And we worship freely!

Three strong knocks that is the key to get in. And you enter into a cellar that is damp, nasty and smells of death. There is about 7 candles that bring light to the space that otherwise would be would be dark as night. Three strong knocks at the door and a young Burmese man and slowly opens the door, three people walk-in. Again three strong knocks at the door, the young man walks up and a group quickly walks in. The young Burmese man locks the door behind him, five bolt locks for safety. He does this because he is the pastor of an underground church in his native Burma. They have to have service in hiding for fear of death or imprisonment. Among the group of 14 belongs one Bible it is there most loved possession. They each have at least 100 verse memorized because that is the only way to have a Bible ever. They worship with very little noise so as to not let the neighbors know they are worshiping God. The pastor reads for Romans 8 and tells they each are Conquerors. And reads from Ephesians 6 and tells them that the battles that they are going through were spoken of and that they need not worry but just take up armor of the lord. They end with some songs of Praise to God and prayer for their nation and brothers and sister that must hide the fact that they worship the Lord. They leave as they came but with a calmer spirit. They each walk off into the night but they carry with them hope and the word.

World Wide there is some 100 million house churches much of them hidden for fear of death or imprisonment.

Now imagine America was under a Communist or Dictatorship rule and we have no real freedoms. The Salvation Army and all churches have been banned. There are no religious freedoms; no churches are allowed to exist. The church buildings themselves are nothing more than abandoned buildings. How far would you be willing to go to worship the Lord? Would you be willing to face death or imprisonment? We live in a country where we can freely worship and do pretty much as we please. If it was different I know I would try my hardest to still find out a place to worship. Or for that matter up open the doors to others and worship in hiding.

Even more there are stories in these countries that have restriction on worship of love. There are stories that show Police Force that are meant to jail or imprison all that worship the lord. There is a story were Military forces came into a worship service and asked people if they believed. And those that stayed and said yes would be imprisoned or killed. And some stayed the ones that did found that the guards only wanted to worship with the ones that would lay their lives down for Christ.

40,000 to 60,000 Christians are currently in prison/labor camps because of their faith

Yet in countries that hold people back from their own belief the church is growing. People are being saved by the hundreds, pastors are being trained. Bibles are being given out and tracts are being handed out.

13,684 new house church plants

1,072,567 individual decisions for Christ

13,388 pastors and workers trained

2,944 church planters and workers trained

365,000 Bibles and Bible scripture portions provided

5,703,000 evangelistic booklets distributed

2,050,000 tracts distributed

So you see the Lords work is still being done, no matter the foe that comes against us. So our problems that we face in ministry our big to us but in the world’s eyes they are small. We can help or brothers and sisters out by praying for them.

There are some 50 plus countries that restrict the Christian faith:

Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Israel, Algeria, Oman, Yemen, United Arab Emirates, Qatur, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, Mauritania, Somalia, Chilapas(Mexico), Cuba, Colombia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgzstan, China, North Korea, Mindanao(Philippines), Bunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Laos, Lybia, Mali, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Burma(Myanmar), Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Maldiues, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Comoros, Iran, Azerbaijan, Turkey and Tunsia

So Pray for our brothers and sister a crossed the world that most deal with things we may never have to deal with.

And keep in mind what you would do if you had to for God. And may that help you go boldly into all areas of life with your faith.