Tuesday, July 1, 2008

A Good Perspective


I was just reading an article in a magazine published by Dallas Theological Seminary that made me stop and think. The article featured a Turkish missionary (and DTS student), Yuce Kabakci. His spiritual mentor was one of 3 christians who were slain in an attack on the publishing house that distributes Bibles in the area. Yuce recounted the experience to his fellow seminary students and stated: "When you preach the gospel, do not say 'God has a wonderful plan for your life.' Tell people, 'Jesus is worth dying for.'"

Those are powerful words. It is too often that my thoughts center on what God is doing for me. In America especially, we do not yet see the same type of violent persecution that our brothers and sisters do in other parts of the world. I have to emphasize the word "yet", because we are currently in an ideological battle that may lead to Christian persecution soon. It is true, God does have a wonderful plan for our lives, but it is much bigger and far more wonderful than my little perspective acknowledges. Father God, grant me a bigger perspective, because Jesus is the only one worthy of my dying and my living.

Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Romans 8:28
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

17 comments:

Kris said...

hey genius,

i too believe we are under persecution. i remember the book i had once told you to read. it is titled Persecution, by David Limbaugh

check it out

kw

katdish said...

He is absolutely right. I'm so tired of the Christian mindset that you have to "sell" Jesus. As a friend was pointing out just the other day, following Christ is not complicated, but it's not easy either. I will never again try to talk someone into becoming a Christian. "If I be lifted up, Jesus said, "I will draw all men unto me." He will do the drawing, we just have to show love to people the way He does. We don't have to water down the truth. We just have to get out of our comfy seats in the santuary and be the hands and feet of Jesus for a change.

Christine said...

Kris, is that the one about our educational system?

Kathy, very well said! No one has ever come to Christ through philosophy or human convincing.

Anonymous said...

So when I post this does everyone else see it too or just you? If I stay here will I see more comments from you? Is this sort of like instant messaging?
CIO

Anonymous said...

SOOOOO who deletes the postings so I don't look stupid?
CIO

Christine said...

ROFL@anonymous (AKA CIO)!!! I know who you are, but don't worry, I won't tell. :)

Yes, everyone else can see your comments. And, no, it's not like instant messaging. Think of it like a bulletin board. Each time you comment, you are sticking a little post-it note on a board that everyone can read.

I can delete your comments anytime, but why would I? This is too cute. Your secret identity is safe with me. :) :) :) (Unless I have a future need to blackmail you, of course.)

Anonymous said...

What is ROFL mean? Why can't I get it to use my gmail....instead of my younest ones?
The garbage man is driving down the street....I'VE LOST A WHOLE DAY....didn't realize it's Thursday!!!
CIO

Amy said...

Hello there fellow traveler,

I deal with this on a daily basis and probably could identify those persons who were martyred because of their faith in Christ in Turkey. Everyday persons are harassed because of knowing the one who died for them. I recommend the book by Richard Wurmbrand, "Triumphant Church". I work for The VOICE OF THE MARTYR and you can check out what goes on here and how you can help those who stand strong for Christ at our website www.persecution.com

Blessing,

Amy

Christine said...

Well hey there Miss Amy!!! How I've missed your sweet hugs and quick wit. :) Thanks for your post and the web link. What a great site. (The link is now on my blog.) I've been receiving VOM by mail, but never thought to check out the website and receive by email. (Actually, for some reason, I've been receiving double mailings.)

I hope all is well with you. (((((((Big HUGS))))))))))

Love you. :)

Christine said...

Hey CIO :)

ROFL= Rolling on floor laughing
LOL=Laugh out loud

As for the rest of your post, I'm not sure I have ANY idea what you are talking about. But I'm thinking you should check out Kathy's ADD top ten list on her "Hey look, a chicken!" blog. You could name YOUR blog, "Hey look, the garbage man! What day is it?" (LOL)

(grins)

Anonymous said...

Well the ROFL is very cool. You learn something new everyday! Wishing you and all your bloggers a very Happy 4th of July.
Also for your fellow bloggers....can we challenge them to memorize a full chapter of scriptures like you have an I'm working on?
For those of you who don't know Christine has memorized ALL of Eph. 4 and is working of ALL of Eph. 5......you go girl!!!
CIO
(Computer Illiterate One)

Kris said...

yes, it is the one about the educational system. it also has other factors of society in it that have examples of persecution.

eye opening book

kw

Kris said...

christine -

where are you finding the readability status widget? you said something on the chicken site.

kw

my site is soliciting very heated debate so i need some comic relief.

Christine said...

Kris,

It's not a widget but a website. Copy/paste the following url into your browser:

http://storytoolz.com/readability/text_entry

(But you'll have to capitalize your sentences in order for it to work. :) )

Anonymous said...

Got a quick note from my blogging school buddy....so I thought I would post one to you!!!
I also think I will have to change my letters from CIO to SCIO...that mean somewhat computer illiterate one.....learned a lot last night! I might even try a blog next week...won't be as creative or snazzy.
SCIO

Anonymous said...

Hey, I am Yuce Kabakci, from time to time I do a little google search on my name just to see if there is anything that I might to need to know about myself in the virtual world and I came across with this blog entry.

I really appreciate your comments. Those words which were attributed to me were not actually my words. I never said that sentence but it was basically a good summary of what I tried to say in my speech at the World Evangelization Conference. As a matter of fact, I am not one of those people who see physical persecution as a higher level of sanctification than any other forms of persecution. I do see the persecution here in the US but sadly most of it are due to our shortcomings in living out our faith consistently or being too arrogant or having the "in your face" attitude.

I basically tried to criticize the modern evangelical methods in missions by asking the non-believer to believe in Jesus in four steps. When Paul wrote his letter to Timothy he told him, "All who desire to live a godly life will be persecuted" but now we say all who believe will have a wonderful life. Then they face temptations, various trials in sanctification and they say, "This is not what I signed up for"

Basically all I am trying to say that the doctrine known as easy-believism or Free Grace Theology is one of the deadliest cancers found in the church and unless we deal with its root today, we shall see no godly lives and thus no blessed persecutions...

Lista said...

Ok. Maybe I should Start Asking Questions. My Belief that "God is Worth Dying for" Comes and Goes with the Presence or Absence of my Faith in Him. I Wish I could be more Consistent, but I am Human and I have Gone Through Many Bouts of Depression, Sometimes even Clinical Depression, in spite the Fact that I've been a Christian my Entire Life.

Yes, I'm Born Again, yet my Life is not Always Full of Joy and this is Why my Conviction that Christ is Worth Dying for is not as Rock Solid as it Should be.

Here's one More Verse Relating to God's Plan for Our Life.

"13) For Thou hast possessed my reins. Thou hast covered me in my mother's womb. 14) I will praise Thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Marvellous are Thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well." (Psalms 139:13-14, KJV)

And I Also Like This One.

"And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten." (Joel 2:25, KJV)

I Found Many of the Comments to be Uplifting. Thanks Katdish.

Yuce Kabakci,
If Christianity is just Hardship, then what is our Incentive to Die for it?

Somehow I'm Going to have to Find Joy, because Evangelism is Hard to do without it. So Far, I Keep Clinging to Christ, because Living without Him isn't any Fun either.