Imagine the very day the Holy Spirit come upon the Eleven Apostles there were also
three thousand others among the nations who were baptized and accepted Jesus as their
Lord and savior. Their past sins and lives were forgiven in that moment of acceptance
of our Christ, even the very accusers who denied he was the Son of God. Yes, the very first
conversions of sinners were those very men who had persecuted and crucified our Lord. Why
were they the first, because Jesus loved them also, remember he did ask God, the Father,
"Father, forgive them; they do not know what they are
doing."
On trial for Sharing the Gospel
When was the last time you shared the gospel of Jesus Christ with others? Were You called a "Jesus Freak" because you defended your love for Jesus Christ. Many Christians have had their faith put on trial for their love of Jesus Christ. Who are these Jesus Freaks? What makes them stand out among the population of this world? I found the answers and more in a wonderful book I could not put down. Through tears and joy the lives of these "Jesus Freaks" unfolded. Jesus Freaks is a book written by dc Talk and The Voice of the Martyrs. The book is entwined with love and forgiveness through the stories of those remarkable people who stood up for their faith in Jesus: the ultimate Jesus Freaks.
Anila and Perveen
(these names have been changed to protect the individuals and their families)
17 and 18 years old
Pakistan
1997
Anila met Perveen at school. As their friendship grew, Anila gave Perveen a Bible and taught her Christian songs. Perveen quickly learned Christian songs and began to teach them to her younger sister when her parents weren't home. Perveen's parents soon learned of the songs. Being strict Muslims, they were not happy about them. But rather than confronting Perveen right away, they had her younger sister try to find out where she was getting this Christian influence.
Anila eventually invited Perveen to a Good Friday service. When the young Muslim heard the Gospel presentation, she immediately accepted Jesus. Perveen became very excited about her new relationship with Jesus and saw great changes take place in her life. She read her Bible and praised God boldly. Anila knew that, before long, her friend would encounter opposition from her family.
Perveen's parents were furious when they learned of her conversion. They had previously arranged for her to marry a Muslim man. When Perveen again refused, she ran away.
When Perveen's parents could not find her, they accused Anila and her pastor of kidnapping her. They had Anila arrested. Anila was slapped and beaten in front of her parents for over nine hours. Finally she was taken to prison.
Anila's pastor and his family were taken to prison on the following day. Anila and her pastor experienced horrible tortures in jail. She was whipped sixteen times (five times would make a normal man pass out). When they were released, Anila could not sit for two months, and her pastor could barely walk from the bruises on his hips and thighs.
Perveen was later found by her family. In Muslin nations, children are often severely beaten for converting to Christianity. Others are killed by their own parents or siblings for apostasy, converting to another faith.
To restore the honor of his family, Perveen's brother stabbed her to death. He then turned himself in to the local authorities. As is not uncommon in such situations, he was eventually released without incident.
Anila was then arrested on charges of kidnapping.
She was imprisoned, then released on bail a little more than a month later. She and her family went into hiding, as their lives were threatened by radical Muslims.
In May 1999, Anila was acquitted of all charges. Praise God for the prayers of faithful believers around the world! Continue to pray for her protection as she remains in hiding.
"I have seen the world," Anila said, "and it has nothing good. Jesus is my only peace."
As the book Jesus Freaks has states "There are more Christians martyrs today then there were in 100 AD-in the days of the Roman Empire. According to the World Christian Encyclopedia, there were close to 156,000 Christians martyred around the world in 1998. An estimated 165,000 will be martyred in 1999."
A few words from the authors speaks volumes about these special Christian martyrs.
Toby McKeehan wrote, "For some, standing up for Jesus actually means dying for him. In John 15:13 NIV Jesus says, 'Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.' That's why we decided to title this book about martyrs Jesus Freaks. In its pages you will read story after story about those who would not compromise or apologize for their faith in Jesus Christ, even if it meant going to prison, being tortured, or facing death. These are the people who are changing our world by refusing to lay aside their relationship with Jesus for the mere sake of being accepted by the crowd. Such "Freaks" are the visionaries of our day."
Michael Tait wrote, "When you open this book you will learn about some of the biggest Jesus Freaks of all time: those who stood out from the crowd enough to be called martyrs. If Jesus was willing to give His life for me, and if these people, these martyrs, were willing to give up their lives for Him, how much does it take for me to truly dedicate my days on earth to Him?"
Kevin Max wrote, "Being a Jesus Freak is having a passionate heart for Jesus, a willingness to extend that passion into all areas of life, be it poetry, music, art, or the hard choices made at life's crossroads. The lineage of Jesus Freaks actually extends much further back into history than the sixties. Many devoted followers through the centuries gave a new definition to the word "commitment" when they put their homes, families, and even their lives on the line. Their love for Jesus was bigger than life itself. When I read their stories, I can't help but think of my own choices, my own commitments, and how much I owe to those courageous individuals."
A message from Tom White, Director of The Voice of the Martyrs. "If a Jesus Freak is someone who stands out when God calls, regardless of the circumstances, then Richard is our man. In 1947, this pastor taught Christians to walk backwards in the snow carrying Bibles into countries that forbid them. When boarder guards looked down from their towers in the morning, they ran with their police dogs in the wrong direction following the footsteps! When Russian soldiers invaded his homeland of Romania and there was great fear, Richard had his Christian group meet the Russians with Bibles in their language. God had brought a Russian "opportunity" to Romania. The Christians would give Bibles through the train windows to eager Russians before the KGB could stop them."
Tom White was talking about Richard Wurmbrand who experienced the choices a martyr makes for Jesus Christ. His own story is told with many other in this inspirational book "Jesus Freaks".
More information about dc Talk can be found at www.dctalk.com for their book, music and concerts.
The Voice of the Martyrs is a non-profit, interdenominational organization dedicated to assisting the persecuted church worldwide. Information on The Voice of the Martyrs can be found at www.persecution.com
Jesus Freaks
Stories of Those Who Stood for Jesus:
The Ultimate Jesus Freaks
copyright 1999 by Albury Publishing
P.O. Box 470406/Tulsa, Oklahoma 74147-0406
