Dave’s Monday Blast – November 7, 2016
A church bell rang for the first time in two years as Iraqi Kurdish forces were battling to take back Mosul. Located in Bartella, this primarily Christian town is just nine miles from the ISIS stronghold. In 2003, Iraq boasted an estimated 1.3 million Christians. Now, leaders put that number at fewer than four hundred thousand.
Despite their dwindling numbers and dire circumstance, the bell in Bartella rang. The ringing of that bell sounds like Jesus in Matthew 10:28: “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.” Jesus never promised His followers a comfortable life, but He did assure them He would provide comfort in this life (2 Corinthians 1:2-4).
The situation in Iraq provides perspective when considering the difficulties in the American context. Of course our circumstances are different, but our mission is the same: His Kingdom come, His will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Pastor Jim Denison says, “Only Christians take part in a global movement that seeks to make peace in the chaos and bring hope to the downcast. Peace never comes idly; rather it requires hard work against the status quo. Hope is not found in a political candidate but a resurrected King. Christians are more than a voting bloc; we are people who deeply believe that God is good regardless of what is happening and Jesus is Lord regardless of who is elected.” That’s good isn’t it!
The vehicle that God has chosen to bring about this global movement is His Church. This body of believers remind each other of the good news of Jesus:
His Love Compels us: 2 Corinthians 5:14
His Grace Equips us: 2 Corinthians 12:9
His Promises Sustain us: Psalm 54:4
INTENTIONAL men know that we are more than a Sunday morning gathering. We are His hands and feet throughout the week as we meet needs and serve others.
Denison quotes G.K. Chesterton, “The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him.” Chesterton understood that love is a far greater motivating factor than hate. Love made an innocent man fall silent before a tribunal and raised a dead man to life. Without love, bells clang noisily like gongs (1 Corinthians 13:1). Bells are welcome, but gongs are avoided.
The enemy may be near brothers, they may be strong, but they will not be victorious. If our work is a work of love it cannot fail (2 Corinthians 2:13-15, 1 Corinthians 15:58). Ring the bell!
