The Faithful Stand Tall

Marcy couldn't help but smile as she let her eyes gaze across the room. This week, 50 people came to visit their small basement church. It never ceased to amaze her how awesome God was. Just 3 weeks ago, there were only 6 people in attendance; including Steve - her husband - and herself.

Just two months ago, they moved to Africa to start their ministry in the small town. They started out with just 3 people: Steve, the local pastor and herself. They felt called of the Lord to help out local pastors in Africa. Steve and Marci had to go through extensive training; but they were ready. They were excited. It has always been their dream to be missionaries in Africa.

"Let us pray in conclusion," said her husband. She smiled as Pastor Fahim translated. She didn't know why, but that always amused her. Hearing her husband teach and someone else translate.

There was a creak on the floorboards above. A whisper - or was that a mouse?

Everyone became silent. Fear raced through Marci's heart and she prayed silently, "Lord please protect these people. Don't let them get caught."

"Were you expecting anyone?" Steve asked no one in particular. "No," Marci looked at Pastor Fahim, "Did you tell anyone you were coming here?"

"No, I did not. Please everyone remain silent. There is no need to fear, but Marci, can you please go upstairs to see what that noise was? Steve maybe you should join her." Pastor Fahim instructed and translated.

Instinctively, she grabbed her husband's hand tight, as they started up the stairs. Steve stopped and looked down at his wife, "Its okay, hun. We are children of God. Keep repeating that, I am a child of God. Keep praying too."

Marci could not help but laugh at her husband, he always knew how to make her smile. "God please protect those people, don't let them get caught. Heavenly Father, please protect Steve and I. Please Lord, let this be nothing."

They continued climbing the stairs together in silence.

Marci jumped as she saw a man standing in their kitchen. Her heart could not stop racing. She kept praying, "Please Lord, protect those people don't let them get caught."

"Can I help you?" Steve asked. Marci stood behind her husband in submission, but kept praying continuously. "Jesus save us. Please don't let those people get caught. They desperately need to hear more of your word. Please Lord. Please."

"Are you Steven and Marci Boretti?" The man asked quietly.

"Yes," he replied cautiously.

"Thank you." The man replied. He then walked out their home; leaving the door wide open.

Steve walked to the door to close it, "What was that all abo-". A shot rang out, as Steve fell to the ground grabbing his chest.

"Steven!" Marci raced to his side. "Honey, where are you hit?" He looked at her and smiled, "I see Jesus". She cried out "Oh God, No! Please NO!"

She heard footsteps run in, but she never took her eyes off her husband. "Steven stay with me!" She felt hands pull her arms off of her husband. "Steven! LOOK AT ME! Jesus save us!"

Pain shot through her head as someone hit her. "JESUS SAVE US!" Marci blacked out.

When she awoke; she found herself in a dark room. She felt around and waited until her eyes adjusted. It seemed like she was in a dungeon of some sorts. Confused she tried to get up from the floor, "Steve?" Chains stopped her from moving around. She was chained to a wall.

Then it all came back to her, her mind flooded with the memories of her husband on the floor. Was he dead? Was she dead?

"Jesus, please help me. Please be with me Lord. Please be with my husband." She stopped herself when she remembered all those people in her basement. "Jesus please protect those people. Don't let them be found." Marci prayed quietly.

The door opened and light flooded into her dark dungeon. "Ah, Mrs. Boretti - you are finally awake. I am so sorry that we have not met sooner." A shadow in the doorway started to talk to her, "You see I am very interested in what you and your husband are doing here. You see, it is against the law to preach about this Jesus. It is punishable by death." The shadow man stopped for effect.

"Now, unfortunately we had to punish your husband - excuse me, I had to punish your husband for teaching about Christianity. However, you on the other hand have never taught about him. You can be set free on several conditions." The shadow man stepped into the room and turned on the light. "You must renounce this Jesus, and turn to our religion. Next, you must leave our country and never come back. If you do, and I find out - I will kill you as I killed your husband."

Marci cocked her head to the side, the shadow man was not tall or scary - just sad. She could not help but notice how sad he was. I see that I got to you, what I will do is leave and give you some time to think about -"

"I don't need to think about it. I know my answer," Marci replied with determination. "Jesus Christ came to this earth to save my soul, and I will never stop telling the world about Him; and I will never leave. If you force me out, I will return. God's word needs to be preached to all, even - no especially you. God loves you and -"

"ENOUGH!" the shadow man yelled. "Do you think this is a joke? I could kill you now."

"Then please do. All I have to say is: may God have mercy on your soul. May your eyes be open to your sin and you give your life to Christ. God loves you, I love you." Marci closed her eyes waiting for a shot to ring out. After several seconds she opened her eyes.

