News That We Need to Apply & Share

Sometimes, when the justice system fails and a criminal gets leniency or even acquittal, we say, "He or she will face justice in a higher court." And we are very right. When criminals, child molesters or other offenders manage to evade the law altogether (because laws tend to protect offenders and ignore victims), we say, "He or she will have to stand before God one day." We are correct. When many criminals, especially murders or child molesters are sentenced, we may says, "Let them rot in prison and then face justice in Hell." Again, correct. But guess what?

Each of us, too, will one day die and have to stand before the same Higher Court and before the same God Whom we declare that "those criminals" will have to face.

We who are Christians know that our own righteousness is "as filthy rages" to God and that we are all spiritually criminal and morally bankrupt in His sight. Yet we may fall into the old trap of believing that, somehow, though we know better, that we can somehow evade giving an account of ourselves because "it is all covered under the blood." Yet the New Testament makes it clear that all of us, Christians and non-Christians, will have to stand before God and give an account of our lives. Are you ready?

We must be ready to face God at all times, as life is so fragile. If you are without Christ, you have to give account of all you have done and you will be told that you must pay for your sins because you did not accept God's provision of pardon. If you had accepted His provision and His sacrifice in Christ on your account, then your sins would have been credited to Christ and Christ's righteousness and sacrifice would have been credited for you, and you would not have to bear the penalty for all your sins. But because of your rejection of Him, you will have to face the punishment for your sins. Forever and ever. The Bible, not I, says this. This is not my idea, but Someone Else's.

We who know Christ may believe that we are eternally secure in Him and that "all is covered by Calvary." I'm certainly NOT minimizing all that was wrought for us by Jesus' sacrifice on our behalf. His perfect life and blood atonement DO indeed cover us fully; all our sins are transferred to His account and His righteousness is transferred to our account. Without this Great Exchange, there is no way that we could ever know God or go to Heaven. But in spite of this assurance, we still have to face God and give an account of how faithful we have been as Christians--with our money, our time, our talents, our minds, our bodies, and our lives. We will have to render an account of every word we have ever said, every deed we have done that we have long forgotten, and we will have to account for the good things that we have left undone. Does knowing these things make you tremble?

Believe me, I wish that these teachings of the Judgment of non-Christians and of Christians and the teaching of Hell, did not exist in the Bible. But they do and we ignore these teachings at our eternal risk. It is better to deal with this now than then. But guess what? In Christ, God paid it all, a horrible price, so we can go to Heaven and enjoy Him and others. Forever and ever. Heaven is everything that we have ever longed for. All those who are without Christ need to do, to enter there, is to call on Jesus to forgive them and deliver them from the power of sin; then they are empowered to live as God wants them to. And if you do this and died now, you would be at home in Heaven. In the case of us Christians, all we need to do is keep our eyes on Christ and, counting on His power, to strive to remain faithful to Him. Then we remain saved and will enjoy the full benefit of Heaven's wealth. Believe me, I know that it's so easy to get caught up in the affairs of this life that we forget the eternal. But we can't afford to think only of this life and not think about the world to come.

This is news that everyone can use, right?

No Specific Topic Today, Just My Musings

Hello, brothers and sisters in Christ. If you write, do you ever reach the time when you know you need to write but you can think of nothing to write about? I think I am at this place where I need to post, want to do so but, after searching my brain, I can't think of anything to write about. Well, there are a number of things I could write about, but these things do not belong in the public domain, at least not yet. Maybe never.

Currently, we are marking the 10th anniversary of the O.J. Simpson case. As I had not been a sports fan, I did not follow the case, though my parents kept the court coverage of that case on TV. It seemed to drag on. I did not pay attention to it. Now, I'm hearing all the coverage, covering all the participants in the court drama and all the dynamics. Now I can see why there was so much fascination, though I still am not a sports fan. I think a vast collection of bad gym experiences at school had turned me off to sports. But I'm hearing analysis of why an acquittal was reached, though most people think that O.J. Simpson was guilty.

When you run on a "writer dry spell," as I currently am, you normally do not write. I have posted an article by someone else about the dire need of our persecuted brothers and sisters in Jesus. Most religious persecution is perpetrated against Christians. The world talks about a "war on women," a "war on children," and even, a "war on whales" or some other species. And I fully agree with these. But the greatest war is being waged against Christ and against millions of Christians worldwide. If you have a Facebook account, I hope that you will seriously consider visiting my Facebook group. Please take time to educate yourself via my shares from the websites of a few nonprofits that exist to serve our brothers and sisters in restricted or hostile nations.

My birthday is coming up in twelve days as of this writing. Since I'm past forty, to me it is a marker of the passage of time. This holds true of all birthdays and holidays. When you are younger, I think birthdays are more special, especially what are considered milestone birthdays. My birthday wish is for this blog to grow. Consider helping to grant my birthday wish by sharing this blog, using the sharing services here. Or, if you are one who has found this in a search or because this was shared with you, consider "following" by hitting the little floating "Follow" button at the top right of your computer screen, or via other available subscription options. A blog is useless without readers. I need you!

