"The Insanity of GOD" excerpts

Warning!
Do not read if you do not want your heart questioned.  :)

As I am in the midst of reading a book The Insanity of GOD by Nik Ripken it is just TO good not to share a couple of things from the book.  We've been learning in Sunday School how to apply the scripture in Romans that we have been studying.  We do not live in a persecuted country but have the blessing of living in a country where we and everyone else have the freedom to worship as one likes. 

This book is written about Nik Ripken (pseudo name) as he ministered the 1980's and 1990's in Somaliland during the famine and loss of many, many people living in that land.

     I met may other believers on that trip to Russia.  Hearing Dimitri's story must have inspired Viktor too.............
     One morning Viktor arranged for me to meet with a group of his friends--several Russian pastors, some evangelists and church planters, and some elders--a cross section of his church.  I listened in wonder as these believers almost casually recounted being sent to prison for 'five years,' 'three years,' or 'seven years,' and being 'beaten', 'forced to sleep naked in a cold, damp cell' or 'having nothing but moldy bread and boiled cabbage to eat for months.'  These same men shared joyful memories of 'the time when my wife and son visited me in prison,' 'when I was placed in a cell with another believer who could encourage me as I encouraged him,' and 'how the church cared for the needs of my family while I was in prison.
     When we stopped to eat lunch, I gently scolded the group, saying: 'Your stories are amazing.  Why haven't they been written down?  Your stories sound like Bible stories come to life!  collected them in a book, or recorded them in some video form.  Other followers of Jesus around the world could hear your stories and be encouraged by what God is doing here among those who are persecuted.
     They seemed confused by what I was saying.  Clearly, we were not understanding each other.  Then one of the older pastors stood and motioned for me to follow him  He led me over to a large window in the front room of the home.  As we stood together in front of the window, the old gentleman speaking passable, but heavily accented, English said to me:  'I understand that you have some sons, Nik?  Is that true?'
     I told him that it was true, He nodded and then asked me, 'Tell me, Nik.  How many times have you awakened your sons before dawn and brought them to a window like this one, one that faces east, and said to them, 'Boys, watch carefully.  This morning you're going to see the sun coming up in the east!  It's going to happen in just a few minutes.  Get ready now, boys.'  'How many times have you done that with your sons?'
     'Well,' I chucked, 'I've never done that.  If I ever did that, my boys would think I was crazy.  The sun always comes up in the east.  It happens every morning!'
     The old man nodded and smiled.  I didn't understand his point. 
     I didn't understand his point, that is, until he continued:  'Nik, that's why we haven't made books and movies out of these stories that you have been hearing.  For us, persecution is like the sun coming up in the east.  It happens all the time.  It's the way things are.  There is nothing unusual or unexpected about it.  Persecution for our faith  has always been--and probably always will be-a normal part of life.'
     His words took my breath away.  Though I understood what he was saying, I wondered if it was true.  Certainly, I had never heard this before.  In fact, there was a part of me that wanted to object to his claim.  I wondered if the certainty of persecution always is normal and ordinary, like 'the sun coming up in the east.''
     I had always assumed that persecution was abnormal, exceptional, unusual, out of the ordinary.  In my mind, persecution was something to avoid.  It was a problem, a setback, a barrier.  I was captivated by the thought:  what if persecution is the normal, expected situation for a believer? if persecution can be, in fact, good soil?
     I began to wonder about what that might mean for the church in America--'

As I have been reading through this book and have been stirred not only by this book but the real life Christians that are being persecuted for their faith in other countries today, I cannot help but be so grateful for Christian brothers and sisters to help encourage my faith and also for the freedom we have here in the USA.  How can we experience what we do not know?  We can't.

      but we can:
         pray for others who are persecuted,
         give to missions,
         give to mission trips,
         give to those on the mission field who have given up the comforts of the USA
         look for areas around us that people need Jesus
         learn and memorize scripture
         study the word of God so it isn't something we study but it is who we are
         reach out to our neighbors and show them Jesus
         stand firm in our faith in Christ
         praying for opportunities to show Chris to others
         be obedient to the prompting of the Holy Spirit
         be an example of a "bond-servant" of Christ
    
Most of us will never live outside the USA or suffer the persecution of believers in other parts of the world, but we can do what Jesus is calling us to do where we live.  First and foremost is to love the Lord your God will all your heart, mind and soul, and then secondly, you are to love your neighbors as yourself.  If you have a willing heart to serve Him, there are plenty of people around us who are hurting, who are not walking with Jesus and have horrible life experiences.  They have all the pleasures of life i.e. TV, conveniences, smart phones, X boxes, money, clothes, entertainment but they do not have Jesus.  Ask the Lord to show you people's hurts and how to minister to them.  Things are fine, but they do not bring healing of the heart, true love, joy and peace and eternity with Jesus Christ.