The word “Martyr” has the sound of antiquity to it and yet Christians continue to face severe persecution and violence in many parts of the world today. The number of Christians killed, “Martyred” for their faith in recent decades is significant. As I read the Foxe’s Book of Martyrs we can see those who stayed faithful to the calling of the Lord Jesus till the end. In all transparency there are times when I think about all those tortured souls and contemplate what it would take for me to give up my own faith in a moment of weakness. Over the years I have seen individuals who claim to believe that Jesus is their Savior, and that they obey God, but when they were faced with challenges of life or temptations of the flesh, they fell away. There were three young men in the Book of Daniel whose Hebrew names were, Hananiah—“Yahweh is gracious.” Mishael—“Who is like God?” Azariah—“Yahweh is my help.” whose very names testified to the God they refused to abandon. These three did not waver in their faith when faced with the consequences of going against the rules of their day that contradicted the word of God. It is written in Daniel 3:15…But if you do not worship, you shall be thrown at once into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire; and what god is there who can rescue you out of my hands?” 16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego answered the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to answer you on this point. 17 If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to rescue us from the furnace of blazing fire, and He will rescue us from your hand, O king. 18 But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up!” Have you ever considered how many in today’s society only claim faith in Christ because of its cultural value or networking opportunities? When this faith requires that they sacrifice their goals, dreams, and ambitions, or even their life, then their faith is no longer existent, and they give into the values and morals of the world around them. A faith that disappears whenever obedience becomes costly reveals how shallow our profession of faith may have been in the first place. It is a faith that only sees God as a way to get things that they want in the moment and not desiring to be with God for eternity. I have asked people, ‘Do you want to go to heaven?’ and they say, ‘Yes.’ Then I ask them, ‘Do you want the God of the Bible to be there?’ And suddenly they stumble in their answers. Wanting God’s blessings and wanting God Himself are two completely different things. When certain people do not receive the things that they have requested, many abandon the God of the Bible and go back to the god of this world, the devil. When faith is being tested by fire, it amazes me how many desert God and cling to their old way of life. If you are in Christ, your complacency must come to an end. Genuine faith responds and does not conform. It is rooted in the power of God and remains committed to Him no matter what comes our way. True faith is not sustained by comfort but ignited by a passionate love for Christ that refuses to surrender when the fire grows hot. Yet even in the darkest moments, we have hope because the same God who stood with Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah remains faithful to His people and is able to strengthen us to stand. Tertullian, the famous second-century lawyer who was said to have been converted by watching Christians sing as they marched to their deaths, gave us this famous statement: “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.” And I pray that “the Church” reflects on what St. Augustine said, who died in 430 AD, “The martyrs were bound, jailed, scourged, wracked, burned, rent, butchered—and they multiplied.” I heard it said that “Persecution never hurt the church, only prosperity did.” Persecution can strengthen genuine faith through external pressure, hostility, and suffering. It can deepen conviction and reveal Who our faith is truly resting upon. Prosperity, on the other hand, can bring comfort that quietly produces complacency, spiritual apathy, and compromise within the body of believers. My friends, I want to encourage you, True Faith Stays Standing when everyone else is bowing down. As we reflect on what is going on in today’s culture and see those who have given all, may we praise God and pray for their families. Let us also remember that this call to faithful prayer and steadfastness belongs to every believer, inviting us all to stand together as one body of Christ and to lift up our brothers and sisters who are suffering for His name, the name by which we are all called. We cannot afford to remain silent or complacent while fellow believers face persecution just because we don’t. The time to strengthen our faith, encourage one another, and intercede for the persecuted Church is now. May the urgency of these sacrifices awaken us to live boldly for Christ today, knowing that our opportunity to stand faithfully may come sooner than we expect. May we also pray for people worldwide so that we see genuine repentance and a movement of the Holy Spirit and may it start within each of us. We must remember the sacrifices of the dead saints and what they went through, for some of us may get the honor and privilege of joining them in their martyrdom. God is worthy of our faith not merely because He can deliver us from the fire, but because He is worthy even if we have to walk through it. I pray for boldness to be able to Stand firm in my faith even if everyone else around me is bowing down. In Jesus’ precious and powerful name, Amen. Death may be the consequence for some believers, but my daily application is much broader: Will I obey when obedience costs me? Will I stand when everyone else bows? Will I follow Christ when it costs my reputation? Will I remain faithful when God doesn’t answer my prayer the way I want? Do I want God Himself, or merely what God can give me? 

My BeLoved, may the grace and peace of the Lord Jesus, the love of God the Father, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all. Amen. In Christ Love, douglas. HE>i. pastord.blog

Special Note: I want to thank those who read what I write and are encouraged to support the ministry God has entrusted to me either one time or have decided to give on a monthly basis. I am encouraged to see certain verses playing out before my eyes like what is written in *Philippians 4:16 For even in Thessalonica you sent aid once and again for my necessities. 17 Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account.*

To any who are interested, please feel free to reach out to me with prayer requests, questions, encouragement, or for information on how to come alongside me with financial support at pastord.blog@gmail.com or I do have a Zelle account associated with my phone number, 5202720387 last name Blaser. Thank you my Beloved for your ongoing prayers and support.