Stephen: Unlikely Martyr (Intrepid Men of God Book 7)

By Katheryn Maddox Haddad

Description:

In Antioch, Stephen’s best friend is crucified for defacing its patron goddess, and the city turns on Jews.He flees to Cyrene. There he meets Simon. Persecution against Jews is worse here. They try to keep Stephen out of the market, university and local Olympic games.He decides the only solution is to pass himself off as a Gentile and start a secret synagogue with secret worship. When discovered, Stephen suffers at the hands of both pagan Gentiles and Jews. Simon cannot handle the persecution any longer, so moves from Cyrene to Jerusalem. When Stephen visits Jerusalem for Passover, he sees Simon carrying the cross of Jesus. They both become Christians and the persecution starts all over again.Stephen decides to move permanently to Jerusalem. Saul goes after them both. They rush to save each other’s lives.As Stephen takes his final steps toward the stoning pit, he can still hear his father in years past. “Take another step, Son. Now another. Hold your head high. Don’t let them see weakness. You’re doing fine. Now another step. I’m here, Son. I will never leave you. You’re almost home.”======This is a wonderful book to show how family and friends stick together when things go wrong until they are righted.(#Athenodorus, #Rome, #JuliusCaesar, #Cleopatra, #Antony, #AugustusCaesar, #tutor, #scribe, #philosopher, #salvery, #blacksmith, #locksmith, #Numidia, #Lucius, #Andonicus, #Junias, #Saul-Paul, #Tarsus, #Antioch,Syria, #TiberiusCaesar, #Nicholas, #Tacfarinas, #pirates, #outspoken, #crucifixion, #goddess, #prejudice, #Judaism, #Crete, #Libya, #Cyrene, #Cyrenica, #SyrusSands, #Freemen, #Synagogue, #Greek-speaking, #Berber, #QueenEsther, #secretJew, #debate, #university, #Torah, #Prophets, #Psalms, #Alexander, #Rufus, #SimonOfCyrene, #Theophilus, #guild, #Jesus, #cleansingtemple, #crucifixion, #cross, #Nicodemus, #vineyard, #widows, #deacon, #JosephOfAramathea, #Baptized, #PoolOfBethesda, #SerpentPool, #Jerusalem, #plague, #Peter, #Joppa, #DeaconPhilip, #Andronicus, #Junias, #Prochorus, #Paphos, Cyprus, #Nicanor, #Permenas, #Pergamom, #Timon, prostelyte, miracles, SolomonsPorch, SolomonsPortico, #Sanhedrin, #church, #prophecies, #Zeus, #Apollo, #Vulcan, #Amun-Re, hippodrome, #javelin, #pagans, #Gentiles, #Demeter, #Golgatha, #Calvary, #citidel,#Herod, #PontusPilate, #palace, #FortressAntonia, PoolOfAmygdalon, #OldPool, #MountOfOliveTrees, #Gethsemane, #GennathGate, #FlowerGate, #Caiaphas, #KidronValley, #stoning, #vision, #heaven, #martyr, #goddessTyche, #OrontesRiver, #SilpiusMountain, #Selucia, #Apollonia, #Numidians, #Fezzan, #SaharaDesert, #JebelAkhdarMountains, #Garamantes, #LeptisMagna, #Theodorus, #Callimachus, #Aristippus, #Eratosthenes, #censor, #Tacfarinas, #Musulammi, #Tunisia, #AtlasMountains, #QuintusJuniusBlaesus, #TaurusMountains, #apothacary, #medicine, #herbs, #Anicetus, #Berber)

Book Takeaway:

We must stand up for truth in front of people who can ruin our life. We must choose to stand fast, be firm, and do the right thing. We must choose between life now and life in heaven.

Why the author wrote this book:

I teach English on the internet using the Bible as a textbook. I have taught 6000 Muslims. When one of them struggles with whether to become a Christian and risk his life, I try to reassure them by telling them to be a secret Christian and worship in secret, even whispering their songs. They pass themselves off as Muslims in public. My converts are in hiding in Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Somalia, Palestine, Yemen and Uzbekistan. After six years, I have decided to ask them how strong their faith is. A man in Afghanistan has taught fifty friends and relatives. I said, "You know you are risking your life," and he said he did. I asked him if he has spoken with his wife about it, and he has. I agreed with him. I decided it is time to quit hiding. If it takes someone dying to bring attention to how seriously Christians take their faith and how important it is to remain faithful to death, then so be it. I have another student in Iraq whose wife left him when he became a Christian and sent the men in her family to beat him up. Since then he has been harassed by other Muslims and a strong Muslim organization. They are now taking him to court to have him imprisoned. He tells me, "Pray that I do not weaken and denounce my Savior Jesus." That is what this book is all about. How far do we go in keeping Christianity a secret among hostile people? At the end, Stephen answers the question for us.