Persecution

Not Asked to Preach – John Wesley

From the journals of John Wesley:

  • Sunday a.m., May 5 – Preached in St. Ann’s; was asked not to come back any more.
  • Sunday p.m., May 5 – Preached at St. John’s; deacons said, ‘Get out and stay out.’
  • Sunday a.m., May 12 – Preached at St. Jude’s; can’t go back there either.
  • Sunday p.m., May 12 – Preached at St. George’s; kicked out again.
  • Sunday a.m., May 19 – Preached at St. Somebody Else’s; deacons called a special meeting and said I couldn’t return.
  • Sunday p.m., May 19 – Preached on the street; kicked off the street.
  • Sunday a.m., May 26 – Preached out in a meadow; chased out of meadow when a bull was turned loose during the service.
  • Sunday a.m., June 2 – Preached out at the edge of town; kicked off the highway.
  • Sunday p.m., June 2 – Afternoon service, preached in pasture; 10,000 people came.

– John Wesley –

Stand in the Hour of Trial – George Müller

Do but stand still in the hour of trial, and you will see the help of God, if you trust in Him. But there is so often a forsaking the ways of the Lord in the hour of trial, and thus the food of faith, the means whereby our faith may be increased, is lost.

– George Müller – 
from Answers to Prayer

Everyone Was Happy – Richard Wurmbrand

It was strictly forbidden to preach to other prisoners. It was understood that whoever was caught doing this received a severe beating. A number of us decided to pay the price for the privilege of preaching, so we accepted their [the communists’] terms. It was a deal; we preached and they beat us. We were happy preaching. They were happy beating us, so everyone was happy.

– Richard Wurmbrand –
from Tortured for Christ

Treasures of Darkness – Oswald Chambers

Any great calamity in the natural world—death, disease, bereavement—will awaken a man when nothing else would, and he is never the same again. We would never know the “treasures of darkness” if we were always in the place of placid security.

– Oswald Chambers –

Walking Through Difficulty, Obscurity, and Suffering – FB Meyer

We all need to go to Arabia to learn lessons like these. The Lord Himself was led up into the wilderness. And in one form or another, every soul who has done a great work in the world has passed through similar periods of obscurity, suffering, disappointment or solitude.

– FB Meyer –
1847-1929

Don’t Preach Repentance Unless … – Joseph Parker

The man whose little sermon is “repent” sets himself against his age, and will for the time being be battered mercilessly by the age whose moral tone he challenges. There is but one end for such a man—”off with his head!” You had better not try to preach repentance until you have pledged your head to heaven.

– Joseph Parker –