“I Rest in the Arms of God”

Nadejda Sloboda
U.S.S.R.
circa 1960s

“You must come to my house tonight and listen to the radio with us,” Nadejda whispered to her neighbour. “I have never heard anything like it before. A man is preaching God’s Word from the Bible. I don’t know how it happened, but these broadcasts have changed my life!”

Nadejda Sloboda was the first one in her village to be converted through Gospel broadcasting in Russia from stations in neighbouring countries. Soon, her love for God and her zealous witness brought others to Christ. Although she wasn’t a pastor, she formed a church in her village.

As time passed, this church grew so mightily that the police had to surround the village to keep people of the nearby collective farms from coming to hear the Gospel message.

For this, Sister Sloboda was sentenced to four years of prison. Her five children were forcibly taken away to an atheistic boarding school. Her husband was left alone.

In prison, Sister Sloboda told other prisoners about Christ. For this, she was confined in an unheated, isolated cell, where she had to sleep on the cold, concrete floor without a mattress. Prisoners find it impossible to sleep in such conditions: Even the walls are too cold to lean against comfortably. Some report that by standing with just their forehead touching the wall, they could manage to sleep enough to survive for a few days.

Yet Sister Sloboda was kept in this cell for two months! Not only that, during the day she was put to hard labour with the other prisoners. The Communists expected that the lack of sleep combined with the hard labour would completely ruin her health and break her resolve to stand for her faith. Yet she never weakened.

Everybody asked, “How can you endure it?”

She answered, “I fall asleep on the cold concrete floor trusting in God and it becomes warm around me.

“I rest in the arms of God.”

The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms. 

Deuteronomy 33:27 NIV

Excerpted from Jesus Freaks, a best-selling collection of worldwide testimonies targeting teens with the life-changing message of the Persecuted Church. You can order a copy of this book from our online catalogue or by contacting our office.

“I learned to see God”

Young Girl
Mainland China
During the Red Guard Era, 1966 – 1969

A Chinese girl refused to betray the secrets of the underground church, even though she had been tortured again and again. She was asked how she could bear so much suffering.

“I was not hard,” she replied. “I had been taught by my pastor that the real torture lasts very little. For one minute of torture, there are ten minutes of glancing at the enraged faces and the implements of pain. I decided to keep my eyes closed the whole time. I did not see the stick before it hit me or afterward. The suffering was much reduced.

“I relied on the promise of Jesus: ‘Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.’ I purified my heart of the fear of men, and I learned to see God. When the Communists became aware of my defense, they stuck my eyelids open with tape, but it was too late. My vision had already taken on a new aspect, and I had seen God as so many had seen Him before.”

Nothing between us and God, our faces shining with the brightness of his face. And so we are transfigured much like the Messiah, our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become like him. – Paul the Apostle, 2 Corinthians 3:18

Excerpted from Jesus Freaks, a best-selling collection of worldwide testimonies targeting teens with the life-changing message of the Persecuted Church. You can order a copy of the book from our online catalogue or by contacting our office. 

“If you tell others, people will kill you”

Excerpted from Jesus Freaks, a best-selling collection of worldwide testimonies targeting teens with the life-changing message of the Persecuted Church. 

Masih (This name has been changed to protect the individual)
Pakistan
1990s

Masih was an active Islamic student and argued with Christian students. He couldn’t understand their opinions. Eventually they humbly offered to help Masih learn more about Jesus. He had many questions about Him which they answered.

But Masih was not satisfied. He went to some Muslim clerics who were his friends. They said, “Christians told you this. Don’t be deceived by them.” Masih felt they were avoiding his questions and pressed them for specific answers. In the end, they gave the same answers that the Christians did.

Still, Masih needed more proof. He eventually went to another priest who was a friend and asked him the same questions about Jesus. The priest told him, “What Christians told you is true, but if you tell others, people will kill you.”

When Masih heard this, he went to a Christian pastor. The pastor told him about Jesus as Saviour by using both the Koran and the Bible. As he compared the texts, Masih slowly came to the realization that the Koran did not tell the whole story about Jesus. In his own heart he realized that Jesus was the truth and any sincere student of truth must follow the Jesus of the Bible, not of the Koran.

Masih told us in his own words what happened after he came to this realization.

“My family kicked me out. My brother returned from Germany and threatened to kill me; but if God is for me, who can be against me?

“My parents said I was kidnapped by Christians. They accused the Christian pastor. I gave court testimony for the pastor, clearing him. I then hid with Christians in another city and went to theological seminary.

“My brother from Jordon did not threaten me, but invited me to visit and told me: ‘Don’t tell Jordanians you are a Christian.’ When he heard I had become a pastor, he and his family didn’t want to see me.

“I am now an ordained pastor and I was married two months ago. I am happy in Jesus. Although I lost my physical family, I have my spiritual family.

“Now I help my Christian brothers and sisters to understand Muslims and lead them to Christ.”

You can order a copy of Jesus Freaks from our online catalogue or by contacting our office. 

