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Discussion Forum : Devotional Thoughts : HAS GOD FORGOTTEN HIS CHILDREN? - NORTH KOREA

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 HAS GOD FORGOTTEN HIS CHILDREN? - NORTH KOREA


How long, LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me? Psalm 13:1-2

If any believers can identify with this cry of David, it is those in North Korea. Today we hear from our co-worker, Jan Vermeer:

Looking at the desperate condition of the scattered North Korean church is a test of faith. Was the church meant to be underground or to be a bold witness? Should the name of Jesus Christ be proclaimed or whispered in silence? And if Jesus is King, why doesn’t He come to the rescue of his followers? Why do hundreds or even thousands perish in prisons or death camps each year?

An Open Doors contact in North Korea talks about their prayer meetings. “If you could attend one of those rare prayer meetings, your hearts would break,” he says. “We cover the portraits of the leaders on the wall and then we kneel down in a circle. We pray for strength and endurance. We pray that God will keep our country. ‘Father,’ we say, ‘The Israelites sinned and you made them wander in the wilderness for forty years. But for us, Lord, after more than fifty years we are still being punished. However, we have sinned and You are just. We bowed before the idols of Kim Il-Sung and before that to the idols of the Japanese. Forgive us. Please Father; restore the churches of past times in North Korea.’”

Feeling that sense of guilt in the North Korean believers is utterly painful. It makes you cry out with them the words of David, “How long, oh Lord? Will you forget me forever?” It’s a heartfelt cry, but is it the truth? Has God forgotten His children in North Korea? For that answer we have to investigate the spiritual life of North Korean Christians.

The Open Doors contact adds, “If you do that, you’ll find North Korean Christians are very mature. They know how to approach unbelievers and how to train new Christians, including their children once they are old enough. The Christians don’t mind to be tested. In fact, they are determined to sacrifice themselves for the Kingdom of God. They see trials as purifying.”

North Korean Christians know that when they pray earnestly, God will answer. The contact continues, “Whenever we do a project with Open Doors, first we fast for seven, sometimes ten days. Only when God tells us separately that we can continue with the project do we give the green light and carry out the project. Sometimes we have a very vivid dream in which God tells us what to do and sometimes we all just feel exactly the same about the project. Our believers are bolder and stronger than before, even though the persecution is also stronger.”

Where people love and follow Jesus, there is always hope!

RESPONSE: Today I bask in the sunshine of this hope. God does not ever forget His children!

PRAYER: Pray today for isolated believers in North Korea who do not have the warmth of Christian fellowship and group prayer.

Standing Strong Through The Storm (SSTS)
A daily devotional message by SSTS author Paul Estabrooks

from: http://links.biblegateway.mkt4731.com/servlet/MailView?ms=NDE4MTk1ODcS1&r=MjY3OTUzMzc0MDQS1&j=MTkxNjYwNTMzS0&mt=1&rt=0


_________________
SI Moderator - Greg Gordon

 2013/6/18 16:26Profile









 Re: HAS GOD FORGOTTEN HIS CHILDREN? - NORTH KOREA

We will be praying for N. Korea and other persecuted nations at 8pm central time tonight. The number for US callers is 209.255.1000. The number for Canadian callers is 559.670.1000. Access code is 109083#.for both numbers.

Call is open to all.

Blaine

 2013/6/18 19:27
ginnyrose
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Joined: 2004/7/7
Posts: 7534
Mississippi

 Re: HAS GOD FORGOTTEN HIS CHILDREN? - NORTH KOREA

These Christian's trials make our difficulties look childish, immature, selfish at best.

The faith, endurance of Believers under pressure, even at a cost to their lives has always inspired me. It is under those circumstances one learns to rely totally on the LORD, something very difficult to do in the west.

God bless them and those that work to bring comfort and assistance to them.


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Sandra Miller

 2013/6/18 20:05Profile









 Re:

We could easily ask if God has forgotten America?

The Church in North Korea has ceased from sin (as they are suffering in the flesh) and being purified and growing close to Jesus.

