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Lordoitagain Member
Joined: 2008/5/23 Posts: 632 Monroe, LA - USA
| Re: | | An interesting thing to inject in this discussion is the fact that Jesus prayed: "Father if it be possible let this cup pass from me, nevertheless not my will but thine be done." when he was about to face the worst for us.
If we sincerely pray: "Thy will be done" ... we are praying most appropriately. If in His omniscience He deems persecution as the most glorifying to Him ... may His perfect will be done. If He determines otherwise ... His will be done. _________________ Michael Strickland
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2014/5/4 22:44 | Profile |
dolfan Member
Joined: 2011/8/23 Posts: 1727 Tennessee, but my home's in Alabama
| Re: Praying for persecution | | I could be wrong but when I read the initial post I sensed a tongue in cheek to the suggestion of praying for persecution. But, it caused me to keep reading, and the point is well taken.
Persecuted people sometimes view us as lacking and pray for us instead of asking for our prayers. Some of them see what we are too blinded by pride, affluence and cares of this life to see. And, because of this blindness, we are the real darkness and not they in the lands of their persecutors.
I think the opening paragraph is an honest effort to be ironic and not an actual urging to pray for persecution. At least that is how I understood it. _________________ Tim
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2014/5/5 8:08 | Profile |
KingJimmy Member
Joined: 2003/5/8 Posts: 4419 Charlotte, NC
| Re: | | While I gladly accept persecution when it comes, and believe God can do great things through a persecuted church, persecution is not something we should actively pray for and seek. Indeed, Jesus said that though we would be persecuted, when we are, we are to flee to the next city. In other words , don't seek to stay around and be persecuted some more.
We pray thy kingdom come, thy will be done.
_________________ Jimmy H
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2014/5/5 8:45 | Profile |
KingJimmy Member
Joined: 2003/5/8 Posts: 4419 Charlotte, NC
| Re: | | As it is, honestly, how do we in fact know that persecuted Christians in China are walking close with the Lord? Such notions smack of misty-eyed romanticism instead of reality. It might make for a good Ravenhill sermon, but it is frankly just bad theology.
Case in point, look at some such as Witness Lee and his movement. If anything they prove that some in China are damnable heretics, and persecution has done little to redeem them. In China you find every problem the church in America has... except maybe bad PowerPoint slides.
They are no better off than us. They are just as blessed as us.
I dare say Christians in China are no more blessed or better off than us in the West. My level of blessing doesn't have much to do with my geography or whether or not somebody has a knife to my throat. I am blessed to the degree I have been made to sit in heavenly places with Christ, and have been blessed with every spiritual blessing. I have been granted by his grace, everything pertaining to life and godliness.
*edited* _________________ Jimmy H
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2014/5/5 9:16 | Profile |
AbideinHim Member
Joined: 2006/11/26 Posts: 5185 Louisiana
| Re: | | I agree with Narrow Path and Savanna. We pray for those in authority so that we would live quite and peaceable lives.
We don't need to pray for persecution because it comes with the territory. "All those that live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." (2Timothy 3:12).
"If they have persecuted me, they will persecute you also." ( John 15:20)
We pray that the Church would be purified and The Lord will send the refining fire that will get the job done. Judgement begins first in the house of God.
Mike _________________ Mike
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2014/5/5 10:56 | Profile |
| Re: Jimmy | | And Jimmy how do you know that those in persecuted lands are NOT walking close to the Lord? It has been said that one hour spent in the presence of someone who has suffered for Christ in a persecuted nation will expose shallowness of our Western faith.
I think your assessment of the persecuted church is a bit simplistic I might add brother a little unrealistic.
Blaine |
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2014/5/5 14:03 | |
TMK Member
Joined: 2012/2/8 Posts: 6650 NC, USA
| Re: | | Hi Bear---
I think part of the problem at least for me is the perception that if we are not being persecuted or threatened on a daily basis that we should feel guilty about it. I am sorry about the persecution in Iraq and China but praise God I am not living there. If what you all are saying about persecution is correct then we will be experiencing it here soon enough.
In other words it is not my fault that we in the states are not persecuted like those elsewhere. That is Gods call, not mine. Yes we should be praying for them of course and we need to be ready. But we don't need to feel condemned because we are fortunate enough to be relatively free from persecution here. _________________ Todd
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2014/5/5 14:16 | Profile |
dolfan Member
Joined: 2011/8/23 Posts: 1727 Tennessee, but my home's in Alabama
| Re: | | We can make persecution an idol in a weird way.
The saints of the NT church exalted Jesus, not persecution. In fact, Paul gives a lot of "buts" in 2 Cor. 4 to describe how persecuted but not forsaken/abandoned they were. Of course, the persecuted church, real as it is, is not to blame for any romanticizing of it we Americans may do. But, we do glam it up in our minds.
Lord help us to endure our own self inflicted illusions and to see Your light. We dishonor You and Yours when we imagine vainly that the persecuted are somehow immune to temptation, reach super-spiritual status, or are closer to You because of persecution. At the same time, I thank You Lord that You have given them gold purified by fire, that they have in some measure we don't know overcome sin due to suffering in their bodies, that they do not reject You, and that You are glorified by them. I pray that they will endure to the end in faithfulness and truth. I pray that you will wake us from our slumber and revive us still. Cleanse and purify us, O Lord. _________________ Tim
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2014/5/5 15:10 | Profile |
TMK Member
Joined: 2012/2/8 Posts: 6650 NC, USA
| Re: | | Amen!! _________________ Todd
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2014/5/5 15:16 | Profile |
ZekeO Member
Joined: 2004/7/4 Posts: 1014 Pietermaritzburg, South Africa
| Re: | | Persecution for born again believers come because of the testimony of Jesus Christ. _________________ Zeke Oosthuis
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2014/5/5 15:52 | Profile |