From Day by Day with the Persecuted Church,
I have sinned against the Lord. (2 Samuel 12:13)
Constantin Caraman
It takes courage to tell a king the truth, especially when the truth will result in punishment. Punishment for the king (by God) and punishment for yourself (by the king). John the Baptist did it and it cost him his head.
When David made some serious mistakes, God sent the prophet Nathan to point them out to him. It was a difficult task for Nathan. Which one of us would like to be a bearer of bad tidings? But Nathan went to tell the king what the consequences of his sin would be. How did David react? Did he have Nathan killed? No, David did something unusual - he accepted the criticism and admitted the guilt, "I have sinned."
He did not try to defend himself, but humbled himself before God. Is this not characteristic of a man after God's own heart?
Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. (Psalm 139:23, 24)
Writer for the month - Constantin Caraman from Romania was in prison three times for his faith.
Copyright [C] 1995 Open Doors International. Used by permission.
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Day by Day with the Persecuted Churchcompiled by Jan Pit with a forward by Brother Andrew (paperback, revised 2000)
Compelling wisdom from the pen of actual believers living amidst persecution, you'll be connected to the suffering, courage, and depth of life that exists in the harshest places in the world. Each of these 365 thought-provoking devotions will deepen your understanding of Christian persecution and provoke you to pray for our brothers and sisters with a new found depth.
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