Are
we the Church or not?
4/9/08
Today I received an email report from a friend of mine and an intercessor. It convicted me because I realized that I had become so taken up with my own life that I had forgotten my brothers and sisters who are suffering for Jesus. James writes:
"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." (James 1:27)
We, who live in a relatively free country have a responsibility to insure our government does not honor those who persecute Christians. We have the greatest power to do this - prayer and our vote. Contact your elected officials about this and then go over their head to the Father above.
Here is the email I received:
Several weeks ago the Lord spoke to me about calling more attention to the needs of the Persecuted Church when putting up prayer alerts for the Body of Messiah. He had spoken to me several times before that, sharing His heart for those who are suffering and even laying down their lives for His Name’s sake. He said that none of us pray enough for the Persecuted Church or His widows and orphans, who are crying out to Him for help. He even went so far as to say that every one of us needs to repent for caring so little for those who are hurting so much.
I will begin to post such needs as they are brought to my attention and ask that you please pray as He leads in each case. We all need to remember that in the days ahead, we may be among those who are crying out for mercy.
*****In Beijing, China: A week ago police attacked a House Church in Dazhou City. Seven believers were taken by a group of people claiming to be from the local religious affairs bureau. Two were later released, but the rest remain detained to this day. Three of the detainees are women.
Sunday they raided a Sunday School for children, and took nine sisters and four children along with one other woman who is also a believer. All of the children and two elderly believers were released after they were interrogated, but seven are still being detained, and one of the sisters is missing. A fifty-nine year old woman, who was hosting the Sunday School in her house, has received five days of “administrative detention” for “illegal gathering for evil cult activities”. There is deep concern about the well-fare of the detained Christian leaders and the missing sister.
Keep in mind that by doing such things, the Chinese Government has broken the promises made in order to be able to host the 2008 Olympic Games.
Note: Government initiated attacks in China against Christians and their congregations are the “worst in years” with a “wave of persecution” reported all across the Communist nation. It has been said that China has become more open and tolerant ahead of the Olympics, but it is simply not true. Markus Rode, with Open Doors Ministry, said that “house churches are being closed, Christians are being detained, mistreated and punished while their properties are being seized by the authorities. The believers are being “constantly monitored” by security forces”. Chinese believers are paying a very dear price because of the Olympics coming to China.
At the Universities in China, all emails are being monitored by the authorities in order to find out the names of the believers. Once they get the names, the believers are sent a stern warning from the officials. It is becoming very difficult to communicate with the believers in China.
*****In Samarkand, Uzbekistan police arrested a group of believers as they met together in a home of one of the believers. They confiscated all of their books, note-books, and a lap top which was in the house. All of the believers present were severely beaten and then all of them were released with the exception of one. The one that remained detained is the one they are trying to incriminate on charges of “inciting religious hatred”.
Lately a government backed crackdown on churches has been has been growing in Uzbekistan. Apartments and churches have been raided a lot more frequently by the police, and they have been confiscating all of their Christian literature. Most of the believers there meet in underground “house churches” because only three churches have been able to obtain the required registration that permits them to officially operate. At the same time, in one year, 2,500 mosques have gained registration.
*****In Hanoi, Vietnam a believer refused to join the Communist-backed church in Vietnam’s Central Highlands, and was imprisoned and then tortured to death. He had refused to join the state church because they were teaching the people to worship the government and not God.
When the government arrested him in his home, they hand-cuffed him and severely beat him and kicked him, then dragged him from his home, stomping on him with their heavy military boots until he was unconscious. They threw his body in to a jeep and took him to the prison where the torture continued using electric rods until he was gone.
Yet another man had his home, farmlands and all of his belongings confiscated by the Vietnamese Government. Apparently he had converted to Catholicism, and his whole family did the same, becoming the most devoted believers in the entire village. The authorities became nervous thinking they would convert others so they were all beaten and imprisoned. As of this writing they are still imprisoned. You see, the Vietnamese Government desires for all villagers to worship the Communist leader, Ho Chi Minh and the Communist Party as their gods.
Note: The U.S. State Department recently said that Vietnam no longer qualifies as a serious violator of religious freedom.
It is no wonder that Abba is calling us to cry out on behalf of those who so desperately need to be covered with prayer. Let us begin to pray daily for those who are being so persecuted, some even to the death, for His Name’s sake. As needs are made known to you, please send them to me and we’ll post them, for I have felt the heart of Abba for these dear brothers and sisters. God bless you as you pray for them.
Shalom & Blessings,
Myrna