A story from Israel

Along the path to the spring

Last May, I was privileged to travel with my mother and stepfather to Israel for ten days.
It changed my life profoundly.  One of the things that I learned about myself was how little I know about the Jewish culture and the Old Testament.
I've read the Old Testament of course, but have spent much more time in the New, since that's the covenant we live under now.  But there are a lot of lessons to be learned in the Old.  One of my favorite stories that I was reacquainted with was the story of Gideon.  You can read the whole story in Judges 6-8:38, but here I'll tell the story partly by paraphrasing, directly quoting and inserting some of the insights shared by our guide and my own.  As our group gathered around the pool of water, he began by saying, "Have you ever noticed that God uses the nobodies in the sight of the world?  He uses the humble, the lowly in station, and Gideon was a great example of that..."
Now during this time, Israel had gone astray again, worshiping idols.  For seven years, God had allowed the Midianites to take over the land.  The Israelites were hiding in caves and mountain clefts.  Every time they tried to plant their crops, they were invaded, not only by the Midianites but others as well.  They wrecked everything all the way to Gaza, camping in their tent and ravaging the crops. They didn't leave anything for Israel to survive on, and finally they cried out to the Lord.  He sent a prophet who told them that God had warned the Israelites not to worship other Gods; after all, God had saved them from slavery in Egypt and given them the land.
Enter Gideon.  He was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it away from the Midianites when an angel of the Lord appeared to him.  The angel addressed him as a mighty warrior and told him that the Lord was with him.
"But sir," Gideon replied, "if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our fathers told us about when they said, 'Did not the Lord bring us up out of Egypt?' But now the Lord has abandoned us and put us in the hand of Midian."  The Lord turned to him and said, "Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian's hand. Am I not sending you?"
"But Lord," Gideon asked, "how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family." This line struck a chord with me.  I often think, what can I do for the Lord? I have a reoccurring illness and not a lot of money.  But God makes the point to Gideon; it's not he that will cause the work to be done, it will be the Lord.  How much clearer it is that it is the Lord's work when he uses a person who clearly couldn't do it on their own?
The Lord answered him, "I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites together."
Gideon replied, "If now I have found favor in your eyes, give me a sign that it is really you talking to me.  Please do not go away until I come back and bring my offering and set it before you."  And the Lord said, "I will wait until you return."
So Gideon went and prepared a young goat and made some bread without yeast. Putting the meat in a basket and its broth in a pot, he brought them out and offered them to him under the oak.  The angel of God said to him, "Take the meat and the unleavened bread, place them on this rock, and pour out the broth."
And Gideon did so.  With the tip of the staff that was in his hand, the angel of the Lord touched the meat and the unleavened bread. Fire flared from the rock, consuming the meat and the bread. And the angel of the Lord disappeared.  When Gideon realized that it was the angel of the Lord, he exclaimed, "Ah, Sovereign Lord! I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face!"  But the Lord said to him, "Peace! Do not be afraid. You are not going to die."
So Gideon built an altar to the Lord there and called it The Lord is Peace.  That night, God tested Gideon.
He told him to take a bull of his father's herd, tear down the alter to the false god Baal, and then build a proper one.  Then he was to cut down the Asherah pole, which represented the false goddess Asherah and use the wood of the pole to sacrifice the bull on.
Can you imagine? To ask Gideon to do this was asking him to tear down the local church, because these were the gods they were worshiping.  And who was he? The least in his family.  How would he explain himself?  He could tell them God told him to, but would they believe him? In any case, there would surely be an uproar.  Because he was afraid of his father and the men of the town he took some of his servants and did it in the night.
In the morning when the men of town got up, there was Baal's altar, demolished, with the Asherah pole beside it cut down and the bull sacrificed on the newly built altar.  And there was indeed an uproar.  It came out that Gideon had done it and the men of the town wanted to kill Gideon.  But his father intervened, wisely pointing out that if Baal was really a god, he was capable of defending himself when someone breaks down his alter.  Ever after, they called Gideon, "Jerub-Baal," meaning, "Let Baal contend with him."
At this time the eastern peoples joined forces and crossed over the Jordan and camped in the Valley of Jezreel.  The the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet, summoning the Abiezrites to follow him and he sent messengers throughout the tribe of Manaseh, and also into Asher, Zebulun and Naphtali to take up arms with him and fight the invaders to get their land back.
But Gideon need a little more proof.  He asked God to confirm his promise to be with him by placing a wool fleece on the threshing floor.  He asked that if it were truly God, to allow the dew to only wet the fleece and leave the ground dry.  In the morning Gideon found that it was so.  Still, he asked God to do it again, only this time wetting the ground and leaving the fleece dry. It happened.
Sound familiar? I know I've asked God a few times to show me it is really him speaking.  But now Gideon felt confident, so early in the morning, Gideon gathered the men together and they camped at the spring.  The camp of Midian was to the north in a valley.  But there was a problem.
The Lord said to Gideon, "You have too many men for me to deliver Midian into their hands.  In order that Israel may not boast against me that her own strength  has saved her, announce now to the people, 'Anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.' " When Gideon said that to the men, 22,000 of them left, leaving 10,000.
But the Lord said to Gideon, "There are still too many men. Take them down to the water, and I will sift them for you there." So Gideon took the remaining men down to the water to drink, and there God told Gideon, "Separate those who lap the water with their tongues like a dog from those who kneel down to drink."   There were 300 men who knelt down and drank from cupped hands, and God told Gideon that those were his men, the rest could go back to their camps.  Now the enemy had settled in the valley and the Bible describes them as being thick as locusts, with so many camels they were like sand on the seashore

