The next day the council of all the rulers and elders and teachers of religious law met in Jerusalem. Annas the high priest was there, along with Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and other relatives of the high priest.
They brought in the two disciples and demanded, “By what power, or in whose name, have you done this?”
Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers and elders of our people, are we being questioned today because we’ve done a good deed for a crippled man? Do you want to know how he was healed?
“Let me clearly state to all of you and to all the people of Israel that he was healed by the powerful name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, the man you crucified but whom God raised from the dead.
“For Jesus is the one referred to in the Scriptures, where it says, ‘The stone that you builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.’
“There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.”
Prayer: Lord Jesus – You alone have the power to heal… you alone have the power to save. You alone are the way, the truth, and the life…. no one comes to the Father except through you. May the whole world know that you are Lord. To you be all honor, glory, wisdom, power, riches and strength. Amen.
Spiritual Song:“There Is No Other Name” – Robin Mark
While Peter and John were speaking to the people, they were confronted by the priests, the captain of the Temple guard, and some of the Sadducees.
People attend a Mass led by Catholic priest Marcelo Rossi at the Mother of God sanctuary in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Saturday, Nov. 3, 2012. Rossi, inaugurated on Friday the massive new Roman Catholic church that will hold about 20,000 worshippers when complete. (AP Photo/Andre Penner)
These leaders were very disturbed that Peter and John were teaching the people that through Jesus there is a resurrection of the dead.
They arrested them and, since it was already evening, put them in jail until morning.
But many of the people who heard their message believed it, so the number of believers now totaled about 5,000 men, not counting women and children.
Prayer: Lord Jesus – Fill your church with your Spirit. Guide and direct your servants to seek and save those who are lost. Baptize them into your family and make them spirit and truth worshipers. Teach and train them to become more like you and send them out to tell others of your mercy and grace. And may you receive all the glory. Amen.
Peter saw his opportunity and addressed the crowd.
“People of Israel,” he said, “what is so surprising about this? And why stare at us as though we had made this man walk by our own power or godliness? For it is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—the God of all our ancestors—who has brought glory to his servant Jesus by doing this.
“This is the same Jesus whom you handed over and rejected before Pilate, despite Pilate’s decision to release him. You rejected this holy, righteous one and instead demanded the release of a murderer. You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. And we are witnesses of this fact!
“Through faith in the name of Jesus, this man was healed—and you know how crippled he was before. Faith in Jesus’ name has healed him before your very eyes.
“Friends, I realize that what you and your leaders did to Jesus was done in ignorance. But God was fulfilling what all the prophets had foretold about the Messiah—that he must suffer these things.
“Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away. Then times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord, and he will again send you Jesus, your appointed Messiah. For he must remain in heaven until the time for the final restoration of all things, as God promised long ago through his holy prophets.
“Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from among your own people. Listen carefully to everything he tells you.’ Then Moses said, ‘Anyone who will not listen to that Prophet will be completely cut off from God’s people.’
“Starting with Samuel, every prophet spoke about what is happening today. You are the children of those prophets, and you are included in the covenant God promised to your ancestors. For God said to Abraham, ‘Through your descendants all the families on earth will be blessed.’
“When God raised up his servant, Jesus, he sent him first to you people of Israel, to bless you by turning each of you back from your sinful ways.”
Prayer:Heavenly Father – Give me a passion and heart for the lost… a passion to reach one more for Jesus. Holy Spirit – Usher in a season of refreshment… of power healing and evangelism where sins are forgiven, lives are changed, and families, tribes and nations turn to God. Lord Jesus – You reign over heaven and earth… pray for us… may your Kingdom come and your will be done… so that in the end every knee shall bow and tongue confess you as Lord. Amen.
