I Am N: Inspiring Stories of Christians Facing Islamic Extremists by The Voice of the Martyrs, Audiobook Review

 I Am N: Inspiring Stories of Christians Facing Islamic Extremists (2016, audiobook 6 Hours 12 minutes) by The Voice of the Martyrs

Most Christians in Borneo - Sarawak and Sabah - are very comfortable. We are too relaxed and have no sense of urgency. Lukewarm, soft, and dying. We tend to forget that Christian persecution is a very real thing for many people throughout the world, even our brothers and sisters in peninsular Malaysia. It's easy to get comfortable in a place that has fairly freedom of religion and little social stigma for believing in the Lord Jesus. We experience some persecution, yes, but it's nothing compared to others in closed countries. Read books, reports, stories, and videos about Christian martyrs and missions - and God's Word daily - to be awakened from spiritual sleep and ignite the passion to share the Gospel with the lost souls.

"I Am N" by VOM is one of the books that I recommend you to read and reflect on (if you're interested to read an ebook and listen to the audiobook, please let me know). What does "N" stands for? In northern Iraq, radical Muslims (ISIS) spray-painted the Arabic letter ن or “N,” on the homes and businesses of Christians. "N" represents the followers of Jesus of "N"azareth. They were then publicly exposed as Jesus-followers and offered the option to become Muslims a.k.a. convert to Islam, leave their home, or die. Over 100,000 brave believers left with little more than the clothing on their backs because they would not compromise their faith. This book is therefore a compilation of real stories of "N" around the world. You'll read about the stories of sacrifice, courage, joy, perseverance, forgiveness, and faithfulness. You may (as I do) get angry, sad, and mad at first, and then filled with joy, love, gratitude, and compassion, and be moved to pray. It's bitter and sweet.

We need to recognize these persecuted followers of Jesus as our brothers and sisters in the family of God and embrace them in that intimate unity: “Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body” (Hebrews 13:3). We will not be silenced. Write up, speak up, and pray up!

#ServeToLead #LeadersAreReaders #PersecutedChurch #Discipleship #JesusTheLord #FamilyOfGod #TheVoiceOfTheMartyrs #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

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THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Tortured for Christ (1967) by Richard Wurmbrand, Book Review

 Tortured for Christ (1967) by Richard Wurmbrand

I've read this book many times, on many occasions in my life, and have written a brief review years ago (in my blog). It still impacted me very much, the privilege of preaching the Word on social media, campuses, and small churches, the comfort (so far) of being a Christ follower in Malaysia, and the freedom to own as many Bibles as I want. God, through Mr. and Mrs. Wurmbrand, reminds me to: "Don't complain, pray"; "Rest is for the hard laborers in the Gospel"; "Win souls for Christ by all God-honoring means"; "Don't ask for persecution but always be ready"; and "The Father is on the move!" When I read the Book of Acts and John Foxe's Book of Martyrs alongside this one, I can hear the Spirit says, "Be strong and courageous" (Deuteronomy 31:6, Joshua 1, 1 Chronicle 28:20, 2 Chronicles 32:7, Daniel 10:19, Ephesians 6:10).

Let me share just two short stories from this book: #1 STORY: "A brother* [I suspect that this is the author himself, writing from a third person] was preaching to the other prisoners when the guards suddenly burst in, surprising him halfway through a phrase. They hauled him down the corridor to their 'beating room.' After what seemed an endless beating, they brought him back and threw him - bloody and bruised - on the prison floor. Slowly, he picked his battered body up, painfully straightened his clothing, and said, 'Now, brethren, where did I leave off when I was interrupted?' He continues his Gospel message!"

#2 STORY: "A Christian was sentenced to death. Before being executed, he was allowed to see his wife. His last words to his wife were, 'You must know that I die loving those who kill me. They don't know what they do and my last request of you is to love them, too. Don't have bitterness in your heart because they kill your beloved one. We will meet in heaven.' These words impressed the officer of the secret police who attended the discussion between the two. Afterward, he told me the story in prison, where he had been put for becoming a Christian."

