Encourage So That None Shall Fall Away

I read an interesting post today at Julie Ganchow's blog about addiction. I was interested to hear what she thought about the subject because she is a biblical counselor and because I don't really believe in addictions for believers. However, as this was not what her post was about, we will leave that discussion for another time.

Julie makes the statement near the beginning of her post about groups such as the AA: "For the unbeliever, they are the best route to ceasing these behaviors. They provide both Believer and Unbeliever with fellowship, and like-mindedness. I think that each of these groups has pluses and minuses, and while they may be helpful in addressing the issues of the flesh they are sorely lacking in the vital areas of 'recovery.'" This was especially interesting to me, as I had just been reading in Hebrews 3 the night before.

Here is a (very) quick summary of verses 1-17 (keeping in mind that Hebrews was written to Jews):
1-6 Jesus is greater than Moses
7-11 Quoting from Psalm 95, written by David looking back on the generation that was made to wander for 40 years in the wilderness because they were not allowed to enter the Promised Land.
**cool note on verse 7, note that the author of Hebrews is quoting the Psalms and introduces by saying "as the Holy Spirit said" WOW! There is an awesome reference to the point of Scripture being God-breathed that I never noticed before!
12-19 Points out that the Israelites were not able to enter the Promised Land because of unbelief. Warns the readers of Hebrews that the only way to know for certain that one is a believer in Jesus Christ and His gospel is that they do NOT fall away in their lifetime.

Verse 13 is the one that I would like to focus on for this post "But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called "Today" so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin." The author of Hebrews is warning us that sin is deceitful. He is warning us that the Israelites, who had seen more miracles than any of us ever have, still managed to fall away into unbelief. He is reminding us that the validity of our belief is tested by our perseverance in our belief. Notice the first line "Encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called 'Today.'" There are several applications that we can take from this statement.

First, we need to be in a position to encourage one another. We need to have deep enough relationships that we can take part in mutual encouragement. "Hey, look out for sin; it's bad," does not count as encouragement. More of a "Hey no kidding, thanks for nothing!" statement! We need to be aware of what is going on in each other's lives. We need to be aware of what is going on in each other's minds and hearts and emotions. We need to be aware of each other's struggles and trials. If these things are not happening, then we are simply not in a position to encourage.

Second, we need to be in a position to encourage one another daily. Saying a vauge "hello" to a couple of people on your way in and out of church on Sunday morning does not count. We need to be in relationships with brothers and sisters in Christ to the point where we have the opportunity to encourage day to day.

So where am I going with all of this? People go to AA meetings every day. If they truly want to stop being an alcoholic, they work as hard as they can to get accountability and support from those who are going through the same things they are. They stand up in front of large groups of people and declare, "I am an alcoholic." They encourage successes and, when failure occurs, work to get the one that fell back on his or her feet.

This is all well and good for unbelievers. But as Christians, we have something far greater. We do not need to go to groups such as AA to help us recover from sin. Why? Because we have the church. We have a group of brothers and sisters who are all going through the same things that we are. We have people who are always there to hold us accountable and offer us support. We should be cheering the growth we see in each other's lives and encouraging more. We should not be afraid to share our sin with others, knowing that we will not be judged, but exhorted to repent and offered assistance in doing so.

And why should all this be happening? Because sin is deceitful. And there is always the possibility of falling away. We do not know each other's hearts and so we accept that if someone say that they are a believer then they are. But we know that many have fallen away so we encourage each other in the faith every day.

Sisters, may I encourage you to find someone today, a sister in Christ that you do not know well, and seek to develop a relationship with her? May I encourage you to take a more active role in all of your relationships with believers?

Encouragement

Have you ever had a spiritual "battle" that you were fighting? Perhaps it was or is a sin in your life that is an ongoing battle... one of those ones that seems to tempt you more than any other sin. For me that sin is overeating: gluttony. The habit of eating food in excess of what my body needs to live and minister according to God's word is what I am defining as overeating and gluttony. I have had times in my life when I have been in the battle, fighting to glorify God and bring my sinful desires under the control of the Holy Spirit and for the glory of God (times of victory). More often though, my life has been one of giving in to my sinful desire to overeat and enjoy food more than God, to glut myself on the gift and stop worshiping the Giver.