Spiritual Song: “In the name of the Lord” – Sandi Patti
Crowds Have Lined The Narrow Street / To See This Man From Galilee / Just A Carpenter Some Say Leading Fools Astray / Yet Many Kneel To Give Him Praise
And In His Eyes They Glimpse The Power / That Sees The Heart Of All Men / And He Knows His Fathers Mind He Speaks His Fathers Words / For He Comes In The Name Of The Lord
There Is Strength In The Name Of The Lord / There Is Power In The Name Of The Lord / There Is Hope In The Name Of The Lord / Blessed Is He Who Comes In The Name Of The Lord
When My Plans Have Fallen Through / And When My Strength Is Nearly Gone / When Theres Nothing Left To Do But Just Depend On You / And The Power Of Your Name
And When We Call Upon Your Name / Your Strength Through Weakness To Show / We Can Know The Master Plan Extend The Masters Hand / When We Come In The Name Of The Lord
There Is Strength In The Name Of The Lord / There Is Power In The Name Of The Lord / There Is Hope In The Name Of The Lord / Blessed Is He Who Comes In The Name Of The Lord
His Name Will Be Worshiped Forever / Creator Redeemer And King / There Is Strength In The Name Of The Lord / There Is Power In The Name Of The Lord / There Is Hope In The Name Of The Lord / Blessed Is He Who Comes / Blessed Is He Who Comes / Blessed Is He Who Comes In The Name Of The Lord / In The Name Of The Lord
PUBLISHED: 11:24 EST, 2 June 2013 | UPDATED: 05:36 EST, 3 June 2013
The Foreign Office has warned against travel to various parts of Turkey except in cases of emergency following another day of rioting.
Tens of thousands took to the streets in the country’s four biggest cities yesterday – the third day of anti-government protests – with demonstrators clashing with riot police, who repelled them with tear gas.
The unrest initially erupted on Friday when trees were torn down at a park in Istanbul’s main Taksim Square under government plans to redevelop the area. But they have widened into a broad show of defiance against the Islamist-rooted Justice and Development Party (AKP).
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Blaze: An anti-government protester holds Turkey’s national flag with a portrait of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk on it
Gas: Police use water cannon as protesters run to avoid tear gas during the third day
Choke: Turkey’s prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan rejected claims that he is a ‘dictator,’ dismissing protesters as an extremist fringe
Riot: A protester falls down as he tries to throw back at police a tear gas canister
Prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan blamed the main secular opposition party for inciting the crowds, and said the protests were aimed at depriving his ruling AK Party of votes as elections begin next year.
Erdogan said the plans to remake the square, long an iconic rallying point for mass demonstrations, would go ahead, including the construction of a new mosque and the rebuilding of a replica Ottoman-era barracks.
TURKEY: Mangled vehicles on the streets following two nights of…
Population: 89.7 million (9.7 million Christians) Main Religion: Buddhism Government: Communist state Source of Persecution: Communist oppression/dictatorial paranoia
Christians are perceived as Western agents and the state, with the help of tribal leaders, watches churches closely. The government requires permits for larger gatherings and issues them last minute – if at all – to deter people from attending. Converts from Buddhism come under pressure from family and community, and authorities in tribal areas often hire gangsters to harass pastors and new believers. The government has begun placing more restrictions on Christians in the wake of the Arab Spring.
PLEASE PRAY: More than a dozen believers were imprisoned in 2012.
Pray for strength and perseverance for Christians in prison.
Pray for Christians from ethnic minority groups, like the Hmong, who face great pressure to return to traditional beliefs.
Pray for safety for those distributing Open Doors’ Illustrated Children’s Bible. Importing Christian materials is prohibited.
PERSECUTION DYNAMICS
Vietnam is one of the remaining countries in the world following a Communist ideology. The authorities still perceive Christianity as a foreign influence and Christians from a tribal background like the Hmong face pressure to return to traditional faith, especially in rural areas. Gatherings are suspected as meetings to plot against the government and are closely monitored.
Obtaining recognition for churches or permission to renovate a church building is a long process. In 2012, at least seven churches, all Catholic, were confiscated. Training of leaders has to be done secretly and integrating converts has to be done very cautiously. Importing Christian materials is prohibited. Christians face violence and are sent to prison, not officially because of their faith, but because of ‘anti-government’ propaganda. It is unlikely that the situation will change substantially in the coming years.
“Kneel! Kneel!” shouted a village thug. Unfazed by the threats, Pastor Vinh* stood his ground. In Vinh’s culture, kneeling is seen as an admission of guilt. Although authorities prohibited planting of new churches, Vinh would not allow their threats to stop him from spreading the gospel message.
“He was one of the most promising students in the class,” explained by Vinh’s spiritual mentor. “He was very passionate to share God’s word and had a deep love for Jesus.”
Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers and elders of our people, are we being questioned today because we’ve done a good deed for a crippled man? Do you want to know how he was healed?
Blaze: An anti-government protester holds Turkey’s national flag with a portrait of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk on it
Gas: Police use water cannon as protesters run to avoid tear gas during the third day
Choke: Turkey’s prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan rejected claims that he is a ‘dictator,’ dismissing protesters as an extremist fringe
Riot: A protester falls down as he tries to throw back at police a tear gas canister