But God told Gideon that if he was still worried, to take his servant and sneak down there at night and listen to what was being said, and it would encourage him.

Gideon and his servant got there as one man was telling another about a dream he had, that a round loaf of barley bread came tumbling into  camp and struck the tent with such force that the tent overturned and collapsed.  His friend responded,  "This can be nothing other than the sword of Gideon son of Joash, the Israelite. God has given the Midianites and the whole camp into his hands." When Gideon heard this, he began to worship the Lord, and they made their plan to attack, right then in the night.  They split into 3 groups of 100 and surrounded the camp, carrying their trumpets, torches and each a clay jar.  Grasping the torches in their left hands and holding in their right hands the trumpets, they yelled, "A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!"

The 3 companies blew the trumpets and smashed the jars, holding their positions around the camp.  When the 300 trumpets sounded, the Lord caused the men in the camp to turn on each other with their swords, and they fled. Gideon and his men pursued them, and sent messengers for the other men to help them.
They conquered them and tried to make Gideon their king, but he refused, saying that the Lord would rule them.  Gideon asked one thing of the men who'd fought.  He had each man give him one gold earring from each man's plunder, since it was the custom of their foes to wear these earrings. Altogether the weight of the gold was about 43 pounds, and Gideon made it into an ephod, which he placed in his town.  I would think that after all God had done for Gideon, the last thing he'd ever do would return to any form of idolatry.
But he did.
And all Israel prostituted themselves by worshiping it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and his family, though there was peace in the land until Gideon's death about forty years later.
He had seventy sons (he had a lot of wives now) and one by a concubine, who wound up causing quite a bit of trouble in the next few chapters.
It's easy to judge Gideon from the distance of history, but is this so unlike ourselves? In that day it was Baal and Asherah, but what do we spend the most of our time on?  What sin peeps its ugly head up time and time again when we think we've dealt with it once and for all?  An idol is anything that we place as a higher priority than God. 
When I look at the Old Testament as a whole, I see a God who loves Israel.  She slips, she sins, he becomes angry, but he forgives when she repents and calls out to him.  And so it is with us today.  No matter how many times we fall, the nature of God is the same yesterday, today, and forever.  All we have to do is repent and reach out to him and he dusts us off, washes us clean, by the sacrifice of Christ that provides us grace.
By the way, my mother and I drank from Gideon's Spring and the water is still pure and sweet.  We cupped our hands. :)

Gideon's Cave

What is Man, That You Are Mindful of Him?

