I’ve heard some say, “Because I’m a Christian, I come under great persecution.” Let me ask you this. What kind of persecution do you come under? “Well, there’s a guy at work that makes fun of me because I’m a Christian.” Really?
According to a major university study, if we could shrink the earth’s population to a village of precisely one hundred people, with all the existing human ratios remaining the same, here’s what this town of one hundred would look like:
Fifty-seven would be Asians, twenty-one would be Europeans, fourteen would be from the Western hemisphere and eight would be from Africa. Fifty-two of the one hundred people would be female. Forty-eight would be male. Seventy would be non-Christian. Thirty would claim to be Christian. Eighty-nine would be heterosexual. Eleven would be homosexual.
Six people would possess fifty-nine percent of the entire world’s wealth, and all six people would be from the United States of America. Eighty out of a hundred would live in substandard housing. Seventy of the hundred people in this village would be unable to read. Fifty of these hundred people would suffer from malnutrition. One would be near death. One would be near birth. Only one would have a college education. Only one would own a computer.
Anyone reading this has to stop and think how truly blessed those of us living in the United States of America are. We are part of a unique group. The reason is, we live in a blessed nation. This nation is blessed because the government was founded on the principle of “In God We Trust.”
This nation has more Word taught in it than any place in the world. There are many places in the world today where it is illegal to own a Bible. In some countries you would be executed if you had a Bible in your possession.
In a certain country, a group of Christians got together in late 1999 in answer to an advertisement. The ad appeared in a newspaper owned by the state. The ad said, “If you are a Christian and you would like to join us for a Christian meeting, come…” and the meeting place was named. It was a public place. Several thousand people answered the ad by showing up. Hundreds were executed on the spot. Others were beaten and arrested.
Let’s get real. Those of us who live in the United States of America are not facing persecution because we are Christian. Yes, there may be some people you work with who make fun of you because they don’t know Jesus as their Savior. But let’s look at the reality of this.
There are pockets of persecution even in the United States and some of it is severe, but compared to the rest of the world, what most people suffer doesn’t even count as persecution. However, just because our persecution in most places in the USA is small, we should never take our freedom for granted.
Excerpt permission granted by Larry Ollison Ministries
Dr. Larry Ollison is founder and Senior Pastor of Walk on the Water Faith Church and founder of Larry Ollison Ministries. With over forty years in the ministry, he is a very popular speaker nationally and internationally and ministers the Word of Faith through radio, television, Internet, and daily e-mail devotionals. As the author of twelve books (including The Power of Grace, The Practical Handbook for Christian Living, Breaking the Cycle of Offense, Life is in the Blood, and recently released The Paradise of God), he is in frequent demand for radio/TV interviews, book signings, and magazine publications.
Dr. Ollison was raised a Southern Baptist. While majoring in theology at Southwest Baptist University, he received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. For many years he traveled extensively speaking at Full Gospel Business Men's meetings and conventions. He later earned an M.A. in Theology and a Ph.D. and Th.D. from Life Christian University.
Currently President of International Convention of Faith Ministries (ICFM), Dr. Ollison is also Vice-President of Spirit FM Christian Radio Network, Missouri State Director of Christians United for Israel (CUFI), and a Trustee on the boards of several international ministries. He is also the host of The Cutting Edge Radio Broadcast and authors The Cutting Edge Daily Devotional.
As the owner of a marine dealership, his extensive business background brings a unique flavor to his teaching. He founded and served as chairman of the Missouri State Marine Board, President of the Marine Dealers’ Association, Vice-President of a bank holding company, along with holding several directorships in various corporations.
Dr. Ollison's strongest areas of teaching are the blood of Jesus, faith, relationships, the Hebrew language, the Holy Spirit, the end times, and heaven. During ministry, he operates freely in the gifts of the Holy Spirit. His use of humor and his ability to make a theological concept simple makes it enjoyable and easy for everyone to understand. Countless testimonies have been received from people who say their lives have been changed after experiencing Dr. Ollison's unique ministry.
Dr. Ollison is a pastor, pilot, teacher, and author. His number one goal is to meet the needs of the people through the teaching of faith in God's Word. He and his wife, Loretta, have two children and six grandchildren.