It is always good to remind ourselves of eternal truths that God has taught us. We are grateful for all the times when God has spoken through others, mentors who have invested in our lives. This month we remember about lessons that Believers around the world have taught us. It matters little how old or experienced we are, God can use His servants to remind us of truths that we must not forget. Here are five of those truths that Believers would have us remember:
God is a present tense God. He has not gone to sleep or retired! He is alive and at work. It has been good to remind ourselves that everything God has done in His Word, The Bible, He is still doing. Opening our eyes each day to this truth keeps us alert, encouraged and excited to see how He wants to partner with us.
Persecution is normal in the Bible. Believers in Persecution frequently reminded us to read the Scriptures with this in mind. From Genesis to Revelation, God’s children faced suffering and persecution for their faith. It is usual to read of lives dedicated to living for Christ throughout the New Testament who stood strong in prison, endured stoning, were crucified, beaten, shipwrecked and in many ways were “faithful unto death” (Rev. 2:10). Living our faith becomes even more necessary as God’s Word models for us how to live and how to die for Jesus.
The Great Commission in Matthew 28 sends us out to share Christ with the Nations but also for Jesus to invest in us. The command to Go sends us out to make disciples. The great thing is that “as we are going” we see all that God is doing to make disciples of us. We will never be the same when we see lives being shaped and transformed. By going, we read the Bible differently and we live differently. Sharing Christ becomes contagious as we join Believers from all over the world who love Jesus.
The Global Body of Christ is Perfect. Each part of the Body of Christ plays a role in making her perfect. Segmented, the Bride of Christ, doesn’t know everything. It takes all of our corporate faith to be His Body. Remember, there is no such thing as a “Free Church” and a “Persecuted Church”. There is just the Church. She is always free and always persecuted. Our local Body affects the rest of the global Body.
Stay in the Story. Your race isn’t over. No matter what life brings you this day, this week or this year; God continues to write your story. As long as we live, Believers in Persecution remind us that, as followers of Christ, we are already dead. Therefore no one can eternally harm or kill us.
Many of you love the story of Dmitri in “The Insanity of God”. Through his story in the book, as well as the film, we marveled at his faith and strength to endure 17 years in prison. We joined him in the struggle of being without his wife, son, and the greater Body of Christ for seventeen years. In 2018 we heard that Dmitri had died. Through a Russian website we were able to connect with his son who assured us that his father was alive. He related that his father awakes every morning celebrating the fact that his story did not die in his prison cell. He had been told this on a daily basis those horrible years. They mocked him, “Your story will end here. No one will ever know who you are or what your God has done.”
As the phone call ended Dmitri’s son said, “Hold on Nik, I have something important to share with you. I am now the chaplain in the prison that held my father for all those years.”
Only God can do that!
Remember today – Stay in the story! His Story will become your Story.