 When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him? You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor.-Psalm 8:3-5

The other day as I was driving, I saw the most beautiful sunset. I had just read this verse this morning, so it was fresh in my mind and I pulled over to watch. The sun was a vibrant orange as it sank over the horizon, painting the clouds with with such gorgeous shades of color; gold, red, fuchsia. 

I spent some time praising God for the beauty that He creates, and I was reminded of the pictures recently taken by the Hubble. I marveled at the gigantic swirling clouds of colorful galaxies that are simply the work of my Father's fingers. Sometimes I feel in such awe that I wonder as the psalmist said, “what is man that you are mindful of him?” Looking at the vastness of our universe can make me feel quite small and insignificant. But our Father reassures us that we are “crowned with glory and honor” through the cleansing blood of Jesus.  Throughout God's Word we are assured that God loves us and we are significant to Him. What an honor!  How blessed we are that our great and awesome God cares intimately for us, even knowing the number of hairs on our heads.

Prayer: Father, thank you for the beauty that you created and for being mindful of us and our problems.

Persecution in Laos

From Worthy News:

Report: Laos Christian Facing Ultimatum To Recant Faith

Monday, March 12, 2012 (3:36 am)

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VIENTIANE, LAOS (Worthy News)– The only known Christian in a rural district of northern Laos was under pressure to abandon his faith in Christ or faceexpulsion from his village, his supporters told Worthy News.
Khamla of Dongvieng village in Viengphuka district was told by local authorities to "give up believing in the Christian religion" by March 7 "or be cast out from the village," said Human Rights Watch for Lao Religious Freedom (HRWLRF), which supports local Christians in Laos.
The Christian, who uses only one name, was allegedly summoned to appear at the local government headquarters where he faced some 20 officials, including a representative of the Communist party, the village leadership and security personnel.
"Authorities are believed to be attempting to abolish the Christian religion from taking root in Viengphuka district," said HRWLRF in a statement.
Khamla reportedly embraced the Christian faith only after claiming to have been healed from a long-term disease during following "fervent prayers by other believers" outside the district. Viengphuka district's estimated 20,000 people are mainly farmers and live in small rural villages.
Khamla is the latest known Christian to face expulsion over his faith, rights activists said.
CHRISTIAN FAMILIES
Elsewhere in northern Laos, rights activists said 10 Christian families in Hueygong Village, located in the Pakoo District of Luangprabang province, were given till March 18 to recant their faith or be forced to leave the area, Worthy News reported earlier.
In the same province news emerged Wednesday, March 7, that 14 Christian families, comprising some 80 persons, have been told to leave Hueysell village, in Ngoi District, if they don't stop believing in Jesus Christ.
"Thus far, village authorities have not carried through their threat of expulsion" which was issued in January by local authorities, said HRWLRF, adding that the Christians "have remained firm in their faith."
The group has urged the government respect the country's constitution and international treaties regarding religious freedom.
There are some 200,000 devoted Christians in Communist-run Laos, where most of the 6.4 million people are Buddhists, according to Christian estimates.
Lao officials have denied human rights abuses against minorities.

Persecution in India

From Worthy News, March 13, 2012

BANGALORE, INDIA (Worthy News)– Suspected Hindu militants broke up a Christian prayer meeting and forced two women leading the gathering to stop evangelizing in India's southwestern state of Karnataka, as part of several attacks against devoted believers across the country, Christians told Worthy News.

Local Christians said as many as 20 Hindu "radicals" and "extremists" raided the March 3 prayer meeting in the Vijayanagar neighborhood of Bangalore, the state's capital.

