I was reading "Tortured For Christ." It's an amazing and horrifying story of Richard Wurmbrand's imprisonment in Romania during the years of Nazi and Communist rule. Some of the things he experienced just because he believed in Jesus Christ and because he preached about His grace are just beyond description.
I found my interest in his particular story was elevated because of his understanding of the Russian mentality and mindset. The things that I've only started seeing on the surface when visiting Ukraine are just the tip of a very dark and deep iceberg of darkness and destruction that Communism has rammed into the culture of Eastern Europe.
His story tells of the heavy indoctrination that the government would place on the people of the USSR and her captured nations. Indoctrination that was full of anti-Christ thoughts and teachings. Sadly enough priests and pastors even gave in and fell under the control of the government. Many priest/pastors would inform the freaks in Stalin's govt of who would take Communion more than others or who would seem deeper involved spiritually than others. Of course these people would then be arrested and imprisoned and/or killed. Sadly the believers in these countries had no where to turn in terms of a loving and trusting church body because even the priests were corrupted.
The underground church thrived however. Richard told of how there are no lukewarm Christians in the Underground Church of the world. When you decide that you will follow Christ no matter what, you could be signing up for a life of pain and torture for you or your wife and even your kids. Yes most Americans would walk away from there faith I think if they were tested this way. No lukewarm Christians. That hit me hard I must say. How willing ARE we to follow Christ and to be BOLD in our witness for Him.
The murderers in the communist regimes that ruled for decades were filled with a hate. They wanted the blood of believers and instead they found many that were filled with an amazing determination to demonstrate the love of Christ as they were being tortured. Some of these Christians even led their torturers to Christ as they were able to witness to them and experience the power of the Holy Spirit there in their jail cells.
Rev 3:15-20 "I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! (16) But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth! (17) You say, 'I am rich. I have everything I want. I don't need a thing!' And you don't realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked. (18) So I advise you to buy gold from Me—gold that has been purified by fire. Then you will be rich. Also buy white garments from Me so you will not be shamed by your nakedness, and ointment for your eyes so you will be able to see. (19) I correct and discipline everyone I love. So be diligent and turn from your indifference. (20) "Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear My voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.
Have you ever drank lukewarm water? In Ukraine the only type of water that you can find is lukewarm water. Sometimes I'd leave my water bottle in the sun to make it hot just so it would taste like something worth drinking. Of course, it was impossible to find cold water there, which we craved daily. My point is I'd rather get my water to the point of boiling so I could drink it rather than drink the lukewarm water. How much MORE does God detest a lukewarm church? Where are you in your personal walk? Where is your church? Would you be spit out? Would your church?
It's time we got "hot" for the Gospel of Jesus. Instead of warming our pews we need to warming the roads as we take the gospel to our community, our state, our nation and the world!
No comments:
Post a Comment