Well, I am back in the battle. God is faithful and will not let me wander far without using His shepherd hook to grab me around the neck and bring me back to following Him. (Indeed, He's been swatting me with it this whole time; I am apparently a glutton for punishment as well!) So now I'm getting around to the point of this post. I know the truths of scripture: that I am to hunger and thirst for righteousness more than mere food or drink. I know that I am to desire God's glory more than I desire my own way. I know that I am to do all to the glory of God, whether eating or drinking or whatever I am doing. But as I look back over my life and see how I have sometimes obeyed God and then eventually wandered away in disobedience (specifically regarding this issue), I can become very discouraged. I can begin to think that it is a hopeless fight. If I look backwards at my track record, all I can see is inconsistency and eventual failure. I look to my future and judge it by my past, and as such, I lose all hope for victory. And therein lies the problem... I am not looking at this rightly.

God does not intend for me to look at myself, my past or to assess my own strengths when predicting the potential for victory in my future. If I am depending upon myself, my strength to accomplish victory; then I should despair. Why would I think that I can do anything on my own? Why should I even think that I can manage to trust in God and "let" Him do the work in me on my own? I need God in everything and for everything. (Romans 11:36 For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.) I absolutely can't do it on my own. I can't start the work, sustain the work or finish the work. Christ has to do it in me. Ephesians 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

Christ started the work - He has saved me. He sustains the work in His mysterious ways, through the Holy Spirit as He leads me, convicts me, gives me heavenward affections and calls me to follow Him. And I can rest assured that He will finish the work in me, though I will have to participate in the battle until the day of my death unless Christ returns sooner. However, it is God's call to not look at myself or trust in myself, but to look to Christ and to trust in Him to provide me with everything I need to have victory. So here is the greatest encouragement that I have been given and can give to you who are also in a battle of your own (whatever that battle might be): God's promises. He is faithful and able to keep them.

2 Peter 1:2-4 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.

Hebrews 12:1-2 Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Isaiah 40:31 Yet those who wait for the LORD Will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary.

Colossians 3:1-3 Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

Psalm 9:9-10 The LORD also will be a stronghold for the oppressed, A stronghold in times of trouble; And those who know Your name will put their trust in You, For You, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You.

Sharing: from my mom

My mom sent me this. It is something she heard from my sister's pastor in Utah where she (my mom) is now visiting. It is short but thought provoking.

In all His dealings with us God is at work for our good:
In prosperity he tests our gratitude
In mediocrity our contentment
In misfortune our submission
In darkness and all times our obedience and trust in Him.

Plus here is a song that she learned. May you all be encouraged.

He is Able

He is able, more than able
To accomplish what concerns me today.
He is able, more than able
To handle anything that comes my way.

He is able, more than able
To do much more than I could ever dream,
He is able, more than able,
To make me what He wants me to be

Guest Blogger: Karen Seiders

Today we have a post from our sister, Karen Seiders, speaking about suffering, and our handling of it.

Over the past 20 years or so I have been diagnosed with several long term illnesses and had several injuries that always seem to take a long time to heal. It seems like there is always something hurting me. I have so many different issues that when a new one comes along I tend to forget about how the other things affect my body at the same time. I often find that they all show their "ugly heads" in unison. I use so many medicines each day to treat my many issues that is embarrassing. I have tried to eliminate some but the doctors tell me that I can't as they all treat one illness or another. I feel like my body is fighting against me. I am always in pain from one thing or another and it really wears on me.

I used to be very athletic and busy. I enjoyed physical activity very much. My life has changed dramatically and I don't like it very much. But, this is what the Lord has for me right now.

I used to think that since I had been praying to die since I was about 8 years old, God had finally answered my prayer by giving me terminal illnesses. But, on the other hand, I thought maybe He was mad at me for something and this was my punishment.

I was always a worrier. My school teachers used to tell my parents that I was going to have a heart attack by the time I was 20. I got a job shortly after we moved to Kenosha as a stock broker and I finally got so stressed out I was on the verge of a nervous breakdown and had to be treated with medication. As it turns out, most of my health issues are brought on by stress and exacerbated by stress so my doctor took me off of work and helped me get disability. She told my husband that if I didn't give up working that I was going to die. I am now a homemaker but I still feel really stressed sometimes. My stomach feels like I have "butterflies" in it during those times.

I have found the way to deal with all of this--a relationship with God. Before I tried to do everything by my own strength and "smarts". I was failing miserably and I finally came to the end of myself. I thought I had a relationship with the Lord but I realized that I really didn't.

