As we receive information through our contacts regarding Christians in Afghanistan, the situation for them is bleak. Though every possible avenue is being tried to get them out safely, a point may come for some where they will not be able to escape. Threats against them are very real.
For us who sit safely in our homes, the only thing we can do is turn to fervent prayer. It is not just prayer for their safe escape, but that their minds, hearts, and bodies to be sustained in this hour of crisis. Fear is not from God (2 Timothy 1:7), but in times like this, fear is often the worst enemy. God has baptized every believer into one body by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:13) and “if one member suffers, all suffer together” (12:26). Franklin Graham has asked that we come together tomorrow, Sunday, August 22nd, and pray for the church in Afghanistan. Thank you for joining brothers and sisters at the throne of grace. Let us also go beyond that and pray for all Afghans and the Taliban. “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people…and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:1–4).
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The beginning of Moses assignment to lead Israel out of Egypt was a tough one. While the nation proved to be rebellious and a severe challenge to Moses, he had another challenge that required grit, determination, and unwavering focus on getting the job done. It was Pharoah.
Before the fourth plague was unleashed, “the Lord said to Moses, “Rise up early in the morning and present yourself to Pharaoh, as he goes out to the water, and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord, “Let my people go, that they may serve me” (Exodus 8:20). The urgent affairs of God demand the early morning when our bodies and minds are fresh; uncluttered from a busy day. God also wanted Moses to get this message to Pharoah before he became preoccupied with what pagan kings do. The next words from Moses should have jolted Pharoah into thinking carefully about how he would respond; “Or else, if you will not let My people go, behold, I will…” (8:21). This same instruction to Moses is found at the seventh plague (9:13). The Lord’s business often requires this type of attention, not just for the person we are meeting but so we are fresh, alert, and ready for what His work demands. Often the most demanding assignments are left to times when we are not at our prime and our thinking is dull and the result show us up. Put your best into the Lord’s work. It will make a difference! Abraham never wavered in his concern, in word or action, for his nephew Lot. God told his friend Abraham what was going to happen to Sodom because of their wickedness (Genesis 18:16-21). Knowing that judgment was coming, and that Lot and his family were in this place, Abraham began pleading with God not to destroy Sodom even if there were only ten righteous persons (18:26-33).
After Abraham escorts the angels to rescue Lot and they persuade him to leave after much pleading, “The Lord rained on Sodom and Gomorrah sulfur and fire from the Lord out of heaven” (19:24). But Abraham is not satisfied knowing that these wicked places were destroyed. “Abraham went early in the morning to the place where he had stood before the Lord. And he looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah and toward all the land of the valley, and he looked and behold, the smoke of the land went up like the smoke of a furnace” (19:27–28). He did not pick any place to review the horrific results of God’s judgment but went back to the place where he had been in the presence of the Lord early in the morning. Judgment is God’s strange work which none of us can grasp or understand without seeing it from God’s perspective. When we do this, we gain a greater appreciation of His holiness and righteous indignation of evil. It is purifying and should cause us to walk with humility and self-judgment. Though it is never a command in Scripture to rise early in the morning for a quiet time with the Lord, we STRONGLY encourage this as a habit of the heart. In future blogs I will point to those who rose early in the morning and why it was important for them.
Abraham had several occasions when it was important to rise early (Genesis 19:27; 21:14). There was one time when God commanded him to “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you” (22:2). Without any argument or hesitation, “Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac” (22:3). A very important point in this episode is that when they all arrived at the mountain God appointed, Abraham told his men, “I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you” (22:5). He considered God’s command an act of worship and it required the first part of the day. Part of getting up early in the morning is an act of worship because we are giving up some personal rights to please ourselves and be with the Lord. Finding joy in God’s presence is also part of worship (see Psalm 16:11). Abraham really understood these two aspects of worship. Do we? As we have watched events unfold in Afghanistan, we must pray for our brothers and sisters who have no way of escape. They fear the consequences of being discovered. We have heard from trusted missionary sources that many who could not escape are hiding as best they can. This is true for other parts of the 10-40 Window, including Nigeria.
