It is this capacity to look forward that separates us from the rest of creation. We alone insist on occupying ourselves with what we will eat and what we will wear. Isn't it interesting that God gave us this unique ability and then commands us not to use it! We were not created to worry, we were created to dream. God's plan from the beginning has been to entrust us with establishing His kingdom on the earth and in order for us to accomplish this task, we must be able to dream about what that kingdom might look like!
Ever since this dream took a hold of my life I have become obsessed with seeing the love of God poured out over all people. Ever since I became convinced that Justice and Mercy will eventually fill the entire earth, I have become distinctly aware of the fact that injustice and cruelty are still winning in a lot of places.
In fact, I don't like to talk about the places that we are losing. I would much rather celebrate our victories than mourn over our defeats. However, there is a burden that I simply cannot shake.... a sense of obligation to those whose lives have been destroyed by the enemy. I need to mourn with those who are mourning... and I need to turn my attention to the places that Satan's will is being done, and I need to prophecy an end to the evil that he brings.
So... from a place of reluctance, I need to draw your attention to a few places on the earth in which we are losing, Satan is winning, and because of who we are called to be, we are obligated to act.
Did you know that there are people in our church whose friends and families have been systematically hunted down and murdered?
Did you know that there are people in our church who were forced to flee their homes and countries because their lives were threatened because of their faith in Jesus Christ?
Did you know that there are people right now, in this very 24 hours, who are being tortured to death in front of their families just because of the language that they speak?
I am talking about the ongoing atrocities that are occurring in Sudan and Burma.
Please take a moment and watch this video and leave some feedback below.
You can click here to learn more about this and other ongoing human rights violations around the world.
Remember: There IS hope for these situations. .... it's you.
Click here to help rescue a child from a refugee camp. Be sure to watch the video on this page also. You may notice some people that you are familiar with.
7 comments:
Jon,
How is it that justice and mercy will fill the earth when even the Church can’t get it right? Jesus equated unjustified anger with murder, and “looking” with adultery. How can the earth be filled with righteousness unless every heart is fully submitted in humility and brokenness to the Lordship of Jesus? It is my understanding that weapons will not be beaten into plowshares until the thousand year reign of Jesus, and satan is chained for that season, Revelation, Isaiah, Ezekiel, among others, seem to give this time sequence. I would like to know more of your viewpoint, because I don’t understand how the earth can be filled with justice and mercy if every individual heart isn’t fully and joyfully bowing to Jesus in the deepest and greatest sense.
Jon,
Thankful that you have a heart of Jesus. Yes,we are told not to worry about things such as clothing and food, but have you personally ever been hungy? I have. Have you ever had to decide between purchasing deodorant or toothpaste? I have.
I will not deny that there are horrific things happening all over the world, especially in Sudan, May God be with them, and I mean that with all my heart.
Sometimes there are very hurting people right in front of our eyes that we tend to overlook.Not just finacially hurting, but wounded. Sometimes when a person has a situation they are too embarrassed to share it with others. We also need to be aware of the enemys hold at New Life. Blessings, and may you always have a desperate heart for the LORD
Margaret, thanks for taking the time to post your thoughts. You are absolutely correct that the earth won't be filled with righteousness until every heart is submitted to Jesus. And that right there is the mission as I understand it! Making disciples of all nations was the task that Jesus left us with. We don't always get it right, even in the church we still miss it, but sometimes we get it right! That is the exciting part. God created us with power to affect change. Our job is to increase the amount of justice and mercy as much as possible. Regardless of your interpretation of those passages in the prophets, there is a very clear call to help the helpless. Every place that justice is established brings God's kingdom closer. I would love to take out one of His strongholds in Burma or Sudan. Actually, this Sunday we will be hearing from a special speaker who is actively destroying one of the enemy strongholds in Africa. Very Cool
Hey Anonymous, thanks for your post. I am so sorry that your wounds have gone unnoticed. I am glad that you heard my heart, and that you know that my desire is to help people who are hurting, whether they are in our church, our city, our nation or around the world. I would encourage you to ask for prayer from the ministry teams on Sunday Morning. They don't need to hear the details of your struggle to be able to pray for you and bless you. May your day be filled with Hope, and your heart with Joy and Peace.
Jon - I hear 'ya. I hear Margaret, and I hear anonymous. Where I now live, darkness covers the land because of a stronghold - a territorial principality. The sad part of it here is that it looks "normal" - not at all obvious like the poor in Burma and other parts of the world where infants are starving. The people here don't know they are starving or that they are naked. They claim to be Christians. They are called "good people". I watch them daily walk around and wonder what they might do if they really "knew" the black drippy stuff that is wrapping itself around them. Would some embrace it because it feels so normal? Where evil increases, grace abounds even more. I believe there will always be evil until Jesus returns - but I also believe with you that we can and MUST try to make a difference, even if it's only one heart's cry at a time. If we are to be dead to self and alive to Christ, we really have no other choice, nor should we want one. I think all-in-all, each person should pray and do as the Holy Spirit leads. Halleluia!
Wow, I hope I'm hearing you wrong. It breaks my heart to read what you wrote. To say that the devil is winning in any area is to say that what Jesus did on the cross wasn't good enough. We do not need to put your attention on the devil! Ever! WE ARE NOT ON DEFENSE, WE ARE ON OFFENSE! We have total victory is Christ! That is to say that the devil doesn't have any! God is ALL powerful therefore the devil has no power! That’s why when we are called to intercede: we release the kingdom; we do not come against anything! Because we are coming from a place of VICTORY! The video is good; it is a call to intercession! If something is weighing on my heart; I intercede until it it lifts! Interceding from a place of victory! Prayer should change us every time! It’s impossible for us to pray and have nothing happen. God always moves. At that point it’s His problem. We can give the burden to the Lord.
Life and death is in the power of the tongue. So we need to be careful what we say. Every thing we speak is a declaration...Because we have been given all authority! And because we have been seated in Heavenly places, we have the authority to see what is going on in heaven and pull it down. It doesn’t take a prophet to point out what is going wrong or what is bad…it takes a prophet to look at a situation like this and find out what God is doing. I don't know why this is happening and I’m not saying that I do; but there is one thing that I do know: God has a plan! God isn't in heaven looking down saying "geez look at this mess I have here...what am I going to do?" This is not to say that we don't support people like this; but I declare that Jesus Christ is victorious in Sudan and Burma and His name will be known!
I think that you are missing the heart of what I am saying. Christ's work on the cross is complete and His victory over Satan is complete, but that victory is still being realized. There are situations in which the reality of the cross has not yet be made fully known. It is these areas where victory is "not yet" that we are called to intercede. We are fighting from a place of victory - we know that God wins, but we are still fighting and there are still casualties in the battle. To call Sudan a victory would be ludicrous. To call forth victory is our right and our responsibility.
Post a Comment