"In captive nations, the Son of Man and those who are His have nowhere to lay their heads. Many Christians there don't build houses for themselves. To what good? They will be confiscated at their first arrest. Just the fact that you have a new house can be a greater motive for you to be imprisoned, because the others wish to take your house. There you don't bury your father, neither do you say farewell to your family before following Christ...As for the natural ties, can they count anymore when it is a frequent occurence that the bride denounces the bridegroom, children their parents, wives their husbands? It is more and more the spiritual connection that remains.
The Underground Church is a poor and suffering church, but it has few lukewarm members."
-"Tortured for Christ", p. 84
The Underground Church in several countries are under intense persecution. Orissa State in India has seen more recent violence because the Dalits (Untouchables) are coming in droves to Christ. These brothers and sisters are considered dirt to their Hindu counterparts. They are considered unclean and have been harrassed and and beaten for their faith. To these beloved brothers and sisters, they have nothing else. Jesus is their only hope. In China, several pastors have been beaten and tortured for their faith in the Lord. Limbs are beaten with electric cords and metal pipes. Insults are thrown and slaps ring out. In Arabic countries, it is considered an honor to kill a family member who has chosen to follow Christ. In North Korea, there is a state religion called "Juche", which calls for the worship of the government's leaders. In this starving nation, indoctrination into the national cult begins early. Children are given one piece of candy a year. But in order to get this candy, they must bow and say a prayer to their nation's "gods". Believers in some nations are simply disappearing. Why are these men and women beaten, insulted, oppressed and killed?
They serve a Risen Savior.
They will not turn back to the old ways. They have found something better. Something that changed them forever. Something that made them realize that they were missing something HUGE. That "something" is Jesus. our risen Lord and Savior.
I am so thankful to live in a country that allows me to worship as I choose. I needn't fear being killed or abused for following Christ. Persecution isn't just an isolated event. It's happening in 52 nations around the world. We are called to "remember our brothers and sisters in chains" (Hebrews 13:3). Many of us are asleep. We care too much about our agendas and our programs, designed to keep us busy. We turn a blind eye to our brothers and sisters in these countries. Sadly, many say that the persecution doesn't exist.
What can we as a church do here in the West? We can acknowledge that we truly are blessed and be grateful. We can help these people with donations to freerice.org, Voice of the Martyrs (persecution.com), and several other charities. There are many ministries facing this challenge head on. There is so much still left to be done-we need to be disturbed from our slumber.
The Lord said in Revelation 3:2, "Wake up! Strengthen what little remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God".
Will we wake or continue to sleep? I choose to awake and do what I can.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Friday, January 23, 2009
Truth is not fact
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, truth is defined as "the real state of things". Fact is said to be "something that exists or occurs".
A fact is something that happens, like "I called Susie today" or "My car is sitting in the street". It is something tangible, something that can be grasped by human logic. Truth is similar, but it takes on a new dimension of the fact. "I called Susie today" becomes "I called Susie today and talked to her voicemail". It builds on the previous knowledge of what was said. I may have called, but I didn't talk to her. If the last part of the comment is missing, the listener loses out on a piece of vital information.
Our world relies on facts and figures to sustain us. Our economy is built on facts and figures. Our students are taught to memorize tables and tidbits of information. We are a practical people. We don't have time for foolishness. We only want to know more, it seems, when it comes to gossip. We aren't truly interested in the truth of the matter-our perspective is the only one that we seem to care about.
For believers in Christ, this thought of fact versus truth takes on a new dimension. The world's version of truth is not the same as God's. God's version of truth is what our world (or our enemy) doesn't want to hear. Through the ages, God has spoken His truth into many people. In fact, if we look at the Word of God, we can see several instances where this is the case. This isn't a comprehensive list, so you will have to do some exploring on your own. If you find more, please feel free to add to the list.
Fact 1#: Genesis 15: 4-5, 16:1-4
Abraham and Sarah were promised a son by God. They both knew that it was impossible naturally, so they decided to take matter into their own hands.
Truth 1#: Genesis 18:1-15, 21:1-4, 22:15-18
The Lord appeared to Abraham and repeated His promise to him. Though Sarah laughed, she conceived and bore Isaac in her old age. Through Isaac, God made a great nation.
Fact 2# :Exodus 4:18-20, 14:10-14
Moses came back to set his people free from the yoke of Pharaoh. When God had set them free, He led them to the Red Sea. The problem: Pharaoh's army was closing in and they had nowhere to go.
Truth 2#: Exodus 14:15-31
God told the people to march on. Moses lifted his hand over the sea, and the waters parted. After the Israelites crossed over, the waters swallowed Pharaoh's army. God didn't leave them trapped-he rescued them.
Other facts versus truths to ponder:
David and Bathsheba: 2 Samuel 11-12
Ruth
Esther
Paul's conversion: Acts 8:1-3, 9
And the greatest one of all:
The Lord's resurrection: Jesus was dead-but now He's alive! According to the world's truth, He is still dead. BUT God's truth is not dead- He LIVES!!!!