As for the commenting system here, I do not like the Blogger commenting system. I have tried to make changes in it, but without much success. I know that everyone is busy and that you have a lot on your plate, so to speak. But if you find time, I welcome your comments if you are able to use Blogger's commenting system and know how to use it. No, I had no way of knowing where I was going with this, except that I want this to be interactive for you and that I will find more of you.

In Christ,

Lisa DeSherlia

We cannot continue to ignore religious persecution

We cannot continue to ignore religious persecution



Please read this article that I have found this afternoon and then, if you have a Facebook account, please consider joining my group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ChristianPersecution

Christians and Politics

At the current time, if you are in the US, you know that we are bitterly divided about one freed prisoner of war. You know that we are divided about the circumstances of his disappearance and those under which he was released. So many among us are engaged in mud-slinging, name-calling, early judgment calls, and hate. What should be a joyous occasion that should unite us all, has bitterly divided us. This isn't the only time we have been divided. It seems that over these past six years, we have been divided over one person and even over if he has the right to hold his position. As Christians, depending on if you support a "social gospel" or believe that we should stick to "personal discipleship only," you probably support one party over the other. If you are outside the US, you probably support your party in the context of your own culture. Is this what we are called to do?

The Current Controversy

In the US, I notice that we are divided and much of it is along party lines. You're doubtless aware of the raging controversy over Bowe Bergdahl, the former POW who had been held in an Afghanistan prison for almost five years. As Christians, many of us may be much concerned with the exchange of five prisoners, as who knows what these men may be let loose to do, especially to other Christians who may be in the line of fire? I'm hearing about numerous accusations of Bergdahl as being a "deserter" and a "traitor." President Obama is being accused of "treason" for "letting out a deserter and a traitor" as well as "letting out terrorists." Those five Gitmo detainees were not, according to reports, involved in the September 11 terrorist bombings. Yes, they are "bad guys." Yet now we are bitterly divided over a homecoming that should be a happy event. It's understandable, because of the circumstances of the former POW's disappearance and his rescue. Or the alleged circumstances. How would God have us respond not only to this but to our differing visions from our two-party system, that tend to cause us to divide so bitterly over hot-button issues and even in the Church?

How Should Faith Influence Our Politics?

It seems to me that in the Christian community, we have the "Christian Right" and the "Christian Left." The Christian Right subscribe to the conservative value system. This belief system holds that government is not the solution to our problems, and is, in fact, the problem. Because of this, it cannot be part of the solution. The exceptions are in the areas which the Christian Right see as core values, such as our right to life (anti-abortion, pro-gun rights), and homosexuality (anti-gay marriage, pro-traditional marriage). Only on these, conservatives hold, should politicians speak into our lives with their policies. The Christian Right seem to hold that all other issues are far less pressing than the two values they perceive as core values. Hence, they believe in "limited government" that emphasizes personal responsibility in all areas of life. In one's Christian life, the person who subscribes to this view seems to stress personal discipleship above social responsibility, making him or her seem indifferent to the human needs of a large portion of hurting humanity. Those who subscribe to the Christian Left value system often call themselves "progressive Christians." This belief system holds that the government has the potential to solve many of our social ills through their policies. Thus, progressive Christians call for what is known as a "consistent life ethic" where all life, and the lives of all people groups, are protected and upheld. Progressive Christians also call for improving the quality of life for all those who are vulnerable, like raising the minimum wage, improving workplace conditions, strengthening government programs, and more. Thus progressive Christians believe that government has a role in our lives while stressing our social responsibility. In our discipleship, progressives tend to stress a social gospel above relationship with God and our responsibility to share our faith. Which side is right? If you read the Bible, and especially explore the life of Jesus, you see that God transcends both worldviews. Just when we think that He supports a conservative worldview, we see His heart for the poor, the sick, the disabled, and sinners. He calls for social responsibility. Just when we think He sympathizes with the Democratic worldview, we see that He hates sin and loves holiness, and calls for personal responsibility. Realistically, when we go vote, we often vote for only one party. We do have the option of voting a split party ticket. Scripture does not tell us how to vote, but we are told to let God rule every area of our lives including our voting. So where does this leave us as Christians and as we think of the division over Bowe Bergdahl?

How Then To Respond To the Current Controversy

We know that Jesus wants all of us, as Christians, to be united. We also know that He calls on us to believe and teach according to the truth. We know that whether we subscribe to the Christian Right or to the Christian Left political worldview, we usually see our politics as better than our neighbor's? Or maybe I'm missing something here? The truth is that neither political party is all right or all wrong. So while we may differ in our politics and on varying issues, including the Bergdahl raging controversy, we can still love each other in Christ despite our political differences. Sadly, this does not always happen. In past months, a Christian personal removed me from her friend's list over a post I made on my Facebook profile, about President Obama. Maybe the split would not have happened if I had sent her my message via my message inbox but maybe it would have anyway. The debate and the person's name are not important; what is important is that a political difference had split up two believers. The US is bitterly divided over Bergdahl but let this controversy not divide us as believers. Bergdahl, after all, has just been accused of desertion and treason. Evidence is still murky in this area. The principles of Scripture call for people to be convicted of crimes only in a court of law through hard evidence. Public opinion does not count. Whatever has happened to patience and impartial justice no matter what our politics?

