Hebrews 13:3, “Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering”.
A while back my wife and I attended the Voice of the Martyrs Missions Conference in Oklahoma. This gathering was filled with our precious family members, many that have been imprisoned, beaten, tortured, and almost killed for Christ. Many of us have probably never met a brother or sister in Christ that has been through real persecution in this day and age. “It didn’t end at the Coliseum, Christians still die“
1Corinthians 12 speaks about the body of Christ, being of one body but many parts all operating by the same Spirit. God designed each member of His body to fulfill their purpose in which they have been designed for. 1Corinthians 12:26 states, If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Picture if you broke your foot, lost an eye, or went deaf. Would your whole body not be affected by it? As our brothers and sisters around the globe are being beaten for faith in Christ do we as the Body “feel it?” Many don’t know, or care, and some don’t care to know about Christian persecution.
However, if you are part of the body, even now your heart will ache for these dear family members. Go to www. Persecution.com and be exposed to the reality of Christian suffering. Now this is not shared with you to give you a morbid day, but rather to expose you to the reality of your family that is suffering. We don’t experience much of this in the U.S. but this is not so in China, Iran, Nigeria, Sudan, Somalia, Iraq etc.
To remember them that are in bonds is more the cognitive recollection. Rather remembering is an active love toward those in the bonds. This may take in prayer, financial support, letters written to them, or visiting them yourselves. Whatever you can do at a practical level, please feel their pain. We are called to not only remember them as if we were in prison with them, but as if we ourselves were suffering. If you were the one in jail, if you were the one suffering would you not desire your brothers and sisters to love you and support you? Our family needs us desperately.
Read Hebrews 11:36-38. The world may not be worthy of them, but they are worthy to Jesus, and worthy to us. They counted not their lives unto death. (Revelation 12:11)
Blessings,
Pastor Phil <><
He Has Magnified His Word 