I heard a Pastor this week speak about the atrocities in Nigeria. Christians are being killed for their faith in Jesus Christ. Churches are being burned to the ground. Evil is being unleashed.
Yet, Christians will come back, lift up their arms, and Praise God on the ashes of where their Church once stood. Christians will Worship their Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ…even with the constant threat of external violence.
These are not isolated atrocities. They happen every day… all over the world. These evil acts of brutality have occurred throughout history. Jesus told us, “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.” (John 15:18)
I think about the thousands, millions, of martyrs of the Christian faith throughout the ages. I can picture these saints of the Church, having just witnessed their fellow brothers and sisters in Christ be put to death…thinking what next… those in Nigeria, watching their churches burn, and their Church family killed for their faith…thinking what next.
And then we read stories of the resilience of the Christian faith, the perseverance of the Saints of the Church…the rising up from the ashes by the Nigerian Christians. I can imagine these Christians rising up and shouting, “Praise be to God for this day! Praise be to God for this gift to gather with my brothers and sisters in Christ! Praise be to God for my Church family; my beloved saints of the Church!”
And then I look around today as our Churches dwindle in size…or close their doors for good. Church attendance is declining, and in some places, declining very rapidly. Why? How serious do we take our Faith?
HOW SERIOUS DO WE TAKE OUR FAITH?
I can think of many around the world who would love to pack our beautiful Churches and stand side by side with their fellow brothers and sisters in Christ…put their hand on the shoulder of their fellow saint in the faith and just say, “Praise be to God for you brother…Praise be to God for you sister…Praise be to God for this day to Worship our Lord and Savior!”
These Christians aren’t seeking a safer way to watch online or attempting to do this Chrisitan life in private and on their own…No, they are seeking after Jesus…and they are seeking Jesus with their family of believers…and there are seeking together no matter the storm around them.
HOW SERIOUS DO WE TAKE OUR FAITH?
Praise be to God for the Church that Jesus is building…the Church being built one saint of the Faith at a time. Praise be to God for the gathering of the saints, in Church, to Worship our Lord and Savior. Praise be to God for all those who rise from the ashes to give thanks and Praise to Jesus for the gift of eternal Salvation through Jesus, and Him alone.
I would love to speak with anyone seeking a relationship with Jesus. I would love to speak with anyone that has any questions about Church.
Let us all give thanks for the Church being built by Jesus Christ…one transformation…one Salvation at a time.
Blessings,
Pastor Jason Pauley
