Dear Friends,
Over the last few days many Christians have been shocked by the images from a video showing 21 Egyptian Christian men being led to their deaths by beheading by members of ISIS. While we know that every day Christians are killed for their faith the images being flashed across our screens has brought this reality home for many of us.
Paul says to us in 1 Corinthians 12 that “The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ . . .If one part suffers, every part suffers with it . . .” (12:12, 26a). The Church, the physical representation of the Body of Christ, is one and when one part suffers we all suffer. When one part is in need, we are all in need. Today are Egyptian Christian brothers and sisters are suffering. Let us join in their grief and let us pray for their deliverance.
Pray not for the armies of this world to be their defender but pray that the Army of God would surround them. In 2 Kings the story is recounted of the King of Aram sending his army to capture and kill Elisha, the prophet of God. Early in the morning the army of the King of Aram surrounded the city of Dotham where the prophet was staying. When the Elisha’s servant when out and saw the enemy’s army he was struck with fear, but Elisha remained calm saying to his servant, “‘Don’t be afraid,’ the prophet answered. ‘Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.’ And Elisha prayed, ‘O LORD, open his eyes so he may see.’ Then the LORD opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha” (6:16-17). When the army of ISIS surrounds Christian brothers and sister, pray their eyes might be opened to see the Army of God coming to their aid.
Pray as they face their moment of death they might “see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God” (Acts 7:56) as Stephen did, one of the first martyrs of the church.
Pray. For the Church of God is one church and when one part suffers we all suffer.
Blessings,
Pastor Stephen