HOW THE APOSTLES DIED.

Lord, help me to serve you to the very end of my days on this earth. Amen

HOW THE APOSTLES DIED.

1. Matthew
Suffered martyrdom in Ethiopia, Killed by a sword wound.

2. Mark
Died in Alexandria, Egypt , after being dragged by Horses through the streets until he was dead.

3. Luke
Was hanged in Greece as a result of his tremendous Preaching to the lost.

4. John
Faced martyrdom when he was boiled in huge Basin of boiling oil during a wave of persecution In Rome. However, he was miraculously delivered From death.
John was then sentenced to the mines on the prison Island of Patmos. He wrote his prophetic Book of Revelation on Patmos . The apostle John was later freed and returned to serve As Bishop of Edessa in modern Turkey . He died as an old man, the only apostle to die peacefully

5. Peter
He was crucified upside down on an x-shaped cross.
According to church tradition it was because he told his tormentors that he felt unworthy to die In the same way that Jesus Christ had died.

6. James
The leader of the church in Jerusalem , was thrown over a hundred feet down from the southeast pinnacle of the Temple when he refused to deny his faith in Christ. When they discovered that he survived the fall, his
enemies beat James to death with a fuller's club.
* This was the same pinnacle where Satan had taken Jesus during the Temptation.

7. James the Son of Zebedee,
was a fisherman by trade when Jesus Called him to a lifetime of ministry. As a strong leader of the church, James was ultimately beheaded at Jerusalem. The Roman officer who guarded James watched amazed as James defended his faith at his trial. Later, the officer Walked beside James to the place of execution. Overcome by conviction, he declared his new faith to the judge and Knelt beside James to accept beheading as a Christian.

8. Bartholomew
Also known as Nathaniel Was a missionary to Asia. He witnessed for our Lord in present day Turkey. Bartholomew was martyred for his preaching in Armenia where he was flayed to death by a whip.

9. Andrew
Was crucified on an x-shaped cross in Patras, Greece. After being whipped severely by seven soldiers they tied his body to the cross with cords to prolong his agony. His followers reported that, when he was led toward the cross, Andrew saluted it in these words: 'I have long desired and expected this happy hour. The cross has been consecrated by the body of Christ hanging on it.' He continued to preach to his tormentors For two days until he expired.

10. Thomas
Was stabbed with a spear in India during one of his missionary trips to establish the church in the Sub-continent.

11. Jude
Was killed with arrows when he refused to deny his faith in Christ.

12. Matthias
The apostle chosen to replace the traitor Judas Iscariot, was stoned and then beheaded.

13. Paul
Was tortured and then beheaded by the evil Emperor Nero at Rome in A.D. 67. Paul endured a lengthy imprisonment, which allowed him to write his many epistles to the churches he had formed throughout the Roman Empire. These letters, which taught many of the foundational Doctrines of Christianity, form a large portion of the New Testament.

Perhaps this is a reminder to us that our sufferings here are indeed minor compared to the intense persecution and cold cruelty faced by the apostles and disciples during their times For the sake of the Faith. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: But he that endureth to the end shall be saved. Read more @www.effectivewords.blogspot.com

Heaven or Hell? Which one do you choose

She was a pretty girl who heard the gospel preached about the return of Jesus Christ to take His redeemed home (Rapture) and the "Great tribulation" that follows in which there would be the manifestation of the wicked anti-christ and his deadly mark "666" that would be given to sinners on earth. But her beauty and material acquisition so staggered her mentality that she felt unconcerned to the word of God preached to her. 

Then it happened, one night, she saw herself in a usual so-called lifestyle, all of a sudden it was heard that the rapture had taken place, before she could realize what was happening, the atmosphere changed, media started giving out their report on missing personalities in the world. Thus, she started running down to the church. On getting there, she could only see confused and abandoned people like herself without solution to the plight they were in. She ran out of the church tirelessly until her strength got exhausted, yet no place to hide. At that point, she saw strange persons whose appearance she could not discern, but who, seizing her hands, said in a voice accustomed to command:
"You must go with us" "And who are you - where are you taking me - where am I going?" She exclaimed in despair. "That you will see by-and-by" replied those voices. "Why didn't you join the raptured saints?" 

They angrily questioned. At that point she started crying bitterly in regrets as she recalled those great privileges of receiving Christ that had come her way but were despised. Then she struggled to disengage her hands from the intruder's grasp, suddenly she woke up with a shout "NO-O-O!" As soon as she realized that it was a dream, she resolved totally and forever to serve Jesus Christ. 

My friend, although this is but a dream, it is nevertheless a well- authenticated fact. And God, who spoke by it to the young girl, now speaks to you. The dream is terrible yet not half so terrible as the reality. No dream can picture the full, long misery of missing the "rapture", nor the woe of receiving the mark of the beast, "666" and the danger of being in the eternal HELL of torment.

Do you think that God is joking when He says "The great day of the LORD is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the LORD: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly. That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and is stress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers. And I will
bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the LORD".
(Zephaniah 1:14-17). Dear reader, how many times have you had such a great opportunity of blatantly refused?

Remember a day is coming when you will feel like bringing back those wasted and neglected moments of Grace as this, but then, it must have been too late. Thus, "How shall we escape if we neglect and refuse to pay attention to such a great salvation that was declared by the Lord Jesus himself" (Heb 2:3a)AMP. Why must you be left out to be tormented by the wicked anti-christ when you should have joined the raptured Saints in sharing the joy of eternity with Christ. Be aware of this. Jesus Christ paid the price of your salvation with his own blood just to reconcile you back to God, no matter how sinful and wretched you have been! For this great reason, you are not supposed to miss the GREAT RAPTURE of God's redeemed; only to be left tormented by the anti-Christ afterward face the eternal damnation in HELL FIRE. 

Friend, why not received this FREE OFFER of God's salvation given to you today even on your doorstep. The Bible says "Today, if you hear his voice (Jesus' voice calling you) do harden not your heart..." (Heb 3:15) 

Are you ready to receive him (Jesus Christ) into your life right at this minute of the day? You'd better do it now LEST it be too late when tears will flow. "HAD I KNOWN...." If you are ready, say this simple prayer of faith: Lord Jesus! I come unto you today, I am a sinner, I know you died for me, forgive my sins, Come into my life as from this day I confess you Jesus Christ as my Lord, I believe on you with my whole heart. thank you for saving me!