"To live at a period when scenes of horror and blood are frequent makes one callous to the feelings and sentiments of humanity." --Jonathan Drymond 1798-1828

Yesterday I read part of a book full of hidden history. It is called "Jesus Freaks" and is compiled and written by the contemporary Christian music group known as dcTalk.

The book is a collection of dozens of stories about contemporary Christian martyrs -- men, women, and children who were killed for their faith in Jesus Christ in the 20th Century. Most people think that the majority of Christians who died for their faith did so under the Roman persecution. However, it is estimated that more people were murdered for their faith in Jesus Christ in the 20th Century that in all the other centuries combined. Now that is hidden history.

Most of these people were killed for their faith in Jesus in either Communist countries or Muslim countries. It is estimated that 160,000 people a year are murdered for their faith in Jesus Christ.

I taught in a Bible College in India for three months once. A 19 year old who was in my class went to start a church in east India and was martyred for his faith in Jesus.

Pray for the persecuted Christians around the world. Even the US is moving toward the persecution of Christians. In Sunday's paper I read that Congress is working on a bill to make it illegal to discriminate against people who engage in homosexual behavior. This puts Christians in a bind. The New Testament declares such behavior to be morally wrong and we cannot deny the Bible.

Read the book "Jesus Freaks". It is an eye opener.

The Virginia General Assembly has just passed a resolution apologizing for slavery and Jim Crow racism. It is the first state ever to apologize for its human rights violations against black people. They also expressed regret for the "exploitation of Native Americans."

"This session will be remembered for a lot of things, but 20 years hence I suspect one of those things will be the fact that we came together and passed this resolution," said Delegate A. Donald McEachin, a Democrat who sponsored it in the House of Delegates.

No other state has apologized for its hidden history of extreme human rights violations and racial injustice, but Missouri is also considering it. Maybe, just maybe, our hidden history will come out into the light.

"We have taken the Scriptures in words and know nothing of them in ourselves." --Margaret Fell, wife of founder George Fox

"If I receive a truth about the Lord before His Spirit makes it manifest to me, I lose my Guide and follow but the counsel of the flesh, which is exceedingly greedy of receiving truths and running into religious practices without the Spirit." --Isaac Pennington, early Quaker leader

"If people were looking to me or to any person they would not come to their own Teacher. The professional ministry has spoiled many by hindering them from improving their own talents; whereas our labor is to bring all men to their own Teacher within themselves." --George Fox, founder

"Most Christians have turned away from the Anointing within to human teaching." --George Fox

"There is a time for men to say they have sinned and have sin; and a time to confess it and forsake it. Then there is a time to know the blood which cleanses from it all and to know the birth which does not commit sin." --George Fox

"The grace of God will let you see your ungodliness." --George Fox

"Turn to the Lord in spirit; He is within you, and there if you wait in spirit you shall hear Him speak to your spirit." --James Nayler, early Quaker leader

There were about 100 men and women who had followed a man that the Roman Empire executed. They were very afraid and didn't know what to do so they hid out and prayed.

Several days later these 100 or so men and women suddenly ran out into the public streets and shouted praises to God as they spoke in languages they didn't know. A huge crowd gathered to watch them. Some people thought they were drunk, but it was 9:00 AM and they had not touched alcohol.

One of the guys began to speak to the crowd and when he was finished 3000 people joined with the cowards who were now brave enough to take a public stand. Of the original 100 or so, just about all of them were executed by Rome, as were many of the 3000 who joined with them. But as they died, more people rose up to follow and obey the executed man, who they all said was alive and leading them.

This group suffered terrible persecution from Rome for about 300 years. But in the early 300's, Roman Emperor, Constantine made the religion of the cowards turned to heroes the official religion of the Empire.

So how could a little known religious man who was executed by Rome with the support of his own people start a religion that inspired tens of thousands of men, women and children to die rather than renounce him? And how could that religion become the official religion of Rome? Good question.

That man is still alive and is supernaturally revealing himself to people around the world. I met him 35 years ago and have never been the same. Now all I want to do is to follow and obey him. Have you met him?