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.

a sad statistic

I find it disheartening that as I continually come across people of my past, those from elementary school, high-school, camp life etc. I am seeing a horrible statistic come to reality that many young people walk away from the church. Only 50% (maybe less) of my graduating class {from a Christian school} still show spiritual fruit and growth in their walk with the Lord. A large number of people from past churches and youth groups have also evidently decided to change paths. 

Maybe church was too big of a commitment,

maybe God was too big of a picture, 

maybe the narrow path was too demanding,

maybe the world was too enticing, 

or maybe they never really grasped the saving love and grace of God.

"Nearly three out of every five young Christians disconnect from their churches after the age of 15" (http://www.christianpost.com/news/study-why-young-christians-leave-the-church-56722/)

Thats a big number, and its a growing number.

We can't focus on the problem. 

We need to focus on the solution.

We need to focus on the individual. Hearing their story, 

listening to their questions, understanding their frustrations. 

Too often do Christians sit around in circles and look outside their walls and see many that have stopped attending church, maybe even have openly admitted that 'Jesus doesn't seem to make sense anymore'. We watch it happen, we talk about it but what do we DO about it? What steps are we taking among the people who are in OUR reach to encourage them with the love of Christ.

Maybe we have a conversation once or twice with someone who has left the church, but then we get frustrated and we give up. Maybe we leave it for someone else to handle. Maybe we believe, 'if they are meant to be saved, God will make it happen..."

Enough is Enough.

Its time to get to work.

We need to be intentional about sharing the love of Christ.

We need to have real conversations with people,

most of them will have hard questions, painful stories and real struggles with sin.

There needs to be room for people to TALK honestly.

We need to make the focus:

Showing others the amazing and saving love and grace of Jesus Christ.

Set Free. Live Freely

Set free to live freely.  

Exodus: 6: 2-8 

“I am the Lord. I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob as God Almighty, but by my name the Lord I did not make myself fully known to them. I also established my covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan, where they resided as foreigners. Moreover, I have heard the groaning of the Israelites, whom the Egyptians are enslaving, and I have remembered my covenant. “Therefore, say to the Israelites: ‘I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. And I will bring you to the land I swore with uplifted hand to give to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob. I will give it to you as a possession. I am the Lord.’”

Exodus 14: 30+31

 ^"That day the Lord saved Israel from the hands of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians lying dead on the shore. And when the Israelites saw the mighty hand of the Lord displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant."

Slavery to Freedom:

*read about it in Exodus chapters 1-20*

The Israelites have been enslaved to Egypt and the Pharaoh for 400+ years.

God sends Moses to the people and he uses him as a tool to speak to Pharaoh.

After multiple attempts to demand that Pharaoh let the people go, after multiple plagues that destroyed the land and the people, Pharaoh finally obeys.

God holds true to his covenant and the people of Israel are set free.

Though the journey continues...

Freedom to Slavery:

This new found freedom for the Israelite people turns cold.

Though they are free from the slavery forced upon them by the Pharaoh and the Egyptians, they begin to enslave themselves through their freedom.

The Israelite people were SET FREE, but they chose not to live freely.

They become enslaved to their sin.

lust, coveting, lying, stealing, idolatry, and the list goes on...

They did not use their freedom correctly.

They used it selfishly and sinfully.

"Set Free to Live Free"

What does that mean? Freedom is not the ability to do what you want. Freedom is the ability to do what you were made to do by God. When God set the Israelite people free, His chosen people, he did not intend for their freedom to open the door for them to indulge in their selfish and sinful desires. No, he set them free so that HE could further HIS kingdom by using these people in HIS plan and for HIS purpose.

How does that look for us? Rather than being set free of a literal slavery like the Israelites were when God sent moses to the people, God sent his one and only son {that being, Jesus Christ} to die on a cross, bearing our shame and iniquity {our sin} so that we can be free. Free to live. Free even in death. 

Yet so many choose to live in slavery. Enslaved to this world, to this oh so temporary life. Maybe you've heard the name of Jesus, maybe you know what the gospel message is about, but you choose to ignore it. You choose to say, 'it can't be true'. Enchained to naivety and ignorance. Maybe you claim to follow Jesus, to have a heart for his ministry. You praise God for his death on the cross, for his sacrifice that paid the weight of your sin and my sin. Yet your life does not portray that freedom. Your actions, thoughts, words, lifestyle - none of it is free.

Exodus 20: 1+2 says, "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the Land of slavery.." 

The problem then was slavery. The solution was God.

That rings true yesterday, today and until Christ returns again.

The problem will always be slavery and the solution will always be God.

2 Peter 2:19 says, "For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved..."

What do we poor our time and energy into? What do we think about most often? What do we hold closest to our hearts? What bring us the most happiness? What overcomes us?

Money? Jobs? Status? Wealth? Materials? Beauty? Health? Reputation? Popularity? Skills? Sports? Media? Husband/Wife? Children? we all have our idols... 

"You shall have no other Gods before me..."

the First Commandment...

You can't live freely until you KNOW and hold true to the fact that there is ONLY ONE GOD. The God of the Bible. And we must continually get to know Him. Back then the Israelites {after being set free from the Egyptians} fell into a new form of slavery, as I already mentioned, and though they worshiped physical idols {as many still do in this world} that promised them good things... this form of idolatry is no different from our idolatry today... its had merely been 're-branded'.

Is there a disconnect between your god and your functional god?

Do you claim to believe in the one true God yet you worship a completely different functional god? There can't be a disconnect. If you believe in Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour, then you must claim that freedom in your life and live it out daily. 

use your God-given Freedom to do what God has purposed you for. 

Use your freedom to worship HIM.

use your freedom to become more like Him.

Jesus did not die to set us free so that we can indulge in the ways of this world, 

rather he died to set us free so that God could further HIS kingdom by using US in HIS plan, for HIS purpose.

Are you Free...