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&
Brooksyne Weber
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Monday,
November 7, 2022
This "fresh out of the woods" type arrangement we saw at an Apple Festival helps us to appreciate flowers and plants not only in the spring and summer but also in the fall.
"The
World Was Not Worthy
Of Them"
Message
summary: Let us
stand for the One who
also knew the jeering
scorn of unbelief and
rejection and gave His
life for us. Let us
remember those who are
persecuted for their
belief in Him.
"Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated — the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground" (Hebrews 11:35-38).
Yesterday
was "The International Day
of Prayer for the
Persecuted Church". We had
a focus on persecution in
our Sunday School class,
taught by Dennis, who
served in Nigeria for 40
years as a missionary. He
bears such a burden for
that country especially
where they are enduring
severe persecution with a
martyr for Christ every 2
hours.The nature of
enduring hope is
foundationally a spiritual
hope. The "good life"
(peace and prosperity), as
many of us have known and
desire it to be in this
life, is not guaranteed by
God. Heroes of the faith
in the past and those in
the present testify to
this. The abundant life
promised by Jesus is
altogether different than
the expectations of the
world!
We admire the
great people of the Bible
who stood up for their
faith. Hebrews 11 is known
as the "Faith Chapter" and
is a hall of fame for
people of faith. Toward
the end of the chapter the
focus moves from named
individuals to unnamed
heroes.
I've been especially drawn to this portion of Scripture over the years, although it's not a reading that is particularly edifying in the same sense many other portions of Scripture are. When reading this passage it's as if the writer is on a literary roll.
You've probably never been flogged (although we have heard from a reader who has had this horrible experience). But most of us have been jeered at some point in our lives. That's about the extent of physical "persecution" thus far for most of us in America and many other areas where this material is read. But of course in many other places they know the "flogging" and worse.
In this daily Scripture portion the writer of Hebrews is chronicling what happened to many unnamed heroes of faith. It's not a pretty picture. These are faithful people who stood up for God with uncompromising faith that they were unwilling to exchange for a favorable temporal outcome.
I don't understand why stuff like this happens, but it does and it always has. My faith in the goodness of God asserts that my God is in control even when I don't understand or when circumstances make no sense at all. It goes against the sensibilities that godly people would be stoned, sawed in two, or be put to death by the sword or by the bullets of hate-filled gunmen. But then I immediately consider Stephen, the first martyr of the New Testament, who was stoned as he stood up for Jesus.
I'm inspired as a couple of phrases in this portion are loaded with spiritual richness and seem to leap from the pages of my Bible; "that they might gain a better resurrection" and "the world was not worthy of them". That gives me the perspective I need today and everyday. Let's stay faithful and keep standing true for Christ no matter the cost. Today let us link our hearts with these heroes of faith as we stand up for Christ and the Holy Scriptures. Let us stand for the One who also knew the jeering scorn of unbelief and rejection and gave His life for us. Let us remember those who are persecuted for their belief in Him.
I've been especially drawn to this portion of Scripture over the years, although it's not a reading that is particularly edifying in the same sense many other portions of Scripture are. When reading this passage it's as if the writer is on a literary roll.
You've probably never been flogged (although we have heard from a reader who has had this horrible experience). But most of us have been jeered at some point in our lives. That's about the extent of physical "persecution" thus far for most of us in America and many other areas where this material is read. But of course in many other places they know the "flogging" and worse.
In this daily Scripture portion the writer of Hebrews is chronicling what happened to many unnamed heroes of faith. It's not a pretty picture. These are faithful people who stood up for God with uncompromising faith that they were unwilling to exchange for a favorable temporal outcome.
I don't understand why stuff like this happens, but it does and it always has. My faith in the goodness of God asserts that my God is in control even when I don't understand or when circumstances make no sense at all. It goes against the sensibilities that godly people would be stoned, sawed in two, or be put to death by the sword or by the bullets of hate-filled gunmen. But then I immediately consider Stephen, the first martyr of the New Testament, who was stoned as he stood up for Jesus.
I'm inspired as a couple of phrases in this portion are loaded with spiritual richness and seem to leap from the pages of my Bible; "that they might gain a better resurrection" and "the world was not worthy of them". That gives me the perspective I need today and everyday. Let's stay faithful and keep standing true for Christ no matter the cost. Today let us link our hearts with these heroes of faith as we stand up for Christ and the Holy Scriptures. Let us stand for the One who also knew the jeering scorn of unbelief and rejection and gave His life for us. Let us remember those who are persecuted for their belief in Him.
Be encouraged
today, (Hebrews
3:13)
Stephen
& Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer: Our
God Father in heaven, may I first
confess that with our elections and
the political strife here in America I
often forget to pray for those
throughout the world that are facing
so much more uncertainty: in ways that
we, in the United States, only begin
to comprehend. Many of Your people
throughout the world face relentless
persecution for their faith in You.
Oh, Holy Spirit, bring them Your
comfort. We pray together on behalf of
those who, on becoming a follower of
Jesus, forfeit any opportunity for
meaningful work, for the many whose
family and friends disown and shun
them because they are Christ’s
followers. We pray for our brothers
and sisters in Christ that have lost
their homes for their faith. We pray
for those who, by naming Jesus as
Lord, face imprisonment, inhumane
physical torture and even death. Yet,
these held fast their faith and
continue to follow You. Your Word
speaks of these faithful followers as
those of whom the world was not
worthy. They endure all of this, Lord
Jesus, Lamb of God, because You are
worthy. Walk with them, Lord Jesus
Christ. And Sovereign God we unite our
hearts in prayer for persecuted
Christians throughout the world. We
pray as Jesus prayed not that You take
them out of the world, but that You
protect them from the evil one. So,
Lord shelter them; protect them we
pray, our Father in heaven. Father,
Son and Holy Spirit, we unite to pray
in the name of the One Scripture calls
the suffering servant, our Lord and
King Jesus Christ. Amen. (This
prayer was offered yesterday in our
church by David Harrop, Pastor of
Global Ministries)
Today's
Suggested Music and Supplemental
Resources
"Rebecca",
a face of persecution Video (we saw
this yesterday in our class.)
"Thank
You Jesus For The Blood" Video
Closing song in our service yesterday.
These
singers are testifying for Christ in a
busy city.
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Scripture references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. © 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. and the King James Version.
Personal Mission Statement: "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity."
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