The Hindu mob allegedly insulted worshipers and ordered the two women leading the service, Parimala, 36, and Padmavathi, 35, to stop the prayers immediately. In some parts of India people only use one name.

The two women are members of the Mahima Prarthana Mandira – an independent church in the Vijayanagar neighborhood, Christians said.

FORMER HINDUS

Both believers, who were Hindus before becoming Christians 12 years ago, also lead a 60-member congregation which often gathers for prayer services at a rented home. Additionally they have been distributing evangelical publications with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, local residents told Worthy News.

Angered about these activities, the Hindu militants reportedly filed a police complaint on charges of "forceful conversion" and pressured the two Christians to write down that they would halt prayer meetings and no longer conduct their other evangelism activities.

It was not immediately clear which Hindu group was behind the reported attack.

The two women were briefly held at the police station, said advocacy group Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC), adding that its representatives had successfully intervened and that they were released.

Besides Karnataka, Christians have complained about attacks elsewhere, including in India's southern state of Tamil Nadu where police on February 21 reportedly detained Pastor John Chidambaran after Hindu militants beat him and his daughter, saying he was involved in "forceful conversions".
You can read the whole article here: India Militants Attack Prayer Meeting, Pastors

The Canyon

Yesterday was such a beautiful day.  After church, I drove out to the canyon that runs just outside of town and walked along the river.  The rocks were warm with the sun and the water was clear and cool on my fingers.  Overhead I watched a hawk hunting while I lay on my back enjoying the sunshine.  As I walked on I found some big fat raccoon tracks in the sand, and the peacefulness of the place restored me.  Here and there a few little wildflowers put forth their first blooms.  Soon the hills will be full of bright orange California poppies and others; tall purple ones, tiny violets and my favorite: the sunflowers that bloom even along dusty roads.  When I'm out there wandering and enjoying the beauty I can't help but marvel at the creativity of my Father who made it all in such diversity.  This is one of the songs I was listening to and it seemed to fit the day:

He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul.  He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.  -Psalm 23:3

I stayed out until the sun finally set behind the hills.   I wish you all peace through this coming week.

The Miracle Truck

Does God work miracles in the lives of believers today? My pastor calls these “God stories”, and he has plenty of them, as do a lot of us. This happened to me this past July.

I walked out my front door and stopped dead in my tracks in amazement. I park my 1992 pickup truck directly in front of my house, and this morning it was gone! Gone. For a minute or so I just couldn't understand what had happened to it, but unbelievably, it had been stolen. It's old and not in the best condition, but it's vital to me. In the mornings I'd been helping a family member who had a brain infection and now through inactivity had deteriorated to the point that she was unable to even get up to the bathroom. Since her husband called me about a month before and told me how bad things had gotten, I'd gone over and spent every weekday morning with her doing exercises. She'd improved greatly, but she would need a lot more help before she'd be able to make it through the day on her own. Then in the afternoons I help Harold and Sue, my former in-laws, with their family business. Harold fixes commercial cooking equipment, and I help Sue with the bookkeeping. I'm glad to help my family in these ways, but without a vehicle it would be impossible. Riding the bus would take too much time to do what I need to do for them effectively.

So immediately I went to my Father in prayer. When I first started to pray, I felt desperate, but as I continued to beseech Him I felt a calm and certain sense of peace fill my heart. And since I know that my Father can do anything He chooses, I began to thank Him and praise Him.

I had absolute faith that he would help me. Either the truck would be found or he would make another way for me.

I called my daughter who had left for work at 6:30 am. “Was my truck in front of the house when you left for work?” I asked her.

“Yeah, of course,” she asked. “Why?”

“It's gone!” I said. “Since you left two and a half hours ago, someone took it.”

So whoever had taken it had taken it in broad daylight. My next step was to notify the police, who took a report over the phone, and then I took off walking to see if maybe it had been dumped near my house, but it hadn't.

