Can you handle the truth?

We, as Christians, believe in truth...actually THE Truth; however, we live in a society and culture where truth is not held in as high of esteem. Nevertheless, truth is still needed and demanded in our society (i.e. when testifying in court, you promise to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth). With a Christian belief system built so strongly on truth, I wonder...can we really handle the truth? Or, in other words, do we want to know the truth? Please allow me to explain. Excerpts from a recent prayer request from Big Life Ministries is below:

"On Wednesday, we are going to the home of a recently converted family. They have decided to destroy their idols that have been in the family for generations. Keith* has told them that the idols need to be totally destroyed rather than sold (some of them are valuable since they are antiques). We are going to pray over the home (to bind the strongman), then the Westerners will leave so that it does not come across to others that this is taking place due to coercion. Later Wednesday evening they will be throwing them into the nearby river. "

This is great news! To see a recent convert ready to destroy their idols and take a stand for Christ is an exciting event in any missionaries life. However, the truth is there is another part to this prayer request that came the following day.

"We received word from India that prayer is urgently needed for the family who bagged up their Hindu idols and cast them into the local river a couple of days ago (as previously reported). The village is now in an absolute uproar and is trying to throw them out of their home and village as we are composing this email. We have learned that the family consists of 36 year old Judy* along with her 9 year old son.

Judy* came to the Lord a few days ago and was immediately obedient to forsake her previous Hindu idols. We are told that her home contained so many idols that it resembled a Hindu temple. Please begin lifting Judy* and her son up in prayer to the Lord. Pray for their protection and peace that only our Lord can supply during these kinds of trials. Pray for the Lord to subdue the anger living in the hearts of these villagers and ultimately for the Lord to use Judy's* testimony to bring these lost people into a personal relationship with their Creator. "

The truth is that many believers, all over the world, are suffering immensely for their faith. This is something that the majority of us have never experienced and probably never will experience! Please be in prayer for this request and be attentive to how God may be opening your eyes and ears to the truth of suffering Christians all over the world. To find out more on *Judy and other ministry opportunities, please visit Big Life representatives in the Mission Kiosk this weekend or go to their website at http://biglifeonline.org/home.

Or, to learn more about this topic, visit The Voice of the Martyrs at http://www.persecution.com/

* Names changed for protection