Empathy at its deepest

Hebrews 13:3

"Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, 

and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering."

We are called to suffer WITH the persecuted church. To be an onlooker or a bystander is actually completely missing our calling. To send some money out to an organization without a heart of empathy is still missing the point. The dictionary definition of Empathy is the "Identification with and understanding of another's situation, feelings and motives." Empathy is the ability to actually put yourself in their shoes and feel what they're feeling. Romans 12:15 says, "Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep." Be there WITH them, carry their pain, carry their joy. When it comes to the persecuted church, we are supposed to feel empathy at its deepest. The greatest amount of empathy comes from a heart of Christ-like love. Hebrews 13:1 tells us to "keep on loving each other"… without love, true empathy is not possible. 

Yet, often when we hear of those who are suffering, it doesn't even phase us. Or maybe it does - but only while it's popular in the media - eventually it fades and we forget. It takes no root in our hearts or in our souls… but it MUST! If we are lacking in TRUE empathy for the persecuted and the suffering - we are lacking in love {Christ-like Love}. The author of Hebrews tell us that we must be a fellow prisoner to those in chains. Maybe we aren't there with them physically, but we are connected to them spiritually. When they face persecution for the gospel, we carry their cross with them, through prayer, through encouragement, through support, through creating awareness. 

We are lucky in our north-american society to be free of the kinds of persecution that our brothers and sisters in Christ face around the world… for now anyways. We thank God for our freedom to worship, to meet together, to pray openly… have we forgotten though that Jesus tell us "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember what I told you; 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also." (John 15:18-20) We ARE persecuted. When a Christian somewhere in the middle-east is imprisoned for proclaiming the gospel, a part of us is imprisoned with them. Sooner or later, we will all feel the kinds of persecution that Christ  himself faced. We do NOT belong to the world, we will not be treated as one of their own. PRAISE GOD that he has called us apart. It is a cross to bear, but it is a gift to bear it. If we don't currently face persecution first-hand, that does not mean we should not feel the heaviness of the global church facing pain and tribulation. "Remember those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering…" This is DEEP empathy and we are called to feel it. 

How sad is it that so many people live their day-to-day lives completely unaware and unaffected by the persecution that is going on around the world. YES, we know that God is in control and that HE is working because HE is good! But does this mean that we don't cry out to God for freedom for those in the deepest waters? We should cry for them, mourn for them, but also thank God for their courage and their strength. Our churches don't mention the persecuted enough - and I think it's time that this changes. 

What can WE do? Pray. Give. Create Awareness. and that isn't an exhausted list. Do what you feel in your heart GOD calls you to do. But we are ALL called to pray - and pray often, because every day more and more of our brothers and sisters fall into persecution, persecution of every kind. 

Here are some quotes from fellow-sufferers for the gospel:

"You can help others in proportion to what you yourself have suffered. The greater the price, the more you can help others ... As you go through the fiery trials, the testing, the affliction, the persecution, the conflict ... life will flow out to others, even the life of Christ." 

--Watchman Nee

"We don't pray to be better Christians, but that we may be the only kind of Christians God means us to be; Christ-like Christians; that is, Christians who will bear willingly the cross for God's glory." 

--a note smuggled from the underground church in Communist Romania

"We are not praying that our borders be opened. We are praying that heaven be opened." 

--The prayer of a church under persecution in Vietnam

" A martyr is, he who has become the instrument of God, who has lost his will in the will of God, not lost it but found it, for he has found freedom in submission to God. The martyr no longer desires anything for himself, not even the glory of martyrdom." 

--T.S. Elliot

"All past persecutors of the Church are now no more, but the Church still lives on. The same fate awaits modern persecutors; they, too, will pass on, but the Church of Jesus Christ will always remain, for God has pledged His Word to protect Her and be with Her forever, until the end of time."

--Don Bosco

China: 2013

There has been an aggressive crackdown on house churches. Believers are forced to call their gatherings 'patriotic' assemblies, or be sent to prison and possible torture. Government persecution of Christians rose 42% in 2012. China feels threatened by any movement that galvanizes a large sector of the population. Thank God for the bold witness of Shouwang Church in Beijing which continues to hold outdoor services as officials continue to deny them access to their building.

Pakistan: 2013 

The country's blasphemy laws are some of the strictest in the world, and the World Council of Churches has called them "a major source of victimization and persecution" of religious minorities (Christians comprise just 1.6% of the population). The mere accusation of blasphemy is enough to spur angry mobs to violence and in March 2013 some 3,000 Muslims stormed Christian churches, torched hundreds of homes and burned hundreds of Bibles in a Christian neighbourhood of Lahore.

