Are you willing to be the bait for Jesus?

We have been spending the past week studying about the persecuted church. Frankly, this was one of the topics that I was not really looking forward to. However, it has turned out to be one of the most meaningful sessions that we have had.

So, here is the question of the week..."Are you willing to be the bait for Jesus?" Are you willing to dangle yourself in the waters of the lost? Are you willing for a lost world to cause you suffering all so you can bring a lost person to The Fisher of Men? That is a hard question. We, as Americans, do not like suffering. Heck, we don't even like the idea of suffering, let alone suffering for Jesus. But all over the world there are those who are so sold-out in their faith that they don't mind being the bait. Now let's face it. I don't think anybody around the world gets up in the mornings hoping to suffer for their faith. If they do, then there is something wrong with them. However, that is not the question. The question is...when suffering comes what will you do with that? To whom will you look for your strength? Are you willing to stand up and openly proclaim your faith in Jesus Christ to those who taunt you, or do you shrink away from the opportunity? Only you can answer these questions for yourself. However, let me say this...I was not looking forward to hearing about persecuted Christians and frankly, I hope it is not my lot in life to be one of them. But given the opportunity to be the bait for Jesus or be just another worm in the ground...put me on the hook!

One of the most startling thing that we heard this week was that we should stop praying for persecution to end in other parts of the world. That was a hard statement to digest. But the sentiment is that the persecuted church is the growing church. So, join me in praying. Let us not pray that persecution of Christians around the world ends, but that their suffering would lead to Kingdom growth. Stop praying for missionaries and start praying with missionaries. And while you are praying, ask yourself this...what would happen in your church...your community...your state...your nation if Christians were forced to stand up under real suffering? How much more rapidly would we reach others for Christ?

So ask yourself...are you willing to be the bait? I am.

See you on the hook!

Blessings,
Marc