Join us as we explore the resilience of Christians globally, especially in nations tightening their grip on religious freedoms. Highlighting a rise in spiritual curiosity among youth, the episode also discusses how younger generations are actively seeking the teachings of Jesus amid challenging times. Discover how faith perseveres, even when confronted with overwhelming adversity.
The Crawford Stand with the president of Crawford Media Group, Don Crawford.
SPEAKER 02 :
Take up your cross, my cross, and follow me, our Lord Jesus Christ said. Again, take up your cross and follow me, said Jesus Christ. So if you become a Christian, and you should, and I pray that you are, you have one promise from our Lord of what is to come. among others, of course, and that is persecution. It will happen. Of course, there is joy, rejoicing, grace, bliss, faith, hope, strength, and so much more when you join forces with and become a disciple of and fall in love with Jesus Christ. Nothing like it. Nothing like it. But there comes with all these positives the negative of persecution. Persecution. For the most part, the world hates Christianity. Why? I’m not really sure. There are probably any number of reasons why. But secularists disavow and dislike anything about Jesus. And that leaves secular governments to crack down on Christians and Christianity and the belief and practice thereof. And boy, is that happening in the world today. Take China, for example. The Chinese communist dictator Xi Jinping has tightened his grip on religious activities in the world’s second most populous country. The Chinese Communist Party announced last week that starting May 1st, foreign missionaries will be prohibited from sharing their faith or preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. as well as establishing religious organizations. None of that can happen again without severe criminal repercussions. So, if you are Christian in China, you cannot testify about your faith and your belief in Jesus Christ, nor can you preach the gospel, nor can you establish congregations or churches or any type of religious Christian organization in China. Wow! talk about a major shutdown, that to me is simply unbelievable. And frankly, it’s unacceptable. And thankfully, again, it is so for President Trump. And it will be unacceptable for so many Christians in China. I believe that nothing will prevent them from sharing and testifying. Nothing. We will certainly see. And many of our brethren in Christ will become martyrs. jailed, or even killed and executed for their faith. They will gladly, willingly, and lovingly take up their cross and lay their all on the altar and count themselves blessed if martyrdom happens. And as a result, they go to their eternal reward with their Lord. China and the Chinese Communist Party are absolutely brutal. Brutal. What a change in that country in the last century. The Chinese Communist Party wants to sinicize, did you get that word? Sinicize all religion in China. That is, make all religion China’s religion. And that is whatever the Communist Party determines religion will be. And it will be the only one in China if China has its way. And after May 1st, 2025, there will be new regulations, a greater crackdown on all religions, but especially Christianity. And persecution will be the new norm. Persecution will be the new norm. It’s coming, it’s happening, and it’s brutal. We often think of Russia as the main enemy of the United States, and traditionally that nation has been just that. But today, the number one threat to democracy and America and the world is none other than the second most populous country in the world, China. China. It is becoming and already is a superpower and its military strength, its army, navy and marines and special forces grow every day. And China becomes the number one threat to America. and the world over, militarily, and that is a nation to be reckoned with, and it will be used by the forces of evil to challenge every nation in the world. Small wonder that, whatever we the people may think of the means used by President Trump, he stands up against China, hallelujah, knowing that this incredible threat which besets democracy and freedom of speech and freedom of religion and the subterfuge and infiltration and spying which goes on from China in America, that all of that must be dealt with now. Now. Now. None of that will be tolerated by the Trump administration. And I say amen. What do you think? What do you think? And the same thing happens in Egypt. We hear little about persecution of Christianity in Egypt, but it exists, and in some cases in large measure. Christians face daily discrimination, harsh restrictions, and constant pressure to hide their faith. And in the world at large, it is estimated that one in seven Christians, did you hear that? The world at large. one in seven Christians face harassment, violence, or even death. And in Africa, the number of Christians enduring constant