MARTYRS : Romanus, an Early Christian

Has this happened to you yet while preaching the Gospel in our free country?
The second time Romanus preached the living God, the Lord Jesus Christ His well-beloved Son, and eternal life through faith in His blood, Asclepiades commanded the tormentors to strike Romanus on the mouth, that his teeth be knocked out, so that his speaking would be impaired. The order was obeyed, his face was beaten with fists, his eyelids torn with nails, his cheeks cut with knives; the skin of his beard was plucked little by little from the flesh; finally, his handsome face was wholly defaced.

MARTYRS of the Past: Mary Khoury

Lebannon, 1991—Mary Khoury was 17 when Damour, her village in Lebanon, was raided by Muslim fanatics who were bent on converting everyone to Islam by force. She and her parents were given one choice: “If you do not become a Muslim you will be shot.”

Mary knew Jesus had been given a similar choice: Give up His profession of being the Son of God and the Savior of the world, or be crucified. He chose the Cross. So she replied, “I was baptized as a Christian and His word came to me: ‘Don’t deny your faith.’ I will obey Him. Go ahead and shoot.” A Muslim who had just killed her father and mother shot her and left her for dead.

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Martyrs: Gao Zhisheng’s Torture

I debated about whether to post what happened to this poor brother, a man Christianity Today calls “The World’s Most Missing Christian.” Since I read of his account from ChinaAid though, I’ve been praying for him daily; maybe you will, too.

More than a year has already passed since Christian human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng was last seen. On April 20, 2010, he disappeared once again into Chinese police custody. The Chinese government adamantly refuses to release any information about Gao, to disclose where he is being held, or even to say what his condition is. It even refuses to confirm to Gao’s family members whether he is still alive.

Gao’s wife and two children, whom ChinaAid helped to resettle in the United States, have been devastated both emotionally and spiritually. They cry out every day to have a word from or about their lost loved one, their devoted father and caring husband.

Following is an excerpt from a ChinaAid report posted on April 26, 2011, describing some of the horrific torture inflicted on Gao. [Warning – contains graphic details]

Martyrs: Muslims Target Christians

Muslim protesters went on a murdering rampage throughout northern Nigeria following the presidential elections on Apr. 16. Though the crisis started as a political protest, it rapidly escalated into anti-Christian violence. Numerous churches, Christian businesses, homes and cars were burned and destroyed. Thousands of Christians are now trapped and spread throughout military and security barracks.

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