I now saw another beast. This one came out of the ground. It had two horns like a lamb, but spoke like a dragon. It worked for the beast whose fatal wound had been healed. And it used all its authority to force the earth and its people to worship that beast. It worked mighty miracles, and while people watched, it even made fire come down from the sky.
This second beast fooled people on earth by working miracles for the first one. Then it talked them into making an idol in the form of the beast that did not die after being wounded by a sword. It was allowed to put breath into the idol, so it could speak. Everyone who refused to worship the idol of the beast was put to death.
Revelation 13:11-15
Convert or die! That is the choice given to many people when they encounter one major religion in the world today. A man's religion is a matter of the heart and not just a matter of the mouth! How foolish for anyone to think that speaking words that are obviously a lie will change your heart. I can go around all day repeating a lie, but that will not change the lie into the truth.
In these verses in the book of Revelation we see that men and women were killed for refusing to worship, not for refusing to speak the words. A hundred people may be all gathered together in a church building and singing songs of worship, but only one person may be truly worshiping God! Worship comes first from the heart and then the words come out of the mouth. Words that don't come from the heart cannot be worship!
If however, the fear of death causes you to abandon your faith in God and you worship the beast, you have a serious problem.
One major issue today with the Church is that we have filled our pews with people who are willing to speak the words of conversion, but their hearts are far from God.
"Lord Jesus, give me the courage never to deny You, no matter what the threat. Guard my heart with Your great love! And may You be praised and worshiped forever! Amen."
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