The following was posted by Eric Parker earlier this week on the Radical blog.
Persecution comes in many different forms and on many different levels throughout the world today.
We previously brought attention to news surrounding pastor/speaker Louie Giglio and his recent withdrawal of his acceptance to deliver the benediction at the Presidential inauguration on January 21. This was due to the controversy generated around a sermon that he preached in the 1990′s condemning homosexuality in particular, and sin in general. There are many implications that flow from this, but at the very least, one of those implications is the further restriction of religious toleration in America. Albert Mohler makes the troubling observation that…
“The Presidential Inaugural Committee and the White House have now declared historic, biblical Christianity to be out of bounds, casting it off the inaugural program as an embarrassment. By its newly articulated standard, any preacher who holds to the faith of the church for the last 2,000 years is persona non grata. By this standard, no Roman Catholic prelate or priest can participate in the ceremony. No Evangelical who holds to biblical orthodoxy is welcome. The vast majority of Christians around the world have been disinvited. Mormons, and the rabbis of Orthodox Judaism are out. Any Muslim imam who could walk freely in Cairo would be denied a place on the inaugural program. Billy Graham, who participated in at least ten presidential inaugurations is welcome no more. Rick Warren, who incited a similar controversy when he prayed at President Obama's first inauguration, is way out of bounds. In the span of just four years, the rules are fully changed.”
This benediciton is scheduled to take place at the Presidential inauguration on January 21. I do not think it is by accident that there is another important event taking place on that same day. On January 21, Saeed Abedini is set to stand trial in Iran before a judge who is said to be, "one of Iran's most notorious 'hanging judges'" on the charge of compromising national security, according to Fox News. Charges surround Saeed Abedini's work in establishing house churches in Iran. Saeed could possibly be put to death for his work for the spread of the gospel, and ultimately, for refusing to renounce his faith in Jesus.
Both of these stories contrast one another in many ways, yet at the same time, they are very similar. Ultimately, as we have seen and continue to see, Christ's words in John 15 ring true: "If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me" (John 15:18-21).
Pray
- Pray for believers in both the United States and Iran, as they prayed in Acts 4:24-31: "Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them…grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness." Though we should be diligent in prayer for the safety of our brothers and sisters facing persecution around the world, prayer for boldness to proclaim the gospel is seen far more in Acts than prayer for safety. So let us pray for God's glory to be made manifest in the church through the spread of the gospel in accordance with the Father's will.
- Pray for Saeed Abedini's release and future work in establishing house churches birthed from the proclamation of the gospel.
- Pray for the U.S. and the President to see the long term implications of decisions like the one concerning Louie Giglio and the possible ramifications on religious liberty and freedom in the U.S.
- Pray that the gospel would go forth in the U.S. in great power and boldness and that we would begin to see an awakening of the Holy Spirit in people all over the country at all levels of society.
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