Preaching from the Rooftop

James, the Less
Jerusalem, Israel
63 AD

James looked down from where he stood, balanced carefully at the highest point of the temple in Jerusalem. Far below, he could see that the streets were filled with people. It was Passover, and Jews from all over the known world had come to the Holy City.

A hand grabbed his arm, pulling him off balance. “Get on with it!” a voice threatened. Behind him, a safe distance from the dangerous ledge, stood the chief priest, scribes, and Pharisees. “Deny that Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah! Before all these people, deny that Jesus was the Son of God and that He was resurrected from the dead,” they demanded.

James the Less was one of the twelve disciples chosen by Jesus. He was also one of Jesus’ younger brothers, as was Jude. He had obviously known Jesus and walked with Him for many years. He had seen Jesus alive again after His crucifixion and resurrection.

James risked another glance at the street below. Many of the people down there knew him. For thirty years, he had been the bishop of the church at Jerusalem. During that time, he wrote a book of the Bible, the Epistle of James. He had openly preached Jesus as the Messiah and the resurrected Son of God on almost every street corner. How could he deny what he had seen with his own eyes, heard with his own ears, and touched with his own hands: his risen Lord?

Through his preaching, his prayers, and his example, James converted many people to Christ. He was on his bare knees so often, worshipping God and praying for forgiveness for the sins of the people, that his knees became numb and calloused, like the knees of a camel. This also earned him the nickname of “James the Just.” He was respected by everyone, even many who opposed what he taught and believed.

Feeling threatened by the rapid growth of the church, the chief priest, scribes and Pharisees came up with a plan. They would force this well-known church leader to deny his faith before the multitude. But James refused to cooperate.

From his place at the top of the temple, he preached with more boldness than ever. Every person in the crowd below looked up as he proclaimed, “Jesus is the promised Messiah! He is sitting at the right hand of God, and shall come again in the clouds of heaven, to judge the quick and the dead!”
When the crowd below saw his courage and heard his bold words, they loudly praised God and magnified the name of Jesus. Enraged, two or three of the religious leaders jumped forward and pushed James off the temple roof.

Miraculously, James was not killed by the fall; only his legs were broken. Then the priests, scribes, and Pharisees said, “Let’s stone the ‘just man’ James.” They picked up rocks to stone him to death. James, kneeling on his broken legs, prayed, “Lord, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”
One of the priests, when he heard James praying, begged the others to stop, saying, “What are we doing? ‘The Just’ is praying for us. Stop the stoning! Stop the stoning!”

While he was shouting this, another man ran up with a big, heavy stick in his hand and struck James in the head. James died instantly from the blow, still in prayer.

The word “martyr” originally means someone who tells what he has seen, an eyewitness. Jesus Freaks are people who have seen Jesus’ power in their own lives and just can’t help telling others about it. A favourite saying of a teenage girl who boldly approaches other teens is, “If you knew what I know about Jesus, I’d want you to tell me!”

Excerpted from Jesus Freaks, a best-selling collection of worldwide testimonies targeting teens with the life-changing message of the Persecuted Church. You can order a copy on our online catalogue or by contacting our office.

Seeing it God’s way

Excerpted from Jesus Freaks, a best-selling collection of worldwide testimonies targeting teens with the life-changing message of the Persecuted Church.

Some deaths seem senseless – but God sees things differently than we do. As Tertullian, a Christian historian said, “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.”

Some have been tortured because they refused to betray those who worked with them.

Some have stood firm, knowing that if they gave in – even a little – it would undermine the faith of many.

Some refused to be quiet because they realized their responsibility to tell the godless men around them of God’s love so they too could be saved.

Some have simply been willing to lay down their lives for the One who laid down His life for them.

We shall not end our lives in the fire, but make a change for a better life.
~ Julius Palmer (Burned at the stake in England 1556) ~

This is the end. For me, the beginning of life.
~ Dietrich Bonhoeffer (Hung in Germany 1945) ~

For to me, living is for Christ, and dying is even better.
~ Paul the Apostle (Beheaded in Rome 65 AD) ~

Heroic acts are often devastating, and there is a time for grief. But we must move on to discover the secret of the martyrs in this book. These believers were absolutely sure of eternal life. They were convinced that they were not ending their lives but exchanging their lives on earth for a life with their Lord in heaven.

Throughout history, many have died so you could experience the faith and freedoms you enjoy today.

You too can choose to stand strong. God will honour you and you will make a real difference in your world.

Learn about these martyrs

Be encouraged by their heroic lives.

And make your life count!

You can order a copy of Jesus Freaks from our online catalogue or by contacting our office.

The power of prayer

Prayer changes everything!

Excerpted from Jesus Freaks Vol. II, a devotional book of stories of revolutionaries who changed their world, fearing God, not man.

Iran: Pastor

“Lord,” the pastor prayed, “I cannot take any more of this questioning. Please, release me from this!”

Already the pastor had been in and out of prison, and now he was called every two weeks by the secret police for interrogations. The interrogations were the same questions over and over, accusing the pastor of being a spy from the West.

The next morning, the pastor was again to go to the secret police headquarters, and he asked his church members to pray that God would provide him a way out.

“I see you are here,” said the officer, taking him into the questioning room. Before they could begin the questioning, however, the tape recorder sitting on the table exploded. Flames came out of it, and it was obvious it would never work again.

