April 26, 2024
Pastor Darin Youngberg
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Daily Bread May 2, 2017
Posted on Tuesday, May 02, 2017 by Bro_D
1 Peter 1:1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,
I opened an email from Voice of the Martyrs this morning – it talked of Christians being murdered in Somalia. There is a group of young terrorists, they call themselves al-Shabab (it means “the Youth”), the are getting on buses, going door to door in college dorms and asking people, “Are you Muslim or Christian?”. If they answer Christian, they are murdered on sight. Sadly, this is not new. It has been happening for years. It just goes unnoticed. What struck me as most interesting in the article, was the statement that the persecution didn’t seem to keep the Christians from testifying AND the persecution WASN’T having an ill effect on the number of Christians in Somalia!
When my Bible fell open this morning to Peter’s introductory statement, I couldn’t help but giggle. The enemy thinks he can win the war by killing the followers of Christ. In the New Testament, we see that persecution of Christians actually caused the number of Christians to rise. Peter is writing to the “exiles of the Dispersion”. These Christians had been displaced from their homes, some from their families, some had lost everything, some were badly beaten and some had watched as loved ones were torturously murdered --- simply because they were followers of Jesus Christ. Many might think that their troubles were so great that the cause of Christ would be hindered. Not so! The Gospel was spread, the Kingdom of Heaven was multiplied --- because God used the persecution of those believers to deliver more lost souls unto His Kingdom! What the enemy wants to use for destruction, the LORD can use for His glory.
We ought to be crying out to God on behalf of these brothers & sisters. Crying out for their comfort and protection. Crying out for God to use their testimony to bring glory unto Himself. Crying out to God on behalf of al-Shabab – asking Him to reveal Himself, to draw them to the knowledge and love of Jesus Christ. Somalia, and many other nations like her, are dark regions – the enemy has a strong hold on them. Pray for the Light of the world, Jesus Christ to shine brightly, pushing back the darkness. Pray for the believers in these regions, that they not grow weary….