Dear Epaphras,
We are back in France after an amazing Christmas in the USA with family. For those of you we were able to meet up with, thanks for being such an encouragement to us! Next time in the USA we hope to meet up with the rest of you. We are grateful for each of you!
We returned to a “different” France. You are undoubtedly aware of the terrorist attacks in Paris this month. And, you’ve noticed the “Je Suis Charlie” (I am Charlie) placards posted everywhere in cyberspace. The magazine Charlie Hebdo is known for its rude, vulgar and provocative print. But, to understand how deeply these attacks affected France you need to understand how the French echo their philosopher Voltaire who said, “I do not agree with what you have to say, but I’ll defend to the death your right to say it.” Liberty of thought and expression are fundamental building blocks to the French world view. Such liberté is one of the many beautiful things of France.
Societies that restrict such liberties are unfortunately many. In these countries men and women are ‘beaten’ into submission and conformity on a daily basis. Some are beaten physically, others emotionally. All are restricted in thought and controlled by fear. Their freedoms are taken away under the pretense they need to be ‘protected’ from the many evils that pervade our world, particularly those emanating from the West.
Pray for France as they wrestle with freedom of speech. Pray the government would avoid political correctness by placing restrictions on all faiths. Pray the media and the government wouldn’t avoid the discussion about what motivates “extremism” and the violence born from the Quran and Islam – Islam is only a peaceful religion in places where everyone submits to Allah. Pray for our Muslim friends in France and the rest of Europe – we have 5 teams actively witnessing to Muslims in France. Pray muslims would have the courage, and freedom, to truly critique and evaluate their faith.
Islam was behind the recent attacks. But, there is another enemy to spiritual freedom in France, notably antagonistic atheism. This foe places pressure on men, women and children to not believe in God. It’s a pressure that ridicules people of faith. This freedom-killer doesn’t use an AK-47 to control people’s thinking but the anti-God curriculum, a strong media bias against people of faith and an increasing social pressure which causes people to equate Faith in Christ with ignorance.
Let’s pray France would be truly free! Let’s pray for a liberté where men and women are free to seek God, rather than a liberté that expresses itself through raunchy and inappropriate cartoon images or a governmental system that silently opposes spiritual thirst.
Blessings in Jesus,
Steve and Sara Currey
Prayer requests:
We are seeking to move into Bayonne, ask the Lord to lead us to the right house. We think we’ve found one and need to decide by Friday… Ask the Lord for an open “door.”
Thank the Lord with us for Steve’s recent trip to Amsterdam and the UK where he, Eric Peters (Steve’s boss) and Mike Wagner (future director of PIONEERS Europe) were able to build several key relationships… more on this next week.
Recent Comments