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International Day Of Prayer For The Persecuted Church
International day Of Prayer For The Persecuted Church
To God be the Glory, great things He has done.
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International Day of Prayer
For the Persecuted Church
2014
What Persecution Is
Religious persecution is the mistreatment of an individual or group because of their faith, belief.
The levels of persecution can range… from acts of hatred, second-class citizenship job discrimination, and forced conversion, to imprisonment, torture, rape and death.
How Christians are Persecuted
There are two major sources of persecution today.
STATE:
All across the world, governments are
persecuting Christians, through blasphemy laws,
apostasy laws and church crack-downs, by
effectively outlawing the Gospel.
SOCIETY:
In many countries (even some that have a Christian majority), there are communities that attack churches, murder pastors, excommunicate converts and abuse Christian women.
Harassment
Property Damage
Displaced From Home
Physical Assault
Detention & Prison
Death
Detention & Prison
Physical Assault
Displaced From Home
Property Damage
Harassment
Christian believers are persecuted by both society and thegovernment.
Genesis 13:13
But the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinful against the LORD.
Christian believers are persecuted by both society and thegovernment.
Genesis 19:4-5
Now
before they lay down, the
men of the city, the men
of Sodom, both old and
young, all the people from
every quarter, surrounded
the house. And they called to
Lot and said to him, "Where are
the men who came to you tonight?
Bring them out to us that we may know them carnally."
Christian believers are persecuted by both society and thegovernment.
Genesis 19:9
And they
said, "Stand back!" Then
they said, "This one came
in to stay here, and he
keeps acting as a judge;
now we will deal worse with
you than with them." So they
pressed hard against the man
Lot, and came near to break down
the door.
Sometimes persecution is government policy (such as detention and prison).
Sometimes persecution is government policy (such as detention and prison).
And other times it is the cultural norm (such as harassment).
Sometimes persecution is government policy (such as detention and prison).
And other times it is the cultural norm (such as harassment).
Other common practices are property damages, displacement from homes, physical assault, and death.
Where Persecution Occurs
Actually, all over the world.
But the more extreme cases of Christian
persecution take place in what has been
defined by Christian missionary Luis Bush,
as the “10/40 Window”.
The 10/40 Window refers to countries north of the equator in the eastern hemisphere .
The countries in this corridor deal with the highest level
of socioeconomic challenges, and yet they cause themselves
to have the least access to the gospel.
The countries in this corridor deal with the highest level of socioeconomic challenges, and yet they cause themselves to have the least access to the gospel.
The 10/40 Window is often called "The Resistant Belt" and includes the majority of the world's Muslims, Hindus, and Buddhists.
Have you ever wondered why the people (even Christians) of Hindu nations are so persistent in maintaining social discrimination based on a caste-system?
Why are Muslims so eager to commit suicidal acts of terror?
Should we admire (Pity) them for the strength of their faith? (Delusion)
What does the religiously motivated behavior of the Hindu and the Muslim tell you about their gods?
Why do “religious” people irritate the atheists of society and non-religious governments so much?
Do atheists and non-religious governments actually serve some sort of god?
There is an on-going war between the Kingdom of God and Satan’s fallen angels.
Satan is motivated to destroy humanity because we are made in the image of God.
The spiritual battle manifests in real-time events
of world politics, national laws, the economy
and everyday life of society; the battle is over
“what people believe”:
The spiritual battle manifests in real-time events
of world politics, national laws, the economy
and everyday life of society; the battle is over
“what people believe”:
The spiritual battle manifests in real-time events
of world politics, national laws, the economy
and everyday life of society; the battle is over
“what people believe”:
the truth of God /or the lies of Satan.
We can think of plenty of examples.
Think of the rise of godless communism with its range of dictators having the view in common that “religion is the opiate of the masses”.
That “belief” alone has led to the massive slaughter of Christians, because in the depraved minds of communist leaders, religion is feared as a threat to their ideology, so it must be destroyed.
Satan is a clever enemy, and the reason Jesus
said to His disciples; “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore
be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.
"But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues. "You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. "But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; “for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.”“Now brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death.”
“And you will be hated by all for My name's sake.
But he who endures to the end will be saved.”“When they persecute you in this city,
flee to another.” Matthew 10:17-23
And Paul had plenty to say about the wolves coming into “…the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. “For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock.”
“Also from among yourselves men will rise up,
speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples
after themselves… So now, brethren, I commend
you to God and to the word of His grace, which is
able to build you up and give you an inheritance
among all those who are sanctified.” Acts 20:28-32
The “baton” for the majority of the persecution in the 21st century has been passed on to fundamental Islamic states (Afghanistan, Algeria, Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sudan, and Somalia), and Buddhist states (Cambodia, Bhutan, Sri Lanka).
As the intensity of persecution increases worldwide and Christ graciously pours out His Spirit onto His people, Christians become a more united body and bride of Christ.
Persecution reveals those who are truly devoted to Christ Jesus and challenges us to boldly claim His truth and stand firm in Him even when situations threaten to put us in great hostility and harm.
Let us sincerely remember that “if one part (of the body of Christ) suffers, every part suffers with it.” 1Cor 12.26
Sometimes we forget this truth and reveal our personal insensitivity to the reality of the complex and overwhelming nature of the spiritual battle facing our brothers and sisters in Christ, by thinking of simplistic solutions to ourselves, such as, “Why don’t persecuted Christians just leave their country?”
In that case, we need to think about our own lives… we grew up here, we have family and relatives. It would not be a simple thing to pick up and leave.
Where would we go?How would we finance the transition?
Could we leave if we wanted to?
What if we risked being imprisoned if we tried to leave; or worse, what if after leaving we were sent back only to be tortured and imprisoned!
The Big Picture in a Word
Let this word be like a golden branding-iron upon your mind!
You don’t hold your beliefs,
Your beliefs hold you!
Christian, what do you believe?
The Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth:
I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord.
I believe that Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit.
I believe that Jesus was born of the virgin Mary.
I believe that Jesus suffered under Pontius Pilate.
I believe that Jesus was crucified, that He died,
and that He was buried.
I believe that Jesus descended into hell.
I believe that Jesus rose again from among the dead
on the third day.
I believe that Jesus ascended into heaven.
I believe that Jesus now sits at the right hand
of God, the Father Almighty.
I believe that Jesus will come from His throne to
judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit.
I believe in the holy Christian church.
I believe in the communion of saints.
I believe in the forgiveness of sins.
I believe in the resurrection of the body.
I believe in the life everlasting.
Amen!