The more I hear about the news today, it simply reflects so much more of what scripture would talk about. The world is becoming a more and more persecuting place for those who place their faith in Jesus.
Yesterday I was preaching about the cost of being a disciple from Luke 14, and even from what I have talked about from the points that I drew from the passage does not even come close to what some people are currently going through. However, this as it is should not be an alarming news. The persecution of believers are not new to the world and it should not be, for scripture itself has mentioned it over and over again about facing this world in which battles against the kingdom of God.
If relief should be provided, then relief we would do our best to give to those that are persecuting. We protect those who are in faith and give aid to whatever that they need for safety. But seeing from a perspective of an American culture, we often find ourselves burdened by the sufferings of persecuted believers. This is because we ourselves find it hard to endure through the hardship that currently plagues these believers, we are not comfortable with suffering. Yet, in the bible people are constantly going through suffering.
I am not opposing to the relief of the believers in suffering, we should help them as much as possible, but if we were to only focus on relief itself then we are missing out on the points that God is telling us about. We only think about relief from suffering just because we are fearful of suffering ourselves but we should be looking into this and be ever moved by the faith of these believers in standing for God.
The focus is not about finding relief but about standing for faith. God has allowed these things to happen for a reason and we ought to take these incidents as times to be strengthen and encouraged by those who are being persecuted. As Paul who was constantly put into prison and endures through hardship, he often encourages believers of the church to be strengthen in their faith more than just seeking for help and aid for release. Paul knew about the suffering that he was going through and it is not a matter of concern to him as the main concern is about those who are safe to find their own faith to be strengthened.
Our concerns in the Middle East is not about just helping with relief but about being encouraged by their faith and be ever more living out the life that God has called us to live. Hebrews 11 talks about those who are living the lives in such a way that they are only concern with how they live out their faith, even if they were to be persecuted in this life.
God calls for living faithfully no matter the circumstances, not living victoriously as we often like to see in our own convenience and comfort.
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