Roses of Grace

What's the most important question you'll ever answer?  Some options might come to mind. "Where should I go to college?" "What career should I pick?" Or maybe you even think of, "will you marry me?"  But no. Those things aren't a matter of life or death.  The most important question you'll ever answer is the question Jesus asks his disciples in Matthew 16:15: "Who do you say that I am?"  It's impossible to overstate the importance of this question. This is a matter of life or death—Jesus's identity is of cosmic importance.  Why is it so important? Because your answer will show your heart.  Do you really believe the truth? Then you have eternal life, joy, and peace.  But if you don't, your heart is still dead in your trespasses and sins. (Ephesians 2:1) Who do you say that Jesus is?   A Good Teacher The Bible is like a self-help book—a really good one. There's good stuff in there. We can pick and choose what to agr...

In China, believers meet with fear. The threat of the government storming their church looms over their heads as they worship. Many churches are closed down, their leaders imprisoned. Constant surveillance by the government endangers the lives of any churchgoer. Children and teenagers are not allowed to attend church. In North Korea, anyone suspected of being a Christian is imprisoned in a brutal labor camp where they are starved, tortured, beaten, and worked to death. Their families are often punished in the same way, regardless of their own beliefs. In Nigeria, the Islamic terrorist group Boko Haram places the lives of every Christian in danger. Street violence is common. Those who profess faith in Christ run the risk of a swift and brutal murder by Muslim extremists. Persecution is real. Christians who live in dangerous areas like China, North Korea, Nigeria, Afghanistan, Myanmar, and countless other nations face an unimaginable amount of danger and fear every day. Many things that ...