Scripture
Don’t be afraid of what you are about to suffer. The devil will throw some of you into prison to test you. You will suffer for ten days. But if you remain faithful even when facing death, I will give you the crown of life.
~Revelation 2:10, NLT
Quote
Respect is for those who deserve it, not for those who demand it.
~Source Unknown
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, congregants in the Ukraine would stand to their feet in reverent silence when ever the pastor entered the room. They did this because most of the pastors had spent time in Soviet prisons for their faith. When I read this, I thought wow! Practically no one respects pastors here in the U.S. but then again, none of us have gone to prison rather because of our faith in Jesus. When I surrendered to the ministry at age 19, I thought I was making a huge sacrifice but looking back, it was no sacrifice at all, only privilege. I can think of no legitimate reason why I should get the respect that was shown to these persecuted saints.
During the communist regime, a Ukrainian pastor sensed that he was going to be arrested and imprisoned so he called all his children and his wife into the room and told them…“They are going to put me in prison for preaching Jesus. I could avoid this if I would deny Him which I do not intend to do. I will miss all of you very much. I have heard that sometimes they force family members to deny their faith and if they don’t, they hang them. If I am in prison and I hear that my wife and children have been hung rather than deny Jesus, I will be the most proud man in that prison.”
They did arrest him the very next week but they did not put his family to death. I don’t know if I have ever known of a person, especially a father, who valued his faith more than the lives of his children. To be honest with you, I can only hope and pray that I would have that kind of courage. Yet in the Ukraine, hundreds of pastors had this or a similar experience. Would I stand in respect of a man who made the kind of commitment and sacrifice that this Ukrainian Pastor made? You better believe it!
In relation to the blog. Several years ago I traveled some distance to confront Pastor/Teacher that I thought was in error theologically but when I heard him speak in person, a still small voice told me to keep my mouth shut. I didn’t even approach the man: I prayed and departed. The above story came from Nik Ripkin’s book the INSANITY OF GOD.
Just last week I prayed for just a rain but in my mind, I was dreaming for an entire day of rain. I may have even said, “It would be great LORD if you let it rain all day.” Praise to Him who does exceedingly, abundantly more than we asks for or even imagine. I have to be honest, I did not image a week of rain. Thank You Jesus.
I can hardly believe it: VBS is practically here, wow! Our pre-registration rally is next Wednesday night. T-Shirts are on sale. There are 8$ if you attend next Wednesday night and 10$ afterwards.
Those who go a long way back on the blog may remember me sharing lots of stories from the JESUS FREAKS books {3 in all}. This were produced by The VOICE OF THE MARTYRS. Richard Wrumbrand was a Romanian Pastor who spent 16 years in prison for declaring his faith in Christ. I love to tell the story of how he got arrested: it really favors his wife. Richard and his wife came to the States in the late 60′. He founded the VOICE OF THE MARTYRS in 1967. He retired here in the States and he and Sabrina {wife} were buried in Torrance, California. Sabrina was promoted in 2000 and Richard in 2001. When Doug and I were in Romania in 2008, I asks every pastor I met if they knew Wrumbrand. They all knew the name, he is an icon among Christian ministers in Romania but finally I met one young pastor who told me that Wrumbrand mentored his father.