"Stand up, stand up for Jesus, Ye soldiers of the cross"

Extreme Faith in a Time of Extreme Persecution:
Last night I was reading through my The Voice of the Martyrs magazine. This issue was all about the ministers of the gospel in Vietnam. It was entitled "Pastors on the Run". If you don't read Voice of the Martyrs trust me it's worth picking up. So, this article was all about the different people who are sharing the gospel message with the Vietnamese people even though the police continue to arrest them, fine them, and beat them. One article that really caught my eye was about a minister and his wife who were conducting a church service in a ladies home when the police came in arrest them and continued to beat them. At one point the article mentioned that they beat the ministers wife so bad that she was unconscious for quite a while.
Then this morning I get to the office and read Ester chapter 3 and was reminded of how Modecai stood up to Haman and would not bow down to him. Haman goes out and get's the king to issue a decree that Haman and his mob would go out and kill all the Jewish people and take their land. In the face of what Mordecai knew could happen for not obeying one of the kings top officials he remained faithful to his God and refused to bow down to Haman.
Maybe this is the Old Testament picture of what we see happening in so many different countries where people are not free to worship and to hear the gospel message. As I looked through picture after picture of different people being beaten and arrested in Vietnam I couldn't help but wonder and pray that God would give me that much faith. Maybe today you and I need to take a hard look at our faith and who we are and ask ourselves if we are willing to be faithful unto death so we might receive the crown of life?

As I finish I thought of this old hymn and I know we don't use hymnals that much if any anymore but I believe that there are some very powerful hymns with great meaning as well as some of the praise choruses that we sing today.

"Stand up, stand up for Jesus, The strife will not be long; This day the noise of battle, The next, the victor's song: To Him that overcometh, A crown of life shall be: He with the King of glory shall reign eternally."