Thursday, Aug 28, 2008

TWG - August 28, 2008

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TWG - August 28, 2008
To Listen to Today’s Reading http://timewithgod.mypodcast.com
Numbers 4:1-33; Psalm 78:1-37; Galatians 3

Today is August 28, this is time with God, I’m Pastor Dennis - I’ve been waiting here for you. Welcome to our life transforming community. We are doing something of eternal significance. We are redeeming the time. That is one of the basic premises of TWG. We believe that what we do every day is so important that we must do the important things each day. That is why we read the word every Day

It was a bit of different day again yesterday. I spent most of the day working to prepare the new building for our Awana orientation. I hung our big screen from the ceiling. That took some time and effort. Jeannie came in and we went over the church directory. It’s looking good! Bill was there working on the handicapped parking. Marcia and Jessie stopped in to work on Sunday School stuff. Marta has way too much energy. She ran around and around the Awana circle. Carl, Sonja and Helen were there canning. I began moving chairs around and rearranging the room. I finally got it pretty much the way I want it… not quite but close! Then I ordered concrete for Friday. I put a picture of Team Don and Jayn on the Blog at http://timewithgod.mypodcast.com. They are changing tires at the Race track. Check it out.

This week’s theme verse is Hebrews 13:1-3 Let brotherly love continue. Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels. Remember the prisoners as if chained with them— and those who are mistreated— as if you yourselves were suffering.

I got out of “the big house” a year ago. That’s right I was in the State Pen for two days… just visiting. Their cells were small, clean and simple. “The Yard” had a basketball court, soccer and baseball field and weights. There were lines painted on the asphalt that said, “off limits” (the guys in the towers with sunglasses on had real guns). It was a concrete and steel jungle. I went with a team of other Christians who were there for one reason, and one reason only… to love those prisoners to Christ. And we literally saw dozens place their faith and trust in the Savior during that time. We are supposed to remember the prisoners as if chained with them! That’s pretty graphic language. God wants us to sympathize with the plight of prisoners. I have noticed that most of us are irate at the injustice of our system. Sometimes criminals that should be punished are let go, and that doesn’t sit well with us. But there are many on the inside who are lonely, fearful and have no friends and family and they don’t know Christ. That’s what got them there in the first place. Christian values demand that we look beyond the crime to our mission: to give every person on the planet an opportunity to hear and respond to the gospel; including infamous criminals. But I think this statement has another application as well. It underlines the plight of the persecuted church. While we are free and unmolested, thousands of believers in countries all around the world are imprisoned for their faith. For example, Pastor “Bike,” known for traveling across China on his bicycle to evangelize was thrown into jail on the eve of the Olympics. And he is but one of thousands! There is serious persecution in India, Iran, Yemen, Sri Lanka, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Eritrea, Algieria, Burma and the list goes on and on. Every day Christians are being unjustly imprisoned for their faith, others are brutally beaten, shot at, stabbed, burned out of their houses and pelted with rocks. Our brothers and sisters in Christ are on the front lines and they need our prayers. They are faithful to the Savior, and many have nothing left, even their health has been taken from them. Remember the prisoners as if chained with them. Pray intelligently. I suggest that you check out www.persecution.com regularly to see what is going on with your Christian family. It will make you appreciate your freedoms, and stimulate you to become more passionate about winning your world to Christ before the world turns on us! When that happens, we will want them to remember because the tables may well be turned and we may be behind bars for our faith.

Dear Lord Jesus, I remember that you were treated unjustly. Help me to remember those in chains in my prayers. I do pray that the persecuted church around the world would experience peace and be able to share their faith effectively. And when opportunity arises, help me to love criminals to Christ because You are the answer!

Come unto me all you who are weary and heavily burdened and I will give you rest.

Posted by Dennis Kreiss at 10:20 AM |  MAKE A COMMENT  

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