I spent Saturday at the Voice of the Martyr conference.
I met Gracia Burnham who, along with her husband Martin were kidnapped in the Philippines eleven years ago and for a year were forced to trample through the jungle. Martin was killed during the final gun battle which rescued Gracia. Today, although serving a prison sentence in the Philippines for what they did, four of those men know the Lord.
Russel Stendal, works in Columbia bringing truth to the lost. He has been kidnapped four times. The first time during captivity, he wrote a book: Rescue the Captors. They have recently made a movie that tells the story of one particular victory during their time of service. There is no telling where this video may reach!
I watched a video sharing the moment that people in a hostile area received a Bible. Bibles are hard to come by in these countries while most of us can boast several copies in our homes.
Approximately 200,000 Christians are martyred for their faith yearly in restricted countries.
An Alabaster death. Lives spent with no thought to their own comforts, rights and pleasures. Lives surrendered to imprisonment or death, refusing to deny Christ’s Lordship.
Even in the face of children taken from them or left behind, they stand firm in their faith. In the face of family beaten, imprisoned or killed. Their death a testimony to those of us who live in a country unmarred by such depth of persecution.
We who feel like the loss of a privilege, such as losing a parking spot or cutting us off in traffic (or whatever the minor offense) is worth the denying of our Lord as we barrage the offender with language of damnation and cursing, then drive away with them gaping at our bumper sticker “honk if you love Jesus”.
It’s a testimony that leads to people judging Christians as hypocrites and keeps them away from the church. After all, if we are no different than they are, why should they leave what they know for something that places religiosity on their backs?
While we may not be faced with life and death consequences for denying Jesus, we do have opportunity every day to live in a way that does not deny Him and instead proclaims His Lordship. An Alabaster life. Put others first, forgive others as Christ forgave us. A life full of kindness, love, patience, purity, truth. Walking according to the spirit, not the flesh.
In other parts of the world, people are dying daily because of their faith. How can we complain about minor inconveniences that have no spiritual significance?
In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. Hebrews 12:4 (NIV)
In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. Hebrews 12:4 (NIV)
We in America go about our lives with an awareness of this persecution much like the obliviousness with which we faced the recent drought. As long as life looks normal, it’s hard to imagine the farmer’s plight, much less how it will affect us a year from now at the grocery store.
We may not be able to go ourselves to these restricted areas and minister, but we can provide the funds and the resources to those who can.
There are several groups which provide these opportunities. Two that I am familiar with are Voice of the Martyr (VOM) and Open Doors International.
I challenge you.
· Go to one of these websites and read the stories of the great cloud of witnesses that is going before us. Discover the opportunities to be involved. Send Bible, care packages, write letters, give money and more.
· Purchase a book to grow your awareness. A great resource is Extreme Devotion through VOM. Every day for a year you can read about someone willing to stand in their faith
regardless of the cost.
· Share what you learn with others.
· Choose one project to be a part of.
· PRAY for the persecuted church.
I have a feeling it will grow your perspective on what is important in this life.
“You can’t be a disciple without the cross.” Gracia Barnham.