persecution is one in five. One in five. And persecution of Christians who have given their entire lives to Jesus Christ is on the rise everywhere, as both Scripture and our Lord prophesied. Soon, it will be worldwide, and in every nation, and will be a regular happening. Are we ready? Are you ready, true believer in Jesus Christ, to face that persecution? The apostle Paul was beheaded because of his Christian faith. The disciple Peter was crucified. And James, the apostle, James was murdered. And John was ostracized to Patmos. And then came the book of Revelation. The early church, especially under Roman dictator Nero, experienced aggressive persecution. It began at the time of our Lord and it will continue until the rapture. And it will only get worse. Are you ready? If and when it comes to you. Are you ready to lay your all on the altar as the Christian command goes and take up the cross of Jesus Christ and stand for Him and your faith when persecution comes? Are you? I do hope so, for it is a decision none of us have had to make in America, not really, even though there is indeed mild persecution. But the day will come when mild is replaced by aggressive, and then, and only then, will you know the strength of your faith and the extent to which you really believe in Jesus Christ. And the same thing now exists in Australia. Australia, no less. In New South Wales, Australia, newly enacted legislation allows prayer or expression of any religious belief if and only if it is not directed to changing or suppressing an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity. You can pray about anything you want, but you can’t pray about sexual orientation or gender identity. So says the New South Wales Australian government. Wow, unbelievable. And if any would pray in that way, that is a crime and punishable by imprisonment. In practice, this law would criminalize anyone who said a prayerful word with regard to sexual orientation or gender. Repent. Just the simple word repent, much less change, and off to jail you go. My friends and my fellow Christians, persecution has only just begun. And again, when you are faced with that, aggressively or even passively, are you ready to stand? Are you ready to resist and to accept persecution, even criminal penalties for your faith? Are you? I ask myself that question all the time. I never have, but I sure would wonder how I would react. I think I know if aggressive persecution comes at me personally. Thankfully, however, the younger generation begins more so to turn towards religion. Okay, that’s a good first start. But sooner or later that turn, we do hope, turns to Christianity. And then again, an even greater turn and that is to the loving, saving person of Jesus Christ. The very respectful firm Barna has found in a nationwide survey that 77% of American teens are interested and even motivated to continue learning about Jesus throughout the rest of their lives. That really sounds good. I hope and pray it’s true. Don’t you? That at least is a start, but by no means the end. Remarkably, 52% of the younger generation said they are very interested in knowing more about Jesus. Ah, may it be so. Hallelujah. There seems to be, said Barna, an openness and curiosity about spiritual matters among today’s teens and young adults. A good thing. But again, it’s only a start. Many of America’s young know the futility of the woke generation. Utterly futile. and its so-called principles, and this generation hungers for something more, much more. They can only find that in Jesus Christ, and I hope they continue to search until such time as He is found. We, the believers, should thank God that there is now an openness to Christianity and truth, which has not existed for years, and revival, revival is on the horizon, praise the Lord. All of that is happening in spite of persecution, in spite of the secular, godless governments which somehow have gotten control as witnessed by what is happening in China, Australia, Egypt, and many other nations of the world. The love of Jesus Christ is the most powerful force on this earth, and it should be our prayer that our teens, our younger generation in our beloved America, find and experience that love, And no matter the persecution which may come, and it will, it will, continue searching until they find the ultimate answer. Him. Him. Our beloved Lord Jesus Christ.
SPEAKER 01 :
Amen. Amen. The views expressed here on the Crawford Stand are those of the speaker, and of course, Mr. Crawford would love to hear from you this week. Won’t you take just a moment and write to him at stand at CrawfordMediaGroup.net. When you do, be sure to tell him on what station you hear the stand. His email address again is stand at CrawfordMediaGroup.net. When you want to review what you hear, go to our website, CrawfordMediaGroup.net. The Crawford Stand is a public affairs presentation of Crawford Media Group and this station, serving God and country. I’m Bill McCormick.