Nigeria: 2010

On 7 March 2010 some 500 Christians were murdered in the night by rampaging Muslim gangs near the city of Jos.

Germany: 2013

In August 2013 a task force of 20 police, social workers and special agents raided the home of a Christian family in Darmstadt. The four children (7-14 years) were forcibly removed from devastated parents after a court claimed that the children had "adopted the parents' opinions".

Operation Christmas Child:

A group of secularists who are threatening to take legal actions against public schools who participate in Operation Christmas Child as it is an 'overtly christian program'. The mission state of Samaritans purse is "to follow the example of Christ by helping those in need and proclaiming the hope of the gospel." A handful of public schools across the USA have already agreed to stop supporting Operation Christmas Child so as to not face lawsuits.

the persecuted church: Saeed Abedini

Ephesians 3:20 

"Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think…"

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SO much goes on around this world that we aren't even aware of. So many of our brothers and sisters in Christ are being beaten and persecuted and murdered… we don't spend time thinking about them or praying for them and we aren't willing to open our eyes to see the reality of this world. Things aren't so bad for us, not yet anyways, and because we tend to spend so much of our time forgetting that there is more to the battle of Jesus than what we see personally each day - we are completely ignorant. We spend our day {our lives} building for ourselves a comfortable life, a beautiful home, a better status and reputation. We want to advance ourselves in society to make things easier for ourselves. We forget that we are in a war - a spiritual battle. Events are taking place all over the world that we can't even fathom because in our american culture - everyone has rights to believe what they want… but we all know the end of that is coming soon. To hear of a fellow christian serving in a brutal prison is heartbreaking, but in some parts of the world - that is THEIR reality! That is their day-to-day threat.

Pastor Saeed Abedini.

A 33-year-old American Pastor who is serving an 8 year sentence in one of Iran's toughest prisons simply for sharing his Christian Faith. 

"On 28 July 2012, during a visit to Tehran to visit family and to finalize the board members for an orphanage he was building in Iran, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard detained Saeed, asserting that he must face criminal charges for his Christian faith. After intense interrogations, Saeed was placed under house arrest and told to wait for a court summons. On 26 September 2012, instead of receiving a summons telling him where to appear, five members of the Revolutionary Guard raided Saeed’s parents’ home in Tehran, confiscated many of Saeed’s belongings, and took him to an unknown location. After four days the Revolutionary Guard informed the family that Saeed was in solitary confinement in the notorious Evin Prison. During solitary confinement, Saeed was only brought out of his small, dark cell to be subjected to abusive interrogations."

• "Saeed had been denied medical treatment for infections that resulted from beatings. The ward doctor and nurse refused to treat him because, as a Christian, he was considered “unclean” and an infidel. Saeed’s family in Tehran may visit Saeed on Mondays, but he is not permitted to make phone calls, cutting him off from his wife and two young children in the U.S."
• "In late February it became known that Saeed was suffering from internal bleeding, an injury from beatings he endured during interrogations. Doctors examined Saeed in early March and determined that his injuries warranted immediate attention, and, in their medical opinion, he needed to be treated in a non-prison hospital. For a month, the Iranian regime ignored this advice. In an attempt to appease international pressure, on 8 April 2013, the Saeed was taken to a private hospital. Before doing so, guards forced Saeed to change his prison uniform to that of a murderer. Saeed resisted, the guards beat him, and forced him to wear the uniform. When Saeed arrived at the hospital he was never admitted or treated because, according to the guards, the doctor on staff was not present. Saeed has reported that several cellmates, who appear to be connected to the Iranian intelligence police, have threatened to suffocate Saeed while he sleeps."
• "Recently, Saeed’s condition became even more serious. Having been denied medical attention, he was thrown into solitary confinement. Beforehand, Saeed complained of kidney pain. He and the several other prisoners wrote a letter to prison officials in peaceful protest of lack of access to medical attention. In response, Iranian officials placed ten prisoners under solitary confinement, Saeed among them. Last time he was in solitary confinement, his medical condition substantially worsened. There is no reason to believe this time will be different. Saeed is now cut off from any visitation."
• "A petition has been started in Saeed’s name, and it quickly received overwhelming media attention. Secretary of State John Kerry has called for his release, the White House has called for his release, and the House of Representatives held an emotional hearing that highlighted Pastor Saeed's plight. Multiple nations have called for Saeed's release, and ACLJ attorneys have argued his case before the United Nations. Saeed’s petition has over 610,000 signatures and a letter writing campaign to encourage Saeed has garnered over 50,000 letters. Artists such as Toby Mac, Michael W Smith, Steven Curtis Chapman, Mercy Me, Skillet, Relient K, and Audio Adrenaline have been involved, and lent their voices to raise awareness."
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• Pastor Saeed has been in prison for now 414 days.
• Leaving 2506 days left to be served.
• All because He proclaimed the gospel in a dark world.
• Unfortunately, in a disturbing turn of events, Saeed has very recently been transferred to one of the deadliest prisons in the world: Rajai Shahr
• "Rajai Shahr is the place where political prisoners who are seen as a nuisance, are stowed away. Going to Karaj is a severe punishment. Once in there one stops to be a human being. One is put out of sight, even of human rights activists and the press. In Rajaï Shahr, political prisoners have to share cells with dangerous criminals like murderers, rapists and drug addicts who don’t hesitate to attack their cell mates. They have nothing to lose: many of them are condemned to death anyway. Murders or unexplained deaths are a regular occurrence."
• Rajai Shahr was built to house 5,000 inmates, but at present the prison holds roughly 22,000 inmates. Such overcrowding has led to deadly and inhuman conditions. There is no access to fresh air or proper nutrition. Diseases are widespread. This prison is a place where those who are 'hopeless' to be free are sent for their remaining life - which has been proven to decrease significantly due to the conditions. I was considering sharing a few pictures of this prison, but the brutality of the events which take place here keep me from doing so. Images are too graphic to even glance at. 

