January 14, 2011

Nehemiah 4
Have you been following the case of the Chinese Human Rights Lawyer, Gao Zhisheng? A little more news about him surfaced today because President Obama will soon be meeting with Chinese officials. If you are interested, you can read the AP news story at
http://www.chinaaid.org/2011/01/ap-exclusive-missing-chinese-lawyer.html One on line comment to the AP article was by Housetop Shouter. That person commented:
Now in 2011 China has Most Favored Nation trade status with the US. In other words, USA's mammoth trade deficit plus the money borrowed from China has had the economic effect of putting China's boot onto USA's neck. Result is wasted effort for any grassroots boycott. I believe that prayer is still the best way to help brother Gao because God is greater than anything China can do to him. May the Lord set Gao free soon!
I believe that he or she is correct. Nehemiah demonstrates that principle. Look at:
v. 9 Nevertheless we made our prayer to our God,
v. 15 God had brought their plot to nothing
v. 20 Our God will fight for us.
It may be that Gao will never be released this side of heaven. We should pray for his release; however, God may use his martyrdom to advance His kingdom in China. Then again, He may use Gao’s release to advance His kingdom in China. We do not know. But we do know that we can pray as did Nehemiah. Somehow our prayers are interconnected with what God is accomplishing in this world. That is to God’s glory! It would be one thing for a Sovereign God to create a world and design for all the creatures to act in a certain way without any free will. It is a wholly different thing for a Sovereign God to create a world and design the creatures such that they can interact with free wills with him to accomplish His sovereign plan. They both exist. They both declare His glory. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john