Persecution of the Saints
Wednesday, March 14, 2012 at 6:20AM To write the following words is somewhat conceptual. Persecution is not a daily life experience for the majority of Christians in the West. We have been truly blessed to have such peace in the midst of the this current climate of global persecution that is seeing the killing of our brothers and sisters in the Middle East, Far East, North African, and even Central and South American countries. Death it would seem has come to the world.
The Holy Spirit has been consistently leading Pastor Weintraub to teach on the preparation of our spirits in the Word and genuine Spirituality, which is clearly seen in the heart of Yeshua and Paul as they reveal the steadfastness of commitment to walk with the Father even unto death. Paul even writes in Philippians 3:10, "That I might know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His suffering, being made conformable to His death." How does a man (any human really) get to a place where they can pray such a thing? How does a western believer overcome the prosperity gospel of the West and the disparity that exists between our wealth and "peace" and the poverty and suffering that is being heaped upon the rest of the World?
Thank the Lord that He is faithful to His remnant in all places! Examine two scriptures:
Deuteronomy 8:2-3, "You shall remember all the way which the LORD your God has led you in the wilderness these forty years, that He might humble you, testing you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the LORD."
Lamentations 3:22-26, "22 The LORD’S lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. “The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, therefore I have hope in Him. The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, to the person who seeks Him. It is good that he waits silently for the salvation of the LORD."
It is of great purpose that God allows suffering, both on an individual and community basis. It trains us in knowing the great mercy and capacity of our God. When the prosperity gospel preaches that wealth is a sign of blessing they automatically condemn all Christians that live in poverty and suffering to a life of worry and fear. However, it might be wise to consider that our brothers and sisters who are suffering for the gospel are actually the wealthy ones, having come into the fullness of knowing the above scriptures and being able to sit with Paul and Yeshua and identify with them in the their wounds.
Please be sober minded in these difficult, but truly exciting days.
Shalom
Pastor Llave
