Be Still And Know

2 Timothy 2:9-10 If it were possible to extinguish Christianity through violent persecution, it would have been snuffed out long ago. But it is a fact of the last 2,000 years that the persecution of the Church has simply accelerated its growth. Tertullian, an author in the second century, wrote: “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.” Most of us have had no experience of violent persecution, but it is important to remember that it continues to be the experience of many Christians around the world today. Every year, thousands of Christians are killed because of their faith in countries such as Afghanistan, North Korea, Somalia, Libya and Yemen. Paul was certain that, however great the persecution, the word of God could never be chained. We find exactly the same truth in the prophecy of Isaiah 55:10-11. God declared: “The rain and snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth. They cause the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry. It