An attractive blonde wearing a leather jacket over a T-shirt, make-up and jewelry in place, is sitting with an iPhone in hand talking about the scripture Matthew 5:10 which says,
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
Talking about Jesus’ “show and tell moment” when He healed a few lame and others who were there then went upon a mountain to teach on the blessings.
That was how my morning started.
I may be cynical, I may have a bad attitude, I will actually give you permission to judge me, as harshly as you like…it simply doesn’t matter to me… but from where I sit in my comfortable recliner on a soft blanket with my Air Mac computer on my lap typing this, having had two cups of hot coffee and a protein shake… that lady knows nothing of persecution.
If you want to see persecution go to some websites, maybe even YouTube and look at the Jews being led to slaughter, look at the Armenian’s having their young virgins hung on poles, skinned alive, people being tortured by hanging them over a flame just high enough to start their feet burning and then the rest of their body as they writhe in pain, other young men watching their wife’s pregnant belly slit open and their un-born baby pulled out and tossed from one soldier’s sword to the other while the tortured dad was tied and could do nothing. An uncle of my dad’s being starved and then made to drink water until his belly bloated and then taken to his family’s home so they could watch him be bludgeoned to death in front of their eyes… I would say those people had faced persecution for the crime of believing that Christ is the Son of the living God.
Those things I just mentioned didn’t just happen in 1915, the Armenian massacre, it is happening today not only in Armenia but to places all over the world where people believe in Christ.
You never thought your right to assemble would be challenged but it is and will get worse. Are you willing to be persecuted or will you continue to pass by an on-line service and just be glad you can come and go at will instead of being stuck in a pew where others can see if you are bored or need to go to the bathroom?
Hebrews 10: starting with, 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
I feel so blessed to have been born in a time where I know the freedom of worship and having the choice to go to church.
You’re saying, “But it’s not just church haro, it’s public places because of “the virus!” “
I saw a picture of an absolutely packed airplane, people sitting side by side, no empty seats, all with masks on… then the picture of a beautiful edifice, a place of worship, sitting absolutely empty of any human.
If you are truly afraid then don’t be found at the grocery store, or any public place if you can’t find a place of worship to which you can go, wear a mask, sit at the social distance of six feet and at least be a part of the “meeting together” and “encouraging one another” because we know, if you are a student of the Bible and know the prophecies, we are living in a time where I believe that Jesus will return.
I read where someone said something like “people who are wanting to go wherever-the-hell-it-is” … well I am wanting to go and wherever the hell it is, to be with Jesus wherever heaven is.
When I think that all those who have been persecuted before me have not received their reward because they are waiting for me…
(Hebrews 11: starting with, 39 These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, 40 since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.)
…it makes me sick to think how I have let them down, can I do better? As sure as there is a heaven and a hell I will continue to try.
End of rant.
Harolene.com 
i THINK YOU SPKE FR MANY.
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Thank you Patricia!! ❤ 🙂
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Yeah… this mask thingy is a can of worms that just should not be. I can’t see how or why there is a conflict there. But there is. I find myself holding others in a fair bit of contempt who just cant seem to “get it.”
as for church – the assembly – especially what the Bible says… I will not argue AGAINST that. I MIGHT argue with a view on it, but at some point even I find conviction with what it says as I understand it, and I must answer to Jesus for THAT.
That said, I think there is a LOT to consider and to REconsider where our ideas about assembling come into play. And a LOT of that overlaps, these days, with discussion of masks.
I want to separate out a couple things…
I am not concerned with being tortured at church, generally. However, I certainly do have concern for spreading a virus. And while both notions have SOME commonality (we could draw venn diagrams), they are not one-to-one connections across the board.
For starts, I will say that the church had better be an assembly of people who love God and love one another sacrificially. It really is NO SWEAT to wear a mask, certainly not for an hour or two. I just really don’t have sympathy for mask fatigue. If you are willing to be tortured for Christ, you can wear a mask to protect the brothers and sisters at the assembly.
I find it DEEPLY inconsistent, then, that so many brothers and sisters are willing to show up at the assembly armed with firearms and or employ guards who do so that we can protect ourselves from invaders, but they cant be bothered to mask up to protect others. Shooting others, even for self preservation, is not love. Masking up, at least has that potential.
That said, there are soooooooo many ways we can, and should be thinking about, modifying our assembly. Probably should have been doing so already, but pandemic prompts it. So why are we not doing more of it? Maybe someone somewhere is, and I just don’t hear about it.
Brick and mortar churches are not biblical to begin with. It’s the assembly inside that counts. (I know I am overstating the obvious to you and your blog readers, but it needs to be laid down as a marker still.) But we CAN meet outdoors (weather permitting) – in fact if we need to suffer, that is a form of suffering we might indulge on some bad weather days. Also, we can meet in small groups.
Personally, I have theological questions about masking (I don’t hear anyone ever raising the questions, but …) What about bearing the image of God? Does a mask impinge on that? I reckon it does at some point. But where, when, and how??? Some of that is not settled for my way of thinking. And sorta like “taking the name in vain” comes across so often as vulgar speech, that says nothing about calling yourself Christian and then indulging a life of sin.
What about TV church? Internet church? Phone church?
Surely these are not as good as being in person, but perhaps allowed during a season of pandemic? Got a verse denying this?
Even the Didache teaches different baptism rituals depending on circumstances. Thus there is good, better, and best.
Assembly is not simply an on/off switch, I think. We need to find creative ways to do it.
None of this means, necessarily, that we become slaves to fear or safety. It all fits rather nicely with LOVE actually.
As I see it.
Worth talking more about, I think…
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Yes, and amen to all the above. My same questions and concerns. Why some places are safe and others are not. We are online Sunday evenings at 6:30 and Wednesday night at 7:30. The Wednesday night is informal, no music except we open singing an old song with no music and talk about the scriptures. A few people wearing masks and sitting in separate pews show up to hear it in person and as long as we are spreading the Word I am not going to worry about that. Jesus is going to come and that soon so I say I’m just trying to keep myself clean and my lamps with oil waiting for the Bridegroom to make His appearance. Thank you for this Agent, you know I value your words. h
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