I want to briefly encourage you all to read a letter from the modern-day Church of Smyrna. The letter speaks of recent persecution: a German missionary, a local Turkish pastor and another Turkish Christian were martyred for Christ.
Read the letter. Be challenged to pray for the persecuted church around the world. Be encouraged to see that God is presently at work redeeming a people for His name from every tongue and tribe. Be convicted of the importance of the gospel. And be shamed for your lack of dedication and committment to the cause of Christ.
May God turn our rightful shame into a determination to risk all for Jesus Christ and for the spreading of the Gospel to all peoples.
Thanks for posting this: I strongly encourage everyone to read it, and to spend much time in prayer for our dear brothers and sisters in Turkey. Even as Jesus won the victory through the blood which the rage of his enemies shed, so the victory of seeing the effects of that mighty work of redemption applied throughout the world comes oftentimes through the blood of the saints. I believe that this tragedy will fall out to the mighty growth of the Kingdom in Turkey and beyond.
They who suffer with Christ will likewise share in his glory. We may be much comforted over our dear brothers in Turkey by this truth.