"Mrs. Boretti, I will not kill you yet. My men are scheduled to spend some time with you. Maybe you will change your mind before then." The shadow man gave her a sinister smile and closed the door.

"Jesus, I pray for that man. Save him please. Open his eyes so that he may see his sin. Save him Lord, please save him."

Several days went by - or what seemed like days - and several atrocities occurred - but Marci kept praying for him...and for the soldiers committing those atrocities. "God please save them. Save their souls. Open their eyes to their sin."

The shadow man finally came back. "Stand up Mrs. Boretti."

She could no longer move. Her ravaged body could take no more. The shadow man walked over to her and placed her in a chair, "So Mrs. Boretti, have you decided to change your mind?"

Marci looked up at her captor, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. God loves you, may your eyes be opened to your sin and to the ultimate love He has to offer you. I have never stopped praying for you and your men. May God save you." She closed her eyes and waited for the end to come.

Quietly she started to sing the only song that came to mind, as tears rolled down her face, "Jesus loves me this I know. For the Bible tells me so, little ones to Him belong. They are weak but He is strong. Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me. The Bible tells me so."

After she finished, Marci looked up at the shadow man, "Aren't you going to kill me?"

"Why do you say those things to me? We have done such horrible things to you. We..." the shadow man lowered his head in shame.

"Jesus loves you, and he is waiting for you to accept Him. Who am I to say I can't pray for you? Who am I to say anything accept: God loves you and He wants you to know Him and accept Him. Open your heart to the only one who can heal it."

The shadow man unlocked her chains turned around and walked away. She stared in amazement as he walked out the door and left it open.

She stayed in her chair wondering what to do next. "You are free to go child." Marci jumped at the voice. She turned her head to see where the voice was coming from. Standing in the back corner was a man dressed in white robes. He had such a kind face, and it seemed familiar somehow - but she did not move. "What?" she asked suspiciously. "You are free to go Marci; your faithfulness has set you free." She smiled, stood up and walked out the door.

Deu 31:8 And the LORD, He [is] the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.

The Lost One

Have you ever wondered what the prodigal son was thinking on his walk back home? What was his father thinking when he saw him? I always wonder about that....here's my take on it.

The Lost One

Aaron was hungry; he had been walking for what seemed like hours. He had taken this long dirt road a million times, but never like this. He was on his way home after years of living the way he finally wanted to - doing what he wanted, when he wanted. But now...now he held his head in shame as he walked home.

Everything on the road held a memory, a wonderful memory that only caused him pain now. There was the tree that he and Isaac would study under; there was the old barn that Abba built for the neighbors. This was harder than he thought. "How am I going to do this? What if I get rejected?" He stopped in his tracks. "What if I cannot go home? Where will I go? No," Aaron said out loud, "I will not let that happen. I must...I must beg him to let me be a servant." Aaron continued walking and thinking; "What am I doing? He's never going to accept me. I spent all of his money on harlots!" He stopped walking again.

Aaron looked at the sky, and then looked at the ground. It was full of pointy rocks, dirt and dung.

"That's it! I will get down on my knees and crawl to him; I will show him how pathetic I know I am!" He continued his walk of shame. He rounded the corner and looked down the road to his childhood home. The place that brought him warmth and comfort as a child only made him feel cold and alone. He strained his eyes to see a little man running down the road to him. "Is that my Abba?" He fell to his knees.

Abba was walking outside the house praying, as he always did at this time, for his youngest Aaron. Aaron was the rebellious one, the one who gave Abba the white hair - but no matter what Aaron did, he still loved his son greatly. Aaron left some time ago, wanting to do his own thing - Abba did not agree...but he knew he must let him make his own choices.

He never heard from Aaron directly, but knew he was OK - at least until the famine hit. No one had seen or heard from his youngest son in quite some time. Abba was fearful that he would never see his youngest again, so he did the best thing he could do...he prayed for him. He had been praying for Aaron since he left, but found himself praying even more now. "Please save my son" was all he could muster. Tears would fill his eyes, and it would hurt to speak...but he would never stop saying: "Please save my son".

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a man walking down the road. He felt immediate pity for the man, as he was covered in filth. It seemed that man had not eaten in some time....wait isn't that? He moved closer and squinted. His heart swelled as he realized "THAT'S MY SON! THANK YOU LORD!" He ran as fast as his old legs would take him. It was his son, his lost prodigal son.

Luke15:20-24 And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.' "But the father said to his servants, 'Bring [fn] out the best robe and put [it] on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on [his] feet. And bring the fatted calf here and kill [it], and let us eat and be merry; for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' And they began to be merry.

