Saeed Abedini

Saeed Abedini needs our prayers.  

In September, 2014, Saeed was imprisoned in his native Iran, ostensibly for undermining Iranian national security.  Saeed is an infidel of the worst kind - a convert to Christianity.  Although he was born and raised in Iran, Saeed’s home is now in Boise, Idaho, where Nagmeh, his wife of 12 years, grew up.  He is an ordained minister and pastor.  While in Iran to visit family and build an orphanage, Saeed was arrested, tried, and sentenced to eight years in prison.  He is now in a prison filled with violent criminals.  Among those criminals are members of the group ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria), now known as IS (Islamic State).  Although he is housed in a separate part of the prison from these men, Saeed has become fearful for his life, and believes that the ISIS prisoners plan to kill him because of his Christian faith.  This is just the latest issue he has faced in the two years of imprisonment.  He has been beaten over and over, and desperately needs medical attention because of this.  His contact with his family, both in Iran and the United States, has been severely limited.  Despite these conditions, Saeed has continued to serve God in an amazing way, as reports have come out about his witness to prisoners, some even coming to faith in Jesus Christ.

Saeed Abedini needs our prayers.  

Persecution against Christians is nothing new, and it shouldn’t surprise us.  Jesus warned His disciples that persecution would come.  He told them, “If the world hates you, you know that it has hated me before it hated you.” (John 15:18).  He warned Peter “by what kind of death he would glorify God.” (John 21:19).  Jesus sent Ananias to the newly converted Paul with the message that Jesus “will show him how much he must suffer for My names’s sake.” (Acts 9:16).  The apostle James wrote, “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.” (James 1:2-3).  We have countless accounts throughout Christian history of faithful followers of Christ who were persecuted, many being put to death, because of their faith.  Even today we see wholesale persecution and killing of Christians in parts of Africa, the Middle East, and other parts of the world, all because they claim faith in Jesus Christ.  No, persecution of Christians is nothing new.  It has been happening for as long as there have been Christians, even when the faith was called “The Way”.  However, persecution rattles home a little louder when you can put a face to the action.  

Pastor Saeed, Nagmeh, Rebekka, and Jacob Abedini

Photo Credit - Joshua Springs Calvary Chapel, www.joshuasprings.org

Saeed Abedini needs our prayers!

The book of Acts tells of two instances where men were freed from prison by an act of God.  In chapter 12, Peter was arrested and put in prison, but then freed by an angel sent from God.  In chapter 16, Paul and Silas were jailed, but an earthquake shook the doors of the prison open and led to the conversion of the jailer and his family.  I believe that it will take a miracle of this type to free Saeed.  It is possible, but I believe unlikely, that he could serve his eight year sentence.  I believe it is much more likely that Saeed will be martyred barring miraculous intervention.  Regardless of the outcome, I am urging you to pray for God to give strength, comfort and peace to Saeed, his wife, and his children.  Whether he is released and comes home to Boise or dies in the Iranian prison, they all need to be lifted up by our prayers and by the heavenly Father who gave us our Savior.  Pray fervently for God to be glorified and the name of Jesus to be proclaimed and magnified.  Pray for all Christians around the world who are facing threats of any kind because of their faith.  Pray that God shows up, and shows off!

Saeed Abedini needs our prayers!

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Searching for Righteousness

All of us have worries.  Two of our chief worries are to have enough food and enough clothes.  Jesus addressed these worries in Matthew 6:25-34.  He compared us to birds and flowers.  Birds, He said, don’t grow food, but they always have enough.  Plants don’t make clothes, but they are always dressed beautifully, even more so than Solomon, who was perhaps the richest man who ever lived.  He summed up the teaching by telling us that if God takes care of birds and plants to this magnitude, He will provide just as well and better for His human children.

Jesus tell us this:  33 But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.  34 So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Now, if you seek God’s righteousness, you won’t have to worry, because you will know that God is taking care of you each day.  How does a person seek God’s righteousness?  I believe there are three things we must do.

1.  Read the bible.  Paul reminded us that “All scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).  The only way you are going to know what God’s word says is to read it.  Don’t get bogged down over which translation is the “right” one.  Pick one that you can understand and dive in.  Start with one of the gospels.  I recommend John.  Then, just let God lead you.  Don’t try to read big chunks.  Just read a few verses, or, if you have a bible that has section headings, read a section at a time, and think about it.  This is how God reveals Himself in His word.

2.  Pray regularly.  Paul tells us to pray without ceasing (I Thessalonians 5:17).  This doesn’t mean that we pray every minute of the day, but that we maintain a constant conversation with God throughout the day.  We pray for situations, we pray for people, we pray for decisions.  In an earlier post I pointed out these things that Jesus instructed us to pray about in His model prayer in Matthew 6: provision of needs, confession of sins, and strength to live a life that honors God.  If you do this constantly during the day, you will see a difference in your life and that of your friends and family.

3.  Associate with other Christ followers.  The writer of Hebrews says that  we should not be “forsaking our own assembling together,as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another.”  (Hebrews 10:25).  Jesus said that “where two or three have gathered together in my name, I am there in their midst.”  (Matthew 18:20).  He intended for the Christian faith to be a community where people gathered and encouraged each other, feeding off the joy and energy that each person brought to the gathering because of their faith in Jesus Christ to strengthen them.  Church attendance is important, but so also is gathering with friends outside of formal worship services in a church building.  You will fellowship with other Christ followers many more hours during the week that you will on Sundays.  Those gatherings could very well be the most important times of encouragement and accountability you will have.

In a nutshell, how do you find the righteousness of God? Read, pray, and gather!  This doesn’t guarantee that you will have everything you want, but it does mean that you’ll have everything you will ever need.

Are You a Judge?

I sigh every time I hear someone quote this verse: “Do not judge so that you will not be judged.” (Matthew 7:1).  I sigh, because most of the time that you hear someone use this verse, what they are really trying to say is, “Don’t tell me how to live my life.  Don’t tell me that I’m doing something wrong.  I’ll live the way I want, and you can’t stop me.”  What most people don’t realize is that this verse doesn’t say not to look at a person’s actions and make a judgement of right or wrong.  They make this mistake because the verse is taken completely out of context (I know, you would never do that.  Neither would I!).  For this verse to make sense, you have to read the entire passage.   Here are verses 2-5.

2 For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you.  3 Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?  4 Or how can you say to your brother, Let me take the speck out of your eye, and behold, the log is in your own eye?  5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.  

The instruction is to self-righteous, hypocritical people who want to tell other people how they are messing up, when in reality those same people are living sinful, messed up lives.  It would be like Dave Ramsey trying to give financial advice after he declares bankruptcy.  The integrity of the judgment just isn’t there.  Jesus instructs his listeners to examine their lives.  If, after examination, they are found to be living righteous, God-honoring lives, then they are free to approach someone who is doing wrong and point out the problem.  However, if they are not righteous and God-honoring, then they should be quiet until their own problems are cleared up.

This command cuts both ways.  If someone who is doing wrong is approached by a godly person who is trying to help fix a problem, then that person should listen to what is said and correct the issue.  That is what this is all about.  

This whole premise hinges around the idea that the person who is trying to correct the issue is a godly person.  Jesus exhorts us, commands us, even demands of us, that we examine our own lives to see if we are living a righteous, God-honoring life.  If the answer is no, then fix it before you try to tell someone else how to fix their life.  If the answer is yes, then expect some blowback if you’re trying to help someone.

So, in a nutshell, here it is - Don’t be a hypocrite!