The Marks of a true Apostle- Private Jet or Crowded Prison Cell?
'It seems to me that God has put us
who bear his Message
on stage in a theater
in which no one wants to
buy a ticket.
We’re something everyone
stands around and stares at,
like an accident in the street.
We’re the Messiah’s misfits.
You might be sure of yourselves,
but we live in the midst of frailties and uncertainties.
You might be well-thought-of by others, but we’re mostly kicked around.
Much of the time
we don’t have enough to eat,
we wear patched
and threadbare clothes,
we get doors slammed in our faces,
and we pick up odd jobs anywhere we can to eke out a living.
When they call us names, we say,
“God bless you.”
When they spread rumors about us,
we put in a good word for them.
We’re treated like garbage,
And it’s not
getting any better.'
Paul to the Corinthians
Christian Persecution: Please pray for Christians in ERITREA – World Watch List #10
ReplyDelete“I am testing and experiencing the love and care of our Lord every day… The moment I entered my cell, one of the prisoners called me and said, ‘Pastor, come over here. Everyone in this cell are (unsaved). You are very much needed here.’ So, on the same day I was put in prison, I carried on my spiritual work”. – Eritrean pastor in prison
OPEN DOORS: All evangelical churches were closed in 2002 following a government ban on religious groups other than Orthodox, Catholic, Lutheran and Islam. The government is very hard on non-traditional Christians, but members of the Orthodox Church also report on evangelical believers, and Muslim extremists are ready to take over where the government leaves off. When believers are discovered they are arrested and held in shipping containers in military camps. At least 105 Christians were arrested in 2012, and 31 Christians were reported to have died in prison.
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