Since then I have wondered why God has allowed me to be in constant pain and why so many things go wrong. I have been reading much on this subject and searching the Word for answers lately. God has been good to show me that there are many reasons that He allows His childern to suffer.

I believe that God has used all of this, first and foremost, to bring me to repentance and salvation. When I think about that I realize that that is really the most important thing. Our time on earth is very short compared to eternity. I like the verse in the song Amazing Grace which says "when we've been there 10,000 years....we have no less days to sing God's praise than when we first begun". That just blows my mind.

I have realized that God uses these trials in my life to make me and mold me. My trials have shown me what I'm really "made of". A lot of times I don't like what I see and that causes me to go to God and repent and then to change my ways. I also realize that since I have endured and persevered in the past that I can "make it" the next time with God's help. Sometimes I feel like just giving up, but I know that God says we are to fight the good fight, stay the course and keep the faith. He wants me to learn to persevere.

I have also been thinking about my Heavenly home that Jesus said He is preparing for me. I think about how great it will be someday to not hurt and to run and have fun, and be with Jesus for ever and ever.

I think God has also allowed my physical trials so that I can tell others about Him. When people hear about everything I am dealing with they usually ask how I can handle it all. I can then tell them that I can with the help of the Lord. My body is also scarred in many places due to the many surgeries I have had. When people see the ugly scars they usually ask me what happened. That gives me more opportunities to tell them about how keeping my eyes on the Lord gives me the strength to endure. Someone recently asked if I was going to pursue plastic surgery to make my scars less noticeable. When I thought about it, I said no because they give me opportunities to tell others about Jesus.

I have been told by several people that seeing how I have dealt with all of this over the years, that it has helped them to endure their trials. I think that sometimes God allows people to go through trials not for themselves but for others.

I am still working on my worry and stress issues. Jesus specifically told us not to worry, and that God will take care of us and provide for our needs. When worry comes I remember the words of David (I think--its in the Psalms) "I was young and now I am old and I have never seen (Christians) begging for bread". I also think about how my actions speak to others. If I am worried and all stressed out about something, I am showing others that I really am not trusting in the Lord. How can I tell them to trust in the Lord when their life is stressful, if I don't do it when mine is?

I have found that I have also not given every part of my life to God. I still hold on to things and try to handle them myself, as if I can do a better job than God can. I'm afraid that if I give these special parts of my life to God to control, He will make bad things happen. I tell myself that God is good and full of loving kindness. I think about how Jesus said that if we, sinners, know how to give good gifts to our children, how much more will God give to us since He is without sin. That we would not give our child a stone if he asks for bread, and since God is sinless how much better he will treat us. Those things encourage me.

When I can, I have also found that helping others keeps my eyes off of my own problems. It makes me happy to do something nice for someone else and you can't be happy and sad all at the same time.

I spend most of my days alone. Some days I can really get depressed if I don't keep my mind on the Lord. I usually keep christian radio on all day, I prefer contemporary christian music over listening to people talk. The words are very encouraging to me and keep my eyes on the Lord all day.

I also find that the time I spend in prayer each day helps me to cope. I just feel closer to God even though He says he is always closer than a brother. Sometimes when I am in the hospital and I am in a lot of pain, I find myself just asking God to help me. I remember that God says the Spirit prays for us when we are not able to pray. I know that He is with me and that I can just lean on Him during those times.

I just don't know how nonchristians can do it all on their own strength? It must be so hard. For now, my mission field is in hospitals among doctors, nurses, etc., and in the places I can go when people ask me "What happened??" I think that He also wants me to show that I can be happy even when things are hard and tell them that this joy comes from my relationship with God. I almost feel "lucky" that God has trusted me enough to allow these trials into my life. He has counted me worthy to suffer for His name. Yes it hurts alot, but He is showing others Himself through me and if just one person comes to the Lord as a result, its all woth it.

Patience and Grace

Maybe it’s just because I am a woman that I feel this way, but sometimes I feel like I need someone to be patient and gracious with me. Perhaps it is my own sinful selfishness, but whereas sometimes I am understanding when others treat me impatiently or without common courtesy' other times I just feel like I am in need of some patience. I don’t mean that I feel like I need to be patient with them, rather I feel an emotional need for someone to show me patience, kindness, love, etc. Sort of like a moment when you are tired and at your wit’s end, and someone snaps at you… You think to yourself, “I don’t need this. I needed a kind word, a hug or a good back rub or some such comforting thing, but this was not what I needed.”

