I was in New York City a few months ago and heard this story in a sermon. The pastor could not find the source, and I can’t find it either, but it is worth telling anyway.

The donkey awakened, his mind still savoring the afterglow of the most exciting day of his life. Never before had he felt such a rush of pleasure and pride. Everyone loved him. He walked into town and found a group of people by the well.

“I’ll show myself to them,” he thought.

But they didn’t even notice him. They went on drawing their water and paid him no mind.

“Throw your garments down,” he said crossly. “Don’t you know who I am?”

They just looked at him in amazement. Someone slapped him across the tail and ordered him to go away.

“Miserable heathens!” he muttered to himself. “I’ll just go to the market where the good people are. They will remember me.” But the same thing happened. No one paid any attention to the donkey as he strutted down the main street in front of the market place.

“The palm branches! Where are the palm branches?” he shouted. “Yesterday, you threw palm branches!”

Hurt and confused, the donkey returned home to his mother.

“Foolish child,” she chided gently. “Don’t you realize that without Him, you are nothing but an ordinary donkey?”

After the pastor told this story, the entire congregation drew in their breath in unison. It was loud enough for me to hear as I drew in my own breath.

The story speaks for itself.

So often I find myself acting like this ordinary donkey. If I am not expecting praise, I offer it unduly. The Voice of the Martyrs tells story after story of martyrs who hold on to Christ in their time of terror. There is a tendency to place these martyrs on a pedestal. This donkey reminds me that even ordinary Christians can one day experience the same treatment as the millions of martyrs before them. Although a martyr’s story is incredible to hear, we must never forget that the credit only goes to God.

In my last blog post, “My First Bowl of Cereal,” I mentioned how some Christians recant their faith under severe persecution. This can happen to anyone who loses sight of God. Glorify God for the perseverance He provided to past, present and future martyrs.

“Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall. No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.” — 1 Corinthians 10:12-13

I remember making my first bowl of cereal.

The cabinet with the dishes was so high. I pulled myself on top the counter and swung open the cabinet door, ducking so it wouldn’t hit me in the head. I jumped off the counter, gripping the bowl with both hands. Landing on both feet, I rushed over to the table and set the bowl down next to the box of Cheerios I had already pulled from the pantry. As I tipped the box over, the familiar sound of cereal falling into a glass bowl resonated throughout the room and my anticipation grew. I took the milk gallon out of the refrigerator and carefully, slowly poured the white cream over my O’s. With one spoon, I dunked each “O” to ensure each one was covered in milk. With a second spoon, I lavished one, then two overflowing spoons full of sugar over my cereal.

My mother had warned me against too much sugar. I ignored her warnings; I like my cereal sweet.

I was so excited. I lifted a large spoonful to my mouth. The next thing I remember, I was standing over the sink furiously spitting everything out. Sometimes in our rush to accomplish things, we end up with something we didn’t really want. Sometimes it takes accidentally eating salt to realize that not everything is sugar.

Those who support The Voice of the Martyrs are often awed when we hear of our brothers and sisters in Christ dying for their faith. It is heroic, and it is also tragic. They’re beheaded. They’re shot. They’re persecuted. But there is beauty in this tragedy. Those martyrs spend eternity in God’s presence, their death glorifies His name and their witness may win others for Christ.

But with the inspiring sugar of those stories, there are stories of bitter saltiness in the persecuted church. It’s time to see some salt.

In Kiangsi, China, two Christian girls, Chiu-Chin and Ho-Hsiu-Tzu, and their pastor, were sentenced to death. As on many such occasions in church history, the persecutors mocked and scorned them for being so foolish as to die for an unseen God. Then they promised the pastor that if he would shoot the girls they would release him. He accepted.

The girls waited patiently in their prison cells for the moment of their execution. They prayed quietly together. Soon guards came for them and led them out. A fellow-prisoner who watched the execution through the barred window of his prison cell, said that their faces were pale but beautiful beyond belief, infinitely sad but sweet. They were placed against a wall, and their pastor was brought forward by two guards. They placed him close in front of the girls and put a pistol into his hand.