A fact is something that happens, like "I called Susie today" or "My car is sitting in the street". It is something tangible, something that can be grasped by human logic. Truth is similar, but it takes on a new dimension of the fact. "I called Susie today" becomes "I called Susie today and talked to her voicemail". It builds on the previous knowledge of what was said. I may have called, but I didn't talk to her. If the last part of the comment is missing, the listener loses out on a piece of vital information.
Our world relies on facts and figures to sustain us. Our economy is built on facts and figures. Our students are taught to memorize tables and tidbits of information. We are a practical people. We don't have time for foolishness. We only want to know more, it seems, when it comes to gossip. We aren't truly interested in the truth of the matter-our perspective is the only one that we seem to care about.
For believers in Christ, this thought of fact versus truth takes on a new dimension. The world's version of truth is not the same as God's. God's version of truth is what our world (or our enemy) doesn't want to hear. Through the ages, God has spoken His truth into many people. In fact, if we look at the Word of God, we can see several instances where this is the case. This isn't a comprehensive list, so you will have to do some exploring on your own. If you find more, please feel free to add to the list.
Fact 1#: Genesis 15: 4-5, 16:1-4
Abraham and Sarah were promised a son by God. They both knew that it was impossible naturally, so they decided to take matter into their own hands.
Truth 1#: Genesis 18:1-15, 21:1-4, 22:15-18
The Lord appeared to Abraham and repeated His promise to him. Though Sarah laughed, she conceived and bore Isaac in her old age. Through Isaac, God made a great nation.
Fact 2# :Exodus 4:18-20, 14:10-14
Moses came back to set his people free from the yoke of Pharaoh. When God had set them free, He led them to the Red Sea. The problem: Pharaoh's army was closing in and they had nowhere to go.
Truth 2#: Exodus 14:15-31
God told the people to march on. Moses lifted his hand over the sea, and the waters parted. After the Israelites crossed over, the waters swallowed Pharaoh's army. God didn't leave them trapped-he rescued them.
Other facts versus truths to ponder:
David and Bathsheba: 2 Samuel 11-12
Ruth
Esther
Paul's conversion: Acts 8:1-3, 9
And the greatest one of all:
The Lord's resurrection: Jesus was dead-but now He's alive! According to the world's truth, He is still dead. BUT God's truth is not dead- He LIVES!!!!
Snow talk
Wilson Bentley could be considered a snowflake expert. In the early 1900's, he captured the first snowflake on black velvet with a camera and microscope. His pictures were later included in his book, "Snow Crystals". Bentley was amazed to find that no two snowflakes are alike. He should know: over his lifetime, he photographed over 5, 000 crystals of snow, even catagorizing them. To Bentley, he was showing the world how wonderful nature could be.
We've had a lot of the white, fluffy stuff in the Midwest recently. Many of us are just sick of it. We're tired of plowing, shoveling, scooping, and throwing the snow that has fallen over the last few days. We don't bother to look closer at it-I mean, snow's snow, right? But the Creator of the universe took great care to provide us with an example of being ourselves. Remember, each snowflake doesn't have a twin. Bentley discovered that, and science has continued to prove it. There are no two flakes alike. Neither are there two people alike. The Lord saw to that!
The Word says in Psalm 139 that " he created our inmost being, he knit us together in our mother's womb" That means the Creator took exquisite care with each of us. He knows the number of hairs on our head (Matthew 10:30) and all the days ordained for us are written in his book before one of them came to be (Psalm 139:16b). We have a living God who cares for us and wants us to love Him. He is faithful even when we are not-he can't deny himself( 2 Timothy 2:13).
This truth is something that many deny-this truth that we can be ourselves. Being genuine in an unforgiving world is scary (especially for those who have been hurt). As followers of Christ, we are called to live a genuine life before the world. Conformity is not to be our garment. Most of us start out sparkling like a light (or a snowflake), but we get crushed by the tires of life and plowed through drifts of disappointment. We know that that original design is inside of us-we just get tired of fighting the world. We conform because it's easy. For those who do(and many who don't), there is a nagging sense that something's not right. We feel like we just pass through life and no one notices the beauty we bring to the world.
There is someone who does, though. He has many names, but this time, it's El Roi (ehl-raw-ee). It means "the God who sees me". It is used only one time in the Bible, but that doesn't diminish its power. This "God who sees me" is the same one who formed you in your mother's womb, who sees your tears when you are lonely, and the one who wraps His arms around you when you are grieving. He can help your light to shine again before the world. Sometimes it's comforting to know that you have someone bigger to rely on. Such " knowledge is too wonderful for us, too lofty to attain"(Psalm 139:6). The wonderful part is that we can start living in relationship with our Creator right now. We don't have to wait or follow the world's lead.
