Persecutions and Tribulations

Living in The United States is comfortable, it's a country filled with every convenience known to man. Yet somehow we hear constant whining and complaining all around us. And sadly we are often guilty ourselves of doing the same thing.

"Oh if I had a million dollars", or "they should fix this terrible traffic", or in my case - "if I could get that shiny Weber Mandolin!"... Boy life would be good!

We get so wrapped up in our own little universes we forget about the people who are seriously suffering in this world. And they're not suffering because of their own dumb decisions, they are suffering because of the sin and evil in this world.

All we have to do is look at the news and see bombings in Boston, genocide in Africa, and gang rapes civilized England.

No wonder God destroyed the world in the flood so many eons ago.

(Genesis 6:5)
And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

Satan has his claws in many men, but it seems he's most heavily involved in followers of Islam. Muslims have a special kind of evil about them, especially evidenced in how they inflict great violence on innocent people.

One such case is that of Pastor Saeed Abedini being held prisoner in an Iranian jail. Everyday his life is in danger by threats from fellow prisoners and the brutal beatings he has to endure from the guards.

The U.S. government has appealed to the Iranian government for mercy, his family and advocacy groups have appealed for his release to no avail. The Iranians say he must recant his Christian beliefs or continue to sit in jail and continue to suffer the abuse.

Prison officials want one thing: Pastor Saeed to recant his faith in Christ. And, while they continue to try and get him to do that, Pastor Saeed’s faith remains strong - a faith that is clearly keeping him alive. ACLJ

When we read our Bibles and see how prophets and Apostles suffered for their faith, sometimes we think we could have done the same thing with courage. Pastor Saeed is living it right now, could you endure what he is having to endure? Is your faith in God strong enough?

I think it's interesting that his name is very similar to Daniels colleague who's name was Abednego, and he was thrown into the fiery furnace with 2 others for not bowing to the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. But he was saved by his faith:

(Daniel 3:23-25)
23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
24 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king.
25 He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.

Today a man named Abedini is being thrown into his own fiery furnace and bearing his own cross for his faith. Jesus said that we all must take up our own cross by denying ourselves, which is exactly opposite to the teachings of modern Prosperity Theology.

(Matthew 16:24-25)
24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

The Apostle Paul was a Roman prisoner for his testimony of Christ for many years prior to his death. He wrote of the courage God gave him, and of the contentment God gave him despite his chains.

(2 Timothy 1:7,8)
7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
8 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;

Now most of us wont suffer imprisonment, or death for our testimony. Most of us will just go through the typical turmoils of American life dealing with family and work issues, and bad traffic.

How much more should we have that kind of faith to endure those inconveniences with contentment?

I wrote this message with myself in mind. I am the one I believe needs to hear this and to live it. I look back in my past and see many times when I whined and complained about stupid petty things. I am ashamed of my own behavior, and stand in awe of Pastor Saeed for his strong faith.

Please pray for him and his family. Please also learn from his example, Paul's example, and be encouraged by the words of our Lord:

(John 14:25-27 )
25 These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you.
26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.