If you ever had the pleasure of seeing Pastor Richard Wurmbrand (author of Tortured for Christ) speak, you know he preached sitting down with his shoes off. This was because the communists had beaten the souls of his feet so badly that they had permanent damage and it was too painful to stand, or even wear shoes.
I traveled with Pastor Wurmbrand for a number of years in the early 1990s. At each event where he was speaking I would walk him to the stage, help him sit, place his Bible in his lap, and then remove his shoes. From the outside it may have seemed like a lowly task, but I was so blessed to assist him. I felt like the most honored guest in the building, even though few knew my name.
Richard always looked out into the audience, slowly from right to left before speaking, making eye contact with each person. I asked him once if he was looking to see if they were paying attention. He said "No, when I look into their eyes, I see Jesus and it helps me to preach."
"When I look into their eyes, I see Jesus and it helps me to preach."
Richard often had severe coughing when he preached. He had suffered from Tuberculosis in his homeland of Romania a decade earlier and his body struggled until the end. Those in attendance would start to worry, and the room would fall completely silent. When he caught his breath he would simply say, "Don't worry, as long as I am coughing, they won't bury me" and resume his sermon.
Pastor Wurmbrand had suffered 14 years in communist prisons. He was placed in the "death room" because of his Tuberculosis and told he would die there. When medicine was smuggled in to help him, he offered it to the man next to him in bed, a former communist officer who said, "I would rather die than take medicine from a dirty Jew."
When he was finally released from prison and came to the USA in 1966, the doctors told him he would be lucky to live a few years. Some were even surprised he was still alive, given all he had gone through.
This incredible hero of our faith lived to be 91-years-old. This was well beyond anyone's expectation! When I was by Pastor Wurmbrand's bedside in his final days, it was not how long he lived that amazed me, it was how he lived.
It was not how long he lived that amazed me, it was how he lived.
Having suffered through communist prisons, unbelievable torture, and Tuberculosis, he knew his health was frail and could turn at any time. He lived every single day to share the gospel even if with a single person. He prayed for the persecuted, studied his Bible, and wrote sermons in his notebooks continually. He enjoyed a kind word, fellowship over a meal, and a good joke. But most of all he wanted to preach; desiring everyone he came in contact with to experience Christ's love.
If you have been following my emails you know that I had my own health challenges this year. In January, I suffered a massive heart attack. In June and July, I was sick for three weeks thinking I had Covid, only to find out I had Pneumonia. Either could have ended badly given my weakened heart.
I find myself getting more tired during the day, but I am back to work full time and determined more than ever to dedicate my life to bringing the most important project of my life, iBIBLE to completion.
Pastor Richard Wurmbrand is my hero. A true spiritual giant. He has given me an amazing example of the importance of "how" we live versus "how long." I know that regardless of any medical statistics, God will decide when I take my last breath and enter eternity. I rest in knowing that he saved me twice already this year.
I have known many people who had acquired more wealth in this life than they could ever spend and were still fixated on making more. They believed that their earthly success could somehow increase their happiness, or even their lifespan. It is sad to imagine a person gaining so much only to lose their soul.
Pastor Wurmbrand faced a physical and horrific persecution during his life. He knew what it meant to be an evangelical Christian under communism. In America we typically do not experience physical persecution. However, our fixation on health, wealth, peace, and prosperity can be even more dangerous to us. If we are not careful, we can easily replace our eternal rewards with those of this life.
In America we typically do not experience physical persecution. However, our fixation on health, wealth, peace, and prosperity, can be even more dangerous to us.
Pastor Wurmbrand was one of the most joyful Christians I have ever met. And he knew that his best life was yet to come!
Even Satan challenged God stating that Job was only blameless because God had blessed him with riches. However, when Job had lost all and was overcome with excruciating pain from boils, he held his integrity before God. It is an important and sobering lesson.
I am thankful to be well once again and for all of those who prayed for me. I know without a shadow of a doubt it made a difference in the Heavens and it encouraged me greatly.
I am also thankful for the vision God gave me for iBIBLE and all those who are now joining in this vision. Together we can reach the world with a visual narrative of the Holy Scripture. Satan may attack, trials will come, but God will remain in control.
Have a Blessed Sunday!
Steve Cleary
CEO/Founder
RevelationMedia |
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