Have you ever thought: "I can't become a Christian....I've done way to many horrible things." I know I have thought that, I was right there thinking:"God will never love me after what I have done." But you see this parable is a great picture of God's undying love for us. Earlier in the story, Aaron took his inheritance and spent it all on "prodigal" living. He did what he wanted, when he wanted. He knew he disappointed his father, he knew the shame that he brought upon his family - that's why he came back with the intention to become a servant. But his father had other ideas.

Luke 15:7 says: I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance. God wants you and only you; He does not care what you have done, who you were or where you have been. He cares only about you. He wants you to see what He has to offer you.

He has this huge gift of salvation waiting for you to accept.

Or are you that person who says: "I can't become a Christian yet, I am having way too much fun right now." Take a look at those verses; the prodigal son thought that way too - but then came the famine and out went his wealth. You obviously think that there will always be an opportunity to accept Christ; but I have one thing to ask you...Who said you were promised the next 5 minutes?

Romans 3:10 As it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not one;
Not even me! I would never, ever claim to be righteous. I am a sinner saved by Grace. You see ALL HAVE SINNED. Yes even you reading this thinking, "I'm a good person. She's not talking to me". So sorry my friend, but I am talking to even you.

Romans 3:23 ...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God...
Again, ALL HAVE SINNED! I know that there are some who say: "But I do good things, that's good enough." Well to that I answer with Eph 2:8&9 - For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; [it is] the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. (emphasis mine)

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin [is] death, but the gift of God [is] eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Sin brings death plain and simple. Even those little white lies you tell ("Oh Mrs. Johnson, that is a lovely purple feather hat"...yea you know what I'm talking about). And the death it speaks of is spiritual death.

Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
God loves us so much, that before we even could even accept Him...He sent His son to die for us.

Romans 5:6 For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

John 10:17-18 Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.
Jesus rose from the dead, so that you may have eternal life through Him.

John 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."
Jesus offers us eternal life, through Him alone. There is nothing that you or anyone else can do to get you to heaven.

Romans 10:9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
We must accept God's gift of salvation by faith alone.

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Once we confess our sins, He will forgive them. No matter what they are, Christ will forgive you as long as you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord over your heart.

Romans 10:13 For "whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved."
This says "...calls upon the name of the Lord.." but it does not mean simply saying Lord! It means saying Lord save me, I am a sinner. I confess my sins to you and accept you as my saviour. Come into my heart I pray.

Romans 8:35-39
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? [Shall] tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: "For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter." Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Once you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and saviour....nothing can separate you from His love. Nothing.

God's Glory

With all that Dave and I are going through, we have really been immersing ourselves in the word. Obviously because of this we are really being blessed and I wanted to share with you something that we read.

1Cr 1:18 - 31: For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: ["I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,] [And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent."] [fn] Where [is] the wise? Where [is] the scribe? Where [is] the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks [fn] foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, [are called.] But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence. But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God--and righteousness and sanctification and redemption--that, as it is written, ["He who glories, let him glory in the LORD."] [fn]

These verses are great reminders of Gods Sovereignty! In the previous verses (1:10-17), Paul chides them for the divisions that were occurring. People were starting to divide the church based on who was taught or really brought to salvation, by which teacher (Paul, Apollos, Cephas or Christ). Because of that fact, the following verses are Paul trying to explain to them how foolish man is compared to God.

There was a widespread misunderstanding of the Gospel message during this time. Paul was trying to show them it's not mans wisdom or cleverness that brought them to Christ, but rather it's holding/keeping them "back". You see in verse 23 it says: "But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness", the Jews and the Greeks could not (or really cannot) understand because the things of God are spiritually appraised or examined (2:14). Meaning that God is the only one who can grant wisdom. God is the only one who can "save someone".

Also, during this time Greek philosophy was "running rampant". Men were just basically full of themselves, believing they knew everything - even the bible. Which translates to the people were trying to make the bible their own, by using their "earthly wisdom" to put the bible into their own words. Because of this, there was sin growing in the church. People are prideful; they tend to look up to those who are the strongest or wisest. Paul was telling them: The wise men are foolish and those who look to the wisdom of wise men are foolish as well.

Therefore God uses the complete opposite (weak or foolish) to bring all Glory to His name which therefore would break the pride of the prideful. If He did use those who are proud (or strong or whatever) He would not get the glory. Jer 9:23-24 "Thus says the Lord, 'Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises loving-kindness, justice and righteousness on the earth, for I delight in those things' declares the Lord."

Everything is done to glorify God...EVERYTHING! No matter what you are going through, God is faithful. I know that I needed to desperately hear that. I know I need to hear about God's grace and faithfulness. God is mighty and powerful. I pray that this has blessed you as it has me