Everyday Evangelism - A Really Neat Ice-breaker

   I don't own too many sweaters, and don't have a whole lot of need for one, but it was quite cool out today, so I put on my sweatshirt that I got from The Voice of the Martyrs, which said, 'This Message is Illegal in 53 Countries" along with a Gospel message on the front and back. https://secure.persecution.com/p-286-illegal-hoodie-l.aspx
I actually saw a woman wearing this a couple of years ago, and it was easy to start a conversation with her. It is a very interesting shirt/sweater unlike anything else available.
   I was paying for some items at the checkout when the cashier, a very young man, asked me about the shirt. I would have wished he and I could have had more time to talk, but I had to get back home and there were customers waiting behind me. He was surprised and didn't realize that Christianity would have been a hardship for anyone. He thought that everyone, everywhere was favorable toward Christianity. I did give him a tract and told him to go to the web site Voice of the Martyrs . He said he was getting ready to take a break and was going to look it up.
  I don't wear the sweater that often, but I am going to be more prepared for people to ask me questions about that subject. It is a great way to introduce the Gospel to people who may have wondered about it, but never went as far to ask anyone about it.
  I pray that this young man finds the web site easily and wants to know more info. When I go back to that store, I will see if he is working there, and will try to arrange getting in the line where he is the cashier.
  I have put out the picture of this subject as well, on Facebook. Most people respond by thinking this is great. They seem to understand the battle between the kingdom of darkness and the kingdom of light. But there are some people who don't get it at all. I have gone to the posts where the picture has been shared, and a few of the comments are interesting. I have seen one twice, that the poster seems to think that the Bible isn't the only book that has been banned, and they send a link to a web site that lists books that are banned in America. The books that are banned that are listed there, are not banned for the same reason that the Bible is banned in 52 countries. I think that it is possible that people aren't aware that Christians are being severely persecuted in other countries. People must be thinking that Christianity is a nice religion and that it is safe to be a Christian, but that is not so. Jesus said that He did not come to bring peace, but a sword. He also told us that we would have tribulation in this world, yet He leaves us in this world so we can be lights that reflect His glory. He gives us the grace we need, day by day, but He never promised it would be easy. Many people have been martyred for their faith in Christ, and today much of the world is under heavy persecution toward Christianity.
   I have also read comments where people said they couldn't find information anywhere saying that the Bible is banned in 52 countries, so they discredit the statement of the Bible being banned in 52 countries. Again, I think this could be from ignorance, not understanding that in most of the world Christianity is under persecution. One book I enjoyed reading that helped to understand this is called, 'God's Smuggler' (Brother Andrew). Brother Andrew had to be careful about publishing things and being too open for fear that he could have been caught, but he managed to smuggle the Bible in many parts of the world, that had little or no access to God's Word. The Bible is considered contraband in many countries, and there is a high price to pay for being caught with one.