As Hebrews 11:13-16 says:  ¹³ These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. ¹⁴ For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. ¹⁵ If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. ¹⁶ But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.

Back in 2003, David Limbaugh raised awareness with his big-selling book, Persecution: How Liberals Are Waging War Against Christianity. The book went into great detail about a growing pattern of legal and cultural discrimination against Christians in the U.S. Christians in the West are encountering a growing wave of religiously based opposition, mockery or hardships in government and on the job. It’s still happening, too.

To take just one brief example, the Obama administration’s well-publicized decision to force Catholic hospitals and other institutions to subsidize birth control, abortion and sterilization coverage for their employees or face crippling fines is a clear violation of religious liberty — and is, perhaps one day, persecution.

But not all persecution is created equal. While we may face subtle and growing restrictions here (not that we want them), every day our brothers and sisters around the globe are facing even more direct threats: the possible loss of their families, jobs or even lives because of their faith in Christ.

The annual Open Doors World Watch List details case after case of this kind of persecution. The list describes abuses of Christians in 50 countries

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These severe cases of persecution need to be proclaimed from our rooftops, and that’s a big part of the ministry of Open Doors and other groups. And yet the Bible tells all Christians to expect persecution — and Americans are not excluded:

• “They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God” (John 16:2).

• “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me” (Matt. 24:9).

• “In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Tim. 3:12).

Let’s face the fact that if we truly stand up for Jesus, we will face persecution — real external challenges to our faith — on one level or another. This persecution usually will produce some kind of suffering.

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