“What are you doing?” the guard asked angrily, seeing the slight smile in the pastor’s eyes.

“I am praying for you,” the pastor answered. “You are not fighting against me, you are fighting against God. You cannot win against Him.”

“Go home,” the officer yelled, and the pastor quickly left.

He ran into his house and asked his wife, “What happened?”

“Three older ladies from the church came here,” she said. “We gathered around and joined hands and prayed for you, that God would protect you from the interrogation.”

When they further discussed the two incidents, they found that the time the women had gathered for prayer was exactly the time the tape recorder had exploded.

It is essential that we never forget the power of prayer. “Ye have not, because ye ask not” (James 4:2 KJV) is the admonition of the scriptures. Nothing is impossible for God! A revolutionary Jesus Freak is not afraid to ask great things from a great God. Let the example of these modern-day prayer warriors serve as a reminder to us.

"This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything

according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—
whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him."

1 John 5:14-15 NIV

Our good physician

The following true tale of two martyrs is excerpted from Jesus Freaks Vol. II, a collaboration of The Voice of the Martyrs and dc Talk.

Hugh Laverick and John Aprice
England 1556

The two men, having refused to recant their faith, were led forward to the stakes. Hugh Laverick was a 68-year-old painter who had to walk with the aid of a crutch due to a crippled foot. The other, though spiritually enlightened by the truth of God’s Word, was physically blind. The lord of London had sentenced them both to death during little more than an interruption to his dessert.

Laverick, in realizing that he would no longer need his crutch as the chains bound him to his stake, threw it away and turned to Aprice to rejoice together with him in their deliverance.

“Be of good cheer, my brother; for my lord of London is our good physician; he will heal us both shortly—thee of thy blindness, and me of my lameness.”

Both died in the flames to rise eternally healed in heaven.

“You have this faith and love because of your hope, and
What you hope for is kept safe for you in heaven.”
Colossians 1:5 (NCV)

Will we give up or grow?

Excerpted from Extreme Devotion, a devotional book that includes 365 true accounts of men and women who totally sold out for Jesus.

Day 17
Sudan: Sudanese Boys

“Say it with us!” the soldiers screamed, kicking and punching the boys’ faces and abdomens. “Allah is God, and Mohammed is his prophet. Say it!”

The four young Sudanese boys cried and screamed out for their mothers, but they refused to repeat the words that would mean saving their live yet renouncing their Christianity. Their red blood began to flow across their black skin, but they would not give up their faith in Christ.

The older teenage boys looked on in horror. They had seen their Southern Sudanese families murdered by sword-wielding Islamic fighters. Now they watched as their four young friends and relatives—the youngest only five years old—were beaten to death.

Already the soldiers had forced each older boy to lie over hot coals and ordered them to repeat the Muslim creed and join the Islamic faith. None of the boys would say the words despite the excruciating pain.

There were 14 boys and 13 girls abducted in the raid that day. The girls have never been located and were likely sold as slaves or concubines in Northern Sudan. All of the boys were tortured, but none relented. The next night, the older boys escaped, bearing the scars of the previous nights. Not one renounced his faith.

Pain often plays an important purpose in God’s plan. Unfortunately, there is no other experience that equals its ability to grasp and focus our attention. Physical pain from a long-standing illness or sudden injury gets the whole attention of the human body. The brain sends signals throughout the nervous system to focus the body’s resources on the source of trouble. In the same way, emotional pain is difficult to ignore as well. The anguish of losing someone we love to cruel circumstances like cancer or disease, persecution or injustice can be nearly overwhelming. Whatever situation introduces us to pain, we have two options for dealing with it. We can give up. Or, we can grow. Those who experience pain can be unique ministers of God’s grace. Like an athlete in training whose muscles must be broken down through strain and exercise in order to get stronger, pain is our pathway to new growth.

“Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.” 1 Peter 4:16 NKJV

I have to know

Excerpted from Jesus Freaks, Stories of those who stood for Jesus: the ultimate Jesus Freaks, a best-selling collection of worldwide testimonies, targeting teens with the life-changing message of the Persecuted Church.

I have to know

Thomas Hauker
England, 1555

“Thomas,” his friend lowered his voice so as not to be heard by the guard. “I have to ask you this favour. I need to know if what the others say about the grace of God is true. Tomorrow, when they burn you at the stake, if the pain is tolerable and your mind is still at peace, lift your hands above your head. Do it right before you die. Thomas, I have to know.”

Thomas Hauker whispered to his friend, “I will.”

The next morning, Hauker was bound to the stake and the fire was lit. The fire burned a long time, but Hauker remained motionless. His skin was burnt to a crisp and his fingers were gone. Everyone watching supposed he was dead. Suddenly, miraculously, Hauker lifted his hands, still on fire, over his head. He reached them up to the living God, and then, with great rejoicing, clapped them together three times.

The people there broke into shouts of praise and applause. Hauker’s friend had his answer.

And He said to me, "My grace is sufficent for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Most gladly therefore will I glory rather in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Spoken by the Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 12: 9-10