I called a friend and we drove around for a bit before he had to go to work, but we didn't find it. When we got back I went to ask Kate, my neighbor across the street, to ask if she'd seen or heard anything. She said she'd heard it start up and go down the street about 8:00, but that she hadn't looked because she thought that it was me, leaving a little bit early. She came and sat with me on my lawn while and we talked about it. We've know each other for some time and she has different beliefs than I, but we talk often about what we believe.

“You seem so calm about it,” she commented.

“At first I was really shook up,” I told her. “But I prayed about it, and felt an overwhelming sense of peace. Either I'll get my truck back, or I'll somehow get access to another. Either way, I felt like God was telling me that it would turn out okay and I won't let the people down who I'm trying to help.”

She looked at me with skepticism, and I couldn't blame her. She doesn't believe in God in the way that I do; she believes there is something out there, but she's not sure who or what. We spent some time talking, and I finally called Sue to see if I could borrow her car to look for mine. I'd have asked earlier, but I had really thought that the police would have located it by now.

They live about thirty minutes away from me on the edge of town. Several miles away the countryside starts, and I thought somewhere out there would be a good spot if someone had taken a joy ride and dumped it. I began my search out there, listening to Christian music and praying hard for guidance. I'd only looked for a few miles when I felt that I was looking in the absolute wrong place. It's not far from home kept running through my mind. So I hopped on the freeway back to my side of town, continuing to pray and worship with the music.

And not a mile from my house, parked in an apartment complex where the parking spots couldn't be seen from the street, THERE IT WAS! My heart hammered in my chest as I parked Sue's car back out on the street and ran back to my truck. Had they stolen parts out of it or would it start? I turned the key on and that beautiful V-8 engine roared to life. I drove home bursting with excitement, praising God all the way. Kate happened to be out front watering her flowers as I pulled up. She came running across the street.

“How'd you get it back?” she asked with a stunned look on her face.

“Found it. I believed all day that God would help me, but I didn't think it would be this fast,” I said. I was stunned myself at the speed at which he'd helped me. I really thought that he'd use the police. But having me find it personally seemed to be such a personal answer.

My daughter had just gotten home from work, so she gave me a ride to pick up Sue's car.

I can only imagine what the thief must have thought! I would have loved to have seen the look on their face when they discovered it gone. Driving it out of there felt like a victory in the wild west!

Even the police were surprised when I called them to tell them I'd recovered my truck. And I made a vow that very day that every time I told the story, I'd give the credit where due: my Father who loves me. My neighbor Kate has said that she's rethinking her opinion.

Matthew 7:7-11 Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

Mark 11:22-24 “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. “I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his hear but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

This doesn't mean that God will ultimately give us everything we ask for. Sometimes he has to tell us no. But we can be assured that he loves us as sons and daughters, and in everything, he wants us to draw close to him, and he will draw close to us.

The cowgirl antenna ball lives on!  If only she could talk....

Let Everything That Hath Breath

One of my favorite memories in Israel was listening to this song on my earphones while on a boat in the Sea of Galilee.  The water was a glassy, blue-green color, the sun was warm on my arms, and a gentle breeze was blowing.  As I took in the sea surrounded by hills, I thought of Jesus walking on this same water.  Would I have enough faith to step out of the boat like Peter did?  You bet.  Every day he's calling us to take steps of faith, and it's he who holds us up above the water.

To God be the Glory

Now to him who is able to do immeasurable more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.-Ephesians:3:20-21

Immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.  What a promise!  And we don't have to do it ourselves, it is his power working in us.  What a great Father we serve.  Keeping this in mind, we can live with confidence in all our situations.  Recently, one of my closest friends almost died.  Her condition didn't stabilize for some time, and seeing her suffer was awful.  Over these past few weeks I've sent up some desperate prayers.  I learned through this trial that God will give us the strength we need to keep going when we don't feel we have it ourselves.  I thank God that he's chosen to leave her here with us awhile longer, but I also learned that had God  would have taken her home, he would have given me strength to deal with that as well.