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How much time do we spend praying for the persecuted church? It's time we start… It's time to start praying ceaselessly for our brothers and sisters in Christ. Pray for Pastor Saeed Abedini. Pray for his release, for his protection, for his courage. Pray for his family in the USA who have no communication with him at this point. Pray and Pray hard. 

Please share this with YOUR friends to help create awareness.

*listen to Pastor Saeeds Letter*
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvTS-V0nxc0

*sign the petition and learn more*
http://beheardproject.com/saeed

the forgotten definition of marriage

God rightly compares marriage to a vine. You’ve got to invest a lot, and you’ve got to wait a long time. You’re going to need to be patient and tending to it if you want it to grow and be fruitful. Adultery is like a Weed eater that carelessly severs the vine’s base, killing it in an instant." Marc Driscoll

As a young married person (married at the age of 20) something that I've been learning a lot in my first year of marriage is just how against the grains marriage is in-itself, let alone getting married so young. My eyes have really been opened to how confused our culture and society is when it comes to the topic of marriage. The definition of marriage has taken a hit. Actually, no... the definition of marriage has been forgotten altogether, and in its absence, sinful humankind has created 'make-shift' definitions which acquire to their sinful and selfish ways. It's at the point where people in my generation don't even grasp what marriage was made for... marriage has become about 'me' 'myself' and 'I'. 

Let me marry who 'I' want.

Let me marry how 'I' want.

Let me marry as often as 'I' want.

Let me marry as many as 'I' want.

Let me do as 'I' please in my marriage.

As a result marriage is no longer sacred between a man and a woman. 

Marriage is no longer even necessary for those who choose to live common-law.

Statistics of divorce are mind-blowing.

Marriage isn't even necessarily between 2 people...

Marriage is about pleasing oneself and serving ones own desires.

Entering into marriage as a sexually pure individual is humorous in our society and almost un-heard of.

What is Marriage Anyways?

 1. Marriage is a COVENANT (Malachi 2:14)

 - our culture says that marriage is just a contract/written agreement between two people. WRONG. Marriage is a covenant between God and 2 people and therefor those two people to each other. To be in covenant with one another, we first must be in covenant with God. Which is why it doesn't work for a believer to try and come into the covenant of marriage with one who is not saved. 

2. Marriage is Consummation. Genesis 2:24 says "the two became one flesh"...

 - pretty much consummation is the big word that says marriage allows for two people to have sex. This is the part that society laughs at. How can you even think about waiting until marriage to have sex... well, because we understand the value and sacredness of MARRIAGE. The mindset that says, 'having sex with multiple people right now is preparing me for marriage. It is teaching me not only what I need and what I like, but also how I can make my future spouse happy.." 

... thats insanity. Completely STUPID.

"Fornication is simply an internship for Adultery."

Having sex with multiple people, or maybe just one person, before marriage is only teaching you ONE thing: how to be unfaithful. You are practicing to cheat. To Lust. To Crave. The pattern of the bible is chastity before marriage and fidelity in marriage. They go hand-in-hand. So does fornication + adultery.

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Our generation needs a wake-up call.

Unfortunately, I am convinced that all of this insanity is only going to get worse in my day.

Sinful humankind will continue to create their own definition of marriage in order to satisfy their cravings and sinful desires, in order to make life easier and more comfortable for them.

What can we do?

pray.

be an example.

start attacking adultery and idolatry. 

be the change. 

Stand firm.

stay true to the TRUE definition of marriage.