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Discussion Forum : General Topics : Sheep Among Wolves - Chronicles of the Persecuted Church, Volume 1

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Jeff I have just watched this video for the third time. I also sent it out to the people on my distribution list. I implored them to please watch this video. And by far this is the best video I've seen on the persecuted church and a global harvest of souls.

One thing that struck me about this video was the call for a gospel response. That is a gospel response to the Islamic challenge. I believe Joel Richardson said there is a tendency do want to respond to Islamic violence with hatred of our hesrt. That is to want to turn the Middle East into a sea of glass. Rather than respond with a gospel that can change hearts of hate into hearts of love for the Lord Jesus Christ.

Earlier today I was on a prayer call that I had to get off of. The moderator of the prayer call was asking us to pray that the leader of ISIS would not escape the combined American and Russian bombings of Rappa. There were so called Spirit filled Christians who were calling for the leader of ISIS to be neutralized. Needless to say my spirit was grieved.

In moderating Persecution Watch I read the reports of the evil of ISIS. And the so-called Caliph is an evil man. But then so is Kim Jung Un or the dictator of Sudan or the leader of Eritrea. These are all evil men. But then we also were evil in God's eyes. Yet God did not consign us to Hell fire. But in his mercy brought Jesus Christ into our lives.
To me the gospel response is to pray that the leader of ISIS have an experience with Jesus Christ. Not call out for his annihilation. The question comes up who are we to consign somebody to hell. Romans 13 reminds us vengeance is mine says the Lord. And He will repay.

Just something and I got out of the video watching it the third time.

Blaine

 2016/2/6 20:26









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Praying that people escape the grip of ISIS is one thing, & a good thing to pray. Praying for the annihilation of men? While I can sympathize with the desire to not have the evil brought that they bring, I also don't see any New Testament Biblical precedence or principle in which the focus of our prayers is that the enemies of the Cross be killed. God is God & we should pray for the safety, escape, faithful & bold testimony of the saints, that the Spirit of God fellowship with them in a mighty way in any sufferings, that the Lord lead them & His will be done, & that the Lord save those whom He will save even among the vilest of men, & that God execute justice His way in His timing. That's Biblical. Jesus prayed "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do" while men mocked Him & crucified him. Men like the apostles, Polycarp, & many others did likewise. Men like Richard Wurmbrand prayed for & continued preaching to the captors who tortured & beat him. I don't see once anywhere a Biblical mandate/precedence to "call down fire from heaven upon" the enemies of the cross. Jesus told the sons of thunder - "you know not what spirit you are of".

 2016/2/6 20:53









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Jeff do you remember in the video where the sister responded to the question asked by the brother? He asked what should I do if they are raping you? Her response blew the brother's mind. She said if they are raping me. I will say Lord Jesus I offer my body as a sacrifice to you. Must admit bro. Blows my mind too.

Blaine

 2016/2/6 22:59









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Me too. That's Padina. The radical Muslim who was going to kill herself on Iran Alive's live TV show, but Jesus healed her mom of MS & they both got saved. And That's Mansour's wife. Mansour is the brother who was the big time drug dealer who watched a guy OD & soon after gave his life to Christ. They are the founders & leading family of Global Catalytic Ministries. Yeah, that's so hard to swallow, so radical for Jesus, & so "counted the full cost & ready to pay it all come what may" it really left me speechless. And pondering that kind of radical commitment & love for Christ (& eternal mindset). Wow.

 2016/2/7 0:00









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Hi Jeff

I was reflecting some more the video today. What came across to me was the appeal to go. The appeal to be used in the harvest. I believe it was Dalton Thomas or it might have been Joel Richardson who said God does not want us to be awesome or amazing. But simply to be available. I was particularly moved by the sister who is 59. This dear saint said that she had no particular language skills. Or skill sets. She was just simply the arms and the feet of Jesus. And God allowed her to go into restricted nations to be used of Him.

Brother is this what Jesus is asking of us? Simply to be available? Can it be that simple? To simply say here am I Lord? Please send ne?

Can God possibly use someone like me? Someone who is 64 years old and legally blind? But someone who has a heart for the persecuted. Someone who wants to see the lost reached?

Blaine

 2016/2/7 17:36









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Ultimately, you let the Lord lead you brother. No gift is a certain qualifier, & no weakness is a disqualifier. The Lord's specific leading & call is all that matters. If that's there, then nothing else really matters.

