Our days are never always bad nor are they perfect. Accepting the unpleasant alongside the pleasant is our way of life. It is the same with the gospel right across the world.
Jesus told us it would be so:
“Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.” He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. “As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear.” (Matthew 13 v 36-43)
How can you explain that there has been a growth in the last 15 years in Burkina Faso of over 1,000 Fulani Churches and this from one network alone and alongside there has been rising Islamist attacks like the one a few days ago when 132 people were killed from one village? The answer is the parable of the weeds.
In the most unlikely of places where suffering abounds and fear of conversion is stark, Christianity continues to grow. Myanmar, Iran, Afghanistan, China, Somalia … the list continues to grow, Christianity is thriving and so does the evil.
What will happen?
Both will intensify. We are going to see evil become more evil, the darkness will become black and we will be shocked if we are not already so at what man will do to man. But the gospel will continue to thrive in even these same places. There will be powerful demonstrations of salvation with miraculous supernatural activity.
Then the harvest will come.
Missions Paul 