God has not forgotten America or North Korea. Even now, God is bringing the fire to purify and grow up His babies in America.

 2013/6/18 20:35
docseth1
Member



Joined: 2008/5/17
Posts: 173
Valdosta, Ga

 Re: HAS GOD FORGOTTEN HIS CHILDREN? - NORTH KOREA

It sure does make many of the things that we fuss about on these forums seem so frivolous.


_________________
Cliff

 2013/6/18 21:03Profile









 Re:

They ask God to forgive them for worshipping the idols of the past. I shudder to think what will happen to the weak, aboveground church in the west because of their idolatry. The west is aboveground, but not bold. I think the underground church IS bold. They are enduring and not falling away. What will be the onslaught in the west? How many will fall away and betray their brethren?



 2013/6/19 7:56
ginnyrose
Member



Joined: 2004/7/7
Posts: 7534
Mississippi

 Re:

QUOTE:
"We could easily ask if God has forgotten America?"


So true....Oh, so true. Here in the west Christianity is a comfortable lifestyle, but what if it would make life uncomfortable?


_________________
Sandra Miller

 2013/6/19 9:43Profile
MaryJane
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Joined: 2006/7/31
Posts: 3057


 Re:

by ginnyrose on 2013/6/19 3:43:14

QUOTE:
"We could easily ask if God has forgotten America?"


So true....Oh, so true. Here in the west Christianity is a comfortable lifestyle, but what if it would make life uncomfortable?

___________

Well then you would know who were truly brothers and sister in Christ, those who cling to HIM will be separated from those who were just playing at religion. The sheep will follow the Shepherds voice and the rest will fall away...


Time to be in prayer for sure. I will join you in praying for those in N. Korea.

God bless
mj

 2013/6/19 9:47Profile









 Re:

A "shaking" and a "winnowing" has already been sent to the West, its full effect not yet realized. For those that have eyes to see and ears to hear.

Why would God only bless the North Korea Church and forget the wayward and backslidden church in the West?

The more acute the pride, the more severe the chastisement.

Rev 3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:

Rev 3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.

Rev 3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

 2013/6/19 10:34









 Re: The Divided Koreas

It is heart wrenching to read that some beleivers in N. Korea feel that the persecutions in that nation are God's judgement on tbem. It was true in times past that the church in Korea, particularly the north did capitulate to the Japanese and later the Communist. But though many capitulated, a faithful, remnant church has emerged in N. Korea that is paying the price of their love for Christ with their blood. Indeed the persecution is not punisment but God purifying for himself a bride. This is the same remnant church in N. Korea that is praying the American church wake up and be pure in Christ on these end times.

By contrast, the once vibrant evangelical church of S. Korea has fallen into materialism and worldliness. No longer does one here about the prayer and fasting of S. Korean believers. What comes out of that nation is a worldly megachurch filled with sin. No doubt imoorted from America. In some ways the S. Korean church out does the American church in terms of its worldliness.

Some have suggested that the reason the Koreas remain divided is God is protecting the N. Korean church from the ravages is the sin that grips the S. Korean church. Far from being judgement the persecutions that God is allowing in N. Korea is to purify for himself a bride. A bride he loves.

If course this makes absolutely no since to our western mindset. How can a loving God permit parents see their children run over by a steam roller because they will not deny their faith in Christ. Only a God the N. Korean Christians belueve in that give them the hope of eternal glory. These parents told their children to have hope in Jesus. We will see you in heaven.

N. Korea is a small picture of what living under the reign of antichrist will be. For these precious saints there is no hope of a pretrib rapture to deliver them. Indeed they often say please pray we will endure the trials where God has placed us. Please pray we will be faithful in these trials.

A brother shared with me that one hour in the presence of someone who has endured persecution will expose the shallowness of our western faith. I know this would be true of ny shallow faith.

Dear God may we have the humility to learn from these precious saints who are spilling their blood for you.

Blaine Scogin

 2013/6/19 10:51





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