Many do not know this, but about one third of the writings found in the New Testament were letters written by the apostle Paul while he was in prison...
These were Holy Spirit directed letters to various churches that Paul managed to pen, and then smuggle out via his Christian friends.
And what were Paul's crimes? Preaching the gospel and defying the orders of governors and politicians not to mention the name of Jesus. For this, he ended up getting beaten and whipped by the authorities and thrown in jail on a number of occasions, including time spent in a dungeon. But incarceration did not stop Paul from writing words of encouragement and hope to the churches on the outside
And the same was true with Jeremiah the prophet. In Old Testament times, Jeremiah wrote from the court of the king's prison where he was being held for proclaiming the words of the Lord. But Incarceration did not deter the prophet from his mission.
While in recent times, men like Watchman Nee, a Chinese pastor and evangelist who was arrested and
imprisoned by the Chinese Communists, spent the remainder of his life confined. Yet, he managed to
write to fellow Christians, urging them never to stop serving the Lord.
And then there was Pastor Richard Wurmbrand. He was arrested by the Communist Party in Romania,
and was held in prison for many years before his release. Yet while confined, he boldly stood for Jesus.
Today, the writings of these men have outlived the lives of their persecutors. The prophet Jeremiah and
the apostle Paul have their works immortalized in the Scriptures. While the writings of Watchman Nee and Pastor Richard Wurmbrand can easily be found in any Christian bookstore, or online.
The fruits of these godly men live on. Whether in prison or on the outside, God has his chosen scribes ready and waiting, and armed with their pens.
D.B.
And what were Paul's crimes? Preaching the gospel and defying the orders of governors and politicians not to mention the name of Jesus. For this, he ended up getting beaten and whipped by the authorities and thrown in jail on a number of occasions, including time spent in a dungeon. But incarceration did not stop Paul from writing words of encouragement and hope to the churches on the outside
And the same was true with Jeremiah the prophet. In Old Testament times, Jeremiah wrote from the court of the king's prison where he was being held for proclaiming the words of the Lord. But Incarceration did not deter the prophet from his mission.
While in recent times, men like Watchman Nee, a Chinese pastor and evangelist who was arrested and
imprisoned by the Chinese Communists, spent the remainder of his life confined. Yet, he managed to
write to fellow Christians, urging them never to stop serving the Lord.
And then there was Pastor Richard Wurmbrand. He was arrested by the Communist Party in Romania,
and was held in prison for many years before his release. Yet while confined, he boldly stood for Jesus.
Today, the writings of these men have outlived the lives of their persecutors. The prophet Jeremiah and
the apostle Paul have their works immortalized in the Scriptures. While the writings of Watchman Nee and Pastor Richard Wurmbrand can easily be found in any Christian bookstore, or online.
The fruits of these godly men live on. Whether in prison or on the outside, God has his chosen scribes ready and waiting, and armed with their pens.
D.B.
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