Freedom of Religion

You know, we have been blessed with the freedom of religion in this country. We can go to church and worship without worrying about any opposition. Nothing stands in our way of spreading the gospel. But I fear that that same blessing may also be a curse. In many countries, the choice to follow Christ means almost certain (in Iran, any man or woman who professes Christ is, by law, worthy of ). I wonder how many people, even those who are truly Christians, would be ready to take a stand if the laws in this country suddenly changed. I include myself in this. We might say we would stand, but would we really? It is extremely rare to hear of anyone in this country dying for their faith. I would encourage everyone to read the book "She Said Yes". The , Cassie Bernall, had been saved out of great sin. The week before she died, she wrote in her diary "I will die for my faith. I will die for my God. It's the least I can do for Christ dying for me." The next week, the gunmen pointed their guns at her head and asked her if she believed in God. When she said "Yes", they shot her . The story really made me think, "Would I have the courage to do the same?" The answer is, "Only by God's grace".

Now understand, I'm not saying it's a bad thing that we have freedom of religion in this country. What I am saying is that this is something we need to think about. No matter when and how you die, even as a Christian, you need to be prepared. I think that especially for young people, it is something that is not thought about very often. You don't expect to die at 22. But life is something that is so fragile. No one knows the future but God. We need to be prepared and to live each day according to God's will because we do not know whether there will be a tomorrow.