Here’s the BIG HUGE REVELATION that came to me: Jesus has patience for me. Jesus has grace in abundance for me. He is overflowing with love for me and comfort as well. That person who is “not meeting my needs” was never really meant to. Only in Jesus are my needs met. He made me a creature with needs so that He will glorify the Father by meeting those needs and as I delight in Him His beauty and wonderfulness will show to everyone around me. So when I am feeling “needy” it is an opportunity to seek Jesus. Jesus is patient, gracious, kind, merciful and He loves me even in my sin and deficiencies. When someone else is impatient and discourteous; even cruel, I can and should go to Jesus in prayer, and through reading the bible and thinking on Him. He will give me what I need to go back and show love, mercy, humility and grace to those difficult people, because I have found a fountain flowing from Him that rejuvenates my soul and meets all my needs, if I will but drink of its waters.

Psalm 81: 10 “I , the Lord, am your God, Who brought you up from the land of Egypt; Open your mouth wide and I will fill it.”

Psalm 81:16 “But I would feed you with the finest of the wheat, And with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”

The Invisible Mother...... Author Unknown

It all began to make sense: the blank stares, the lack of response, the way one of the kids would walk into the room while I'm on the phone and ask to be taken to the store. Inside I'm thinking, “Can't you see I'm on the phone?” Obviously, not.

No one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all. I'm invisible. The invisible Mom. Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more. “Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this?” Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a clock to ask, “What time is it?” I'm a satellite guide to answer, “What number is the Disney Channel?” I'm a car to order, “Right around 5:30, please.”

One night, a group of us were having dinner celebrating the return of a friend from England. Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself. I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, “I brought you this.” It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe. I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me until I read her inscription: “To Charlotte, with admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees.”

In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work: 1. No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no record of their names. 2. These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished. 3. They made great sacrifices and expected no credit. 4. The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.

A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, “Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof? No one will ever see it.” And the workman replied, “Because God sees.” I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, “I see you, Charlotte. I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does. No act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it will become.”

At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease that is erasing my life. It is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride. I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder, as one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on.

The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree. When I really think about it, I don't want my daughter to tell the friend she's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, “My Mom gets up at four in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for three hours and presses all the linens for the table.” That would mean I'd built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want her to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to her friend, to add, “You're gonna love it there.”

As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot see if we're doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.

A Psalm of Encouragement

This past week has been difficult for me, with Ryan being in Africa. But God has opened my eyes to some dear friends who have been an awesome encouragement to me. Here is a Psalm that a friend pointed me to specifically as one to meditate on during trials and struggles. Though I have read it many times in the past, it has really blessed me this week and helped me to focus my thoughts on the Lord. May it bless you all too!

Psalm 34

I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
My soul will make its boast in the LORD; The humble will hear it and rejoice.
O magnify the LORD with me, And let us exalt His name together.
I sought the LORD, and He answered me, And delivered me from all my fears.
They looked to Him and were radiant, And their faces will never be ashamed.
This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him And saved him out of all his troubles.
The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him, And rescues them.
O taste and see that the LORD is good; How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!
O fear the LORD, you His saints; For to those who fear Him there is no want.
The young lions do lack and suffer hunger; But they who seek the LORD shall not be in want of any good thing.
Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
Who is the man who desires life And loves length of days that he may see good?
Keep your tongue from evil And your lips from speaking deceit.
Depart from evil and do good; Seek peace and pursue it.
The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous And His ears are open to their cry.
The face of the LORD is against evildoers, To cut off the memory of them from the earth.
The righteous cry, and the LORD hears And delivers them out of all their troubles.
The LORD is near to the brokenhearted And saves those who are crushed in spirit.
Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the LORD delivers him out of them all.
He keeps all his bones, Not one of them is broken.
Evil shall slay the wicked, And those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
The LORD redeems the soul of His servants, And none of those who take refuge in Him will be condemned.