The Rest of the Body of Christ

I assume that if you're reading this, that you have Internet access. Not just that, but I'm sure that you live in an area where practicing your faith is legal and tolerated, if not embraced. You probably meet with other believers in a church building, typically known as "going to church." You no doubt have access to a Bible and, in the US, you have access to Bibles in many different translations and for virtually any stage of life. In the West, we have access to numerous Christ-centered resources, including books, schools, congregations, and nonprofits. We affiliate with different denominations that go under the umbrella of Christian. In other words, in the West, with our legalized and registered congregations, we have what is typically called "organized Christianity" or, in Lutheran terms, the "visible Church"vs. the "invisible church." I wonder if you have ever wondered, What would it be like if we were like the first Christians in the Book of Acts, where they didn't register with any government, but met in house churches and faced persecution? And thrived in spite of it?

Global Persecution of Brothers and Sisters in Christ Today

Most of us Western Christians know that many Christians don't share our freedoms. We treasure our religious freedoms. We thank God for them and are happy that we are not suffering severe religious persecution. Severe religious persecution is defined as experiencing government oppression, which makes the practice of one's faith dangerous, resulting in heavy fines, imprisonment, even the death penalty. Severe religious persecution is defined as hostility from terrorist groups who issue threats, attacks, even atrocities against one for practicing a minority faith. So many nations all over the world, as in Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa, are dominated by Islam. Islam is that state religion in many nations, and Christianity is illegal; practicing it is dangerous. In many countries, Christianity is tolerated but because of "hot spots" created by hostile terrorist groups, severe persecution can be experienced by those of minority faith. In such countries, radical Islamists terrorize people, especially Christians. IN spite of the Cold War, some Communist nations exist, like China and North Korea. Vietnam is a stronghold of Communism and Buddhism; hence a book of Vietnamese persecuted Christians is titled BETWEEN TWO TIGERS. In many of these countries, the Church not only is existing, but is growing! In fact, Christians are said to by multiplying fastest in Iran, where it is illegal to be a Christian. So does religious freedom carry a hidden price?

The Modern Book of Acts

In the West, institutionalized Christianity is the norm. Our local churches register with the government, and receive tax-exempt status. We often speak of "going to church" and have to work at bearing in mind that in God's eyes, we ARE the church. Enemies against our Christian faith are powerful and real, but we often have trouble pinpointing these enemies. These enemies include materialism, the pleasure principle, and secular humanism. These enemies have crept into many of our local congregations and make it a daily battle to practice our Christian faith. Many of the Scriptural principles go against the grain of our materialistic, humanistic, pleasure-mad culture. In the East, where so many hostile groups and hostile groups prevail now, our brothers and sisters in Christ have no trouble identifying their enemies. They are forced to come 100 percent for Christ or deny Him. They are often forced into positions of choosing between Christ and their families, between Christ and their freedoms, or even between Christ and their own lives. Countless Christians throughout this century and today, willingly choose Christ above their families, or their freedom, or their very lives. Many of them cannot practice their faith openly; they meet in underground house churches, like in the Book of Acts. They so often show the level of faith shown by those early believers. Two Christian wives and moms are high-profile examples of this. Currently, Meriam Ibrahim, a wife and mother in Sudan, is imprisoned and on death row with both her two children, because she would not deny her Christian faith; she has been in prison for several months. This has reportedly reached US government attention. In Pakistan, over five years ago, Asia Bibi, a wife and mom, was declared guilty of "blasphemy" and sentenced to death for defending her Christian faith. They are only two examples; there are so many, many other brothers and sisters in Jesus who remain true to Christ at great cost to themselves and their families. During this century, millions of Christians have died for their faith. According to the late Richard Wurmbrand, 400 Christians in Muslim countries, daily, are killed for their faith. Persecution is said to separate true Christians from mere professors. Jesus told us to count ourselves worthy if we suffer for Him, to expect persecution, and in Scripture, persecution seems to be seen as almost a "rite of passage" or a "necessary evil." Therefore, who is blessed and most importantly, who did Jesus say would be blessed?

Our Response

The New Testament Book of Hebrews tells us that we are to "Remember our brothers and sisters in chains, as though suffering with them." This means that we are to educate ourselves about the "other part of the Body of Christ," pray often for them, speak up on their behalf, and follow their examples of faith under fire. I have created a new Facebook group where all of you with Facebook accounts, can join and get updates on specific persecuted believers and information on restricted or hostile countries. My new group contains updates that redirect you to several nonprofits that are dedicated to coming alongside with, strengthening, and helping our brothers and sisters in Christ in restricted or hostile countries. These nonprofits seek to empower these believers to serve Christ, and seek to win the persecutors of believers to Christ. I post prayer requests that empower you to pray and these Christians treasure our prayers for them.

If you have a Facebook account, will you join my Facebook group right here?