SelahV Today by hariette petersen

Beyond Comprehension: Persecution of Christians

I know Jesus told us it would happen.  But when I see the photos of a little 5 year-old girl in a sweet little ruffled dress, being held up without a head because ISIS barbarians severed it from her little body... well, it's more than my brain can grasp.  When I see a photo of a 7-year-old boy dangling from a noose with his pants pulled down, my brain explodes with horror.  My heart screams for God's intervention. When a priest gives the account of a child being cut in half by these sadistic monsters, my mind cries out in anger.

"Stop the madness."

But it continues.

It's reported that countless Iraqi women are being raped, little 7 year-old girls being married off to madmen.  Reports that ISIS buried alive over 500 women and children.  Thousands upon thousands have already been slaughtered, maimed and mutilated.  It's horrendous.  It's a nightmare.

Meanwhile, we take selfies, and watch the exhibition football games.  We swim. We eat bountiful meals. We waste water with squirt guns and water balloons as babies and women and children dehydrate on a mountaintop and die of thirst after fleeing death sentences from ISIS.

Then, in Gaza, their Hamas brethren lob over 3,400 rockets at Israel from hospitals and schools, all the while using children and Palestinians as human shields. There is no condemnation for their actions.  But Israel is lambasted by the press, the President, and protestors because Israel defends herself and tries to take out the rocket launchers.  And many Muslims in America support these people who claim to want all Jews, Christians, and non-Muslims dead.

Evil. Hatred. Atrocities. When ISIS comes here (and many say they're already here), will the U.N. condemn us for protecting our own, like they condemn us for wanting to protect our borders from invaders?

A seven-year-old boy holds up a severed head like it's a trophy and we ask "what do we do about it?"

We ban Bibles in Navy hospitality hotels. We ban prayer in malls and public places. We ban the name of God and His Son Jesus from speeches, and restrict faith conversations in every arena.  We condone more and more sin and accept it as norm. We let our own government tell us we cannot put up crosses or place nativity scenes on public spaces because it may offend a tiny percentage of people.

And we wonder why evil thrives?

Evil exists.  ISIS didn't invent it, nor did Hamas.  It began when Satan tried to elevate himself above God.  It entered this world when man chose to listen to Satan and disobey God-- to value his own desires more than the Lord's commands. It multiplied when the world followed after its own way and rejected God, forgot God, eliminated God from life.

So, I am crying on the inside...mourning the atrocities of man...the slaughter and the plight of the Iraqi Christians, as well as the perpetual war upon Israel. Evil abounds and my heart is twisted in knots. But, I read God's Word and am reminded:

"Commit your way to the Lord;
trust in Him, and He will act,

making your righteousness shine like the dawn,
your justice like the noonday.

Be silent before the Lord and wait expectantly for Him;
do not be agitated by one who prospers in his way,
by the man who carries out evil plans.

Refrain from anger and give up your rage;
do not be agitated—it can only bring harm.
For evildoers will be destroyed,
but those who put their hope in the Lord
will inherit the land." Psalm 37:5-9

Jesus is my hope and refuge. His blood was shed for my sin, and replaced it with His righteousness. I'm grateful the LORD holds these blessed persecuted Christians in His arms of love.  I'm smiling on the outside...grateful for the blessings of God, but still, I can't help crying on the inside. In life, spiritual battles rage on, but the war has been won.  For Jesus said, "I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world." John 16:33

May God calm the storm within the hearts of those being persecuted around the world.  May He calm the storms within our hearts as we sit so far away praying and feeling so helpless. May He draw more unto Himself. Come, Lord Jesus, come. Fill us with Your peace.

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Can a Believer Lose Faith and OTHER QUESTIONS

"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."  Romans 8:38-39 NIV (c) 2011

Nothing can separate us from the love of God.  Is the love of God synonymous with the salvation of God?

"The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God." 2 Corinthians 4:4

Is it a valid excuse on judgment day to say  The god of this age--satan--blinded my mind, so I could not see?

To me, there is as much validity in that excuse as Adam's and Eve's excuses in the Garden of Eden.

But what about the person who once professed belief in Christ and now rejects it?  His/her eyes now blinded by satan's logic, reason, rationale and disbelief--Where will that person spend eternity?  Can a Believer ever truly unbelieve?  Would this person be an example of the seed that withers, or is plucked up by the birds, or never really took root in the soil?

I ask these things because I have a friend who once followed Jesus and believed in Him.  Now, this friend denies belief in Jesus and Christianity.  What say you?

WHEN THE DEVIL SPINS A TALE

...HE USES SCRIPTURE.  In the Garden with Eve, in the wilderness with Jesus...in life with us.  He has minions.  We do not struggle against flesh and blood but with the powers of darkness...and some people are being used of Satan at this very moment.