The point is: when we are in him, he gives us strength through his power.  And for that, he deserves all the glory!

Russian Mission Group Warns Of Crackdown On Evangelicals; Anti-Putin Protesters Gather

Russian Mission Group Warns Of Crackdown On Evangelicals; Anti-Putin Protesters Gather

Monday, February 6, 2012 (4:33 am)

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MOSCOW/BUDAPEST (Worthy News)– As protesters demanding more freedom and fair elections prepared to demonstrate in freezing temperatures in Moscow Saturday, February 4, a major Russian mission group warned of more difficulties for evangelical Christians and other, religious, minorities in Russia and other former Soviet Union nations.
"Even as demonstrations increase, protesters’ hold on religion and civil liberties appears to be slipping in the North Caucasus and Central Asia," explained Russian Ministries in a statement to Worthy News.
"The situation in Russia has been building over the last several years, and is as much about religious liberty as it is about political freedom," the group added.
Russian Ministries, which is involved in several aid and education projects and evangelism, told Worthy News that recent reports "document an alarming increase in limiting the freedoms of minority or dissenting religious perspectives across much of the post-Soviet region."
It also said that Siberia, Russia, local courts have attempted to ban the publication of alternate religious books, calling adherents to Hare Krishna “madmen.” The group compared the situation with the Soviet era. "In Soviet times, cults were targeted for persecution, and evangelical Christians were purposefully labeled as followers of a cult."
ETHNIC VIOLENCE
It comes at a same time when ethnic violence is on the rise, with Russian officials reporting this week the deaths of 13 people in a shootout in the North Caucasus between Islamist militants and Russian servicemen.
Russian Ministries said that with the "ethnic violence rising at the same time as religious liberty is under threat, the need to train next generation Christian leaders has never been higher."
Michael Cherenkov, vice-president for Association for Spiritual Renewal, seemed to agree in remarks distributed by Russian Ministries.
"A campaign [to limit religious freedoms] has been taking place in many regions of the Russian Federation for several years already,” he added.
He said requests from the Orthodox Church, which closely cooperates with the Kremlin, "to local authorities to destroy rental agreements and other forms of partnerships with Protestants have become common practice."
EXTREMISM CONCERNS
He claimed the church was "concerned about ‘extremism’" and added that "The formation of a common enemy is the best grounds for the mobilization of the ‘Orthodox.’"
Cherenkov said Russian Orthodox leaders "are losing their authority" so they "need to portray Protestants as 'sectarian fanatics.' In comparison, the Orthodox portray themselves as the real, native spiritual leaders, something they never were in reality.”
There was no immediate reaction from the Orthodox Church. Its national televised Christmas service in Moscow is usually attended by prime minister, and soon to be president, Vladimir Putin and other leaders.
Russian Ministries, a U.S. backed group with operations across Russia, said it is cooperating with local Christians to "respond correctly and wisely to the changing political climate across the region."
It said it is "committed to promoting religious liberty for all" in Russia, neighboring Belarus and Central Asia where, it added, "religious restrictions and persecutions are [also] on the rise."
REGISTRATION DEMANDS
Forum 18, a human rights monitoring service based in Norway, said in its latest report that that in Kyrgyzstan, "No progress has been made in dealing with registration applications from—among others—hundreds of mosques, unregistered Protestant churches, and the Hare Krishna community.”
In the Nagorno-Karabakh region, a Baptist conscientious objector was sentence to a one-year prison term for refusing to serve in the military. "Fines against Baptists and other religious workers in Uzbekistan are on the upswing. Mission Ministries told Worthy News.
"Activities under fire include reading as a group, allowing children to participate in services and any other activity consider as “proselytism” or “missionary activity.” Fines have been levied and repressive laws against religious freedom sign into law in Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan."
Russian Ministries said it has been seen the many "white ribbons, balloons and flags snapping in the wind" recently with anti-Putin demonstrators expected to gather again to hold "anti-fraud banners high" in Moscow on Saturday, February 4.
Putin, who has come also under international pressure over perceived autocratic policies and alleged election fraud by his party in recent elections, is expected to begin a six-year run as president "if the [upcoming presidential] election goes as predicted," Russian Ministries said.

