From VOM- In his book Radical, David Platt hit the nail on the head when he wrote, Radical obedience to Christ is not easy. ... Its not comfort, not health, not wealth, and not prosperity in this world. Radical obedience to Christ risks losing all these things. But in the end, such risk finds its reward in Christ. And He is more than enough for us. A young man from the Middle East has shared about his work, which includes traveling great distances into hostile territories controlled by militant Islam. These are places where Christians die for their faith. He shared his family’s pleas not to do the work God had called him to. As he talked in broken English at a recent gathering, pictures were displayed on a screen behind him of people receiving the Bibles he delivered. Their expressions of curiosity and delight captivated were captivating. As he spoke, he seemed puzzled by those who ask why he goes to such dangerous places. His response was simply, “Since when has the gospel been safe?” I felt as if I were alone with the Lord in the room. This statement seared my heart, and I knew the Lord was speaking directly to me. I recalled the list of demands I called “prayer” the night before, and heard Him say to me, “I did not create you that way.” At that moment, I said “Yes.” to His way in my life. Today I still hear this young man’s words – “since when has the gospel been safe?” Perhaps it is the omission of this gospel message that disturbs me most. If we have edited our faith to such a degree that suffering has no place, how will we be prepared when it arrives on our doorstep? After all it is in the Bible that, “In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,” (2 Timothy 3:12). Corrie Ten Boom goes on in her book The Hiding Place to describe how as bombs were falling from the sky over Holland, she and her sister knelt on their knees and prayed. They prayed for those who would mourn the loss of loved ones, they prayed for those who were injured, they prayed for the ill prepared, and they prayed for the German soldiers. Today Christians in hostile and restricted nations continue to pray. They are praying in the West Bank, as the minority Christian communities open their churches as places of refuge to Christians and Muslims alike. Some of the places where they are praying include Syria, Iraq, North Korea, Nigeria, and South Sudan. They are praying in underground meetings, in fields, deserts, and homes. Some will pray alone, silently, without the utterance of a single word. While others are praying in chains confined to their prison cells. Yes, suffering has always been the mark of the Christian church. We have much to learn from our Christian family who suffer for the sake of the cross. “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.” Revelation 12:11
Posted on: Tue, 09 Sep 2014 10:10:55 +0000