The girls whispered to each other, then bowed respectfully to their pastor. One of them said:

Before being shot by you, we wish to thank you heartily for what you have meant to us. You baptized us, you taught us the way of eternal life, you gave us a holy communion with the same hand in which you now have a gun. May God reward you for all that you have done for us. You also taught us that Christians are sometimes weak and commit terrible sins, but they can be forgiven again. When you regret what you are about to do to us, do not despair like Judas, but repent like Peter. God bless you, and remember that our last thought of you was not one of indignation against your failure. Everyone passes through hours of darkness. We die with gratitude.

They bowed again to their pastor, closed their eyes, and stood silently waiting.

The pastor had obviously hardened his heart – he raised the pistol and shot them. No sooner had they fallen to the ground, then the communist guards put him against the wall for immediate execution. As they shot him, no one heard words of repentance, only the sound of screaming.

Some people recant their faith, and not every Christian stands firm. At VOM we often talk about those who come through persecution triumphantly. But for every person like that, there are many who don’t, and God still works through those failures.

Sometimes we have to accidentally eat salt to realize that not everything is sugar. Sometimes we have to see failure in order to appreciate the great faith of those who overcome persecution. Pray for the people like the Chinese pastor, that even though they deny Christ, that they might embrace once more the forgiveness and love that God offers. Pray that every person that has denied Christ might become a Peter, that their testimonies be examples of God’s forgiveness.

The Voice of the Martyrs’ statement of faith and main purposes define the bedrock beliefs, mission and purpose of our organization.  Our newsletter and web articles are written and presented to inform Christians in the free world of the persecution and suffering of the church in more than 50 countries around the world. The mission VOM inherited from our founders, Richard and Sabina Wurmbrand, is to be A VOICE for these suffering saints. In our efforts to educate the church in North America about Christian persecution, researching the history of the church and of persecution plays an important part. 

While VOM is clearly evangelical in our statement of faith, we are an interdenominational ministry. VOM works in restricted nations with Christians from a wide array of denominational and theological backgrounds. The Christians in the US who read VOM’s newsletter or ask VOM staff to come and speak in their churches are also from a variety of denominations and Christian traditions.

It would be difficult—perhaps impossible—to quote any person, outside of Scriptural figures, who would receive universal approval among all Christians in the American Church today, or among the wide variety of VOM readers.  The Word of God is final authority in all matters of doctrine and practice, yet different denominations interpret and practice that Word in different ways. The church is divided on doctrine as well as Christian "personalities."  This is not a new issue for followers of Christ. Paul chastised the church in Corinth for the same thing:

…for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not carnal? Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one? (I Cor. 3:3-5)

The November 2010 issue of the VOM newsletter included a short article on Madame Jeanne Guyon.  It was part of a series we call “Hidden Stones” that seeks to educate VOM readers about the history of Christian persecution and bring to light some of our brothers and sisters who sacrificed much to follow Christ’s call. We want to honor these heroes of the faith, and we want to encourage our readers with their testimonies, just as we seek to encourage readers with the testimonies of today’s persecuted believers.

One of the challenges of telling the stories of past Christian martyrs is trying to explain and help our readers—living in the United States in 2010—understand the context in which past generations of Christians lived. While today we have numerous translations of the Bible and warehouses full of books to explain any theological question we may ask, Christians of earlier times didn’t have such luxuries. It is impossible to judge a Christian in such circumstances purely through the lens of 2010 American Christianity.

We have received several letters and online criticisms for printing a story about Madame Guyon. Some object to her being a Catholic, while others object to her being a “mystic” or her practice of “quietism” or some other of her beliefs or writings. Our article states:

Madame Guyon practiced a philosophy called “Quietism,” which teaches that spiritual perfection can be attained when self is lost in the contemplation of God.

