But today, I say no. The enemy wants us to do nothing but I want nothing to do with the enemy! So today I stop being a wuss. I will not remain silent. I will not politely refrain from talking about scary things. I refuse to have any more surface-y conversations with fellow believers. It's not time for that!
Followers of Christ, WAKE UP if you've been sleeping! “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” Mark 1:15. Please please repent, stop your foolishness and believe that the Gospel is true and living and you, yes YOU have purpose for the furthering of God's kingdom. Please, do not warm the bench tomorrow at church. The enemy revels in that. God's words and power are transformative. So, step aside; move out of the way so God can transform you in order to use you!
I read an article that shook me to my core. It wasn't any kind of prolific writing; it was the un-pixellated images. Images that have permanently been burned into my memory. The body of a headless toddler. The body-less heads of half a dozen young men on display for all to see. My chest tightened and I broke a sweat in my air conditioned living room. That could've been my youngest or my husband in those photos had I been born in Iraq instead of the U.S. I felt this rock in the hollows of my stomach; not knowing what to do with it all. So I began to write this.
"Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." (1 Peter 5:8-9) These atrocities are scare tactics for the living! They are intended to devour our faith; make us weak in the knees and cower before the seeming might of the enemy. Please do not be deceived. He has not won. The victory was Christ Jesus' sacrifice and subsequent resurrection. Be alert brothers and sisters. Don't change the channel, don't exit out of that internet window just to look at mindless buffoonery. Allow this technology we possess to carry the messages that will break your heart so that you will be compelled to DO ANYTHING for Christ's sake. We have the luxury to sit in front of our televisions, laptops, IPads, smart phones (even our stupid phones are smart), and watch the carnage of a multitude of innocents being MARTYRED for their faith. What greater the pain of those presently; real time; enduring this persecution all in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Brothers and sisters, this is not the time to sit idly and not take action. There are a multitude of things you can do actively to aid those in need. I urge you to choose at least 3 and take action right now!
Pray. Pray and pray some more!
Fast. Ask God what to fast from; He will show you.
Read your Bible; specifically the Gospels so you know why you call yourself Christian.
I will pray, fast (I hesitated to write the word "fast" because my flesh doesn't want to) and read for my brothers and sisters being martyred in Iraq. I proclaim my intentions for accountability; knowing the weakness of my flesh. Hold me to it. Ask me how it's going. I'll be honest. I know I get cranky when I don't eat so the next few blogs are sure to be interesting.
If you need some encouragement to get moving and the articles and videos popping up in your Facebook newsfeed aren't doing it for you, read the lineage of faithful people that we have derived from:
Hebrews 11
By Faith
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2 For by it the people of old received their commendation. 3 By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.
4 By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks. 5 By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. 6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. 7 By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. 11 By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised. 12 Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.
13 These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. 14 For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. 15 If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.
17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, 18 of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” 19 He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back. 20 By faith Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau. 21 By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff. 22 By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones.
23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king's edict. 24 By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, 25 choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. 26 He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. 27 By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible. 28 By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them.
29 By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned. 30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days. 31 By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.
32 And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets— 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. 35 Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. 36 Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two,[a] they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— 38 of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
39 And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, 40 since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.
Footnotes:
Hebrews 11:37 Some manuscripts add they were tempted
Let me know if you'll join in and do something. Share this post if you feel it will encourage someone to get off their butt and do something. This is not for my glory but for God's. Peace be with you this week!
Sunday Brunch happens every Sunday as a spiritual encouragement for readers of the Fiery Wife blog. Come back next week and see what God is serving up for you to eat. "Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! (Ps. 34:8)"
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