Update on Persecution

Just a quick update on a story I ran a week ago.

Please join with me in praying for J and his family.  Also pray for others that are coming to faith in Jesus, for the trials they will face are many and they are often severe.  Families will disown them...even try to kill them. They will have no choice but to leave there old life, old friends, old ways.

And then, no matter where you find that God has placed you, share the gospel of Jesus.  Tomorrow will probably find you at work, at school or in your neighborhood.  It will find J and others like him in prison for their faith ... and they will continue to let the light of Jesus shine.

We should do no less.

Here is the update:

I want you to turn on all the lights in your room, and then light a candle and see how much that helps you to see.  Then I want you to snuff out that light with darkness by turning off all the lights.  Doesn't work does it.  I remember a preacher saying once, "The greater the darkness, the greater the light."  What he meant was as we live our lives and we are surrounded by darkness, our light shines even brighter.  Look at our Lord, when they were nailing Him to the cross, he cried out, "Father forgive them.  They don't know what they are doing."  All around him was hatred, jealousy and violence.  He responded in love, forgiveness and tenderness.  What a contrast.
The Devil wanted to put J's light out, so he put him in jail.  But the Light within him, has to come out.  Thursday, his sons went to see him.  He said that 3 men have come to faith and 2 are asking all the right questions and are on their way to joining the family.  The devil could not put out J's light, so he put him in GREAT darkness, where his light shines even brighter.
We are no longer asking God to release him, or sending emails to people in high positions.  We are relying on the fact that God put him there to reach people who are in darkness.  Isaiah 9:2 says, The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them a light has shined.  J's light shines bright no matter where he is. (like a spotlight in crosshairs, on a dark MO night).  Please pray that J's light will shine even brighter, and more will come to believe in the LIGHT.  Please intercede for his family that they will have patience in this time.  They are excited that the Father is using their dad in such a miraculous way, but they sure miss him.  Also pray for the other believers here.  Many are afraid but some have become more bold.


John <><