Month: October 2012

Please pray for Syrian believers – Day 5

Peanut Gallery: Please pray for the hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees who have been forced out of their homes and have fled the country.

“Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when  did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’

And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my  brothers,you did it to me.’”  Matthew 25.37-40 ESV

Open Doors: An estimated, “300,000 people are now refugees from Syria, that’s triple the level of just three months ago,” reports Jerry Dykstra from Open Doors. In spite of the traumatic and chaotic circumstance, God continues to draw people to Himself. Dykstra adds, “We hear reports that many Christians are sharing with their Muslim neighbors. So even in the midst of this terrible tragedy, we see the Lord working.”

Hundreds of thousands of Syrians have fled the country into such neighboring countries as Jordan, Turkey and Lebanon, according to the United Nations.

“The violence has pushed people out of their homes, fleeing for their lives,” a Christian pastor in Syria paints a picture for Christians in the West of the rapidly deteriorating, horrific conditions in the war-torn country. “Many are displaced internally and many others are external refugees living in the most humiliating circumstances, deprived of even shelter, clean water, power, food and medical care.” (Open Doors)

Meanwhile, the refugee crisis grew ever more acute, with the U.N. refugee agency UNHCR saying that between 2,000 and 3,000 people were fleeing across borders every day from Syria.

The total number of refugees now stood at more than 340,000, Melissa Fleming, a UNHCR spokeswoman, said in Geneva.

“And now into the winter months, more and more of these people are going to be living in camp situations. So more and more of these people are going to be spending the winter in tents,” she said.  (Reuters)

Please join me in prayer: “My people are hurting….”

  • For peace in the country and an end to the bloodshed. For God’s rich mercies on the suffering people.
  • For the safety and protection of the churches, keeping the church’s faithful witness.
  • For wisdom and vision for church leaders.
  • For the glory of the living God to dwell in the Church.
  • To empower the Church to reach out to the suffering, to share the divine cure of the gospel, and to speak the word of the Lord in all boldness.
  • That the evil powers of darkness will be defeated in our land.
  • That the values of false religion will be exposed for what they are and despised and rejected by many.
  • For many souls to come to know the love and forgiveness of Christ and to enjoy His saving grace.
  • That the Lord would send wise, God-fearing counselors to the decision-makers in all parties in the country.

Morning Reading: John 21.18-19 NLT

“I tell you the truth, when you were young, you were able to do as you liked; you dressed yourself and went wherever you wanted to go. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and others will dress you and take you where you don’t want to go.” Jesus said this to let him know by what kind of death he would glorify God. Then Jesus told him, “Follow me.” John 21.18-19 NLT

godsbooklover's avatarTwo Heads are Better Than One

It’s Sunday.  I don’t have it in me to talk politics today, except tangentially.

Father in Heaven, I am so tired of this election.  I’m weary of thinking through the ins and outs of policy, fact-checking four men who all project confidence (if not veracity) in their arsenal of sound bytes, praying that the right man (or is it just the “least wrong” man?) will win the office of president.

My faith in the whole political process is shaky today.  I don’t feel as if I have anywhere to plant my feet.  So I’m taking a break today from reading about it.  I’m giving the blog readers a break from reading it, too–even though I find my brother a captivating and compelling voice in this whole election season.

All I know today is that, no matter what happens on November 6, 2012,

“God is not a man, that He should lie

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Please pray for Syrian believers – Day 4

Peanut Gallery: “Loving your enemies” is literally being put to the test by Christians in Syria.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.”  Matthew 5:43-45  NKJV

Context: Over the past 20 months, the civil war between President Bashar al-Assad’s forces and the Free Syrian Army has caused approximately 30,000 casualties, mostly civilians, according to several reports….

The cities of Aleppo and Homs have become especially dangerous for Christians. “A lot is being destroyed in Aleppo,” one of Open Doors’ contacts in the city reports. “Extreme violence is being experienced in the last few weeks. You can see the results of it in the old city and in other neighborhoods and surrounding villages. There is a lot of destruction. We see that their apartments are easily confiscated by the rebels to be used for snipers,” the spokesman continues.

“The Christian community is the only group that doesn’t fight back or doesn’t protect property with guns. So when the rebels search a place to stay or to use for their battle, they choose the houses and apartments of the softest target – the Christians.” (Open Doors)

The City of Homs is a major industrial center, and with a population of at least 652,609 people, it is the third largest city in Syria after Aleppo to the north and the capital Damascus to the south. Its population reflects Syria’s general religious diversity, composed mostly of Arabic-speaking Sunni Muslims and Alawite and Christian minorities. The city boasts a number of historic mosques and churches and is close to the Krak des Chevaliers, a world heritage site.  (Wikipedia)

Please join me in prayer…

■  For peace in the country and an end to the bloodshed. For God’s rich mercies on the suffering people.
■  For the safety and protection of the churches, keeping the church’s faithful witness.
■  For wisdom and vision for church leaders.
■  For the glory of the living God to dwell in the Church.
■  To empower the Church to reach out to the suffering, to share the divine cure of the gospel, and to speak the word of the Lord in all boldness.
■  That the evil powers of darkness will be defeated in our land.
■  That the values of false religion will be exposed for what they are and despised and rejected by many.
■  For many souls to come to know the love and forgiveness of Christ and to enjoy His saving grace.
■  That the Lord would send wise, God-fearing counselors to the decision-makers in all parties in the country.