Going to Church is NOT the essence of a Christian’s life – it’s PRAYER. Most people, however, struggle with disappointment and emotions they don’t understand because they really don’t know how to pray effectively.
Today, like many other days, radical Muslims attacked and killed innocent people just because they didn’t like what they think or believe. I sometimes wonder if their intention is to make us all afraid of them so we’ll do what they want us to do, which I assume, is to bow down to their god. If it is, then that’s not new.
In the last five years, Jihad has increased to more than a dozen locations around the world. In those locations, Christians have become the prime target of violence, prejudice, and murder. Even before this war on freedom, Christians were being targeted in predominately Muslim countries. There has been so much dis-information in the mass media about the reality of what’s going on that most churches have been silent and inactive in helping their fellow believers in these locations. The debate about what Islam really is, and who is moderate and who is not, has left Christians wondering what they should do in response to this new ‘normal’.
If ever there was a time to pray with boldness and authority, it is now. The Apostle Paul once was a ‘terrorist’ to the first century Christian church, but was converted when He had an open vision of Christ on the road to Damascus. That of course did not end all persecution, but it became a turning point in the spiritual war for freedom of thought and belief. This freedom is under attack in many places, including North America. Even people like Bill Maher (“Real Time” – HBO) openly mock and “monsterize” people who don’t believe in evolutionary theory. It’s here as well.
The freedom to believe what you want to believe is a freedom protected by most democratic countries. Christians are slow to respond to open religious bigotry. Democracy is a product of Christianity; in the New Testament, God offers everyone the freedom to make their own choices and think, say and do what they please. He does not coerce or intimidate His followers or His ‘haters’. He does not meet oppression with more oppression just because He’s more powerful than all others. He responds towards His enemies with love and blessing because God IS love.
How do love and blessing tangibly change a murderer on a rampage? They change the spiritual climate which empowers and deludes them and others like them. This isn’t the first time in our 2000 year history that Christians have been persecuted. It’s not the first time that truth, justice, and freedom have been trampled under the feet of violent men and women – this is the way of the world. These people can kill your body but they can never kill your spirit which is eternally in Christ. They are the ‘weak’ ones. It’s their weakness that leads them to mock, diminish, and kill.
Even with graphic reporting in the media of Jihad abroad, and fascism in America, it’s astounding to me that Christians have not responded on mass to pray, fast, and do the spiritual things that are the foundation of our faith. Is it because the North American church is asleep? Is there a lack of leadership? Is it because there is no faith or is the church waiting for a more ‘serious’ crisis for which to rally believers to prayer? How much more has to happen before it’s no longer ‘church as usual’? I’ll let you ‘call that one’, but for me, I can pray and write.
Starting February 19th (2015) , I will write about the things I’ve learned about prayer, in prayer. Many of them have been taught to me by the Holy Spirit, and I promise you, this will be a ‘rich ride’. You will be inspired, challenged, and empowered with new strategies for effective prayer.
I ask you to come along on this journey. I also ask you to invite your friends to come along and use this journey to change the world – is there any Christian that doesn’t need to improve their prayer life?
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© Copyright 2014-15, Paul K. Weigel – All rights reserved.