Hey guys,

Check out the post “Hard Thoughts About God In Parenting” where C.J. Mahaney gives practical advice for how we can reflect the love of God to our children.

Here’s Tony Reinke’s introduction:

In his recent sermons on Jude, C.J. spoke about the tendency of Christians to have an inaccurate view of God the Father and to have “hard thoughts about God.”

In the first message C.J. said, “I have interacted with many Christians over the years who are not certain of God’s love for them. They can be reluctant to admit it, but they aren’t convinced in their heart and mind that God loves them. In light of their sin and the holiness of God they wonder whether God does indeed love them.”

After the message C.J. received an email from a father who fears that he is unintentionally introducing to his children these hard thoughts about God. He wants to know what to do to model the grace and love of God to his children. Here is the email exchange between C.J. and John (not his real name).

Click here to read the email exchange.

The following was posted late last year on the blog of our sister church, Covenant Life Church, in Gaithersburg MD.  I referenced this post in my sermon today.

Currently, there are 200 million Christians experiencing persecution in over 40 countries. These believers are experiencing suffering in many forms, from receiving the lowest paying jobs, to imprisonment and even death. As Paul says in 2 Corinthians 4:9, they are “persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.” When asked what they need the most, their most frequent answer is, “Please pray for us!” You can partner with the persecuted church by praying on their behalf, learning more from the ministries that support them, and providing for their needs. Here are some specific ways that you can get involved:

Be Informed and Pray

• Receive e-mail updates that will help you pray specifically for persecuted Christians through International Christian Concern, Open Doors, or Voice of Martyrs.

• Pray each day through the Open Doors’ monthly prayer calendar.

• Read the news from International Christian Concern’s latest press releases.

• Read Day by Day, a daily e-devotional written by persecuted believers through Open Doors.

• Subscribe to Voice of the Martyrs’ monthly newsletter.

Provide
• Go Christmas shopping at Christian Freedom International. Buy handcrafts made from persecuted believers to support them in providing for their families.

• Give a Bible to a child in a closed country by texting 20222 and type “Bible.” A $5 donation will appear on your phone bill (you can text up to five times per month). You can also mail a New Testament Bible into restricted nations by visiting www.BiblesUnbound.com.

• Send a care package to a Christian family through the Action Pack project through Voice of the Martyrs.

• Write a letter of encouragement to a prisoner for the gospel at www.prisoneralert.com.

• Advocate on behalf of the persecuted church by joining the Open Doors Frontline Action Network to receive e-mails alerting you to take action on new advocacy campaigns. Also visit International Christian Concern to sign the latest petitions.

• Provide financially by giving a specific item (i.e. a vehicle, medical aid, Bible training, etc.) to any of the referenced organizations.

Organizations that Minister to the Persecuted Church
Christian Compassion International

301-989-9368

Christian Freedom International

906-253-2336

International Christian Concern

301-585-5915

Jubilee Campaign

703-503-0791

Open Doors

949-752-6600

Voice of the Martyrs

877-337-0302