Pastor Ray focuses on Jesus’ message to the church at Smyrna. Jesus words were measured yet comforting and not a rebuke in any sense. Pastor Ray goes on to talk about the coming persecution of the church in America and concludes by reading from a chapter of Pilgrim’s Progress on persecution as Faithful was martyred (Chapter 7 if you’re following along in the edited version of Pilgrim’s Progress by C.J. Lovik).
Are you prepared for the days ahead?
“True, physical persecution (e.g. when Christians are being arrested, beaten, imprisoned, or even killed) will not leave most current church structures intact. It will completely dismantle them!“ “Persecution is a pruning process, when the Holy Spirit removes half-hearted believers from among the flock.“