In John 15:18-27 Jesus addressed the issue of persecution:

"If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.  If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own.  As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world.  That is why the world hates you.  Remember the words I spoke to you: 'No servant is greater than his master.'  If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also.  If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.  They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the One who sent me.  If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin.  Now, however, they have no excuse for their sin.  He who hates me hates my Father as well.  If I had not done among them what no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin.  But now they have seen these miracles, and yet they have hated both me and my Father.  But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: 'They hated me without reason.'  When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me.  And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning."

Here in the United States we have been blessed to have a climate of acceptance, though it is changing.  Considering this passage, and that as Jesus said, "No servant is greater than his master" we can expect this reaction from those who are not like us.  But we can take comfort from the fact that he overcame this world, and is within us in the Spirit to give us peace and strength no matter our circumstance.  When the world mocks and condemns us, we remember that he was mocked and condemned.  We have his promise in John 16:33- In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart! I have overcome the world.

I'll leave you with one more verse: Philippians 4:27  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

And a prayer:  Father, please bless and give your peace and strength to your church around the world.  Help us to share our faith in you in our everyday lives.  In Jesus' name, amen.

Persecution Roundup: Convert Beheaded in Somalia and US Tweets for Nadarkhani

By Luiza Oleszczuk , Christian Post Reporter

February 11, 2012|8:45 am

Several reports of persecution against Christians from around the globe have emerged this week, including the Church of England pressuring the U.K. government to aid religious minorities in Nigeria, Iranian authorities reportedly invading another house church, and 35 Ethiopian Christians imprisoned in Saudi Arabia reportedly being pressured to convert to Islam.

Russia - A Russian missionary group issued a warning Saturday, Feb. 4 against a potential forthcoming crackdown on evangelical Christians and other religious minorities in Russia, pointing to an increase in Islamic insurgency in the Caucasus and the increased crackdown on civil liberties exercised by the Russian government, according to BosNewsLife.

Saudi Arabia - A group of 35 Christians from Ethiopia said to be unlawfully imprisoned in Saudi Arabia has been facing increased pressure to convert to Islam, a Christian human rights advocacy group said this week. The Ethiopians who came to the Saudi kingdom to work were arrested during a private prayer meeting before Christmas and are reportedly being held captive without charges, while experiencing severe treatment from authorities.

Indonesia – Two Indonesian political parties lobbied Wednesday for the legislature to ignore a Supreme Court ruling to unseal the embattled GKI Yasmin church in Bogor, in a long battle between the state of this largest Muslim nation and the Christian congregation that has been holding services on the street or in parishioners' homes since 2008, after authorities closed down their church in western Java, reported The Jakarta Globe.

Iran - Iranian security authorities invaded a residential building used as a house church Wednesday and arrested 10 Christian converts gathered there to worship, transferring them to an unknown location, according to Iranian Christian news agency, Mohabat News. The location of the detainees or any infomration regarding their arrest were reportedly still not available.

Nigeria / UK - In an address to the General Synod, the Bishop of Durham the Right Rev. Justin Welby, the fourth most senior cleric in the Church of England, called upon the British governemnt to come to the aid of religious minorities in Nigeria, emphasizing that violence there had become "pervasive," reported Christian Today.

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Somalia - Islamic extremists from the rebel al Shabaab militia in Somalia beheaded a Christian on the outskirts of Mogadishu last month, it emerged this week.

Iran - The "Tweet for Youcef" campaign started by the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) has successfully drawn international attention toward the plight of imprisoned Iranian pastor Youcef Nadarkhani, with his story said to reach 297,292 Twitter accounts daily.