The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in John 16:2-3,
"... the time is coming when anyone who kills you will think they are offering a service to God. They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me."
As the Lord speaks of his departure (his death, burial and resurrection) he tells his disciples of a time that is to come. It will be marked by a persecution of the children of God. People in their religious zeal will kill God's people thinking they are performing a service to God!
While we may read Foxe's Book of Martyrs and read of those who have been persecuted and put to death over the years, we see this as a reality today. In our day many Muslims exactly "think they are offering a service to God" as they behead, burn alive, boil in tar and otherwise execute those who are true children of God.
Our world exists in a darkness that is so fallen from God, so estranged from him, that mankind has invented his own religions, and in the zeal of those religions, destroyed those who are true children of God. They do this because they do not know God in the least. The most recent manifestation of this is, of course, Islam. An honest read of the Qu'ran reveals it is the faithful who engage in jihad, the ones who are killing God's children and others in the name of Muhammad. The other "moderate" Muslims do not speak out against the jihadis simply because the "moderates" really are what Christians might call "backsliders." Again, read the Qu'ran for yourself to understand this so-called "religion of peace"! Some of us have and are perplexed at the ignorance of so many in the media and in politics and in our pop culture who have no clue as to what they write and speak about.
However, in the midst of this raping of the bride of Christ, it is imperative to keep in mind that the very ones that are martyring Christians are ones the Lord hung on that cross and died for... to pay the penalty for their sins... just as he did for all mankind. These are in need of having the gospel shared with them, that they may turn from Muhammad to Jesus Christ, from killing others to loving others.
To this we are called and to this we are to give our lives to. The purpose of this age is to build the kingdom of God, the family of God. This is what the Lord is doing in this age, and when this agenda comes to a close, the age we live in will come to a close.
And... then comes the Lord for his own and to usher in the time for judgment. May many of the Muslim religion turn to the Lord and embrace him in faith! "...God our Savior... wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth."1 Timothy 2:3-4
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
"... the time is coming when anyone who kills you will think they are offering a service to God. They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me."
As the Lord speaks of his departure (his death, burial and resurrection) he tells his disciples of a time that is to come. It will be marked by a persecution of the children of God. People in their religious zeal will kill God's people thinking they are performing a service to God!
While we may read Foxe's Book of Martyrs and read of those who have been persecuted and put to death over the years, we see this as a reality today. In our day many Muslims exactly "think they are offering a service to God" as they behead, burn alive, boil in tar and otherwise execute those who are true children of God.
Our world exists in a darkness that is so fallen from God, so estranged from him, that mankind has invented his own religions, and in the zeal of those religions, destroyed those who are true children of God. They do this because they do not know God in the least. The most recent manifestation of this is, of course, Islam. An honest read of the Qu'ran reveals it is the faithful who engage in jihad, the ones who are killing God's children and others in the name of Muhammad. The other "moderate" Muslims do not speak out against the jihadis simply because the "moderates" really are what Christians might call "backsliders." Again, read the Qu'ran for yourself to understand this so-called "religion of peace"! Some of us have and are perplexed at the ignorance of so many in the media and in politics and in our pop culture who have no clue as to what they write and speak about.
However, in the midst of this raping of the bride of Christ, it is imperative to keep in mind that the very ones that are martyring Christians are ones the Lord hung on that cross and died for... to pay the penalty for their sins... just as he did for all mankind. These are in need of having the gospel shared with them, that they may turn from Muhammad to Jesus Christ, from killing others to loving others.
To this we are called and to this we are to give our lives to. The purpose of this age is to build the kingdom of God, the family of God. This is what the Lord is doing in this age, and when this agenda comes to a close, the age we live in will come to a close.
And... then comes the Lord for his own and to usher in the time for judgment. May many of the Muslim religion turn to the Lord and embrace him in faith! "...God our Savior... wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth."1 Timothy 2:3-4
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
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