Some people have a way of taking the most positive of testimonies and turning it into something negative and sordid.  They can cast doubt where none exists. They trash Biblical faith with twisted lies and half-truths.  They implant innuendo and falsehood into the minds of innocents, and further confound the confused.

They tell children to practice safe-sex rather than to remain celibate till they marry.

They tell children that family is not what it use to be--it's obsolete--and can be anything we make it in the eyes of God.

They write colorful books, produce comical movies, and implant ungodly ways into the mind of young and old, alike, as to what is right and wrong in the eyes of God.

They extol science as gospel and theory as fact.

They entice the masses with tales of prosperity and pie-in-the-sky blessings.

They seduce with power, status, and indulgence.

They spin webs so full of temptation and deception that the wisest among us can be caught in their grasp for a season. 

They teach that all people are God's children when He only adopts those who believe in Him, trust in His Son, and live by His commands.  

The devil can turn quite a tale when he has such minions amongst us.

Beware of false teachers, my friends.  In the end times there will be many of them.  Do not be led astray by false doctrines and half-baked messages with diluted truths.

Only Jesus saves, only Jesus recreates a lost and dying person into a saved and living one.  Only Jesus casts out the darkness--He is the Light and the Way and the Truth.  No one comes to the Father except through Him.  Heaven is a beautiful place, prepared for those who believe in Him and trust in Him and follow His commands.  Narrow is the gate and few will find it because so many follow the crowds of deception and self-satisfaction.  Be one with Jesus today.  His Sheep shall hear His voice, and all other voices are but clanging cymbals.  selahV

MY SHEEP WILL HEAR MY VOICE

HEAVEN IS FOR REAL

WHEN THE DEVIL DANCES

What grace is there?

...in condemnation?  in judgmental accusations?  in tale-bearing?  in gossip?

While others do these things to us, are we to return the favor?  Or are we to stand in the righteousness of Christ and silence the critics without personal defense?  Can we not share the gospel of our living Lord without pointing fingers at adversaries?  at brothers and sisters in Christ?

"He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still." Revelation 22:11 KJV

Our Redeemer lives.  Our Deliverer is coming.  May we be found faithful in our own righteousness and merciful in our own speech.  May we seek first the kingdom of God and leave the devil to dance without our partnership.  selahV

A ROAR IGNORED

Have you ever heard a lion roar?  I was at the zoo one time when one of those marvelous cats gave voice to his dominating presence.  His vibrating decibels literally shook the air.  There was no doubt he was there.  But I was across the park about a quarter mile when his fierce and mighty voice thundered in my ears.  I wasn't the least bit worried that the lion could do harm to me because, after all, I was at the zoo.  He was in a caged area somewhere.  Or so I thought. 

Peter cautions us: "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." 1 Peter 5:8.

  One thing we might remember from this verse is that when the lion roars, we should not ignore it.  We may think we have nothing to fear.  We are safe.  But Peter warns us that satan is prowling about, he's stalking his prey, waiting for the opportune time to attack.  And though the lion's roar can be heard from miles around, when he is about to pounce, he is silent and gives no warning.

We must "be sober"--temperate, well-balanced.  This tells me that I must guard my own emotions.  To not do so opens the door of opportunity for satan to strike.  When my emotions control my actions, then my mind and heart are vulnerable to attack.  Satan and his demons play havoc with the prideful, resentful, bitter and angry heart.  They feed it.  They bolster it.  They pacify it.  They encourage it.

We must "be vigilant"--ever watching.  We cannot take for granted that we are safe and beyond the reach of satan's snares.  The lion is patient, slowly following, carefully stalking his prey.  And his greatest weapon is waiting for the opportune time, when his prey is least expecting.  His prey is at play, relaxed and grazing upon the feast of his fields.  Peter tells us we need to be prepared at any moment because the devil is always there.

We might ignore the roar of the lion, but we will feel the bite of his teeth when we drop our guard and let him gain entrance into our domain.  Satan wants to devour us.  He's not interested in just maiming, and crippling.  He doesn't want to simply take a chunk out of our witness.  He wants to destroy us, to leave us totally unable to move.  He wants to rip apart the arteries of our faith and leave us in a pool of bleeding weakness. He wants to tear out our spiritual eyes so we can no longer see the grace of our Lord in the turmoil of our lives.

"Withstand him; be firm in faith, knowing that the same sufferings are appointed to your brotherhood throughout the world." 1 Peter 5:9

Our brothers and sisters in Christ stand with us.  We are not alone.  We are blessed with the prayers of God's people.  The encouragement of their love, loyalty and friendship.  God has dominion and power over the evil prince of this world.  We have a King much mightier than any lion on this earth. "To Him be the dominion (power, authority, rule) forever and ever.  Amen" 1 Peter 5:11   selahV

[copyrighted, SelahV Today, 2008]