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| Supporter of Pastor Bob holding American flag. (Photo: ChinaAid) |
Another Neighbor:
Instead of being a prayer/worship/sermon service, the gathering which began with prayer and worship then transitioned into an insightful, educational lesson that grew interactive with the group.After a while, a man from Lubbock, acknowledging an American flag, asked, “Can we say the ‘Pledge of Allegiance’?”We did.Soon, another outbreak of patriotism occurred. One person verbalized strong feelings, requesting that we be strictly church there. I actually did not mind that we showed our support for the flag or the USA. The protestors should see that we love God and country. In fact, I long for churches to occasionally get patriotic…, that pastors and teacher use our national history in a lesson or sermon. We have learned to love Israel and her history. I long to pray for America and about events at times as a congregation.I understand the right to protest. I have protested silently outside abortion clinics and felt it right to hopefully help some to see and choose life for their baby. Nevertheless, this day, it saddened me to see those on the other side of the street using this constitutional resource in a deceitful way to target a family in our neighborhood. I also find it sad that, as far as I know, churches that walked with and praised Pastor Bob Fu in the past were not visibly supporting him. I understand they… that we need wisdom.This is a new, hard occurrence in our city. Our Homeowners Association (HOA) also needs wisdom.After walking home, I read Ephesians 6:10-18 in preparation for a youth group that evening. This passage reveals that the main battle of life is not against people that we see but spirits influencing them. And we are to “having put on the full armor of God,” pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.As I studied, I sat there feeling impressed that we needed more prayer… perhaps at intervals throughout the service that morning. Like the prayer rally on Thursday October 15, “on all occasions” we needed to prayerfully intercede more for Bob and his family, for answers, for neighbors, for local, state, and church leaders, for the out of town employees [protestors] carrying out these demonstrations—and to stand against the demonic.
It also seems like with 100 current protest groups targeting families throughout the world (five in the U.S.) by this same billionaire targeting Bob and Heidi, the Lord will help someone deploy a way to wash this fiasco down the sewer where it belongs.
The prayer directive from Ephesians 6 and Judges 5:2 reflect our greatest resources from God. “When the leaders lead in Israel, when the people volunteer, blessed be the Lord.”I appreciate those stepping out to lead in our community. Many of us, as today, will volunteer for the success of a mission.
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| Eliel leading neighbors and others in songs of praise. (Photo: ChinaAid) |
Eliel, in asylum from Brazil, led the Sunday worship and educational service:
In America, surveys show that only approximately 3% of Americans say they are willing to stand up for freedom. At this point, I believe the fear factor that America could lose its freedom is not high enough.I believe standing up and speaking up for freedom is a constitutional right as well as a human right. American citizens have 1st and 2nd constitutional rights I do not have. I cannot buy a gun, nor can I vote.We need to know our legal rights.Recently, I asked several protestors, “Are you Christians?”“Yes,” they said,When I started singing the song, “Amazing Grace “in English, these protesters started singing “Amazing Grace in Chinese.” They made it plain that they know the Bible. They also know the song, “I’m Proud to be an American.”The protestors did not appear to know, however, what Jesus said to His followers, what Christians are to do regarding their enemies. I read Matthew 5:44 aloud to the protestors. This verse records that Jesus said: “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you….”After reading Matthew 5:44 to the protestors, I tried to reason with them that as they considered Bob Fu their enemy, they should do as Jesus said and pray for him. When I asked them if they would join me in praying for him, however, those in the group turned their backs to me.These protestors want us to think they are for us, but they want to destroy us. They want confrontations. They do not want to pray for their enemy, Pastor Fu.
As Eliel stresses, as Jesus directed, we are to pray for our enemies. We are also to, as Pastor Fu’s life demonstrates, and as Hebrews 13:3 directs: “Remember the prisoners as if chained with them—those who are mistreated—since you yourselves are in the body also.” During this time, which shall one day be noted to be among those days which “came to pass,” we can, as Jesus taught, pray for our “enemies.”
We can not only pray for those “enemies” outside the body of Christ, we can choose not to remain silent. We can speak up for those the enemy targets for mistreatment with protests and lies. Particularly at this time, instead of implementing our “right to remain silent”—let us with ChinaAid speak up and pray for those being persecuted in China—let us fervently pray for Bob Fu.
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| Praying for freedom. (Photo: Flickr) |
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