These stories and more. Inspiring and challenging. Good endings, bad endings. But all for the glory of the living God YHWH!

#ServeToLead #PreachTheWord #RichardWurmbrand #TorturedForChrist #BeStrongAndCourageous #LeadersAreReaders #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

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THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Extreme Missionary (Irian Jaya: Stanley Albert Dale) #PersecutedChurch

One by one the arrows struck his flesh, and one by one Stanley Albert Dale pulled them out. The blood flowed from his many wounds and onto the riverbank. The screaming Yali warriors feared that the white man was immortal. When the missionary finally died, is he really dead? Are you heading to the same eternity with this faithful man? 

The story is taken from The Voice of the Martyrs Extreme Devotion Apps

To watch other stories from this series, CLICK HERE https://bit.ly/LegasiPersecutedChurch 

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THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

 

Extreme Assassin (Bangladesh: Brother Andrew) #PersecutedChurch

The evangelist, Andrew, stared into the gun, wondering why the man didn't fire. The assassin grew frustrated, then frightened, and finally, he fled from the room. Later he testified that he was offered a big reward to kill the evangelist. Why he didn't pull the trigger? What happened next? #ServeToLead #PreachTheWord #PrayForThePersecutedChurch

The story is taken from The Voice of the Martyrs Extreme Devotion Apps.

To watch other stories from this series, CLICK HERE https://bit.ly/LegasiPersecutedChurch 

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THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

 

Extreme 'Riches' (Southeast Asia: Hmong Christians) #PersecutedChurch

A Hmong Christian testified: "They stabbed one believer through the mouth with a long knife and poured boiling water down the throat of another who was caught with a Bible. An entire family had been drowned." Just because they are Christians and owning the Bibles? What comfortable Christians like us can learn from the Hmong tribe believers? #ServeToLead #PreachTheWord #PrayForThePersecutedChurch

The story is taken from The Voice of the Martyrs Extreme Devotion Apps. To learn more about the Hmong Christians Short History, go to https://youtu.be/G3ERhd_gMXk 

To watch other stories from this series, CLICK HERE https://bit.ly/LegasiPersecutedChurch 

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THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

 

Extreme Question (Turkey: Ercan Sengul) #PersecutedChurch

When Ercan Sengul committed his life to Jesus Christ in the Muslim nation of Turkey, some saw it as turning his back on his heritage and nation. When he said that he would do anything for God, he had meant it then. But what about now? #ServeToLead #PreachTheWord #PrayForThePersecutedChurch

The story is taken from The Voice of the Martyrs Extreme Devotion Apps.

To watch other stories from this series, CLICK HERE https://bit.ly/LegasiPersecutedChurch 

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THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

 

Extreme Smile (Romania: Milan Haimovici) #PersecutedChurch

The cold, dark prison cell was crowded with Romanian Christians who were determined to bring the light of Jesus into the darkness. One of these prisoners was Milan Haimovici. While he was witnessing for Jesus, he was asked, "How can you say that you walk and talk with him?" This was his reply... #ServeToLead #PreachTheWord #PrayForThePersecutedChurch

To watch other stories from this series, CLICK HERE https://bit.ly/LegasiPersecutedChurch 

The story is taken from The Voice of the Martyrs Extreme Devotion Apps

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THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

 

Tortured For Christ (1967) by Richard Wurmbrand

People have called me "Satan", " Worker of Satan", "Liar!", " Fool!", "stupid man writing about dead God", etc. My blog has been spammed, FB Page reported many times, savage comments on IG, etc. But when I read this book - for the third time - all of these are like mosquito bites in comparison with the persecutions that this man and other faithful Christians experienced.

Months of solitary confinement, years of periodic physical torture, constant suffering from hunger (like a piece of bread a week! Even none for months. Some ate rats in the prison) and cold, the torturous seven hours or more every day of brainwashing and mental cruelty. And other inhumane activities. What was his crime? Faith in Jesus Christ - and for witnessing to public. "God will judge us not according to how much we endured, but how much we could love," writes Wurmbrand.

