Pray for the Persecuted

I've been preaching through Matthew chapter 5 for a few weeks now, at the Miami Valley Church. More than anything else, with each weeks topic, as I research the subject matter, I have found out exactly how very little I really know about what Jesus really meant by what He said in His "Sermon on the Mount"
This weeks sermon was about Matthew 5:10-12 - "Blessed are those persecuted for righteousness". I sat down to work on the sermon last Tuesday and realized, I don't know anything about being "persecuted for righteousness". As an American Christian, persecution is something very foreign to our experience. I use the word "foreign" for good reason. Because although in America we consider persecution a "dirty" look after we pray at a meal in public, I have a hard time believing this is at the heart of Jesus' statement about being mistreated for the Gospel. However, in many foreign countries, persecution, and even death for being a Christian is very much par for the course. Here are some very disturbing facts about the treatment of Christians throughout the world.

*Since the crucifixion of Jesus, more than 45 million Christians have been killed for their faith.
*More Christians have been martyred in the 20th century than in all the prior 1,900 years...combined!
*There have been more than 26 million (documented) cases of Christians being killed for their faith, in this century alone.
*More than 200 million Christians in 55 countries face persecution every day...60% are children!

We don't realize this is true because it doesn't make good news headlines. So, the lives and horrible deaths of our brothers and sisters in Christ are quietly swept under the rug. This one fact is undeniable: Christians are the single most persecuted group in the world. They are the most persecuted group in the history of the world. But, they do not die in vain. Let's not let them be forgotten...there are very real things we can do to make a difference.

*Pray-Talking to God every day about these heroes of the faith. Asking for their governments to wake up and stop either persecuting them, or stop the groups who are.
*Pray for their enemies-The big three persecutors in the world today are:Communist governments, Muslim extremists and Hindu extremists.
*Go to http://www.persecution.com/ to get the names, stories and resources needed to be a real help in the lives of persecuted Christians.
*Make other Christians aware of these facts and ask them to pray as well.

It is so easy to think we will never face any real persecution in this country. Things could change...

What would you have other Christians do for you, if you were living with the very real threat of being killed, brutalized, sold as slave, imprisoned, tortured, threatened, discriminated against or arrested solely for being a Christian?

Think about it!

Remember When

There are a few unforgettable milestones in my life. The ones I speak of are not the ones personal in nature, but, instead, experiences shared with the rest of the world, that I will never, ever get over, completely. You know what I'm talking about...not "the birth of my kids" in nature, but "I remember exactly where I was when..." in nature. I can remember my grandparents saying "I'll never forget where I was when Pearl Harbor was attacked" or "I'll never forget what I was doing when John F. Kennedy was shot".

I will never forget the attacks of 9/11, the space shuttle explosion, John Lennon being killed or even President Reagan's attempted assassination. But as I ponder the biggest milestones of my life, I can't help but think about the "Three Kings" and their deaths.
I have been a huge fan of Elvis Presley, The King of Rock 'n Roll, since I was three years old. I stood right in front of the T.V. at three and watched in pure rapture as Elvis performed his "Aloha from Hawaii" concert. My parents must have been frustrated trying to see around me, as I stood mesmerized by the ultimate performer.
Then came Michael Jackson, The King of Pop, and his never before seen "moonwalk" that "thrilled" me, as much as the generation before had been awed by the actual walk on the moon they watched from their little black and white T.V. sets, a little over a decade before. Everyone I knew watched Michael's "Thriller" video in total disbelief, and just a little fear. This was what the future of music video looked like...and we were privileged to witness it firsthand!
But, sadly, I remember exactly where I was and what I was doing when my Grandma came outside and told me Elvis was dead. I felt sick and just a little faint. I sat down and cried, right there in the backyard. I'm still not totally over it! Now, comes the news of Michael Jackson's untimely death. The initial shock and disbelief are starting to fade a bit, but I know I will always remember where I was and how I felt at that moment of receiving the news. I'm also very aware of my own mortality in a more real and scary way than I can ever recall.
There are no happy endings in the stories of these "Kings". Both gone before they ever should have been. We comfort ourselves by wanting to believe, just a little bit, that their deaths are just cruel hoaxes. They aren't. But, the third King. The one I follow. I'll never forget the stories of miracles and healings I heard as a child. I'll never forget reading about how they cruelly beat Him and killed Him. I remember the sadness I felt over this life; this sweet life snuffed out way too young. Then, unlike the first two kings; I remember turning the page...and...He's ALIVE!!! No hoax, no sad ending, no fear of my own mortality. I'm not saddened by the loss of the potential or the things not accomplished. He's ALIVE!!!
I also, more vividly than any other moment of my life, remember the night I gave my heart and life to THE KING, Jesus. My biggest milestone...I'll NEVER get over Him!

#1 Church Fan!!!

I am a fan of the Church. As odd as that sounds, I haven't always been. Used to be, I was so "disgusted" by the things I saw in the Church, (sin, selfishness, unscriptural decision-making etc...) that I didn't want anything to do with it.
Then after a couple of years of floundering outside the Church, I was telling God how disgusting it was to me, when it occured to me that it might just matter what God thinks about that. Boy, was I right!!! He spoke to my heart that the Church is His bride. He let me know that I wouldn't be happy with anyone who told me "I love you, but I hate your wife" The Church belongs to God and He loves her enough to send His only Son to die for her...so that she could be with Him.
My views on the Church radically changed from that day forward. I am now committed to working for God's Church in any way He would see fit to use me. He loves Her...so then, do I.
More on this later!