faith20 @faith20@dingdash.com

Christ endured the cross "for the joy set before him". (Hebr. 12:2)

So I'm making the conclusion that a deep understanding of what this joy REALLY means might help to endure persecution, even torturing, as Christ did.

Help me Lord to understand deeply the joy I have in You and in what's still in front of me! But also to grasp that if I fear You above all, then I don't need to fear anything else in this world. Amen.

A beautiful thing that happened when Zhang didn't give up his faith was that a muslim got saved! Zhang was constantly being tortured and it was so horrible that he just prayed and asked God to take his life. But then a muslim, who also was imprisoned, had watched how Zhang was being tortured and because he saw the peace and the power that surrounded Zhang through the torturing, he got convinced that Zhangs God is the real God! And so Zhang was able to lead him to Christ. Praise God!

Marie Monsen describes the power of prayer. She points out the importancy of really believing the word of God: what He says is the truth. And that faith comes by hearing,so to speak out God's promises builds up our faith.
I was picking blueberries in the forest. I had no insect poison with me. But when I reached the forest I very quickly realized the mosquitos were there to hunt my blood. I got disappointed and thought I'd have to give up. But then I remembered Marie Monsen! So I asked God if there's a verse fitting my situation now. The only thought that came up was "The plagues of Egypt don't belong to God's children". I thought: "This is not a direct verse from the Bible", but then I admitted,this same thought is there,in Exodus. So I started speaking it out, even made a song about it and continued. A mosquito would land on my hand and I could just blow it away. Finally the wind came to my help! When finished,not a single insect had eaten me,praise God! At home I found Ex. 8:17-19.