The Judgments of God

When He opened the fifth seal I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. And they cried with a loud voice. Saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth.” Then a white robe was given to each of them and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed. Rev. 6: 9-11

I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus.
Rev 17:6

We read in the Book of Revelation of the persecuted saints but think that this is some future event. These persecutions are all around us and are happening daily; right now at this very moment. As I write this blog, Believers are being persecuted, arrested, beaten and murdered. The area in the world that has been coined the 10/40 window is home of over 95% of the worlds unreached people; those who practice other religions beside Christianity. In India alone, it is estimated that 1,400 people die each hour never hearing the gospel of Jesus Christ and the gift of salvation. Hinduism is the main religion in this country with its 33 million gods and 200 million cows that are considered holy. The countries in the 10/40 window are North Africa, the Middle East, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Cambodia, China, Thailand and several Eurasian Countries. Over 70% of the worlds people live in this area but only 8% of Christian missionaries are ministering in this vast area. So the people who accept Christ in these areas are greatly outnumbered and persecuted for the name of Jesus and the gospel He preached.

Voice of the Martyrs and The Persecuted Church are two ministries with magazines that report on the persecution of the saints in those areas. The people of God are beaten, fired from jobs, homes burned or destroyed, raped, burned, shot and chopped with machetes and imprisoned. They receive very little publicity or help but God see and hear. He hears the cry of His people and He steps in to judge. It is not sophisticated for a minister to openly speak out about the judgment of God against people groups today because of offending people. But call it what you want, I do not think that the recent events regarding the two earthquakes in Indonesia and American Samoan Islands and the two typhoons in the same area, in the same week were isolated events. Three villages were completely submerged in mud after the earthquake and the only survivors of these villages as far as it is known at this time were those who were not in the villages. The survivors all appeared to be Muslims and mostly women. The area of Indonesia that was hit was one of the same areas hit with a major tsunami just a short few years ago with unimaginable destruction and death. But if you check the persecution of the Saints in those areas you will see that some of the most horrible atrocities toward man have occurred there. God will and do avenge the blood of those He loves.

From the persecution of the first Church to now, the blood of the persecuted Saints have cried out, “Lord, how long…,” and God answers with swift judgment but then says to them, “wait a little longer until my plans are completed.”

To the Apostles, Prophets and Intercessors; pray for the strength and peace of the Beloved ones of God live in those hard areas who will be persecuted; pray for Apostles to go and break up fallow grounds in those areas and that missionaries and evangelists will be able to go into those areas to preach the gospel for the laborers are few; and lastly pray that the wealthy Churches will finance smaller Churches and ministries who desire to send missionaries but can’t afford the airfares and finances to sustain those who desires to go into these areas and touch those who have never heard the true gospel. They may have heard that there are Christians but have no idea what Christianity is all about. Pray for the harvest, those who are lost, that they will hear and for the laborers, those who will preach the gospel, that they will go, and for the Christians who live in those difficult areas that they will stand. While we sleep, the Christians scattered here and there in those areas are always in danger of losing their lives to worship the one and only true God.

I believe the Western Church has totally lost its focus on what the purpose of the Church is all about. We are having programs to get more money to live lavish lifestyles but are unaware of the magnitude of the suffering of Christians on the other side of the globe. Some churches are teaching their people that if they are not living lavish lifestyles or able to afford comfortable lives that something is wrong with their walk as a Christian or they are not being blessed. Shame on these men who teach and confuse their people that wealth and prosperity are earmarks of holiness or God’s approval. Material things have NOTHING to do with holiness or righteousness. I have traveled to countries where there is much poverty and I have been shocked with how little these people possess in the natural but in spiritual wealth they are unmatched in anything I have seen here in America. I have been exceedingly blessed to be in their company and to minister with them for they have been some of the most phenomenal Christians I have had the privilege to meet and these people deeply love the Lord and serve Him. They run rings around us in holiness and in the demonstration of the power of God. Yet, they live beneath our standard of living with very little worldly possessions and were hospitable to share what little they had. It wouldn’t happen in America because we think if we have to suffer financially that we are persecuted; NOT. Some critics of sending missionaires to other countries will make a stupid statement like this, "with all the crime in America, why would anyone go to another country when we have people over here who need to hear the gospel." What? Go to any American city and you will find a plethera of Churches. Some cities (and the most violent ones) have churches on every corner and sometimes several on the same block. Look at Chicago's west and south sides as a starter point. Not only do we have Churches, the Dollar Stores sell Bibles for $1.00 and then there are a number of Christian television channels. Statistics show that even the poorest Americans have a t.v. and in many cities Christian t.v. is on local channels. No excuses for any American to say they have never heard the name of Jesus. Satan is a liar. Pray for the apostles, evangelists and missionaries who are willing to go to the harvest and preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and for God to raise up local pastors in those countries to shepherd the people who receive salvation. Our prayers are with the Christians in those persecuted areas but they have the victory for they overcame by the Word of the Lord and the testimony of Jesus Christ.

And this gospel of the Kingdom will be peached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come. Matt 24:14