Hearts Aflame

Forgive my ramblings today, I'm on fire and not sure where to pour out my heart. I usually take a little more time to compose, edit, and meditate on my posts - but today I sense God saying, "Just spill your heart out." Recently, He's been leading me to do that more often. It feels good, but it is quite scary. I'm afraid I'm going to be unclear or not concise or cause others to question my intentions.

My prayer is that you accept this as ramblings from someone's who's heart is filled to the brim and extend a little grace my way!

"You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia." 1 Thessalonians 1:6-7

I'm continuing my word study of JOY today and I found this verse. It made the "hairs" of my soul stand on end. I can't tell you how often the words "joy" and "suffering" appear in the same verse. I will count them once I'm done with study!

This concept of finding joy in suffering, or joy flowing out of suffering simply baffles me. I'm speechless as I try to stretch my arms around the fullness of the meaning. Here's another one which boggles me:

"Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." Romans 5:3-5

Suffering, rejoicing, hope, and love uses as if one brings forth the next. I cannot find this in my own experience yet. However, I've found others who have experienced it. All I can do is share their story and pray if lights your heart aflame too.

Today, I was turned on to a story about Mehdi Dibaj. He was born a Muslim in Iran and converted to Christianity. He was imprisoned for 10 years for his beliefs. Two of those years were spent in solitary confinement. At the end of his sentence in 1994, he was told he would be put to death unless he renounced Jesus.

Here is his part of his response:
"They say "You were a Muslim and you have become a Christian." This is not so. For many years I had no religion. After searching and studying I accepted God's call and believed in the Lord Jesus Christ in order to receive eternal life. People choose their religion but a Christian is chosen by Christ.
He says, "You have not chosen me but I have chosen you." Since when did He choose me? He chose me before the foundation of the world. People say, "You were a Muslim from your birth." God says, "You were a Christian from the beginning." He states that He chose us thousands of years ago, even before the creation of the universe, so that through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ we may be His. A Christian means one who belongs to Jesus Christ."

I'd implore you to read the full response here: http://www.farsinet.com/dibaj/
But watch out, it could be life changing for you! (And I pray it is!)

The story continues. Bishop Haik Hovsepian, an Armenian pastor worked very hard for the release of Pastor Dibaj. Bishop Haik brought worldwide attention to this situation and eventually caused the Iranian govenment to release Dibaj.

Within two weeks, Bishop Haik was abducted and killed. And within five months, Mehdi Dibaj was martyred for his faith.

These men knew the meaning of the above verses, heart, mind, soul, and strength and were thoroughly tested. Their joy, hope, and faith shine to us even today as a beacon of the glory of Jesus Christ.

HEART STIRRING
This stirs something deep within me which is bold enough to ask the question, "Are we ready?" Most American Christians have no concept of persecution or suffering for the sake of Christ. I'm not pointing fingers, casting stones, or trying to heap any shame on anyone. We've not had to be in the mode to fight to the physical death for what we believe in.

What is stirring within me is an ache for the many people around us who are emotionally, mentally, and spiritually dead. I also grieve for the Christ-followers who aren't fully alive in Christ. I wonder how many Christians there are who's faith, hope, and joy a SHINING banner of love going before them? Who's heart is so passionately on fire for the Gospel of Jesus Christ that they are willing to suffer and even die for their convictions? I, unfortunately, personally have not seen very many.

Want to know how Mehdi Dibaj came to a saving relationship with Jesus? He was a young Iranian boy who, along with everyone else, would hurl insults and persecute the Christians in a small village next to his. One day, he was throwing stones at a Christian woman who was going to the well to gather water. He was hoping to break her pot. One of his stones did just that and broke the clay pot she carried to fill with water. He immediately ran away. As he ran away, he fell and severely scraped his legs.

The woman came to him. He was sure she was going to beat him, and instead she started cleaning his wounds and ministering to him. Later in life, when another Christian woman was nursing his wounds in a hospital, he remembered the love of Christ flowing out of this Christian woman's heart toward him. He SAW CHRIST in her and knew what true love was.

Are we living like that to our neighbors who may not be hurling stones, but might be watching us to see why Jesus is different? That girl at the grocery store, she just might be watching to see how you love your children or if you will look her in the eyes with a care and concern for her eternal soul.

I spent about 12 years of my life as either an atheist or a Christian who didn't like other Christians. That was because of all the people I experienced who called themselves Christians but didn't really follow Christ. They were playing the "I'm a good person because I go to church" card but their hearts were not transformed.

I remember one man in particular when I was that girl in the grocery check out line. He was an openly professing Christian and a leading member of a local church. He treated me worse than anyone else who went through my line. He would bustle into the store and if we didn't have something in stock, or if we took too long to get it, or if we didn't open a line for him so he didn't have to wait, he would spew forth a litany of insults like I've never received before or since. I remember a co-worker saying to me, "If Jesus is the God he serves, then I want nothing to do with Jesus."

We may not be in fear of our very lives right now, but, people are watching. People who are in very real danger of spiritual death. What are we doing? How are we allowing the faith, hope, and joy of the God of the UNIVERSE, the Creator of all, to well up inside us, so that it spills love out to everyone we meet?

Are we more concerned with how our yard looks? Or how our stocks are doing? Or how the economy has affected our lifestyles? Do we care more about the summer specials on flip flops, or for the girl in the check-out line who may or may not be dead to God?

I'd suggest we start TODAY being far more concerned with how Jesus is being glorified in our lives. How the Gospel of Jesus Christ is reaching out to the world. How God can use our talents, time, skills, experiences, resources, and gifts to further His work of drawing people ever more closely to Him.

Next time someone hurls a rock at you, or irritates you in the grocery line, pay close attention to how you respond. You will never know what impact it might have.