64), and James was clubbed to death (Jerusalem A.D 66). – (By the way this is historical information, not biblical).
These followers of Christ did not live a life of temptation, persecution, and tribulation, which ended in brutal deaths, for no reason. You see the only reason that could justify these martyrs' actions, was to spread the message of God's mercy, in sending His only son to die on the cross so that we may be saved and God glorified.
According to a study by Regent University, in 1998 there were approximately
156,000 Christian martyrs throughout the world. We put so much emphasis and importance on life that we cannot see any reason why someone would die just for a belief. But this isn't 'just a belief' this is the most important truth that anyone could possibly know. Do you really think that those hundreds of thousands of people would have died for 'just a belief'?
Now with modern day, Islamic and cult “martyrs” people often think, who was it that these insane apostles killed with themselves. However unlike many modern day non-Christian martyrs, the apostles died not in the action of trying to take the life of others, but in trying to give life to others, through Jesus Christ. The main difference between the apostle’s martyrdoms, and modern day non-Christian’s, is that these apostles knew for sure, whether or not Jesus was who he claimed to be. They were there through his preaching, miracles, and resurrection, they knew for sure whether or not these things were true. The interesting thing is, that these apostles died for what they called truth. And like C. S. Lewis said,
"You never know how much you really believe anything until its truth or falsehood becomes a matter of life and death to you."
Ask yourself, would twelve men die for a belief, which they knew was false? Would you die for a belief that the sky is pink, when you know that it is not?
Is Christianity 'just a belief' to you, or is it something worth a lot more, is it a truth worth dying for?
By Tim Hall
(P.S This is biblical backing for the Christian: Hebrews 11:35-38, concerning the fate of the apostles - They have been "tortured,...had trial of mockngs and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented - of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth".)
If you disregard this message, you are saying that the apostles went through all these things, for something that they knew was a lie.
Or
You can take in this message, and simply say to God: "I believe, because you are true, I have sinned ----- (not following the ten commandments http://www.livingwaters.com/good/001.shtml )-----, I have missed your mark, I am SORRY, I accept the sacrifice and forgiveness given by Jesus Christ on the cross - thankyou, in Jesus' name I pray, Amen.
After this, whether you prayed this prayer or not, this site may be beneficial: http://www.livingwaters.com/articles_growth.shtml
May God bless the humble, and bring the weight of the law down on the proud.