 2016/2/7 18:57









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Jeff thank you brother. Your words are very encouraging. As you know Salt Lake City has been on my heart. But so also are the persecuted. So I'm definitely praying for His leaving. Also going to step out on the water. And see God trouble the waters :-).

Blaine

 2016/2/7 19:01









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In reflecting more on this video. I am amazed there are those who feel the call to go to the front lines and labor in the things of Christ. Realizing that such a call may well cost them their very lives. But then I'm reminded of what Jim Elliott said. " No man is a fool to give up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose." And as such our dear brother was martyred in seeking to see those in darkness come to Christ.

But then the question arises what am i living for. Am I living for the shallow mean things in this world. Or am i living for the eternal realities of Christ. Indeed my brothers and sisters on the front lines are laying down their lives for the things of Jesus.

Why are we not challenged to be used in the harvest. There's an ongoing thread on the sovereignty of God. As if our finite mind can pierce the infinite God. Should we not rather be seeking His heart. And his heart is the harvest.

I am reminded of what Paul said. The kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. Or to put it in the vernacular talk is cheap. There are those that can come on this forum and talk a good game. That includes myself. But are we willing to put our money where your mouth is. And to lay down our lives and go be used in the harvest.

It is disheartening that so few have commented on the excellent video. But rather would prefer to hear themselves talk on the thread on the sovereignty of God. Why are we not challenged to seek God's heart and to be used in his harvest? And that question applies to myself.

Brothers and sisters the time is short. Whether we like it or not, Jesus is returning soon. Matthew 25 particularly in the parable of the sheep and goats will be our judge. We will not be judged on the theology we hold. But we will be judged by our actions. That is actions that come out of a hard that is changed for the Lord Jesus Christ. Did we minister to the prisoners? Did we clothe the naked? Did we feed the hungry? Did we visit the widows and orphans in their distress? Did we share the gospel love of Jesus Christ?

Again our entrance into heaven will not be whether we believed in a Calvinistic are Armenian system. But rather, did we live out that faith reality of Jesus Christ.

Simply my thoughts.

Bearmaster





 2016/2/9 8:02









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Hey Blaine,
Yeah, I definitely understand what you're saying & see the imbalance between head & heart very often. I will say this, to bring/keep a right balance: there is nothing wrong with study of the word of God and theological concepts and doctrines like God's sovereignty. There are actually commands in the scripture concerning studying to show ourselves approved, a workman who need not be ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth. And other scriptures concerning doctrine and the importance of it. And just because spurgeon and Charles Finney couldn't agree on election versus free will, doesn't mean it's not an important matter it's worthwhile our attention and study.
The fact is, it's not a putting one against the other (theology versus doxology - or doctrine vs practice), both are important! It is however very apparent that in much of the Western church in particular, you see a heavy focus on one, and something so clear cut, biblical, and spiritually searching as the matter of our persecuted brethren and the harvest is severely neglected and out of balance. My hearts cry, and I believe the Lord's heart's cry, is that we neglect neither. And I did not mean to say in the previous parts of this thread or another, I forget where I said it, that we should not focus on letting the Lord search our own heart, and make sure we in our private lives are living up to the light we have attained and is readily available to us in the Lord through the word of God in the spirit of the living God's leading. But I am saying that if we spend 99% of our time focused on ourselves and our own group, and don't even really see the value of looking at things like this for our brethren who are just as close to us in the eyes of the Lord because we are all part of one body, then something is severely wrong in the heart of the Church, and we are missing a huge piece of the Lord's heart for his body. It's not an outward and inward and ministry the Lord has called us to , and by that I mean it's not and I'm only about letting the Lord do the work he wants to do in us, there are only focusing on ministering outwardly to others, but both!
May God richly bless you!
Jeff

 2016/2/9 10:27
dolfan
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Joined: 2011/8/23
Posts: 1727
Tennessee, but my home's in Alabama

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I made it about halfway through and stopped watching it. I'm not worthy to see it. I spend my days and nights walking in two worlds that I cannot escape. One is the love of God but the other is the workaday world. While time drips away and men and women and even children sink into hell and walk through this world without knowing Jesus, I focus on making ends meet. For what? Ourselves. And, yes I know it is a duty and a necessity and a good thing to work and provide for your family's needs. I don't begrudge that and I love my little family.

But, the people in this video? So do they. So do they. I'm not worthy to watch it. I just don't know if I can make it through without making myself sick at myself.


_________________
Tim

 2016/2/9 12:37Profile





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