Sari @sarikorpi@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!

I've been reading a great book called "I stand with Christ" by Zhang Rongliang and Eugene Bach. We bought it this summer in a small village in the middle of the forest, where a youth camp was held.

The most shocking thing for me in the book was how persecution led true believers to deny their faith in Christ and to uncover the names of their brothers and sisters. Zhang talks in the book about how only the true believers, who weren't able to keep their faith in secret (because Christ's light shined through them) were the onlyone's who were put in prison. The lukewarms never even got that far. But out of these 30 believers only 4 came out of prison without having denied Christ! The persecution was so heavy. I'm thinking, how was it possible for these 4 to remain in their faith when the others didn't?? Is there something we as believers can and should do today so that when persecution comes, we would be those who stands with Christ? 🙏

When the police tried to get Zhang to deny Christ, he explains in the book that:

"What they had not understood, was that to give up and deny Christ would be much worse than any earthly prison or imaginable pain. What they didn't know was that the time of my suffering is limited, but the honour to be with my Lord is eternal."
(my own translation).

I think what kept Zhang from denying Christ was both the fear of the Lord and the fact that Christ was his everything, he had lost his life to live fully for God. And he knew this life is not everything, he knew he has the eternity with God in front of him. ❤

And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him. Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows. Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God: But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God.

Luk. 12: 4-9

Jesus will also reign on earth for 1000 years, during which time Satan will be bound. He will get loose for a short time before God finally casts him in the lake of fire forever. (Rev. 20) This will all happen on earth.

"For the grace of God
that bringeth salvation
hath appeared to all men,
teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts,
we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking forward to that present hope and the glorious appearing
of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ: who gave himself for us; that he might redeem us
from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." - Tit. 2:11-14.

This fits to what Enarson teaches in this video. Especially this verse:

"Looking forward to that present hope and the glorious appearing
of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ"

He talks of how in the dark times that lies ahead us, we have our hope in the appearance of Jesus, when he comes to establish God's Kingdom on earth. That this truth needs to be preached so that we can endure til the end. That we'll know our future and that the dark times we're heading to, will soon come to an end! 🙌

https://youtu.be/VSNWee1EutM

Torben Sondergaard, the founder of The Last Reformation- movement have been in jail in Florida for 48 days now because of false accusations. First they accused him of smuggling weapons 🤯 from Mexico to USA (TLR had a Kickstart-event in Mexico so they travelled there often), but after some time they said they don't accuse him of that anymore. His lawyers tried to get him out on bail, but were shocked to found out they gave him no chance to get out. Finally they handled him a paper with covid restrictions that said they will keep him in jail because of covid rules: there was written that they need to keep him locked in because of obesity (to protect that HE doesn't get covid)! 🤯🤯 The guard had looked at Torben and said: "you have not obesity!" then handled him the paper and walked away. Torbens updates from jail is to be found on YouTube. In this last update Torben is highly recommending Brother Yuns book Heavenly man which he has found encouraging for himself.

https://youtu.be/VWLdvsL1vzI

A correction to my previous post, the scripture I was referring to is in King James in a different place than in my Finnish Bible: it's Exodus 8: 20-23:

And the LORD said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh; lo, he cometh forth to the water; and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Let my people go, that they may serve me.

21 Else, if thou wilt not let my people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies upon thee, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people, and into thy houses: and the houses of the Egyptians shall be full of swarms of flies , and also the ground whereon they are .

22 And I will sever in that day the land of Goshen, in which my people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there; to the end thou mayest know that I am the LORD in the midst of the earth.

23 And I will put a division between my people and thy people: tomorrow shall this sign be.

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.

I have read Brother Yun's Heavenly Man several years ago, likewise his other book Living Water. They made a great impact on me. Brother Yun mentions in his books a missionary called Marie Monsen (1878-1962), a Norwegian single woman who lived in China many years. Last week I was reminded of her name so I Googled her and found out that she has written her own books. I found one in our local library, and when I started reading it I was blown away by the faith and life of this ordinary woman! If you are able to get a book of her in your hands I recommend to read it. It's a jewel.

Return to the Hiding Place. Full movie. Can't watch without crying... I wish my faith to be like their!

https://youtu.be/OWPsFnlLhEA