Reading for March 14-18
Acts 21:1-26
Wednesday
You Have a HUGE Family
“the entire congregation, including wives and children, left the city and came down to the shore with us. There we knelt, prayed, 6 and said our farewells . . . The next stop. . . was Ptolemais, where we greeted the brothers and sisters . . ."
Acts 21:5-7
Pastor’s Reflection
If you are a Christian you have the same Savior, the same Spirit, the same Father, the same baptism, the same faith, and the same family. In the Apostles’ Creed we recite, “I believe in the Holy catholic Church”. Catholic here does not refer to the Roman Catholic Church which is exclusive for those who practice “Roman Christianity”, rather catholic here means “universal”, meaning that the Family of God is comprised of anyone who trusts in Jesus as Savior from in and believes that the resurrection is the foretaste of the New Creation to come.
My point is not doctrinal. My point is that you have brothers and sisters in the faith all over the planet.
Two things then:
First, it is at least theoretically true that each of us can find a home with “family” anywhere the Christian church exists. And I do believe that this is true more ways than we are aware of.
Second, it is not true enough. It is worth my asking myself to what degree I act like a loving brother or sister to Iraqi Christians who are being killed or are emigrating because of persecution. Of course they are just one example of brothers and sisters worldwide who need their worldwide family.
Go to www.persecution.com simply to raise your awareness of what’s going on in the family.
My sister-in-law just spent Christmas & New Year in Eygpt. She was very shaken by the experience in relationship to her Christian faith. Lately, I've been thinking about Christians who do not have our freedom of religion and what it cost for them to practice their faith. I'm asking God to show me what one person can do to help. Daily prayer for them, of course, is the best place to start.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing the site www.persecution.com, the site offers so many ways to stand with our suffering brothers and sisters. Another part of their outreach is www.Be-A-Voice.net, members receive updates and prayer needs that allow us to give a voice to people we will never meet in this lifetime. It is such an honor to pray for them, write to them and advocate with their governments on their behalf. Jesus admonished His followers to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit those in prison this ministry allows me to do that and I'm grateful for that open door.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for sharing these websites, it helps to feel we can be connected to them...
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