There are those among our readers who object to the practice of “contemplation.” Perhaps a more charitable view would see Guyon, in her efforts to quiet herself and focus only on God, trying to live out the Apostle Paul’s teachings to Galatian believers:

2:20: I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

5:24-25: Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

Guyon believed in constant prayer, following Paul’s instructions to the Thessalonians: “Pray without ceasing” (I Thes. 5:17). Guyon wrote, in one of her poems, “There was a period when I chose, A time and place for prayer…But now I seek that constant prayer, An inward stillness known…”

“Mysticism” is also a misunderstood term. Looking it up in an American English dictionary might cause many Christians to have concerns that mystic practices are incompatible with Biblical Christianity. But according to D. D. Martin's write up in The Evangelical Dictionary of Theology (2nd ed, Baker Academic), "Christian mysticism seeks to describe an experiential, direct, nonabstract, unmediated, loving knowing of God, a knowing or seeing so direct as to be called union with God" (p. 806).

Madame Guyon encouraged Bible reading and Holy living in a time and in a nation when both were ignored or disparaged. Her writings were published and widely read, and as a result of her living out her commitment to Christ in the way she understood that He wanted, she was disciplined by her church and eventually locked in prison. Guyon’s story is similar to many believers who were and are persecuted by "the organized church" in their nation. 

Guyon’s ideas influenced many: Catholics and deists from France, Protestants from England, Scotland, and Switzerland, German Pietists, John Wesley, Count Zinzendorf, George Fox, Jessie Penn-Lewis, Hudson Taylor, Watchman Nee and countless others.

In an entry on prayer, the Christian History Blog says this of Guyon:

…Madame Guyon, a French mystic of the 17th and 18th centuries who was condemned by the Catholic church for Quietism. At its extreme, Quietism advocates stoicism, passivity, and absorption of the self into the Divine. Guyon seems to have avoided these extremes, instead running afoul of church authorities for her Protestant-seeming emphasis on salvation by grace rather than works. The book that got her into trouble, A Short and Easy Method of Prayer, began with a harmless enough invitation: “Prayer is the application of the heart to GOD, and the internal exercise of love. St. Paul hath enjoined us to ‘pray without ceasing’ (1 Thess. v 17), and our Lord saith, ‘I say unto you all, watch and pray’ (Mark xiii. 33, 37): all therefore may, and all ought to practice prayer.” A bit further on she wrote, “Nothing is so easily obtained as the possession and enjoyment of GOD, for ‘in him we live, move, and have our being;’ and He is more desirous to give Himself into us, than we can be to receive Him.”

Guyon sounded somewhat Protestant, specifically Wesleyan, on the possibility of Christian perfection, but I found her overall message simple and straightforward: Anyone can pray, and the benefits are abundant.

Christian author Nancy Missler (who founded Koinonia House along with her husband, Dr. Chuck Missler) writes that:

It was in Jeanne Guyon's books and St. John of the Cross's books that I first heard the term "the dark night of the soul." Although I am neither a Catholic nor a mystic, God used these precious saints to let me know that I was not alone in what I was experiencing. Others before me had endured such a "night season" and had come out even stronger and closer to the Lord because of it.

VOM does not endorse or vouch for every word written or act performed by Madame Guyon. Only God knows a person’s heart, and only God can declare who truly is in fellowship with Him. But it seems clear that genuine Christians have been blessed and impacted by her life and writings.

While we may not agree about her understanding of Scripture or her teachings, perhaps we can agree that no one should be locked up by church authorities simply for practicing their faith differently, or even practicing a different faith.

Our purpose in publishing this article was to challenge American Christians to live for Christ, even if doing so costs them something. Our intent and desire was not to promote "quietism" or any form of "mysticism," just as previous articles about Anabaptists, Quakers, Non-conformists, Montanists and others have not been intended to promote their particular theological teachings, but rather their example of costly faithfulness to Christ.

We encourage our readers to learn about those believers who have gone before, especially those who have suffered for following Christ. As you study their lives and writings through the lens of Scripture, you may find things you disagree with; you may also find things that bless and challenge you greatly. Our hope is that you will be challenged in your own walk to study the Scriptures more deeply and live them out more boldly.

