"Jess had seen a report from CNN about the Christians in Iraq who were being told to convert to Islam or die. They were systematically beheading children, raping and murdering women and hanging men."
Keep reading if you dare.
We need to take this seriously. There are people dying all over the world for their faith in Jesus. We need to do a few things to honor them and to help them.
First, if you want to help then pray. Not just religious dead words but really pray for the persecuted church. Daily we need to be lifting them up to the Lord. The Bible says we should pray for them like we were chained together with them. Allow your heart to be linked to those that are suffering persecution all over the world. Pray for their health, strength, encouragement, deliverance and however else you are led to pray for them.
Second, if you want to honor them then we need to live unashamed. It is a shame to hold back the gospel in our land when people are dying in foreign lands for the sake of the gospel. It is a shame to hold back the truth for fear of offending someone when they have preached to their own imprisonment. If we are to honor our persecuted brothers and sisters then we need to share in their sufferings. We won't be popular but that isn't why we are here. Jesus said He came to bring a sword and would divide households. Indeed that is true where sons and daughters have been murdered by fathers and mothers for their faith.
Oh, I might add, get ready. These are only the beginnings of the birth pains. We will make it to glory through trials and tribulation. He who endures to the end shall be saved.
How can we pray for the persecuted church? What can we do to get our hearts ready for the coming persecutions?
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