Jim Zimmerman wrote in the guest book
January 23rd 2006 11:33:47 AM
Where are you from? San Pedro, Ca.
Please enter your comments? Did the churches not pray for those who faced the lions in the pits or the gladiators? And yet many were allowed to die. To what end? Why were they allowed such cruel ends when this one was saved? Was their faith stronger? They didn't believe enough to open the door right away and were then amazed that their prayers were asnwered which would indicate they did not truly believe God would spare him. This sermon left me with more questions than answers!

Thank you for the opportunity to clarify these things. I pray the following might be of some help.
Yes, the churches did indeed pray for those who died during the days of persecution. To what end did they die? One practical answer is that their deaths were a witness to the Grace of God. Even their tormentors were forced to exclaim in wonder, "Their blood is their seed!" Other than that, only God knows the answer to, ‘Why?’
Isa 55:8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
Isa 55:9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Why are some prayers answered and others are not?
When Jesus taught His disciples to pray, one of the major points in that lesson was, "Mat 6:10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven." God's will is not ours to command, but to accept.
It must also be remembered that death has passed upon all men and all must die, [Rom 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
Heb 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:]
Therefore no one has actually been saved from death but only had the time of his dying postponed for a while.
We are to earnestly pray for those in danger or facing death but always remember, "Thy Will be done".
Therefore for us to question God concerning any happening or to judge His reasoning is futile.