This part is soo touching: "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." To know the rest of the story, read this book. I think the ebook is available on the internet... 😉

Do you suffer for Christ? What are the things that if you do will glorify God but it will cost you something dear to you if you do it? Are you willing to do it? Are you comfortable with your brand of Christianity? Remember, true discipleship will offend the world 📖⚡💪 #ServeToLead #LeadersAreReaders #1Book1Week #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

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THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Be Strong, Polycarp, Play the Man

Like the scene straight out of Gladiator, Polycarp was dragged into the Roman Colosseum. Discipled by the apostle John himself, the aged bishop faithfully and selflessly led the church of Smyrna through the persecution prophesied by his spiritual father. “Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer,” writes John in Revelation 2:10, “Be faithful, even to the point of death.”

John had died a half century before, but his voice still echoed in Polycarp’s ears as the Colosseum crowd chanted, “Let loose the lion!” That’s when Polycarp heart a voice from heaven that was audible about the crowd: “Be strong, Polycarp. Play the man.”

Days before, Roman bounty hunters had tracked him down. Instead of fleeing, Polycarp fed them a meal. Perhaps that’s why they granted his last request – an hour of prayer. Two hours later, many of those who heard the way Polycarp prayed actually repented of their sin on the spot. They did not, however, relent of their mission.

Like Jesus entering Jerusalem, Polycarp was led into the city of Smyrna on a donkey. The Roman proconsul implored Polycarp to recant. “Swear by the genius of Caesar!” Polycarp held his tongue, held his ground. The proconsul prodded, “Swear, and I will release thee; revile the Christ!”

“Eighty and six years have I served Him,” said Polycarp. “And He has done me no wrong! How then can I blaspheme my King who saved me?” The die was cast.

Polycarp was led to the center of the Colosseum where three times the proconsul announced, “Polycarp has confessed himself to be a Christian.” The bloodthirsty crowd chanted for death by beast, but the proconsul opted for fire. As his executioners seized his wrists to nail him to the stake, Polycarp stopped them. “He who gives me strength to endure the fire will enable me to do so without the help of your nails.”

As the pyre was lit on fire, Polycarp prayed one last prayer: “I bless you because you have thought me worthy of this day and this hour to be numbered among your martyrs in the cup of your Christ.” Soon the flames engulfed him, but strangely they did not consume him, Polycarp was fireproof. Instead of the stench of burning flesh, the scent of frankincense wafted through the Colosseum.

Using a spear, the executioner stabbed Polycarp through the flames. Polycarp bled out, but not before the twelfth martyr of Smyrna had loved out John’s exhortation: be faithful even to the point of death. Polycarp died fearlessly and faithfully. And the way he died forever changed the way those eyewitness lived. He did what the voice from heaven had commanded. Polycarp played the man.

[Quote from Mark Batterson’s Play the Man (2017), page 7-9. Published by Baker Books]

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Jesus Freaks: 'Kim' of North Korea, Friend's Died, Faith Alive!

North Korea publicly executes 80 people, some for reading the Bible

“If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed”

(John 8:36, NIV).

Kim had come home, unable to speak. His mother could tell he was in shock and sat with him, soothing him and trying to find out what had happened. Finally he began to open up to her.

            “I was with one of my best friends today when two police officers approached us. They grabbed my friend and accused him of being a Christian. One of the officers knocked him to the ground while the other took out his gun. My friend didn’t get angry or curse anyone. He… he didn’t even try to defend himself.

            “Even as the gun was pointed directly at him, his face remained peaceful. He looked straight into my eyes, and without speaking a word, I knew exactly what he was saying. He wanted me to believe the same thing he did. And then he just said, ‘Bless them.’

            “He was executed right in front of me – because he was a Christian. I do not even know what a Christian is. I don’t understand any of this.”

            Kim’s mother held his head in her hands. There were tears in her eyes. Now it was she who was in shock. She then told him simply, “I understand.”