Thankfully, these saints are not hidden from the eye of the Lord and His arm is not short. As you pray, consider these words; “Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body” (Hebrews 13:3). The beauty of being in “one body” in Christ is that “if one member suffers, all suffer together” (1 Corinthians 12:13, 26). In praying for their protection, also pray that their witness will be powerful through the Spirit so that others will surrender to the power of the gospel that saves eternally. Continuing the subject of prayer, we see in 2 Thessalonians 3:1 that Paul is asking them to pray for him, Silvanus and Timothy. “Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you.”
In reading Paul’s first letter to this church, we know the gospel had a unique entrance in their hearts through the Holy Spirit and from them had spread to Macedonia and Achaia. They understood how important it was “that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored.” It was natural for Paul to ask them to pray for their team. This is the kind of “prayer investment” we need today. We all have physical needs and often feel that our circumstances are difficult, but these pale in importance when we think of the need of the gospel reaching the unsaved. In one sense, there could not be a greater prayer request. There needs to be a far greater sense of urgency in our prayers for the gospel. In the same way that Paul asked these saints to pray for His work of spreading the gospel, so we have a deep burden at NFI that the training of indigenous leaders with God’s Word will spread rapidly around the world. Most of us are familiar with prayer lists from our church, small group, or some organization. Take a moment to compare these with Paul’s prayer list in Colossians 1:9-12. He begins with this marvelous statement; “And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you.” Now look at the list of requests he has for these saints.
I challenge myself and you to take this prayer list and select persons each day that you will pray these nine requests to God. I have no doubt it will have a double effect; first on you, and then as you watch God answer them in the persons you pray for. Remembering that Paul was writing Colossians from prison makes his words all the more meaningful. “Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake” (1:24). What landed Paul in prison was his faithfulness to the revelation of the gospel and his call “to make the word of God fully known, the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to His saints” (1:25-26). What a purpose in life!
There is a difference between what Paul is proclaiming about his suffering and personal suffering and trials that James speaks of. James is helping individuals who struggle with their own trials. Paul’s suffering was a matter of joy to him because it was the result of proclaiming the gospel and Colossae was the fruit of the gospel reaching them through that suffering. Let’s be honest about our outlook on suffering. Most of us are more concerned about what we personally go through and how to make it end. In Romans 8:16, Paul refers to “the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” That outlook changes the color of everything we experience that we call suffering. Suffering for the advancement of the gospel is rarely experienced and little understood which make us miss the special joy that Paul writes about. What would you be willing to suffer if you had the assurance that it would expand the gospel far beyond where it is now and reach the unreached? There are moments when I sit quietly before the Lord and look back on my history with amazement at all He has done for me and through me. It is all undeserved grace! I feel very humbled!
These moments of personal worship remind me of King David after the he was officially crowned king and the ark was brought to Jerusalem. David could not hold back spontaneous worship, even though his wife Michal mocked him for it. Because of David’s heart for the Lord, God establishes an everlasting covenant with him; “Your throne shall be established forever” (2 Samuel 7:16). What I want us to carefully consider is David’s response. “Then King David went in and sat before the Lordand said, “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far?” (7:18). “And what more can David say to you? For you know your servant, O Lord God!” (7:20). Worship does not always need words or music. It’s the heart prostrate in worship. This is a vital part of intimacy with God that I think most of us miss because we do not know how to just “sit before the Lord.” I realize over and over that what God has done in and through me was never to exalt me, BUT FOR HIM AND HIS GLORY! Moments of worship before God like this should humble us and increase His praise in us. “What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask” (James 4:1–2).
It is natural for us to overlook in ourselves the root cause for disagreements, arguments and division between us and other brothers and sisters in the Church. We harbor resentments because we are afraid to honestly examine our own hearts and repent of sin. When we fail this basic exercise of soul, we miss the greatest reward. Jesus reminds us of this: ““Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3). ““Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (5:8). Looking at the words of James and Jesus, the resolution to every human “war” is having the right passion. Selfish passion brings “wars.” Understanding that we are ‘broken’ (“poor”) helps us seek to have a “pure heart” before God. He will then fill our lives with a new “passion” for His glory. This change of heart changes everything, including relationships! |
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