Psalm 71

1In You, O LORD, I have taken refuge;
Let me never be ashamed.
2In Your righteousness deliver me and rescue me;
Incline Your ear to me and save me.
3Be to me a rock of habitation to which I may continually come;
You have given commandment to save me,
For You are my rock and my fortress.
4Rescue me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked,
Out of the grasp of the wrongdoer and ruthless man,
5For You are my hope;
O Lord GOD, You are my confidence from my youth.
6By You I have been sustained from my birth;
You are He who took me from my mother's womb;
My praise is continually of You.
7I have become a marvel to many,
For You are my strong refuge.
8My mouth is filled with Your praise
And with Your glory all day long.
9Do not cast me off in the time of old age;
Do not forsake me when my strength fails.
10For my enemies have spoken against me;
And those who watch for my life have consulted together,
11Saying, "God has forsaken him;
Pursue and seize him, for there is no one to deliver."
12O God, do not be far from me;
O my God, hasten to my help!
13Let those who are adversaries of my soul be ashamed and consumed;
Let them be covered with reproach and dishonor, who seek to injure me.
14But as for me, I will hope continually,
And will praise You yet more and more.
15My mouth shall tell of Your righteousness
And of Your salvation all day long;
For I do not know the sum of them.
16I will come with the mighty deeds of the Lord GOD;
I will make mention of Your righteousness, Yours alone.
17O God, You have taught me from my youth,
And I still declare Your wondrous deeds.
18And even when I am old and gray, O God, do not forsake me,
Until I declare Your strength to this generation,
Your power to all who are to come.
19For Your righteousness, O God, reaches to the heavens,
You who have done great things;
O God, who is like You?
20You who have shown me many troubles and distresses
Will revive me again,
And will bring me up again from the depths of the earth.
21May You increase my greatness
And turn to comfort me.
22I will also praise You with a harp,
Even Your truth, O my God;
To You I will sing praises with the lyre,
O Holy One of Israel.
23My lips will shout for joy when I sing praises to You;
And my soul, which You have redeemed.
24My tongue also will utter Your righteousness all day long;
For they are ashamed, for they are humiliated who seek my hurt.

Jesus Has Overcome

"These things I have spoken to you so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world." John 16:33

Many of the ladies I have spoken with recently are undergoing many trials in their lives. I too have been struggling of late, and I when I came across this verse last week it encouraged me greatly.
Jesus is speaking to his disciples in this passage. It is coming close to the time of His death, and He knows what will follow for his disciples. To encourage them and give them peace, He tells them, "I have overcome the world." What a beautiful word from our Lord.
So the next time we think that we have found something we cannot handle or the next time you have to clean up after our kids again, or the next time your husband does something crazy - we will remember this verse. Yes, right now we live in the world, but we can take comfort in knowing that we are not of the world and, even more, we serve a Lord who has overcome this world. So take courage ladies, at the start of a new week. Find peace and comfort in knowing that dishes and diapers and demanding jobs are only for now. "...Take courage; I have overcome the world."

For the Empty Nesters

Each season of life has its own set of challenges and the 'empty nest' season I’m sure is no different. I have heard of more marriages ending during this time than during the child bearing years. Though it’s hard to imagine going through the empty nest (oh, having a quiet home, no one barging into bathroom while I’m in there, and skipping a meal here and there…), I’ve been told on more than one occasion that these times of having little children around will be greatly missed and I will be wishing they were back!! So I trust what they say is true…and try not to complain too much... :)

But for those of us with young children still, how can we prepare for that season, that Lord willing (in a good way), sooner or later will come? And for those of you whom are already peaking at it, and of course, those of you whom are already there, how do you get beyond the loneliness?

Well, I stumbled across this interview Nancy Leigh DeMoss did with Barbara Rainey and Susan Yates the authors of the book Barbara & Susan’s Guide to the Empty Nest. I found it very helpful, again, not just for those of you already there, but for us looking at it from the benches.

There are two parts, both quite lengthy but worth your while:

Facing the Empty Nest as a Couple

Navigating New Seasons

Good day from me and the other three chics.

"We Die With Gratitude"

This story was taken from Jesus Freaks by D.C. Talk and the Voice of the Martyrs. It took place in China sometime during the late 1960's.

'The two Christian girls waited in the Chinese prison yard for the announced execution. A fellow prisoner who watched the scene from his prison cell described their faces as pale but beautiful beyond belief; infinitely sad but sweet. Humanly speaking, they were fearful. But Chiu-Chin-Hsiu and Ho-Hsiu-Tzu had decided to submit to death without renouncing their faith.
Flanked by renegade guards, the executioner came with a revolver in his hand. It was their own pastor! He had been sentenced to die with the two girls. But, as on many other occasions in Church history, the persecutors worked on him, tempting him. They promised to release him if he would shoot the girls. He accepted.
The girls whispered to each other, then bowed respectfully before their pastor. One of them said, "Before you shoot us, we wish to thank you heartily for what you have meant to us. You baptised us, you taught us the ways of eternal life, you gave us holy communion with the same hand in which you now hold the gun.
"You also taught us that Christians are sometimes weak and commit terrible sins, but they can be forgiven again. When you regret what you are about to do to us, do not despair like Judas, but repent like Peter. God bless you, and remember that our last thought was not one of indignation against your failure. Everyone passes through hours of darkness.
"May God reward you for all the good you have done to us. We die with gratitude."
They bowed again.
The pastor's heart was hardened. He shot the girls.
Afterwards he was shot by the Communists.'

