Free At Last!

Our nation today knows little about true persecution. We too rarely hear accounts of people like John and Betty Stam, young missionaries to China, who were beheaded just one month after their arrival in Tsingteh, leaving behind a three-month old infant. Or, what about Peter and Lydia Vins, missionaries to the former Soviet Union? Peter was imprisoned and never seen again.Such a heritage might be enough to dissuade a child from faith in the gospel. Not so. Their son Georgi, surrendered his life to the same pursuit, on the same field, and was ultimately imprisoned as well. Enough is enough, right? Nope, his son Peter, Jr.,grew up, dedicated his life to Christ, and followed the same path to prison. In 1979, under Jimmy Carter's leadership, the surviving Vins family members were released from prison, and they continue to serve faithfully in the United States and abroad.

Consider this excerpt from The Hidden Price Of Greatness, written by Ray Beeson and Ranelda Mack Hunsicker:
It seems a paradox that the death of Christians could be the key to church growth. Yet as surely as the cross was essential to our salvation, the sacrifice of believers is crucial to world evangelism. That is as true today as ever.
In fact, the rate of christian martyrdom has risen dramatically in recent years. The World Evangelization Research Center estimates that there were approximately 35,600 Christian martyrs in 1900 compaared to an estimated 325,000 in 1989. Martyrdom is a fact of life in at least fifty countries. The Center concludes from its research that out of the two thousand or so plans for global evengelization by A.D. 2000, "martyrdom is probably the most potent and significant factor of all."

When we read such accounts, we wonder if people like the Stams had any idea what their commitment might cost them. Would they have dared surrender to such a sentence? Consider this excerpt from a speech delivered to the Moody Bible Institute graduating class of 1932:

Let us remind ourselves that the Great Commission was never qualified by clauses calling for advance only if funds were plentiful and no hardship or self-denial involved. On the contrary, we are told to expect tribulation and even persecution, but with it victory in Christ...It is ours to show, in the salvation of our Lord Jesus Christ, and in personal communion with Him, a joy unspeakable and full of glory that cannot be affected by outside circumstances.

The speaker? John Stam, just before his departure to China.

No, we are not acquainted with this sort of persecution, but Beloved, we must pray for those who are! Yet, we indeed experience a constant persecution of sorts, waged by the most vicious of all persecutors. Just like the Stams experienced, his allied forces are closing in and his captives are many. But so subtle is this battle that all around us people are being spiritually beheaded while we often remain unmoved. Heads are rolling. This is war.
It's a matter of influence. And that just happens to be our specialty.

So this is all taken from our women's bible study: Beth Moore, Living Beyond Yourself.
It is a lot to take in, but it is necessary because it will step on your toes...or I hope it does.
We are doing a 10 week study, so i thought I would use this blog for a place to sum up each week and for a time of reflection.
To all the women that are a part of the study, please feel free to leave your thoughts as well:)

My prayer is that we allow the holy spirit to take up residence in our heart. That means, getting rid of all the clutter/stuff so that He has room to grow. I pray we fall on our face and surrender all to Him.
It would be a tragedy to continue to look like the rest of the world, because that means we no longer look like Christ.
We have the power living inside of us to change the world!

All for Him,
Brandy