So go wave a flag, throw a snowball, or laugh until your sides ache. Pray with your hands open or closed. Sing or dance before Him who created you. The Lord thinks that you're just wonderful. It's time for the church to follow the Lord's example and love each other and the scary, unforgiving world. Time to shine our lights into the darkness. Time to love the Lord more and the world less. Remember: being who you are is not scary. Being who you're not is.
We've had a lot of the white, fluffy stuff in the Midwest recently. Many of us are just sick of it. We're tired of plowing, shoveling, scooping, and throwing the snow that has fallen over the last few days. We don't bother to look closer at it-I mean, snow's snow, right? But the Creator of the universe took great care to provide us with an example of being ourselves. Remember, each snowflake doesn't have a twin. Bentley discovered that, and science has continued to prove it. There are no two flakes alike. Neither are there two people alike. The Lord saw to that!
The Word says in Psalm 139 that " he created our inmost being, he knit us together in our mother's womb" That means the Creator took exquisite care with each of us. He knows the number of hairs on our head (Matthew 10:30) and all the days ordained for us are written in his book before one of them came to be (Psalm 139:16b). We have a living God who cares for us and wants us to love Him. He is faithful even when we are not-he can't deny himself( 2 Timothy 2:13).
This truth is something that many deny-this truth that we can be ourselves. Being genuine in an unforgiving world is scary (especially for those who have been hurt). As followers of Christ, we are called to live a genuine life before the world. Conformity is not to be our garment. Most of us start out sparkling like a light (or a snowflake), but we get crushed by the tires of life and plowed through drifts of disappointment. We know that that original design is inside of us-we just get tired of fighting the world. We conform because it's easy. For those who do(and many who don't), there is a nagging sense that something's not right. We feel like we just pass through life and no one notices the beauty we bring to the world.
There is someone who does, though. He has many names, but this time, it's El Roi (ehl-raw-ee). It means "the God who sees me". It is used only one time in the Bible, but that doesn't diminish its power. This "God who sees me" is the same one who formed you in your mother's womb, who sees your tears when you are lonely, and the one who wraps His arms around you when you are grieving. He can help your light to shine again before the world. Sometimes it's comforting to know that you have someone bigger to rely on. Such " knowledge is too wonderful for us, too lofty to attain"(Psalm 139:6). The wonderful part is that we can start living in relationship with our Creator right now. We don't have to wait or follow the world's lead.
So go wave a flag, throw a snowball, or laugh until your sides ache. Pray with your hands open or closed. Sing or dance before Him who created you. The Lord thinks that you're just wonderful. It's time for the church to follow the Lord's example and love each other and the scary, unforgiving world. Time to shine our lights into the darkness. Time to love the Lord more and the world less. Remember: being who you are is not scary. Being who you're not is.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Reasons Why
Nickel Creek , a bluegrass band composed of Sara and Sean Watkins and Chris Thile, are a talented group of young musicians. Their songs are thought-provoking. " Reasons Why" is an excellent example of this talent. Nickel Creek's songs also seem to have a moral to the story which are akin to the parables used by Jesus.
The Lord used these lyrics to impress upon me why Christians have trouble in this world apart from Him. They strive and build, only to feel empty inside. They chase after pipe dreams and get-rich schemes, only to be left with nothing. It is only when we realize we have nothing that we can turn back to Him.
It all starts with a step away...
Where am I today? I wish that I knew
'Cause looking around there's no sign of you
I don't remember one jump or one leap
Just quiet steps away from your lead.
The believers knows that something's wrong-they just can't put their finger on it. They know that they are loved by God, but they feel disconnected. They call this world "home" when they're just passing through.
I'm holding my heart out but clutching it too
Feeling this short of a love that we once knew
I'm calling this home when it's not even close
Playing the role with nerves left exposed.
They make excuses, trying to fit into this world that won't fit them. They wonder why they stumble and don't grow. They make excuses, but they say they have reasons why they walked away.
Standing on a darkened stage, stumbling through the lines
Others have excuses, but I have my reasons why
The believers get distracted by the enemy, who isolates them and makes them lose sight of their God-given purpose in this life. Some may even recognize this, but will continue to do the very thing that keeps them enslaved. Some may even blame God for their plight.
We get distracted by the dreams of our own
But nobody's happy while feeling alone
And knowing how hard it hurts when we fall
We lean another ladder against the wrong wall
And climb high to the highest rung, to shake fists at the sky
Others have excuses, but I have my reasons why.
The Good News: Jesus came to set the captives free!
Those who live through it and become free will say to those who think that they are strong:
With so much deception, it's hard not to wander away.
Proverbs 3: 5-7 says, "Trust in the Lord and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes-fear the Lord and shun evil."
When we put our trust in the Lord, He will direct our steps. Blessings will come, prayers will be answered, and we will grow deeper roots spiritually. When we sit at His feet, we can learn the ways of wisdom from His guidance. When we walk away, we start losing sight of Him. We need to repent and turn back when we realize what we've done. In doing so, we will live. If we don't, we will be lost.
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