"We Have Your Nephew"

This story was taken from Jesus Freaks by D.C. Talk and Voice of the Martyrs. It took place in the Philippines in 1992.

'"We have your nephew," said the handwritten note. "If you surrender to us, we will return the boy to his parents." Brother MT stared at the message. It was from the leaders of the New People's Army (NPA), the military arm of the Communist Party of the Philippines. People in many parts of the Philippines have been threatened and persecuted for years by this group of terrorists.
Brother MT is an evangelist in the Philippines. He travels regularly into the mountains to reach the terrorist groups. Peter, his eight-year-old nephew, frequently went with Brother MT on his evangelistic trips. He was a special help to him in children's meetings in the mountain villages.
Because of the pressure from the NPA, Brother MT was often forced into hiding. Still, as a result of his ministry, some of the NPA soldiers had given their lives to Jesus Christ and left the organization. MT had counted the cost and was prepared to give his life for the Gospel, but he was not prepared for this! He knew there was no hope that his surrender would save his nephew. He knew they would both be killed; however, he hesitated.
The boy's parents insisted that MT ignore this order and continue his evangelistic outreach. As a result, the parents gave their son for the Gospel. Peter was killed on Good Friday, April 17, 1992. He was tortured for three hours and suffered very much. His hands were tied with wire, and the terrorists struck him in the legs and head with an ax. Finally, he was beheaded.
The abductors have warned the boy's parents and MT that if they do not stop their ministry, they will return and torture them. Brother MT is continuing his dangerous work in the mountains among the terrorist groups."

Luke 14:26 "If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple."

This story is a hard one to read. It is not one of adults, freely making their own choices regarding their lives. Rather, it is of a family who knew what it meant to love Jesus more than each other. It is of an eight year old who was strong enough to preach the Gospel to other children even though he knew the risk. It is of an eight year old who was tortured and killed by those who despise the Gospel.
This did not take place very long ago, a mere sixteen years. If Peter was alive today, he would only be a couple of years older than I am.
We link to a website called The Rebelution put out by Alex and Brett Harris. The site is devoted to encouraging young people to "do hard things" and not succumb to our culture's low expectations. Peter is the epitome of this.
This week, pray for the people willingly offering their lives for the sake of the Gospel. Pray for their families who are left behind.

"The Highest Words"

Men of faith rise up and sing
Of the great and glorious King
You are strong when you feel weak
In your brokeness complete

Shout to the North and the South
Sing to the East and the West
Jesus is saviour to all
Lord of heaven and earth

Rise up women of the truth
Stand and sing to broken hearts
Who can know the healing power
Of our awesome King of love

We've been through fire we've been
through rain
We've been refined by the power of his name
We've fallen deeper in love with you
You've burned the truth on our lips

Rise up church with broken wings
Fill this place with songs again
Of our God who reigns on high
By His grace again we'll fly

This story was taken from Jesus Freaks by D.C. Talk and Voice of the Martyrs. It took place in the U.S.S.R. in the 1970s.