            “How could you possible understand why they would kill my friend?”

            She slowly began to tell her son about her Lord Jesus Christ, how He had miraculously been born of a virgin and crucified on a cross to save all those who would believe in Him. As she continued sharing with her eldest son, she began to sob. Now it was she who couldn’t go on. She felt the pain of never daring to tell her son about Jesus Christ, lest his fate would be like that of his friend. She also felt the overwhelming joy of knowing that God had not forgotten her son, but allowed someone else to bring him the Gospel.

            Finally she told him, “God allowed you to witness the martyrdom of one of His brave children. As those bullets hit his heart, a seed of hope was planted in yours.”

            The son prayed that night and received Jesus Christ into his heart. He was filled with joy as he embraced his mother and thanked her for telling him the truth. But suddenly he began to weep again and appeared distraught. Confused, the mother asked, “Now what’s wrong?”

            “My brothers,” Kim cried, “they do not know Jesus. We must tell them!”

            His three brothers soon came home and discovered their older brother and mother crying together. Their first thought was that something terrible had happened to their father, and they quickly knelt down beside their mother, asking what was wrong.

            With unnatural boldness the eldest son stood up and responded, “You should also receive Jesus Christ.” Before the evening had passed, all three had done exactly that.

            The mother was filled with joy. Although she had never dared to speak to her children about her Christian faith, she had diligently prayed for them every day. Now that her children had accepted Jesus, she began cautiously looking for a Bible so they could learn more of God’s Word. But she could not find any.

            Eventually her oldest son secretly crossed the Yalu River into China in search of Bibles. You can imagine the look on his face when he finally came across a miniature Bible in the Korean language. He pleaded with the Christians in China, asking how he could obtain some of these Bibles. Regrettably no more were available. Refusing to admit defeat, he told the Christians the dramatic story of how he had witnessed his friend’s death and how he and his brothers had learned of Jesus Christ. Before departing for North Korea, he said, “I am in need of five thousand of these Bibles to share with my family and others in North Korea. I will be back in one month to pick them up.”

            Hearing of her request, some Christian workers hurriedly printed five thousand copies of the miniature Korean Bibles. Over the next year or so, Kim returned on several occasions to smuggle the Bible back across the border. All four of these brothers are now actively sharing their faith, knowing first-hand the consequences if they are discovered. Since their last pickup of these Bibles some months ago, no one has heard further news of them.

[Taken from Jesus Freaks: Revolutionaries (2002) by dc Talk. Title mine]

The cost of serving Jesus Christ is your life.

What are you doing with your life now? For Christ and His Kingdom? or for self?

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

The evidence of Jesus’ Resurrection #6: The change in the Apostle Paul

Paul met Jesus on the road to Damascus (from the movie, The Bible) 

One of the most telling examples of a person who saw Christ and whose life was transformed was the apostle Paul. He had been educated with the finest Jewish education, and he had a reputation as a well-trained and respected religious leader. Because of his position and his initial belief that Jesus and his disciples’ claims were false, he hated the new sect of Christian believers. In fact, he was present at the stoning of the first Christian martyr, Stephen (see Acts 6 and 7). Before his conversion, Paul was called Saul.

After a personal encounter with the Resurrected Christ who spoke to him (Acts 9), Paul realized that he had been fighting against the very One who had validated his universal authority through the Resurrection. The day that he met Jesus on the road to Damascus, Paul’s focus in life changed 180 degrees from the persecution of the budding Christian faith to becoming its foremost proponent and evangelist to the corners of the Roman Empire. Now Paul was fully convinced that the Resurrection was a true fact of history.

Paul’s reputation as a persecutor of the Church was so widespread that initially the Christians were afraid to accept him into their group. Eventually, Paul was imprisoned in Rome and martyred because he would not back down from proclaiming the message of the Crucified and Resurrected Christ. Paul was so convinced that the Resurrection of Jesus from the death unto life that he claimed the entire Christian faith rested on this one central truth of the Resurrection and its implications for all believers:

“And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead… And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep [died] in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men. But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first fruits [the first to be raised to life forever] of those who have fallen asleep [died]” (1 Corinthians 15:14-15, 17-20).