Some, who reject Guyon and her teachings completely, will denounce VOM for publishing this article.  Any offense was unintended. The purpose of the article was to highlight a chapter of persecution in the church’s history and to challenge readers to stand boldly for Christ. Those who become immersed in debate over the faults or merits of Guyon have missed the point completely.

Let us, therefore, forsake the vanity of the crowd and their false teachings and turn back to the word delivered to us from the beginning, "watching unto prayer" and continuing steadfast in fasting, beseeching fervently the all-seeing God "to lead us not into temptation, even as the Lord said, "The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."

—Polycarp (69-156)

Learn more about Polycarp here.

The Christian Post has released the identity of the Korean victim who was murdered by the Taliban, as 42-year-old pastor Bae Hyung-kyu, who led the team of Korean volunteers on a humanitarian aid mission to Afghanistan.

Read the full coverage here.

The following words were proclaimed from the scaffold prior to the death of John Dick who was arrested for treason by the Anglican Church.  John Dick was a Covenanter and during the 1600's there was a struggle between the Anglican Church and the Covenanters.  As a result of his arrest, he was sentenced to death on March 5, 1684.  Here are John Dick's final words.

"I come here this day, and would not change my lot with the greatest in the world.  I lay down my life willingly and cheerfully for Christ and His cause and I heartily forgive all mine enemies.  I forgive all them who gave me my sentence, and them who were the chief cause of my taking; and I forgive him who is behind me [the executioner].  I advise you who are the Lord's people, to be sincere in the way of godliness, and you who know little or nothing of the power thereof, to come to Him and trust God, He will not disappoint you.  I say trust in the Lord, and He will support or strengthen you in whatever trouble of affliction you may meet with.  I remember, when Abraham was about to sacrifice his son, Isaac said, "Here is the wood, and the fire, but where is the sacrifice?"

He looked up at the gallows, then out to the crowd, and continued, "Now blessed be the Lord, here is the sacrifice and free will offering.  Adieu, farewell all friends."

A few days ago I received a copy of the One Year Book of Christian History and all I can say is that if you love Christian history this is definitely a devotional book you will want to purchase.

Today I wanted to highlight the martyr they have in the book for February 29th, and since this year isn't leap year you won't find the 29th on your calendars - and I didn't want to wait another couple of years to share this with you.

Patrick Hamilton was born around 1503 and died on February 29, 1528 at 25 years old.  He was Scotland's first Protestant martyr and was executed because he decided to follow the teachings of Martin Luther that says that we are justified by faith and not by works.

As a result, he was charged with 13 counts of heresy - including the positions he took on penance, confession and purgatory.  He was convicted and sentenced to be burned at the stake on the same day - February 29, 1528.

When the execution was carried out it was done so hastily that there wasn't enough wood and powder on hand to produce a huge enough fire to burn Hamilton.  As a result, Hamilton burned a slow and horrible death. The One Year Book of Christian History goes on to say...

"Hamilton's influence grew as word of his martyrdom spread, making him more popular in death than in life.  Soon all of Scottland was discussing Reformed Theology.  One of his accusers, Alexander Alexius, was converted as a result of Hamilton's testimony and became a Reformation leader.  A witness of Hamilton's burning later remarked, "The reek of Patrick Hamilton has infected as many as it did blow upon."

To read more about Patrick Hamilton click here.

Note: This post was written yesterday but Typepad kept crashing and I wasn't able to post it.

Today is a very special day for most of us, especially as we think about those we love.  I also think about Christ and His great love for us.  In fact, how can you not think about God today…since He is Love.

Since very few people know that St. Valentine was a martyr, I wanted to highlight a wonderful post written by blogger Chad Lavender concerning a little background about St. Valentine.  Chad writes the following:

    There are more facts and fables surrounding Valentine’s Day than just about any other holiday. One of the most fascinating is the true story of Saint Valentine himself. Although searches turned up a number of saints named Valentine, one is most likely the namesake of our familiar holiday.

