My Response to Terror and Persecution is Jesus

Posted on by joyindestructible

Invisible cords of deception are rising from the bottomless pit. Un-noticed ropes of deluded thought are winding, weaving, circling to bind opposing ideologies by an unholy knot of unity. Those who are down-trodden, oppressed, and tired of waiting for relief seek alignment with those who share their common enemies and for the sake of common hatred, set aside their differences. The unseen spiritual forces that move human beings like leaves in the wind are being utilized by the religiously crafty to form a new world religion, by introducing new age compromise to transform ideological foundations into a new world view. The disenfranchised of the world are locking arms (falling victim to the same cult practices of deception in many religious forms) in spiritual deception; and like many who have long been abused, are choosing to identify with the aggressor, adopting violence in hopes of destroying oppression and assuming power. (This is the heart and strength of terrorism, the exploitation of the uneducated and downtrodden.) Not realizing that if they should succeed, they will have become the oppressors, and freedom will elude them. Though the powerful who rule by force and the underprivileged who resort to violence, seek to destroy one another they too share a common enemy; that enemy is humanity’s pursuit of security though power and control over other human beings. Human hierarchy requires the existence of the powerful elite and the powerless. There is no escaping this dichotomy that is natural to human governance. No unity found through spiritual compromise in man-made religion can do anything to end oppression or bring lasting peace because oppressor and oppressed are two sides of the same coin.

Since Cain murdered Able, the justification for brother killing brother is often, religion. Today, Islam is the most recognized banner raised by those who seek to topple the powerful, who have long reigned under the flag of Judaism and Christianity; but people have fought wars in the name of every religion seeking God’s power as their own. What is common in men from every ideology is the desire to own God’s power and use His Name as a covering while committing violent acts in pursuit of security, by gaining power and control over others. It is easy to imagine God is “on our side” and never stop to consider if “we are on God’s side”. Able obeyed God and became a prey to Cain who chose his own method of sacrifice, in disobedience. Cain is the father of man-made religion and the first to murder his brother in an attempt to supplant his vision in the place of God’s simple command. Able sided with God and died, while Cain imagined gaining God’s power as his own and committed the first of many murderous acts that continue to fill the earth with blood. Choosing to do what is right can put us in harm’s way especially, in dangerous times; but choosing to do what is right is the only way to remain on God’s side. Though many will lift the banner of their preferred religion, philosophy, or political ideology, even to murder their brothers and sisters in its name while seeking power, it is what we are willing to die for that has any hope of ending the bloodshed and bring about peace, with true freedom. Oppression will never end until human beings surrender their need for control to God and submit to His personal governance. We are designed to obey God not be Him. The religious persecution that began when Cain murdered Able will never end until, people cease subverting God to their own purpose and stop seeking to force that purpose on others.

Though the political and religious leaders of our day are seeking global unity, we are living in fractured times. Pressure comes from all directions to align with one faction or another. I am responding by seeking to choose God’s side and alliance with Jesus. Though religion (even some religions bearing the name of Christian or claiming the Name of Jesus) may demand I prove my faithfulness by my willingness to kill those who oppose it, I know Jesus died for me and asks me to kill no one. Jesus lived the life of an underprivileged man, persecuted by powerful religious leaders, and was put to death for threatening their power, because He lived to please God and not the religious elite. Without any worldly alliance, the political system gave him no protection but surrendered Him to those who wished to usurp God’s power as their own. Jesus was willing to die in order to obey God and by doing so, He made the perfect sacrifice that freed human beings forever, from the need of religious ordinance to make them acceptable before God. Jesus didn’t live, die, and rise again to start a new religion. Jesus came to demonstrate how to live according to God’s Will, as the Son of God and the Son of Man. He came to die so those who believe in Him could receive eternal life, enjoy a personal relationship with the Father, and learn to live a different way; by surrendering the need for control to God and trusting Him for security. I trust Jesus, the keeper of my soul to be my source of courage in a world that seems to be surrendering to terror; and responding in fear, by choosing death for their perceived enemies, when the same enemy lives within them. I choose Jesus, the one who teaches me to love my enemies, and pray for them. He is the same one who gives me victory over the enemy within. I look to the example of Jesus, who ended my enmity with God and guides me in living an obedient, simple life. I trust Jesus, the one who promises that the meek, not the powerful, will inherit the earth. I wait for that day and look forward to living in His righteous Kingdom, in peace and true equality, when by God’s mighty work, the valleys are exalted and the mountains laid low. In response to terrorism and the increasing threat of persecution, I choose to mirror Jesus, the one who chose to die for me.

35 thoughts on “My Response to Terror and Persecution is Jesus”

  4. It is hard at times to wrap my brain around the ideology that, by following the Giver of peace, we (followers of Jesus) are the dangerous ones. However, you expressed it well. We are a threat because we refuse to relinquish what has been freely given us, which is God’s power. This same power is available to the others if they would quit trying to take it by force and would just receive it through Jesus.

