The authentic Christian life?

We were driving in one of our favourite places on the planet. Not just the Kruger National Park in South Africa but the Pafuri area in the far north of the park.

The beautiful Luvuvhu River

The whole area has a beautiful atmosphere.  The peace of the African bush, the gorgeous lush vegetation, amazing baobab and fever trees and everywhere exotic birds flitting through the foliage and along the Luvuvhu River. Animals may have been in short supply but the beautiful environment with the Luvuvhu Gorge as a backdrop was breath taking.

I was overwhelmed with thankfulness to God for showing us this amazing part of his creation that a relatively small number of people have experienced. Gratitude flooded my soul and a deep desire never to take this for granted.

On our return to our accommodation I continued to read my novel,Safely Home by Randy Alcorn, which concerns the house church in China, and depicts the persecution that many of these secret believers face from the Chinese government.

The Communist government tolerates the official churches, sanctioned by themselves and which have to tow the party line but the Bible believing house churches are persecuted with believers and especially leaders of the churches imprisoned, tortured and even martyred if they will not renounce their Christianity.

I was shocked by the contrast I had experienced that day. On the one hand I had been blessed amazingly and on the other many, many Christians throughout the world are suffering terribly for their faith – not my experience at all.

What is even more shocking is that it is the Chinese Christians who appear to be experiencing a more Bible based Christianity that I am.   Jesus himself said ‘Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.  Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Matthew 5: 11 – 12.

His brother James wrote, Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1: 2 – 4

The apostle Paul wrote to the Thessalonians, Therefore, among God’s churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring. 2 Thessalonians 1: 4.

There are many New Testament references to persecution and trials. 

In China and the many other countries where Christians are routinely persecuted for their faith, they have nothing to cling to but Jesus. They have to be 100% convinced of their salvation and their Christian beliefs. 

What is more, Christians persecuted in this way seem to regard it as an incredible honour to suffer as Jesus did. They are overjoyed when Jesus is glorified by many coming to salvation and they consider their lives as nothing as long as the Kingdom advances. 

In fact this seems to be the normal life for the Christian.  All the apostles with the exception of John, were martyred.  Many Christians believe death to be something not to talk about as it means dying and that is morbid. Death as a believer however is not morbid but glorious. It brings us into our eternal destiny. It takes us to our true home.

Jesus himself encouraged us.  ³⁴ Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. ³⁵ For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.³⁶ What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? ³⁷ Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? ³⁸ If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”

So how on earth do I reconcile my Christian faith with those of my brothers and sisters living in poverty, hardship or under persecution? Do I just thank God for the abundance of my possessions and carry on? I believe we owe the persecuted Church a lot more than that. 

Christians who are persecuted and even those living in poverty say that what they really value are our prayers and Bibles.  Generously supporting charities that help distribute Bibles, as well as helping lift people out of extreme poverty, is a wonderful way to show love to the suffering part of the Body of Christ. And prayers. The Church that is being persecuted or living in poverty love to know that they are not forgotten and people are thinking and praying for them. 

We have a vital role to play in supporting and strengthening our persecuted Christian brothers. Let’s rise to the challenge because we have been blessed to be a blessing. 

Bombs not food

Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumours of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.

 “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. Matthew 24: 4 - 14

The other day I went to a concert at The Royal Albert Hall, the iconic concert hall, in London. They searched our bags as we went in. Whilst we were waiting for the concert to begin, a young man asked me rather worriedly, if it was alright to bring food into the hall because they had searched his bag. I told him that I thought the security people were searching bags for bombs, not food. The young man obviously felt rather foolish when he realised the seriousness of the situation. 

Over the last few days I have come to realise that we really are living in serious times. There have always been e mails floating around about how the west will be overrun by Muslims in 20 years time.  I have not taken this too seriously as statistically it never seems to quite add up and many Muslims have no intention of overthrowing our nation and imposing Sharia law. However the events in the Middle East and especially what is happening in northern Iraq and Syria have changed my mind. 

Christians are being martyred, persecuted and forced from their homes in huge numbers not just in the Middle East but in North Korea, China, India, Indonesia, Sudan, Nigeria to name but a few places. There can be a real tendency in the western church to think that this persecution is happening over there and we may pray and give to help them and even be thankful that it is not happening here. 

However the rise of extreme violence, barbarism, terrorism and brutality on a scale not known for many years have forced me to realise I must stop worrying about the metaphorical food in my bag and start thinking and praying about the very real prospect of bombs in the bag of the person next to me. 

Twice recently I have read that the Archbishop of Mosul in northern Iraq has said:  "Our sufferings today are the prelude of those that you, Europeans and Western Christians, will also suffer in the near future.... Your liberal and democratic principles are worth nothing here. You must consider again our reality in the Middle East, because you are welcoming in your countries an ever-growing number of Muslims.... Islam does not say that all men are equal. Your values are not their values. If you do not understand this soon enough, you will become the victims of the enemy you have welcomed into your home." 

I report this not to frighten us because Jesus said not to be alarmed but to be aware, alert and praying.  I have been asking God to show me how to pray and what I can do.  It is early days yet but God has shown me a few things to pray and do practical things about.