    He is credited with helping Christians during the persecution by Claudius II, the Roman Emperor in the 3rd Century. The Romans, at the time, made it a crime to provide even aid or comfort to Christians. According to history Valentinus was thrown into a dungeon. His jailor, Asterious, was not overly harsh but the priest had only the barest of necessities of life. His one comfort while in prison was his friendship with Asterious’ daughter, his blind daughter, who befriended the kindly priest by bringing him food and delivering messages.

    After a year in jail, Valentinus was summoned to appear before Claudius II. The Emperor was so impressed with the young priest’s dignity that Claudius attempted to convert him to worshiping Roman gods to save him from execution. Valentinus, however, refused to renounce Christianity and attempted to convert the Emperor to Christianity. Claudius became furious, and ordered that Saint Valentine be beaten with clubs, stoned, and executed.

    In the last days of his life, Valentinus, through his faith, restored the sight of the jailer’s daughter. He also converted Asterious and the girl to Christianity, an act which would eventually result in their execution as well. On the eve of his execution, the priest wrote a farewell message to the girl and signed it, "From your Valentine." His execution was carried out on February 14, 269 A.D., outside the Flaminian gate in Rome. According to legend, a pink almond tree, a symbol of abiding love, blossomed near his grave.

    The valentine has become the universal symbol of friendship and affection shared each anniversary of the priest’s execution. The day we affectionately call Valentine’s Day.

For other information on Valentines Day check out St. Valentine on Wikipedia.

In keeping with my goal to highlight martyrs of history on this blog, today I wanted to highlight William Hunter.  Hunter is known as a Protestant martyr and a boy martyr.  Wikipedia tells us ...

"... burnt to death in Brentwood at the age of 19 on March 27, 1555. He had lost his job in London as a silk-weaver because of his views and had come to live with his parents in Brentwood, but got into a dispute when reading the Bible in Brentwood Chapel. He refused to accept the Catholic dogma of transubstantiation according to which the bread and wine of the communion become the body and blood of Jesus.

He was taken before the local Justice, Antony Browne, but refused to retract his position. Then he was sent to see Bishop Bonner in London. He resisted both threats and bribes—Bonner offered to make him a Freeman of the City of London and give him £40—and was eventually returned to Brentwood to be burnt. The site is now Brentwood School, an educational establishment founded by Antony Browne.

Another writer on the European Institute of Protestant Studies tells us that when he visited Brentwood he saw a statute in honor of William Hunter that had this inscription,

"WILLIAM HUNTER. MARTYR. Committed to the Flames March 26th MDLV. Christian Reader, learn from his example to value the privilege of an open Bible. And be careful to maintain it."

Isn't that powerful!  I think so.  Take a minute to read the rest of the article on William Hunter right here.

The new year is just around the corner - can you believe it!  Well, I thought that I would end this year with a brief run down of the most famous martyrs  we all know and love and how they died.  Yes, I know this is uplifting isn't it...well, it really is when you consider why they died, for Whom they died, and you look at their examples for inspiration.  These are the fathers of our Christian faith.

My source for this information is the Foxe's Book of Martyrs written by John Foxe.

St. Stephen was stoned to death.

James the Great was beheaded and his accuser repented, professed Christ and also was beheaded.

Philip was scourged, thrown in prison and then crucified.

Matthew was slain with a halberd.

James the Less was beat and stoned by the Jews and had his brains dashed out with a fuller's club.

Matthias was stoned at Jerusalem and then beheaded.

Andrew was crucified on the cross.

Mark was dragged to pieces by the people of Alexandria.

Peter was crucified upside down.

Paul gave his neck to the sword.

Jude was crucified.

Bartholomew was cruelly beaten and then crucified.

Thomas was thrust through with a spear.

Luke was supposed to have been hung on an olive tree.

Simon was crucified.

John, the beloved disciple, was the only disciple to escape a violent death.