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    1. I think in Christian terms it is called Crusade rather than jihad. I hope real crusades stay in the Christian past but I can also, see how they could reignite in light of the present threat. We all need Jesus and all of us can be dangerous when left to our own devices. I don’t want to be dangerous, I don’t want to react to threat in the way that is natural to human beings. I want more than that. I want the courage to live as Jesus lived and if it be God’s Will for me, die as Jesus died. It is all fairly, easy to write but very hard to do. I surely, don’t want to be found in the company of those who seek to destroy and kill others in Jesus Name.

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  6. Hi Pam

    I really like this. Would you like to know what I liked the most? You didn’t tell me how I have to feel about this to be a proper Christian. It seems like everybody, non believers and believers alike, have a certain, stance one must take in order to qualify as a Christian.

    Islam is not our enemy. It may the the enemy of the State, as it wants to destroy us. But, we as Christians simply don’t have enemies. We do have one enemy, and unfortunately some people have chosen to give themselves over to that enemy, Satan.
    Despite that, the people are not our enemy from a Christian perspective.

    It seems on one hand, extremely conservative Christians are telling me that any good Christian has to hate Muslims, and take a no holds barred approach to them. On the other hand some of my more liberal brothers and sisters are telling me I have to only feel compassion, and any concerns about real threats mean I am not doing what Jesus tells me to do.

    Then, of course, there are the militant atheist, who will by rote take any chance to tell a Christian they are not a very good Christian. Yeah, that makes sense huh?

    On on hand, I’d like to see us bomb ISIS into pieces, but on the other I’d like to air drop about a billion Gospel Tracts on them. Did I mention I am conflicted about this? LOL.

    So, thanks for putting the focus where it should be, Jesus

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    1. Conflicted is a very good word for the whole situation. That is how people subjected to abusive manipulation feel and in the 21st century, the masses are highly manipulated. Jesus is the only reasonable example to follow and NOT be subjected to someone’s agenda.

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      1. Agenda…yep, everybody has one. I was crazy enough to enter the fray on an atheist blog the other day. Yeah, call me stupid LOL. I had said I was conflicted and one of them just had to say the reason I was conflicted is because I was disturbed by not following Jesus’ commands. Yeah, an atheist saying that. Sheesh. Anyway, their point was that any Chrisitan worth his or her salt would be for blanket admission of all refugees, because by Gosh that is what Jesus would have done.

        So, I asked. Ok, let’s play pretend. If I suddenly said we should let em all in and make that the official policy, because The Bible said so..how would you all react then? They all danced around it until one finally admitted that, in that case, they would all take the OPPOSITE stance of what they do now, just because it was in the name of religion.

        Did that make sense what I just said? After I wrote it wasn’t sure LOL.

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      2. It makes sense in light of the fact that in many circles bigotry against Christians and Jews is acceptable. There is nothing more unreasonable than bigotry. I refuse the ‘political policy’ debate because I have no more influence over the decision to bring in refugees than I did over the forgien policy that created them. I’m trying to focus on my personal responses and I’m done trying to straighten anybody out. I’ll leave that to God but even with my rather pacifist stance, it’s been rough lately, the OPPOSITION is fierce.

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      4. We’re drowning in a sea of opinion, Wally. It seems every faction is hot and ready for war. Truth be known, the powers that be are very good at manipulating us against one another. It keeps the people weak. We need Truth but I think we’re beyond the point of being able to speak it and be heard. We have to live it and the cost could be very high.

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      8. It’s cold here too…I’m fighting a touch of cabin fever so if my writing goes south, you’ll know why. I’m hoping it will warm up enough I can go to church this weekend so, if you would, pray about that. Bundle up and enjoy being out and about for me.:0)

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  8. Terrorism is a monster which sadly is staying in for far too long. I love your insight especially the part that says “The religious persecution that began when Cain murdered Able will never end until, people cease subverting God to their own purpose and stop seeking to force that purpose on others.” Good read.

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    1. Thank you. My husband has enough Jewish blood to live in Israel. His sister is married to a Muslim and we are Christians. I see it from all sides and what I know in my heart is most people want nothing more than to live in peace and be able to provide for their families. Then there are the controllers who want more and they manufacture misery for everyone. The more bombs dropped in the Middle East, the more our government meddles, the more terrorists are created. Such a sad mess.

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  9. My Dear Sister in Christ, I often share your posts on Facebook and Tweeter, as your insightful writings truly inspire many people and I know that God uses them as seeds planted. I thank you for your ministry of encouragement and hope.

    May God Bless and continue to anoint your work.

    R.S. Helms
    (Bob’s Opinion)

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  10. Thank you for laying this out as you did. We live in a broken society where the needs and concerns of the citizens have given way to greed and oppression of the powerful. In our brokeness, we crave validation to fill void within, to restore self worth. Clearly, We are right where satan needs us to be; in direct conflict with the One who has more than accomplished this some 2000 years ago. Aloha and God bless

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