Firstly Jesus assured us that the gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations.  Never have we had so many nations in UK as today, so never have we had such an opportunity to preach the Gospel to them without ever leaving our shores. 

Many Muslims from scattered communities are now in refugee camps with wonderful Christian organisations ministering to them both in terms of humanitarian aid and the Gospel. We can both pray and give to these organisations. 

I have been praying for the gathering of intercessors to pray authoritatively with divine wisdom into these times. I pray our churches will awaken to these days and as individual Christians we will be alert and active in our faith and prayers. 

This is not the time to fear but to rise up in faith. Many of us have been Christians for decades; now is the time to pay back the investment we have had into our lives in terms of teaching, ministry and prayer. I believe God is calling us to higher things and to fulfil a destiny and calling on our lives that has not yet been fully realised. 

There are battles to be fought, prayers to be prayed, souls to be saved and God is calling each one of us to play our part. Hallelujah! 

God loves homosexuals

Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at that time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit. Mark 13: 11

I don’t know about you but when I read verses like this, there is something in me that says, ‘thank goodness this doesn’t apply to me’.  I may pray a quick prayer for those in prison or suffering before their governments for the Christian faith but there is never any expectation of a personal application. Until now.

In Britain this year the government, with great haste and no electoral mandate from the people, has introduced a bill in Parliament to legalise same sex marriages. Up until now homosexual couples had all their legal rights met through civil partnerships and these rights gave them equality in the law with heterosexual married couples. However for the homosexual community, a tiny minority in Britain, this was not enough. They wanted marriage as well.

I do not want to go into all aspects of this matter but the most worrying side effect of this proposed legislation is that any voices raised in opposition, even in private and in a calm and well thought out way are causing people to be censored at work or even lose their job. Politicians opposed to the legislation are being sent hate mail. There is no longer freedom of speech on this matter. If you don’t agree, you must be silent. This is a very worrying trend.

Parents are not permitted to withdraw their children (aged as young as 5) from classes that teach on homosexual practices and teachers have to equally promote homosexuality as well as heterosexuality or face censure. There is no freedom of expression in this matter or conscience permitted. By even writing this blog, I could face censure from employers – but I am not employed!

However Jesus has always promised that if they hated him for speaking truth, they will hate us, his disciples as well. This does not give us permission to stir up hatred to homosexuals or call them perverts. God loves all homosexuals – it is homosexuality that he does not like and that, I believe, is because it steals from people the joy that should come from marriage between one man and one woman and then reproducing children. I know for many people marriage and relationships are full of pain and hurt but that does not make marriage wrong or to be devalued. That is the effect of sin in our world.

We must be praying for the strengthening of marriages between one man and one woman in our societies. This is God’s best for individuals and society. We must not be frightened to speak out lovingly against homosexual marriage for it will have a hugely detrimental effect on society. The Holy Spirit will give us the words to say as we trust him. And we must pray for homosexuals to come to know how much God loves them; that he does not hate or reject them. As churches, we too must show God’s love and grace to homosexuals. Jesus always reached out to the marginalised in society and so must we.

 

Suffering and glory

Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. I Peter 4: 12 – 13

I struggle to get an understanding on the positive benefits of suffering and how God’s glory is revealed through it. The Bible though is full of exhortation when faced with suffering and different authors encourage us to rejoice in our trials. We know that God was greatly glorified by the suffering and death of Jesus and it was the only way that God could redeem condemned men from sin and death. In the same way it seems that in the places of the world where there is most persecution of believers, thousands come to faith and there are incredible signs, wonders and miracles.

Brother Yun, The Heavenly Man, underwent the most horrific torture and humiliation for the sake of the Gospel in China.  He was imprisoned, humiliated, beaten with electric batons, fasted without food or water for 74 days (a human impossibility without God) and forced into latrines full of human excrement by both prison guards and his fellow cell mates. When he was so weak the prison authorities thought he was about to die they ordered his family to visit him to try to persuade him to confess his ‘crimes’ and betray his fellow workers.  His wife and family did not recognise him and only his Mother knew who he was because of a birthmark. He broke his fast and took communion with them and something broke in the heavenly realms.

His cell mates who were all suffering from a plague became Christians. Brother Yun spent his days discipling them and the many other prisoners who got saved. Then a condemned, suicidal, incredibly violent murderer, shackled for his and everyone else’s safety was put in their cell.  They treated him with love, mercy and kindness.  He was saved and transformed.  As he was led off to his execution he was rejoicing in going to be in heaven with his Saviour.

What an incredible testimony!  Jesus was indeed glorified by Brother Yun’s suffering and many came to faith as a result. Was there no other way for these precious souls to be saved?

Christians persecuted in this way however seem to regard it as an incredible honour to suffer as Jesus did. They are overjoyed when Jesus is glorified by many coming to salvation and they consider their lives as nothing as long as the Kingdom advances. Surely this is how the Christian life should be? Help us God to live our lives selflessly for your glory in our situations.