The Church rapidly grew from a small band of disciples to a worldwide movement. Thousands of early believers – even Paul himself – were martyred for their faith in the first few centuries of Christianity. (Even today, Christians are persecuted for their faith). Know that they were not killing people because of their faith but being killed for their faith in Christ. The Resurrection of Jesus is truly one of the most attested events in history.

The evidence of Jesus’ Resurrection #6:
The change in the Apostle Paul

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Evidence of Jesus' Resurrection #2: The Lives of the Disciples

Peter and John, both were former fisherman now become preachers of Good News.

“We must obey God rather than men”

(Peter boldly said to the Sanhedrin council, Acts 5:29, ESV).

Among the most convincing proofs of the reality of Jesus’ Resurrection was the change in the lives of the disciples. They changed from being scared and scattered followers to being confident and courageous evangelists who did not fear for their lives. In fact, all of them but one (Judas Iscariot) died gruesome deaths as martyrs because of their testimony that Christ rose from the dead. Peter, the disciple who denied Jesus during his trial just before his execution, clearly attests, “For we were not making up clever stories when we told you about the power of our Lord Jesus Christ and his coming again. We have seen his majestic splendour [emphasis added] with our own eyes” (2 Peter 1:16). What splendour was Peter taking about? The resurrected Christ!

Who were these disciples? Were they extraordinary people who were prepared from childhood to represent Jesus? Jerry Rose, former president of the National Religious Broadcasters, says, “As individuals, they were completely unremarkable, middle class at best. They came from all walks of life – fishermen, a tax collector, even a militant rebel. But drawn together by the Messiah himself, this unlikely band of brothers would change the world.”

After Christ’s Crucifixion, this band of followers scattered, cowering behind locked doors, in fear for their own lives. What changed them? A miracle beyond what they could ever dream – the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. From those early days on, they became a powerful force that spread the news of this miraculous event that changed the world in one generation.

But no one was in the tomb during the Resurrection. How could the disciples be sure that it actually happened? Because Jesus physically appeared to them numerous times after the Resurrection. John tells of the first appearance in his Gospel: “On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you!’ After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord’” (John 20:19-20).

But one disciple was not present – Thomas. When he heard of the experience the other disciples had with Jesus, he doubted that it was true. We can feel sympathetic toward Thomas. He was filled with grief; he thought he would never see Jesus again. All his hopes for the future had been dashed. Although Thomas has the reputation as the doubting disciple, none of Jesus’ followers believed in the Resurrection until they saw the proof for themselves – his presence among them.

The apostle John writes about what happened when Jesus appeared to Thomas: “Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, ‘We have seen the Lord!’ But he said to them, ‘Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it.’ A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you!’ Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.’ Thomas said to him, ‘My Lord and my God!’” (John 20:24-28).

One of the most amazing facts of the transformation of the disciples is that they had no reason to claim that Jesus had been raised from the dead. When jurors sit on a case in a court trial, one of the questions they ask about the testimony of the witnesses is: “What does this person have to gain by giving this testimony?” For some, it could be that the testimony will lead to financial gain or status. That puts their testimony into question.

But the disciples had nothing to gain by attesting to the Resurrection – not wealth, political gain or prestige. They weren’t going to get a retirement fund set up in their names or a villa at a Roman resort. The apostles received no benefits outside their reward in the eternity. In fact, they were persecuted and executed for their faith. But they were so convinced that Jesus rose from the dead and was alive that they endured beatings, stoning, ridicule, loss of family, and horrific deaths. There is no doubt that they valiantly claimed to have seen him alive with their own eyes.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

References:

1) David W. Balsiger and Michael Minor, The Case for Christ’s Resurrection (Orlando, Florida: Bridge-Logos, 2007), p. 8-10.

2) Twelve Ordinary Men, DVD, David W. Balsiger, senior producer, Grizzly Adams Productions, Inc. 2005.