This may not be a popular post... But.. so be it..
I found this to be some most sobering information. Especially in light of the numerous Apostles and Prophets that are found in today's Church.. living in lavish homes and driving expensive cars.. forgive me if I am skeptical.
- Apostle
Manner of Death
Peter (Simon Peter),Bible writer
Rome, Italy(Nero)
54-68AD
Homicide:crucified head down,at his own request
Andrew, son of a John & brother of Peter (Matthew 4:18)
Edessa, Greece
?AD
Homicide:severely scourged & tied by ropes on x-shaped cross where he hung 2 days to expire
James,son of Zebedee & Salome and elder bro. of John (not bro. of Jesus) the Bible writer
Jerusalem, Israel(Herod)
44 AD(the 1st martyred)
Homicide:beheaded with sword; Mark 10:39 & Acts 12:1-2
John,son of Zebedee and bro. of James;Bible writer
Ephesus, Turkeyor Turkish Isleof Patmos
98 AD
thrown in boiling oil but unharmed; died of Natural causes in Ephesus
Philip of Bethsaida
Hieropolis, Syria
Homicide:crucified
Bartholomew (Nathaniel)
India orArmenia
Homicide:beaten/flayed, and crucifiedhead down
Thomas (Didymus)
Edessa, Greece
Homicide:lanced by idolatrous priests & burned up in an oven
Matthew (Levi), of Capernaumthe Bible writer
Nadabah, Ethiopia
about 60AD
Homicide:axed to death with a halberd
James (son of Alphaeus);Bible writer(? half bro. of Jesus?)
Jerusalem, Israel
AD66
Homicide:thrown down from the Temple tower & not dead so clubbed to death with a fullers club at age 94
Jude (Thaddaeus...Judas Lebbaeus)
Edessa, Greece
AD72
Homicide:crucified
Simon the Zealot(the Canaanite)
Brittainnia, Europe
Homicide:crucified
Judas Iscariot
Jerusalem, Israel
Suicide:by hanging Matt. 27:5
Matthias (the 11 remaining Apostles chose him to replace Judas)
Jerusalem, Israel
Homicide:stoned and beheaded
Paul (chosen by Jesus on the road to Damascus)
Rome, Italy
66 AD
Homicide:beheaded
The bigger the call, the greater the sacrifice... , that is why Jesus said
John 12:23
And Jesus *answered them, saying, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.
John 12:24
"Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.
John 12:25
"He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal.
John 12:26
"If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.
John 12:27
"Now My soul has become troubled; and what shall I say, 'Father, save Me from this hour'? But for this purpose I came to this hour.
Eph 2:20
having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone,
Are there Apostles today, I would suspect until Jesus returns we will have the five fold ministry gifts. However I do believe there is a large number of imposters as well.. The call of GOD is not necessarily a glamorous call filled with material excess and with Hollywood type trappings..
Matt 11:8 "But what did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Those who wear soft clothing are in kings' palaces! Matt 11:9 "But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and one who is more than a prophet.
Matt 11:10 "This is the one about whom it is written, 'BEHOLD, I SEND MY MESSENGER AHEAD OF YOU, WHO WILL PREPARE YOUR WAY BEFORE YOU.'
Matt 11:11 "Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist! Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
I must make a short comment here.. why does Jesus say that John is the least in the Kingdom of GOD??? It is simple, the day of Pentecost had not yet come.. when we would ALL have access to GOD through faith in Jesus and the agency of the Holy Spirit.. This was not in John's day.. nor did John have the measure of the Holy Spirit that we now have..
Acts 1:8
But you shall receive power (ability, efficiency, and might) when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and to the ends (the very bounds) of the earth.
What about Christians that deny the power of GOD being active today.. for some reason they say it has passed????? And that there are few demonstrations of GOD's real power in the earth..
Again a simple response;
Matt 13:58
And He did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief.
2 Tim 3:5
holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these.
GOD's power is clearly evident in the World today.. there are countless testimonies.. to substantiate this truth... But, nonetheless..
These are the last days .. and deception is rampant.. we must be in line with the LORD's Spirit in order to discern what is good and what is evil.. keep your spiritual antenna on high alert..
1 John 4:1
BELOVED, DO not put faith in every spirit, but prove (test) the spirits to discover whether they proceed from God; for many false prophets have gone forth into the world.
2 Cor 11:13
For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.
2 Cor 11:14
No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.
2 Cor 11:15
Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds.
