Praying for North Korea

Within the past couple of days the tensions between the United States and the North Korean regime of Kim Yong Un have reached new levels. It seems the North Korean dictator is intent on threatening the United States and his own neighbors. It is an uneasy time and a very difficult issue for our President and military leadership.
I’ll leave the analysis of international affairs to others who are far more capable. I’ve been trained as a pastor and theologian. That said, I have had a long interest in and burden for North Korea. It is arguably the worst nation on earth to live as a Christian. One can be arrested and have three generations of one’s family put in a concentration camp for simply owning a Bible. The personality cult that worships the North Korean dictator is threatened by Christianity.
All this and more was brought home to me in a fresh way by reading the cover story of the August 19, 2017 issue of World Magazine, “North Korea Conundrum: What to do as Kim Jong Un builds more ballistic missiles?” [I highly recommend you get a subscription to this news magazine from a Christian worldview- go to www.wng.org] The article describes not only the thorny diplomatic and military challenges but the history of persecution and oppression of Christians in North Korea.
We need to pray for North Korea and the current tensions that exist. My hope and prayer is that current events will be used in God’s providence for regime change to take place- without the loss of life. Perhaps in that way Christians in North Korea will no longer suffer and the gospel will have a fresh opportunity to be spread. It’s amazing to realize that before World War II a great spiritual revival took place in North Korea to the point where the current capital of Pyongyang was called the “the Jerusalem of the East.”
If you care to join us, we will be gathering tonight in the church fellowship hall at 7PM to pray. We’ll be praying for North Korea, our nation, our community, our church, and our own personal needs.