Odd event at school

[Mr. SmartyPants]

Okay, i was in 2nd period, religion class. And we were doing some random worksheets for class and stuff. So yeah since it was religion class and all, and we had Bibles and stuff, i was reading some of Revelations. I was reading some of chater 2 untill i came to this point

(Revelations 2:10)
"Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life."

as soon as i read that. For some reason i became really terrified. Thoughts came to my head "What will it be like?" and "What if it happened to me? Will it be like a POW camp? Or will there be actual fire and brimstone? What will happen for 10 days? Can i make 10 days? What if I give up on God?" "What if i stay faithful for the first 5 days or so, then just fall and don't get back up?

I was really scared, i was terrified. Religion class ended, and i walked to Latin class which was down the hall. I was still scared, i breathed heavily, and I couldn't concentrate on anything else. I felt this weird anxiouty inside me. Like evilness surrounding me. It was definately weird. In latin, i sat down, and i remembered what i heard on the Radio a few days ago (Christian Station) when a guy said that whenever you are feeling distressed, God defiantely comforts you.

So I sillently prayed to myself "God, could you just have this feeling go away? Because i am really scared right now" A couple mintues later i still had that fear, but i started to feel sleepy. (its normal because I ALWAYS fall asleep in Latin class) I prayed to God that I wouldn't fall asleep because I would go behind on my studies. But I ended up falling asleep anyway. I woke up a few minutes later (actually i woke up, dozed off, woke up, dozed off etc etc etc happens all the time) and for some reason, that fear was gone. lol Maybe God gotten rid of my fear through an everyday thing I do like sleeping in class

well it was just an interesting thing i wanted to share with ya

[Ichigo_89]

Wow, uhm, that's creepy.0_0

[Yojimbo]

Well when you say what will it be like I assume you mean the end of the world right? I'm no bible scholar but I know Revelations isn't meant to be taken literally like that. It was written by John's disciples to give hope to Jews persecuted by the Roman Empire. So I don't think a creature with seven (or something) heads is going to come out of bowels of the Earth and swallow up cities at the end of time.

[Mr. SmartyPants]

yes i know revelations isn't meant to be taken literally. But i was more reffering to like if it were to happen to me today. End of the world, or not. Who knows, maybe some people will perhaps be in hell for 10 days? Maybe it's a metaphor.

But whatever it was, im fine right now

[termyt]

It's quite possible you will indeed face things like that or even worse, MSP. I don't mean to scare you, but we are not promised peace or security. In fact, we are promised the exact opposite. I am thankful to live in a country that, even though we are in the middle of a culture war, still does not outlaw Christianity.

Persecution will come and it will go, but God is faithful. You will not be tested with more than you can withstand, so be strong and of good cheer. There is nothing this world can throw at you that you can not take. Remain faithful and it will work out for you.

[Hitokiri]

I echoe what Termyt said...Christians do face persecution from being killed for believing in Christ to being blasted attacked by the media. Jesus even said "people will hate you because of me."

God however is in control. The devil may try to take you down and as the verse says "I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death," God won't put a challenege in front of you if you can't handle it as a Christian. It's all part of His plan and by these trials that the devil puts you through, you become stronger each time because of Christ.

[kaji]

Yet some more echoing, but Termyt and Hitokiri are right on.

This passage of Revelation was written directly to one of the seven churches (or bodies of believers) but can be applied to our lives now. The church of Smyrna is one of the two churches that does not receive a warning from God here (hence they must be doing something right), and according to history was one of the poorest of poor churches of the time.

The fact that God is warning the church of coming trials is evidence of their good works. Because they were doing so good in Gods eyes, Satan sought to cause them strife (or have them thrown in prison).

Think about it, Satans goal is to deceive the world about God and any one revealing the truth is in his way. To go through such trials is joy because it lets you know, in a way, that you are doing the right thing. Satan wouldn’t bother with you if you weren’t living for God. He would have already counted you his victory.
The only thing I would be scared of is if Satan was not trying to break me, then I would know I was not any concern to him, and not doing Gods work.

Don’t be afraid Mr.SP Trust God, His promise and remember that this world is only temporal. Only when we die will we really live. I would be happy to go down fighting for God! ^_^

*Neat side note you might want to look up later: A little farther in this passage God says, “Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.â€

[Kisa]

Okay, i was in 2nd period, religion class. And we were doing some random worksheets for class and stuff. So yeah since it was religion class and all, and we had Bibles and stuff, i was reading some of Revelations. I was reading some of chater 2 untill i came to this point

(Revelations 2:10)
"Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life."

That is scary, but it is a good verse for trusting in God. I think it would be a good one to hold onto to look at often to remember who is in control ^^

[Mr. SmartyPants]

it is definately a good verse. I do know that God is always faithful. (corinthians 10:13 baby) but for some reason, reading that passage just frightened me. I don't even know exactally WHY though. It was odd, it was like my spiritual level sunk really low for like 10 minutes. Then wen't back up, odd event indeed

[ashfire]

I sort of felt it sounded like what would happen say like in "The Left Behind" series. Those left behind after God has removed the faithful from the Earth would have to face the Devil and prove their faith to God.

[Ingemar]

Persecution is a reality for millions of Christians, especially in Muslim countries with a sizable Christian minority or 50-50 Muslim/Christian population. One only need to look at the democide in Sudan to get what I'm talking about (strangely, the media tries to paint this more as a racial, rather than religious struggle. While that's true, and there are black Sudanese Muslims getting killed, don't forget that some black Sudanese converted under coercion). Revelation, and the letters to the seven churches especially, resonates especially powerfully with these people.

[Mr. SmartyPants]

yup, there is much persecution in the world. And im not really afraid, well, i surely hope im not. In china, many people have underground churches and stuff because of persecution. ANd they stay intact to God. Korea used topersecute christians, but it eventually became adapted

[Ingemar]

North Korea still persecutes Christians. NK is such a repressive regime, I think it would only be by the grace of God that any Christians live there at all.

South Korea indeed did used to persecute Christians, but the story is very different now. I hear that anywhere from a quarter to 47% of SK is Christian. I don't know how this could have happened in half a century (early 20th century, only 1% of the entire peninsula was Christian). Also, the single largest Christian congregation exists in SK, with some half a million members.

Of course, number really mean nothing. What matters is the heart.

[Mr. SmartyPants]

true that inegmar