February 22, 2023 - Good morning! It’s Wednesday, February 22.
On this day, billions of Christians around the world are beginning the spiritual season called Lent. And on this day, in the year 303, the Roman emperor Diocletian ushered in a period of persecution against Christians that saw churches closed, scripture burned, and believers martyred.
When we think about religious persecution we usually focus on the time of the New Testament, the time of Peter and Paul, the time of the first church. But the Roman Empire continued to persecute believers for centuries. And, persecution continues today.
In 2022, over 350 million Christians were victims of some form of persecution or discrimination. 2,110 churches were attacked. And 5,621 believers were martyred for their faith. As we move into this season of preparation for Good Friday, we remember the sacrifices that are still being made for Christ. And as we prepare for Easter Sunday, we claim the hope of the Resurrection!
Meet you back here tomorrow,
Bro. David
dmathis@fbccenter.org
