From the earliest days of colonialism, American slaves were hindered, proscribed, and persecuted. Like their ancient Christian predecessors, they bore witness to the Christian gospel despite the threat of punishment and even death at the hands of fellow Christians. Some slaves suffered willingly. With deep faith in God, they brought their sufferings to Him and experienced the amazing transformation of their sadness into joy. This paradoxical combination of suffering and joy permeated slave religion, as the spirituals attest.
Scriptures referenced include Matthew 5:10 and 2 Timothy 3:12.
Texts in the Old Testament (most notably in Exodus and Deuteronomy) invite us to look to the past. They exhort us to rest on...
Luke 24:27 describes Jesus giving a Bible study to two disciples after his resurrection, showing them how he was the fulfillment of Old Testament...
In Highly Favored: Part 4, Joachim and Anne embark on a journey to the hill country with their young daughter, Mary, for the wedding...
