Persecution: All for the Sake of the Call

Persecution: All for the Sake of the Call

            Brothers and sisters in Christ are being persecuted all over the world for Christ. Just the other day on December 2^nd there was a man named Rasoul Abdollahi sentenced for 3 years in
Evin Prison (which is one of the world’s darkest and severe prisons) for “collusion against the government and evangelism.” Two days later in Iran there were two men Jamshid Jabbarri and Kiavosh Soutoudeh arrested and taken to an unknown location. As I look on Persecution.com, I see stories and stories of Christians being persecuted. It’s all over the world China, Iran, Nepal, India, Nigeria, Egypt, Russia, etc. Persecution is: hostility and ill-treatment, esp. because of race or political or religious beliefs.  

            All the 11 disciples went through persecution. Ten were all murdered for their faith while John was almost boiled to death. Paul went through depression, prison, ship wrecks, and short story later he was beheaded in Rome. They all did it for “a call”. I have talked about this “call” before. What is it? Mark 16:15 says:

“And he said to them, ‘Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.’”

            This is our call, this is what will make us or brake us. Whether we believe and do this “call” will determine your whole life as followers of Jesus Christ. It has for Rasoul Abdollahi, Jamshid Jabbarri, Kiavosh Soutoudeh, Saeed Abedini, and every other Christian that has followed this calling.

            Persecution is emotionally and physically hard. There is suffering and pain. I don’t want to make you scared or afraid. I did not write this to make you disappointed. 

“Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” 2 Timothy 3:12

            Persecution will come in some sort of way. Oh but how we can rejoice! Amongst the toughness, pain, loneliness, and suffering there is still an overwhelming joy found in Christ- our superior joy! It is worth the cost. This is only our temporally home. Look at all the Christians that impacted the world through there persecution… Jim Elliot, Paul, Nate Saint, Saeed Abedini,   Youcef Nadarkhani, the list goes on. God uses our persecution. God wins! It’s your choice to rejoice in it.

            What can we be doing for our brothers and sisters being persecuted? As I have talked about in the past weeks, I will say again, be praying. It does not only change others, it changes you. And I love you guys! I want you guys to experience His grace and love! See what God does. I encourage you to check out persecution.com. There you can see the latest things happening in persecution and all sorts of stories, things to be praying for, and can also can donate financially.

Don’t forget our brothers and sisters who are suffering and dying for the “call”.  Most of all don’t ever forget to rejoice in God always! It is your choice to walk the “greatest walk”. Will you take the risk? Will you follow the calling? Will you walk the footsteps? Will you give it your everything, even if it brings trials? Suffering?

“More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” Romans 5:3-5