10-26-03
HOLY SPIRIT BLESS US
Cry out for help? Turn to Jesus!
Isaiah 35: 4 “Say to those who are fearful-hearted, “Be strong, do not fear!
Behold, your God will come with vengeance, With the recompense of God;
He will come and save you.”
In Matthew 11: 28 “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
There are plenty of things that we need to be thankful of about the religion of Christianity. We are so fortunate and blessed that we belong to the so called Christians.
Those who surrendered their life to Jesus Christ, those who accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior, those who walk as a brand new person because of faith and trust to Jesus Christ… I tell you, we are so blessed indeed.
Being a Christian is one of the best and greatest thing that will ever happen to a person. And being a Christian is letting Christ be the center and head of everything in your life.
It is all about allowing God Almighty to take full control of the things in our life that are out of control.
Do we consider ourselves as Christians? This is neither about religion or about denominational affiliation but this is about Christ!
Believe me, the most persecuted people here on earth are the Christians.
You can even imagine how difficult life is if you belong to Christ.
Every month I am receiving a magazine called “The Voice of the Martyrs”. Most of the head lines are the ff:
Chinese Police record their torture of Christians.
One Thousand Bibles were burned by anti-Christian forces in the former Soviet Republic of Georgia last year.
There are unexplainable occurrences that the Christians have been experience everyday. Some are living with fear and uncertainties.
Just allow me to read some of the September updates and prayer request from the Christian Law Association.
Pray that a ministry in VIRGINIA that reaches out to help homosexuals escape from their lifestyle will be given free space in the local telephone book in the same manner as free space is given to another group that advocates the homosexual lifestyle.
Pray for a public school teacher in NORTH CAROLINA who was told that teachers may not pray together at school before the start of their school day.
Pray for a Christian in GEORGIA who is asking his school board to discontinue a national secular news broadcast for students at the start of the school day because of inappropriate advertising and music content.
Pray for soul winners in NORTH CAROLINA who are challenging a local ordinance requiring that if more than 3 people plan ahead to gather on a public street for any purpose, they must obtain a permit ahead of time. Under this ordinance if 3 friends arranged to meet on a city street for any purpose, they would be violating the law if they did not first obtain a permit from the city.
Pray for a small business entrepreneur in OHIO who is being told he cannot obtain a loan from a local development corporation because his business will be distributing free religious tracts along with items for sale.
Pray for a public school cafeteria worker in MICHIGAN who was terminated after she complained about a teacher who was distributing gay activist materials to students.
Pray that a county children’s program in FLORIDA will permit a Bible club program to participate on an equal basis with other groups. In the past this group has been denied access, but a new board is now reconsidering the request. CLA has provided legal information to the committee.
Please continue to pray for Christian workers in INDIANA who have been denied the right to meet together at work on the same basis as other employees and to form affinity groups to meet and share common interests as Christians in the same way as other workers do. The company policy permits various diversity groups to meet, including a gay/lesbian group, but it will not permit Christian workers to meet together on an equal basis.
Pray for a federal worker in ILLINOIS who has been told he may not bring his Bible into a federal workplace, even to read on his own free time. This is an obvious violation of federal workplace guidelines.
Pray for an employee in NEW YORK who has been told he is not permitted to mention the name of Jesus at work, even in conversations with other workers. He has also been banned from leaving religious tracts in a break room where other employees share various types of reading material.
Please pray for students in PENNSYLVANIA who are circulating petitions requesting a moment of silence in their local school at the start of the day.
Pray for a Christian worker in ARKANSAS who wants to start an after school Bible club.
These are the actual situations that are happening in this beautiful country.
But, I tell you these are also opportunities and a reminder for us to keep praying to the One who knows our cares and needs. Jesus said; “ Come to me all who are heavy laden…”
Let’s try to visit the situation of the Israelites, the chosen people of God.
“Say to those who are fearful-hearted, “Be strong, do not fear!
Behold, your God will come with vengeance, With the recompense (reward) of God; He will come and save you.” Isaiah 35: 4
The God of Israel reminded His people to be strong and do not fear!
These people are very upset because every now and then other countries captured them and made them slaves.
“Behold, your God will come with vengeance.”
In Deuteronomy 32: 35a “Vengeance is Mine…”
God does not stop looking at His people. God knew exactly what is happening and what is the situation. He is always to the rescue.
That is why He claimed that vengeance is His, and those people who will put their trust in Him must remember His promise.
The reward of God is “He will come and save you.”
How many times do you think that His people walked with fears and chaos?
Several times and He has the same message. “He will come and save you.”
What a phrase that contains words of hope and an inspiration for His people.
But, these people need not only listen but must act in order to achieve the promises of God.
But, we are not the Jewish, we are not Israelites, what would be our chance and hope. Since we almost have similar situations and the way we weigh it the Christians nowadays are severely affected by the so called “politically correct” thinking in the government and the churches.
My beloved, don’t forget the personal statement of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Matthew 11: 28 “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
As Gentile Christians, this is our hope, our assurance, our faith, our all in all that if we are facing such difficulties in life, Jesus always with us-He is our Emmanuel.
Persecutions, threats, tortures, doubts and fears are along the way. It will surely come our way as we journey here on this troubled world, but, I urge you my friend to claim His promises in your life.
“Come to Me (Jesus Christ), all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
Try Jesus Christ because surely He will never fail you.
Whatever problems you are facing right now, there is an answers, there is a solution, and there is way out.
Open yourself and let the One who said, “come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” prove himself to you.
His promise is true, authentic and certified. He said, once you decided to come to Him, His promise is “I will give you rest.”
What a Mighty God we serve my friends! What a wonderful Jesus Christ that we have! JESUS is the answer – the only solution to the persecuted Christians and to those having truck loads of problems.
According to The Christian Law Association:
Praise the Lord that a nationwide retail outlet in MARYLAND has agreed to accommodate one of its employees regarding her religious conviction not to work on Sundays.
Praise the Lord that a little league player in KENTUCKY made a stand for the Lord that got the attention of everyone present at a playoff event.
The little league rule book stated that if a child is late, he is not permitted to play for the entire game. Because the Sunday game schedule made it impossible for this young player to attend church and be on time, he was not permitted to play in the first game. Because the second championship game went longer than expected, the child also had to leave early in order to attend his Sunday evening service. When this 7-year-old left the field to attend church, the entire crowd applauded and many spectators shared with the parents that this witness had made them think hard about their own Christian commitment.
Pray as the parents work with the coach, who is a Christian, and with team organizers to consider some rule changes so that Christian children will not be penalized for attending church.
Praise the Lord that a public school teacher in FLORIDA will not be terminated because he put a Bible verse on the blackboard as part of a lesson on Rome and the Rise of Christianity. Many of our readers had been praying for a successful resolution of this matter. This teacher had also posted verses from the Koran when the class was studying a unit on the Middle East, but no one objected to the Muslim postings. Teachers are permitted to use religious material in a neutral manner wherever it fits naturally with the academic curriculum. CLA worked with teacher’s union attorneys to rectify this situation.
There are millions of Christians who Worship the Lord in an underground site. And nobody even the guns and tortures cannot stop them praising the Lord Jesus Christ.
I know there is also a triumph in all our endeavors even though we are struggling in our life because of unexplainable trials.
Whom do we cry out for help? Turn to Jesus, He’s waiting for you. Amen.