'"What kind of men are these?" wondered Nikolai Khamara. "They show joy while suffering They sing in very dark hours. When they have a piece of bread, they share it with someone who has none. Morning and evening, they fold their hands and speak to someone whom no one can see. As they do, their faces shine."
For months, Khamara had watched the Christians who shared his cell in the Communist prison. Unlike the believers who were in prison for refusing to deny their faith in Jesus, Khamara was there for crimes he had committed. Arrested for robbery, he had been sentenced to prison for ten years. He described himself as "a man with no conscience."
One day, two of the Christians sat down with Khamara. He told them the sad story of his life and finished by saying, "I am a lost man."
One of the Christians asked, "Suppose somebody looses a gold ring. What is the value of that gold ring when it is lost?"
"What a foolish question!" Khamara replied. "A gold ring is a gold ring. You have lost it, but somebody else will have it."
"Then what is the value of a lost man?" the Christian asked. Answering his own question, he continued, "A lost man, even one who is a thief or an adulterer or a murderer, has the whole value of a man. He is of such value that the Son of God forsook heaven for him and died on the cross to save him."
Khamara uderstood.
The Christian said to the robber, "God loves you. You are valuable to Him. When Jesus met drunkards, robbers, prostitutes, or others who had committed great sins, He never asked them what sins they had committed. Instead, He told them 'Be of good cheer. Your sins are forgiven.' I also tell you, Khamara, that your sins are forgiven because Jesus died for you. You only have to believe."
Khamara became a Christian.
When he finished his prison term and was set free, he joined the underground church even though it was in constant threat from the KGB. He became a faithful member of his local congregation. Some time later, the pastor of Khamara's church was arrested. The authorities beat and tortured him hoping he would tell the names of the church members and give them information that would help them stop the printing of Gospel booklets that had been circulating throught their province. He was tortured, but he told them nothing., If he had, thousands of his fellow believers would have been arrested.
After he had beated the pastor repeatedly without success, the captain of the investigation said, "We will not torture you anymore. We have another method."
They arrested Nikolai Khamara. They brought him before the pastor and told him, "If you do not tell all the secrets of your church, we will torture Khamara in front of you."
The pastor could not endure someone suffering for him. He asked Khamara, "What should I do?"
Khamara said to him, "Be faithful to Jesus and do not betray Him. I am happy to suffer for the name of Christ."
The captain said, "We will gouge out Khamara's eyes." The torturers picked up a knife and started toward Khamara. The pastor could not bear it. He cried to Khamara, "How can I look at this! You will be blind!"
Khamara repliedd, "When my eyes are taken away from me, I will see more beauty than I see with these eyes. I will see the Savior. You remain faithful to Christ to the end."
When he had finished, seeing that the astor had not yet given them the information they wanted, the captain turned to the pastor again and said, "If you do not betray your church, we will cut out Khamara's tongue."
I despair, the pastor cried out, "What should I do?"
Khamara's last words were, "Praise the Lord Jesus Christ. I have said the highest words that can be said. Now, if you wish, you can cut out my tongue."
Khamara died a martyr's death.'

"He Will Enable Me to Bear It"

This story is a little longer than the rest, so I am going to keep my comments (mostly!) to myself. I have so much admiration for this young woman. I hope her story will embolden you in your public Christian walk and will move you to pray for the people who have to make these same decisions every day.

This story was taken from Jesus Freaks by D.C. Talk and Voice of the Martyrs. It took place in England, 1557.

"Rose Allen jumped from her bed and peeked out the window. There in front of her door stood a sheriff, two police officers, and a crowd of people carrying torches. They were talking with her father on the doorstep. She looked at the clock on the mantle. It was two in the morning.
Rose's mother, Alice Munt, had also been awakened by the loud pounding on the door. 'What is it, Rose?' she whispered.
'They've come to get us, Mother,' Rose whispered back. Rose could hear her father, William, letting the men in below. Then she heard footsteps coming up the stairs.
Friends had warned them of the danger of not attending the official church, but their sense of duty to the truth was stronger than their fears. They continued to worship in secret places with a few men and women like faith. Now the authorities had come to take them away.
Alice, who was not in good health, was so shaken up by the sudden alarm that she felt faint. She asked the sheriff if her daughter could get her some water before they all left for prison.
The sheriff allowed Rose to go to the well. She took a candle and a pitcher to the well and returned with the water. As she came back toward the house, the sheriff met her at the door and said, 'Persuade your father and mother to act more like good Christians and less like heretics. Then they'll soon be set free.'
'Sir,' Rose replied,'They have a better instructor than I, for the Holy Spirit teaches them - one who, I hope, will not allow them to err.'
'Well! It's time to lock up such heretics as you!' the sheriff replied. 'I reckon you will burn with the rest, for company's sake.'
'No sir,' Rose replied, 'not for company's sake, but for my Christ's sake, if I have to. And I trust in His mercies, that if He calls me to do it, He will enable me to bear it.'
One of the sheriff's men shouted, 'Prove her now, and you shall see what she will do by and by.'
With that, the sheriff took the candle from the girl and holding her wrist in a firm grip, put the lighted candle under her hand, burning it across the back for so long that the skin peeled off, the tendons cracked, and the bones showed.
'Cry, wench! Let me hear you cry!' he yelled.
Rose refused to utter a sound.
When he finally pushed her away, Rose said, 'Sir, have you done what you will do?'
'Yes, and if you don't like it, then mend it.'
'Mend it!' said Rose, 'No, the Lord will mend you, and give you repentance, if it be His will. And now, if you think it good, begin at the feet, and burn to the head also. For he that sent you to this work shall pay you your wages one day, I promise you.'
Having said this, Rose carried the water into the house to her mother.
The same morning, the sheriff and his men also arrested six others. After they had been in prison a few days, they were all brought to trial. Each one answered with firmness and refused to change their belief in any way. They were sentenced to be burned at the stake.
When they were brought out, the martyr's knelt, said their prayers, and were tied to the stakes. When the fire rose all around them, they clapped their hands for joy in the fire.
The people who looked on - thousands of them - cried out, 'Lord strengthen you! The Lord comfort you! The Lord pour out His mercies upon you!' and other words of comfort.
The martyrs gave themselves to the flames with such courage that all who saw them were amazed.

"Better is one day in Your courts

Better is one day in Your house
Better is one day in Your courts
Than thousands elsewhere
Better is one day in Your courts
Better is one day in Your house
Better is one day in Your courts
Than thousands elsewhere

(My heart and flesh cry out)
My heart and flesh cry out
For You, the Living God
Your Spirit's water for my soul
I've tasted, and I've seen
Come once again to me
I will draw near to You
I will draw near to You
To You"

Walled In

This story was taken from Jesus Freaks by D.C. Talk and Voice of the Martyrs. It took place in the 1500s.

"'I found one!' The Inquisitor held up the forbidden book as he called to his assistant. 'Bring in the mayor and his family. Someone is studying the Bible in this house!'
In the 16th century, Philip 2 sent the Duke of Alba to Flanders to stamp out the Protestants who insisted on reading the Scriptures in their own language. Anyone found studying the Bible was hanged, drowned, torn into pieces, or burned alive at the stake.
The Inquisitors had found the Bible while inspecting the house of the Mayor of Burgge. One by one, family members were questioned but everyone claimed they knew nothing about how the Bible got to their house.
Finally the officials asked the young maid-servant, Wrunken, who boldly declared, 'I am reading it!'
The mayor, knowing the penalty for studying the Bible, tried to defend her saying, 'Oh no, she only owns it. She doesn't ever read from it.'
But Wrunken chose not to be defended by a lie. 'This book is mine. I am reading from it, and it is more precious to me than anything!'
She was sentenced to die by suffocation. A place would be hollowed in the city wall, she would be tied in it, and the opening would be bricked over.
On the day of her execution, as she stood by the wall, an official tried to get her to change her mind, saying 'So young and beautiful - and yet to die.'
Wrunken replied, 'My Savior died for me. I will also die for Him.'
As the bricks were laid higher and higher, she was warned again. 'You will suffocate and die in here!'
'I will be with Jesus,' she answered.
Finally, the wall was finished, except for the one brick that would cover her face. For the last time, the official tried to persuade her. 'Repent - just say the word and you will go free.'
But Wrunken refused saying, 'O Lord, forgive my murderers.'
The brick was put in place. Many years later, her bones were removed from the wall and buried in the cemetery of Brugge."


This story moves me on so many levels! Wrunken had so many opportunities to escape. She had only to deny that the Bible was hers at the beginning when questioned. The mayor and his family were clearly ready to back her on it. And after she claimed ownership, the mayor still tried to rescue her. But she refused to be rescued. "My Savior died for me. I will also die for Him."
Most of us will never face the choice of speaking for Christ and dying or denying Christ and living. I am reminded of the verse in 1st Corinthians, "No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it." In the past, I have often looked at this verse as a display of God's faithfulness and generosity. But recently I have come to see a different aspect of it.
If God promises not to give us trials that we cannot handle, then why is it that most of us only suffer relatively minimalistic trials? Wrunken thought that it was not only necessary, but an honor to die for her Savior. However, many of us (myself included) often do not consider obedience a necessity - let alone an honor.
Let us this week consider the example of Wrunken. Let us examine our own lives to see where we can better show our devotion to our Savior. Let us repeat, "My Savior died for me. I will submit to my husband to honor Him. My Savior died for me. I will speak gently to honor Him. My Savior died for me. I will not gossip to honor him."